If you’re an author who maintains his or her own blog site, you should know that a newsletter is a must because it lets you keep your readers updated, without requiring them to go out of their way to visit your blog every time there’s new content published on it. However, the blog and the newsletter should also form a sustainable structure wherein one leads readers to the other. In this case, how do you gain more email subscribers through your author blog? Here are some ways:
Create exclusive “Newsletter-Only” content
Think of it this way: there’s really not much of a reason for your readers to subscribe if they are actively visiting your website, right? But what if there’s content that they can only read through the newsletter? Now they have to subscribe to your list in order to get everything that you have to offer. If you want to balance things, you can put one part of the content on the website and the remaining one on the newsletter – this approach might end up being better as it naturally plays on people’s inherent need for completeness. They have to subscribe or else they’ll only get half of the content.
Make it easier for readers to subscribe
Sometimes, it’s just a matter of convenience (or lack thereof). People tend to avoid subscribing because it’s simply too much of a hassle. It’s an understandable position given that the Internet itself owes its existence to people’s need for convenience. Minimize the steps needed in order to subscribe to your list. Use QR codes if you have the technology, minimize the buttons that need to be clicked, and get as little information as you need. Avoid as much forms and dropdown menus as you can during the sign-up process. Ideally, just ask for their name and email address and give them a tick box for confirmation. Sometimes just requesting an email address can be enough.
Give users full control of what they receive and when
Another thing that usually deters readers from subscribing is that they are afraid of spam. They are naturally worried that giving away their email address means that they’ll start receiving tons of email from you, with very little in the way of control (except unsubscribing or blocking future emails). In order to address this concern, you need to tell people that they have control over the frequency and schedule of mails they receive – and you have to mean it. Give them the option of receiving daily, weekly or even monthly emails in digest form.
Ask readers to share or forward your newsletters
Usually, things can be as simple as just asking your readers for a favor. Tell them that you need more subscribers and they can help by forwarding your newsletter or sharing it with their friends. If they are fans of your works, chances are they don’t mind sharing the enjoyment they get out of it to their friends and family members. There’s no need to be ashamed if you truly have content worth sharing.
Image credit: Michelle Riggen-Ransom on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hv1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of eBooks India. He is also a prolific eBook writer with over 25 titles to his name.[/author_info] [/author]