If you are a blogger – which engagement metric do you check the most?
Do you care more about pageviews or the size of your email list? If you said ‘pageviews, of course!’ – you are not alone. Pageviews are important (and a future Creative Blog Talk Series post) – but today we are making the case why your email list is even more important to build and monitor.
5 Reasons Why Your Email List is MORE Important than Pageviews
1. Your email list can generate the pageviews
This is a ‘which came first – the chicken or the egg?’ dilemma. Visits to your page are the first step to capture emails if you have an email capture box, but the return visits are more likely to be triggered by your emails or newsletters. Being a crafty blog, Pinterest continues to be our #1 traffic driver to the site, but email clicks are also one of our top sources.
2. Your email list is yours to keep – even when other platforms change
One thing is for sure – social media platforms will continue to change and new ones will start to grab eyeballs and followers. You may have heard horror stories of those who have built up large Facebook followings, only to find the algorithms have changed and the engagement plummets. Once you build a large following on a platform like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. – how do you bring that list to another platform? You can’t! You need to start from scratch. However, you do have the email list for as long as you like. Even if you get unsubscribes, the core list is still yours to honor, protect and treasure. (Side note: DON’T sell or share your email list. Your readers are following you – not others- and they trust you to respect that.)
3. Your email list can rally your audience around other product offerings or causes
Your email list can be one of the most powerful marketing tools you have. Have you ever thought of writing a book or creating a live event for your audience? Are you rallying your community of readers around a cause? Are you starting a new YouTube channel? Your email list can help build the excitement and generate support. When you do write that book, it may not be the announcement on your blog that gets the action to buy, but the emails will hit a captive and loyal audience that will more likely take action. When you are looking for those walkathon donors, it is your email list that is more likely to get the click connection to your donation page.
4. Your email list gives your readers a connection even when they don’t visit your site
Do you check your email inbox more frequently than your blog roll? I certainly do! I love my Bloglovin feed, but on those extra busy days – only email captures my attention. There are not enough hours in the day to visit all of the amazing content posted, but I enjoy keeping up with my email subscriptions. Even though a full email inbox makes me cringe and though I frequently unsubscribe if the content no longer interests me, I do have a stronger connection for those that I do follow.
5. Your email list allows you to share exclusive content for the community you are building
Some of my favorite bloggers are now putting more attention into newsletters that provide links to current posts along with a personal update that would not necessarily come through by reading through all of their posts. Emails are also a great way to share advance promotions with your community as acknowledgement of the special relationship you are building.
Creative Blog Talk Challenge #1: If you aren’t actively capturing email subscribers – visit us here next week where we share how to build your email list.
Have you had success building on your email list? Comment below and let us know so we can learn from each other.
As we continue our Creative Blog Talk Series – we would love to hear from you! What topics would you like to see us talk about? You can comment below or fill out our Creative Blog Talk Series form. We will continue the series here, but also send exclusive content directly to #CreativeBlogTalk subscribers. Sign up here for free.
If you missed any, check out our 50+ Must Haves for Blogging, 5 Tips for Great Content Building, 5 Ways to Focus Your Consistency, 5 Tips to Build Your Awesome Community, or 3 Ways to Create, Cultivate and Super Charge Your Blog Brand.
