At the end of the day, it\u2019s as simple as this: Email marketing works, and you don\u2019t want to lose out on a strategy that has proven ROI<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So let\u2019s start talking about the hows. How (and where) can you build your email list, and what strategies do we recommend for growing your list faster? We\u2019ve got everything you need to know below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hard part isn\u2019t getting started, it\u2019s generating interest and building your list after<\/em> you get started. So let\u2019s walk through the easy part first, which is setting the groundwork so you can start building up an solid email list filled with your target customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re going to start building an email list, you need a tool that can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While there are a number of available email marketing services<\/a> to choose from, let\u2019s dig into five popular options and what they have to offer. Choosing the right email marketing software and creating your account is step one in creating the ecosystem needed for building an email list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mailchimp<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mailchimp<\/a> is a great platform for brands and professionals just starting out with building their email list. It\u2019s completely free for your first 500 subscribers, giving you a reprieve from paying for a software until you actually have enough people to send content to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of its key list building features include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n beehiiv<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n beehiiv<\/a> is a newsletter site ideal for professionals and creators looking to start and monetize a newsletter. However, it can also be a great platform for creators and brands alike to build up their email list. beehiiv is free for up to 2,500 subscribers, making it an even better option than Mailchimp for those just starting out with list building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of their features include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Substack<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Substack<\/a> allows professionals and creators to start up their own publication as well as a newsletter and<\/em> monetize it. But brands can also take advantage of this platform as a unique way of sharing educational content. With Substack, it\u2019s completely free to start your subscription\u2014but if you choose to monetize your content, the platform keeps 10% of everything you earn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Features to grow your list include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kit<\/a> is an email marketing platform that puts a heavy emphasis on automation, making this a great option for brands who want to create automated marketing campaigns and easily segment out their audience into different categories. It\u2019s completely free for up to 10,000 subscribers (with limitations like only one automated sequence), but this gives brands an affordable way to start building their list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Useful features include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n ActiveCampaign<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ActiveCampaign<\/a> also provides features perfect for helping businesses start building up an email list, sending marketing content, and creating automated sequences. ActiveCampaign doesn\u2019t offer a free option, so this might be a better option once you\u2019ve already got a start to your email list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n List building features include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve picked the tool you want to use to host your email list and send your marketing communication, it\u2019s time to start promoting your list. And the best way to start with this is by using the built-in signup forms your email tool lets you create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few different options here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each of the aforementioned email tools gives you the ability to do each of these. You can start with one single form as you organize your new email strategy, or you can create all three and start to scale right off the bat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To really attract attention with your email signup forms, you\u2019ll want to include a call-to-action that gives potential subscribers a reason to<\/em> subscribe. This can be as simple as the name of the weekly newsletter you plan to send, or you might choose to include a description of the types of content you\u2019ll be sharing. Here\u2019s a simple example of what this could look like from the Vista Social blog<\/a> below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or you could create a large call-out on your website or blog like Visme<\/a> did here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve created your first (or a few) signup form for your email list, it\u2019s time to get strategic about growing that list. Having a sizeable email list means you have even more potential customers to convert (or existing customers to retain).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the next section, we\u2019re going to dig into some creative list building strategies you can take advantage of to start exponentially growing your email list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to start building up your list so you have a large audience full of potential customers you can convert? These eight strategies can help you maximize your list building efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t expect people to hand over their email address for little to nothing in return. So one great way to start building your list\u2014especially for B2B brands\u2014is by creating a lead magnet or a tripwire<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lead magnet is some kind of valuable resource, like an ebook, guide, checklist, or report, that you can offer to your target audience in exchange for their email address. Let\u2019s take a look at an example so you can see what we\u2019re talking about. Dash Social shares templates with its audience, like this social media brief template<\/a>, that interested users can download. But they have to provide their email address and consent to receiving marketing communication first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few things to keep in mind with this tactic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can even include lead magnets like this within blog posts as an extra piece of content. This makes your blog even more valuable and<\/em> turns it into a lead generation machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re starting to build a list, you need to make a plan for how to market to that list. And one great way to do that is by creating a weekly newsletter that your audience actually wants to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only does this keep your subscribers engaged, but it also gives you another incentive for bringing in even more leads. Sendible does just this with its Insider Newsletter<\/a>. Because people are interested in what the brand and its team has to say, Sendible is able to simply use its newsletter as a marketing tool for its email list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider what kind of newsletter your brand can send that will be so valuable people will want to subscribe, open, and read it week after week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make it as easy as possible to sign up for your email list. And one way to do that is by placing signup forms all over your website. Take a page out of The Sill\u2019s<\/a> book. First, a popup with a signup form appears when someone first lands on the ecommerce brand\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But The Sill has also placed a signup form in their website footer, meaning it sits at the bottom of every single page on its website, making it as easy as possible for interested customers to sign up and keep getting information about the company\u2019s products and sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not sure where to place signup forms on your site? Some ideas include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use your social media platforms as a tool as well. Share the link to your newsletter across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X\/Twitter, and Threads. You can even use visual platforms like Instagram to promote your newsletter like Lissy Skincare<\/a> did below. Set up a DM automation to make it easy for commenters to receive the signup link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re already trying to fill up your social media content calendar, regularly including CTAs to your newsletter is a great idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make your signup forms stand out so they grab attention and generate even more leads. For example, Webflow<\/a> has placed a full-width signup form on its blog page, making it difficult to miss. Not only that, but the background slowly moves, helping to grab attention even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help your CTAs stand out, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deploying signup forms all over your website is a solid strategy. But if you create a dedicated landing page, you also now have a link you can share across your website, social media platforms, and more that leads people straight to information about your newsletter. Here\u2019s a great example from Teachable promoting its newsletter\/podcast combo<\/a>. The landing page promotes the concept of its newsletter, explains its purpose, introduces voices readers will hear from, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a dedicated landing page gives you the space to properly promote your newsletter. Share snippets of content you\u2019ve sent out to your list, include testimonials from loyal subscribers, incorporate CTAs throughout, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes a lead magnet doesn\u2019t make sense for your business, so you need other incentives to get people in the door and on your email list. Discount codes or freebies are the perfect way to do this.Look at this example from The Day Designer<\/a>, offering 15% off to email subscribers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Come up with an incentive that makes sense for your product or service offerings, and consider testing a few different options to see which one works best for your potential customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Website popups can also be a great way to grab attention and increase your email list size. There are a few different types of popups you can use:<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to Build Your Email List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Find the Right Email Marketing Software<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164050\/Mailchimp-List-Building-Tool-1024x507.png\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164222\/beehiib-List-Building-Tool-1024x558.png\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164308\/Substack-List-Building-Tool-1024x557.png\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164415\/Kit-List-Building-Tool-1024x557.png\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164537\/ActiveCampaign-List-Building-Tool-1024x553.png\")
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2. Generate Signup Forms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164603\/Vista-Social-Blog-1024x534.png\")
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3. Get Strategic About List Building<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8 Creative List Building Strategies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Create Lead Magnets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164703\/Social-Media-Brief-Template-1024x519.png\")
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2. Send a Valuable Newsletter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164741\/Sendible-Newsletter-1024x557.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3. Place Signup Forms All Over Your Website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164836\/The-Sill-Popup-1024x557.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164851\/The-Sill-Footer-CTA-1024x409.png\")
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4. Promote on Social Media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01164939\/Lizzy-Skincare-Social-Post-1024x758.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n5. Use Eye-Catching CTAs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01165041\/Webflow-CTA-1024x502.png\")
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6. Create a Dedicated Landing Page<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01165146\/Teachable-CTA-1024x526.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n7. Provide Incentives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01165218\/The-Day-Designer-CTA-1024x554.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n8. Test Website Popups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01165256\/ConvertFlow-CTA-1024x557.png\")
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