Last Updated June 2021 by Crystallace

Building an email list is an absolute must-have if you want to start a blogging business. Usually, new bloggers seem to prioritize growing their social media platforms in hopes of getting sponsorships and brand deals. While that isn’t a bad strategy you should know that building an email list is just as important. 

Today, we’ll dive into the reasons why building an email list makes sense for new bloggers like you.

7 Top Reasons Why Building An Email List Makes Sense for New Bloggers

1. Email is cheaper than running ads 

As new bloggers, ads are beneficial in many aspects of running a blogging business. You can run ads to generate traffic on your site, offer a freebie, increase your following, all that good stuff. But running ads requires a lot of money to get results.

If you’re not in the position to spend more money on your new blog, having an email list is the best alternative. In fact, you can start using email platforms for free, and then upgrade to a paid plan as needed. Some of the most common email platforms out there are: 

• Mailchimp

• Convertkit

• Mailerlite

I have used all three and I recommend Convertkit. It’s easy to use and super compatible with WordPress.

2. E-mail marketing has a high ROI than social media marketing

According to this study, email marketing has a conversion rate of 6.5% compared to social media which is 1.9%. Distributing your posts on social networks is not enough because only a few of your followers will see these posts. Meanwhile, email marketing can be more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined. 

3. Emails are more personal

An email, preferably with a salutation, is much more personal. It promotes trust-building more than social media posts can.

Moreover, you may encounter people who’d rather communicate with you in private, than sharing a comment or publishing their thoughts in a Facebook post. For these types of encounters, an email would be perfect.

4. Building an email list means you are treating your blog as a business 

In terms of benefits, building an email list has its perks:

• You can email your subscribers about a new blog post, which will drive traffic to your site

• You can inform your subscribers about holiday sales to help them save money

• You can offer exclusive content to your VIP members 

• You can earn affiliate commissions by promoting products you love

These reasons can turn your hobby blog into a business. And if this is something you want to achieve in 2021, then building an email list should be on top of your to-do list. 

I know I keep saying this all the time, but we all have our reasons why we want to start a blog. But if blogging to make money is one of your goals this year, it is very important to treat your blog as a business from that start.

That means if you haven’t already done so, you need to protect your blog legally against content theft and other lawsuits. For that, I highly recommend that you grab my Website Legal Bundle.

It has the 3 three legal pages that every blog needs, a Privacy Policy, Disclaimer and Terms of Use, written by me, a licensed attorney for bloggers like us.

5. 71% of your customers want to be informed by email than social media platforms

In the beginning, social media platforms were made for “socialization”. At first, the main goal is to use the internet to get information and stay connected with friends and family. People generally don’t use social networks to shop. On most social media networks, advertising is even perceived as annoying by users.

On the other hand, if you send a well-written email to your email distribution list, you are very likely to generate sales if it is well maintained. An email list is yours, though. Nobody can take it away from you; nobody can change the rules of the game. If you send an email to 500 people in your distribution list, you know exactly that this email will be delivered to 500 people. There is no one to rate your email and then only deliver it to 50 people.

6. Social media is just NOT ENOUGH 

Distributing your posts on social networks is not enough because only a few of your fans and followers will see these posts. So building an email list is much more effective.

7. Emails do not interfere with life

For entrepreneurs, emails also have the advantage that we can process them whenever we want and that they do not interfere with our normal workflow.

How to build an email list as a new blogger?

For new bloggers, I’d recommend:

• Creating a freebie (printables, ebooks, checklists, etc.)

• Offer a free mini-course 

• Offer services (one-on-one coaching sesh, etc.) 

Conclusion

Building an email list is one of the most important factors of starting a blog that makes money. Social media platforms are great for engagement and finding your audience. But you will always be at the expense of the algorithm. 

Meanwhile, having an email list somehow allows you to have a personal connection with each of your subscribers. Moreover, conversations via email show that you respect their privacy. 

Also, do not forget that as a blogging business owner, you should have a business email address to look more professional. A Gmail account has its perks, aside from the fact that it’s free. But if you want to be taken seriously, especially by brands you’d love to work with, having an email address with your .com in it looks legit. 

For this, you can use email software platforms like Zoho mail.  

I hope you learned a lot from our topic today. 

What’s your biggest struggle in building your email list?

How often do you send emails to your subscribers?

Let me know in the comments.