Reaching your first thousand subscribers starts with understanding what tactics already work and why.
Momentum is key when growing an online audience.
To reach the first 100 subscribers, you leveraged the relationships and connections within your expanded circles of influence.
To reach the first 1,000 subscribers, you’ll need to turn your attention outwards by exploring new digital spaces, building systems, and consistently creating your best for others.
Here’s a list of proven tactics to help you reach the next milestone.
How to grow from 100 to 250 email subscribers
Audience: Niche communities
Format: Online conversations and downloadable content upgrades
There are many ways to grow past the 100 subscriber mark, but the tactics below have been shown to work well for new creators.
Create a lead magnet to attract subscribers.
The best lead magnets, or content upgrades, are built as a direct response to your audience’s needs or questions.
That’s why it’s worth waiting to make one until you have a group of people who can provide feedback and help ensure that (1) you’re making something people actually want, and (2) it's attracting subscribers who will support your content.
This guide to creating lead magnets has over twenty ideas to get you started.
Contribute regularly to a niche community.
After you've created a lead magnet, the next obstacle is finding individuals who are both interested in the topic you cover and in your unique perspective on it.
That's where niche communities come into play. Digital spaces such as subreddits, Facebook groups, Discord channels, and Circle communities can all help you build momentum in the early stages.
The strategy requires you to provide free value by answering people’s questions, generating ideas, and becoming a trusted voice in the group. Then, over time, you can naturally direct these interactions towards your content and email list.
From the image above, Aboueletta reveals that they were able to gain over 300 new subscribers in 3 months by leveraging online communities.
These tactics require time, but they are the foundation for faster growth down the road.
These tactics require time, but they are the foundation for faster growth down the road.
How to grow from 250 to 500 email subscribers
Audience: Social media
Format: Individual replies and directory listings
With a lead magnet in place and a few more subscribers on your list, the next steps are about getting more eyeballs on your work.
Submit your newsletter to directories.
Online directories and aggregators expose your publication to new audiences. Directories are searchable databases, while aggregators share your content directly on their platforms.
Each serves a different kind of reader and purpose, so it’s worth digging in to see which might be best for you. Below are a few of the top ones to consider:
- Newsletters.co
- Inbox Stash
- Thanks for Subscribing
- The Sample
- Plus, here's a list of 30+ newsletter directories.
Go all-in on one social media platform.
Platforms like Twitter and YouTube are a great way to fill the discovery phase of your creator funnel. However, the most common snag new creators fall into is believing they must be everywhere to reach new readers.
The best strategy is to choose a single platform and double down on it.
Why is it more effective to be fewer places online?
Because each network comes with its own unique practices, movements, and language. Mastering one is a tall order, but will enable you to build deeper connections and take advantage of platform-specific trends.
Often, the niche communities you're a part of, as well as your audience, will have a preferred network. Meet them where they're at while pointing back to your website, newsletter, and lead magnet whenever appropriate.
Post a Comment