Confessions of a Six Figure Professional Blogger

The REAL Reason Why Bloggers Need A Mailing List

View Comments | Posted In Marketing, Traffic by David

To most of you guys, this is probably not any kind of news alert. After all, building an email list from day one is probably one of the most common pieces of advice I give.

But, why?

The most obvious reason is so you can sell things. We all know that email lists are powerful weapons in the monetization arsenal. In fact, you’re climbing a steep, uphill fight to attempt to make real money from a blog if you don’t have an email list.

However, this fact doesn’t seem to do the trick for many bloggers. We’re still at a point where most bloggers haven’t begun building a list yet (to their loss). Or they build their list on Feedburner (again, their loss).

email1 I’ve actually seen some bloggers say they refuse to build a list. Why? Because they think it is what spammers do. They say they don’t want to sell things because it spams their audience. They don’t want to bug people. Well, this one is their loss. And, quite frankly, such bloggers are raving idiots, but each to their own. :)

The REAL reason why all bloggers need an email list goes deeper than selling things.

An email list gives you the ability to MOBILIZE your audience.

In other words, it gives you a medium by which you can take a scattered group of people, point them in a particular direction, and say “go”. If you don’t have the ability to do that easily, you don’t have an audience.

Some stubborn bloggers might say, “Well, I can do that with my blog.” Yes, you can, but very inefficiently. With your blog alone, you’re basically waiting for people to happen by. Plus, when they are on your blog, they are often in a more distracted frame of mind. Email is a personal experience. People pay attention to their email boxes FAR more than websites. Most people have their email going all day without closing it.

The power of audience mobilization comes in super handy when you’re trying to build your audience and build your traffic. The list allows you to:

  • Keep your audience once you’ve gotten them. Without a list, most people just come, leave, and don’t come back. With a list and an enticing reason to join that list, you have an opportunity to mobilize them to come back, to build that relationship, and make a truly dedicated reader out of that person.
  • Notify people of new posts in a much more efficient and powerful way than RSS alone. Send them an email which entices them to come read your new post and comment. This will increase your comment counts remarkably, plus keep your traffic up.

None of it has anything to do with monetization. Simply put, you’re on the slow-lane to traffic-building if you don’t have an email list.

Even if you never intend to make any money with your blog, you still need an email list if you want decent traffic. To grow your blog substantially without that ability to mobilize your audience is going to prove much more difficult unless you already have a blog which is established.

My highest recommendation for building your list is Aweber. You can get a 30 day trial with them to get a feel for it. I would recommend that you create something enticing to give to your crowd when they join your list BEFORE you sign up for the Aweber trial. This way you can use the whole 30 days building your list rather than mess around with the stuff you need to actually do so.

Another option is MailChimp where you can get a free email list up to a certain point. I’ve not used Mailchimp, but I know people who have and the consensus is that Aweber is much better. However, you can use Mailchimp as a good starting point without cost.

If you still don’t have a list, you really need to get on that. All the traffic building tips in the world don’t mean jack if you’re not KEEPING the people once you’ve gotten them.

Page views don’t matter – AUDIENCE matters.

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  • The money is in the list because the traffic is in the list.

    The traffic is in the list because the relationship with the blogger is in the list. (Relationship w the blogger and even with other readers after the readers start coming to the blog.)

    The traffic (and therefore money) is in the list because community building can be in the list (readers having relationship with one another, and feeling they have part "ownership" in the blog, and wanting to come back and visit the blog again.)

    I don't understand why some are saying that it's "spammy" when a blogger gives his readers the option to subscribe via email as well as RSS. There are many who elect to subscribe to updates to a blog such as yours, David, via a subscrition box, instead of subscribing via RSS, because it is a better choice for that particular reader. Most blogs I subscribe to are by RSS, but there are a few I have chosen to subscribe to via email. Perhaps three. It suits me well. I love getting the updates from these blogs by email, bc on a few occassions I forget to read a post if I'm not emailed the update. So I've chosen to set up my subscription that way -- by email, not RSS. And if signing up for email updates means that I'll get an occassional newsletter all the better, bc I love knowing what is going on behind the scenes with these bloggers and blogs! I don't mind at all. Nor do I mind getting emails on occassion from the owners/writers of these bloggers, offering me services or products, often for very reduced prices, sometimes even for half off! If the blogger doesn't take advantage of me, and spam me, who could POSSIBLY mind that! What I'm trying to say is, with each blog we should have our choice on which way we would like to get our updates, either via email or via RSS. And remember, we should offer that to others, even while collecting a mailing list. Our readers don't mind, and most of them even appreciate it. I have had them tell me.

    krissy knox :)
    follow me on twitter
    http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
  • Great advice, I am one of those who though it's spammy to build a list, but I see the point of building a deployable audience. Thanks !
  • KimP
    I'm sort of new to the email list thing, so can someone direct me to a link (especially one of David's) explaining exactly how it works?

    Is this what you are doing when you ask users to subscribe to your newsletter? Like the 'Learn The Real Story on Blogging As a Business...' section above?
  • @KimP I can't think of a direct link, but David talks about this subject a lot. There is a way you can find out what he talks about on any subject in this blog. See the search box at the top right of this box? Put a search term in and hit GO. Hope that helps!

    krissy knox :)
    visit me on twitter:
    http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
  • Hey David,

    "Page views don’t matter – AUDIENCE matters."

    Man did I ever learn that lesson the hard way. Chasing stumble, digg and reddit traffic, trying to get more readers more eyeballs - and then looking at my analytics, and learning that the best, most dedicated people? The ones I get to sign up for my mailing list. That's all I push now. I offer RSS, Twitter and Facebook, but I really focus on the email address. Everything else is secondary.
  • If emailing is spam, then Amazon is the biggest spammer on the planet. Something tells me it does pretty well for them :)
  • popupbooster
    We are already happy if people subscribe to our blog on Feedburner and other syndicator engines.
    Never imagiend people would actually follow the blog.
  • I started my list the same time I started my current blog.

    It's enormously gratifying to see most of my first subscribers are still with me.
  • alberto
    I agree David, the money is in the list. Or rather the relationship and constant communication and interaction are.

    Your next post idea should be about article marketing and why we should do it and why it might be overated as some presenters mentioned at the Continuity Summit recently.

    I heard that its not as necessary as before because it doesn't stay up enough time. But some argue that it provides a link back to blog.

    What is your take on this. I will be looking for this on your next post. Thank you... ;-)
  • I'm wondering why Feedburner is not recommended. I understand it's just plain email delivery service, but why not start with it? I'm working on getting a newsletter going as there is a lot more content going into my site than the blog and podcast. But I was thinking of starting with Feedburner.
  • I think another good thing to add to an email list is content that is unique to the list. People love it when they find that they receive unique content that is only available on the list and is not on the site itself.
  • @Julius I know of some bloggers who do this. Some call it a "newsletter." The information could be almost anything. Here are a few ideas that are coming to me -- a little bit of personal i nformation about the blogger or blog, perhaps announcements of things that will be coming up in the blog soon, names of who will guest post soon in the blog, some content only they will get, a short little course only they will get, or any number of things. Ideas are popping into my head as I speak! Of course this would be somewhat labor intensive, so would only be do about once a month, perhaps. And I feel if this was done, it would encourage readers to stay with your blog, bring on a certain amount of community, and make your readers more willing to want to buy services or products from you when they became available. Merely thoughts. Hope that helps!

    krissy knox :)
    follow me on twitter:
    http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
  • Yep Mailchimp is a pretty decent service and I also recommend them to people who dont want to spend first but then again Aweber is the best choice.
  • Problem with MC is that they don't have automation like Aweber. I built a list over there and when I found that out I was gutted. Something so simple too.
  • I actually just switched to Aweber from Mail Chimp, they are not even in the same league, Aweber is 100x better in my opinion, and I have only had it a week....
  • deborahshane
    What better about Aweber vs Constant Contact?
  • I've not had a list before this but I've planned to start with the launch of my first ebook on Friday. I already have the script set up and ready to roll. Now I'm off to read the list of posts you mentioned above. You are a gold mine. Blessings!
  • imranyousaf
    In my opinion, mailing list is a best weapon for a blogger. its very helpful for creating buzz. And David, you have mentioned a valid point of mobility. One is not supposed to install his faviourate RSS reader on others' PC to be update of his faviourate blogs' post.
  • I've not started a mailing list of my own yet and that's probably one of the reasons my blog isn't doing as hott as it could be. I know they're important and the reason I don't have one is because without any money right now it's hard to pay a monthly fee after the 30 day trial.

    They are a good idea and you've clearly outlined that here on your blog.

    Maybe just a free emailing list from my own personal email somehow could even do the trick though I'm betting with AWeber you're getting a lot for your monthly subscription?
  • Eric, it's worth selling lemonade on the street corner if that's what it takes to pay $20/month for AWeber subscription.
  • @Dave Doolin
    I love your "Find a way to do it Attitude!" You're great!
    krissy knox :)
    follow me on twitter:
    http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
  • An email list of prospects and clients is your most valuable business asset. Period.

    Also, as far as the complaint about not liking the 'floating overlays" and depending upon an RSS buttons to bring back readers...

    Think like a Business Owner. It's not about what you personally like... or, even what your prospects like.

    It's about what works.

    Rather than complaining about it, test it on your blog.
  • @Walt
    Yes. "It's about what works." Period. As you say "Rather than complaining about it, test it on your blog." Just do it!

    krissy knox :)
    follow me on twitter:
    http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
  • gregharris66720
    This is a very timely post from my perspective I just got started with Mail Chimp yesterday oddly enough.
  • So the real reason to have an email list is not to sell people things, but rather to mobilize an audience, in order to sell them things. Right? ;)
  • Email lists are the only way to build a business online. Even 99% of brick and mortar businesses have email lists to keep in touch with the client base and increase sales.

    The only way an email list is spam is if you are spamming. If you are providing quality, it is just an extension of your blog off-site that also happens to convert a lot better!

    The worst excuse I have heard on not having a list. "I don't want to pay the couple of dollars a month." I guess you don't want to make more than a couple of dollars either...
  • @Robb "The only way an email list is spam is if you are spamming." I love that Robb!
  • Sutt Rontrania
    Umm... it's like more than a couple of dollar a month, dude. Do you even use Aweber?
  • Yep, I definitely need to get on that!
  • Thanks, David! I am in the process of getting my newsletter up and running, and you've provided a bit of extra motivation to get moving.

    In my case, I see the email list as vital because my niche (marriage) is non-technical. My typical reader is not going to sign up via RSS, and they are not going to visit regularly without a way to reach out TO them. And email seems like the answer.
  • It's ok to build as list but I hate those blogs that use a floating overlay form to collect email addresses. It is so annoying. I have only seen that tactics in the Internet marketing type blogs.

    Another trend I'm observing among Internet Marketer's blogs is posts littered with affiliate links. Oh well, that is how we all make money.

  • I also hate them an Rss button is Enough.Actually I think that Bloggers should just think about writing posts that make the Visitor remember the name of the Blog and not have to Subscribe because they know the Name of your site and just check it out to see if you have updates
  • @Roezer The RSS button is not enough. I have had some readers say to me they will not subscribe to a blog unless they can get updates via their email box. Readers should have a choice on how they want to read their updates. And many don't know how RSS works. They are not that Tech Savvy. Bloggers are, but many nonbloggers are NOT tech savvy. I suppose there are some readers who are tech savvy, who have read blogs, but they are in the minority. About a year ago, I read a statistic that said 11% of Americans read blogs. Or was it subscribed to them by RSS. I forget. That is only one in ten. How do the rest of them find their way back. If you want to be a serious blogger, you have to make it easy for the readers to find their way back. Do everything you can to help them find their way back. It just makes commen sense. That doesn't mean you are not writing good content and other things to help your visitors remember the name of your blog if you want them to find their way back. You say others should just and see if you have updates. Some people are not only so perplexed by RSS feed, they can't even find their way via using book marks. Take it from someone who took a long time to figure out RSS feeds, LOL. I used to struggle! A lot of people I know still get confused. There is nothing wrong with making it as easy for people as you can. Those who do will have the most success blogs in the end. Yes, content IS king, but if they can't find your content, then content is NOTHING. Thanks for letting me talk.

    krissy knox :)
    follow me on twitter:
    http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
  • Thanks, David. If your mission includes making a difference, or changing the world, having the ability to mobilize your audience is huge! Appreciate this insight!
  • True, but even if that's not the case, mobilizing your audience is important. Even if it is just to mobilize them to check out a new blog post. :-)
  • Good point, David. Why do some bloggers, at times, make other bloggers feel that there's something wrong with intentionally wanting to get readers to check out their blog, wanting to get readers, wanting to immobilize readers, wanting to keep readership, or the such, or saying they want to do ANYTHING to increase their number of readers. I have SEEN this and have friends like this. Even those who say they want to, or are, monetizing. These bloggers say it is scandalous to do anything to KNOWINGLY monetize by trying to get their numbers up, even in honest ways. Yes, I DO KNOW content is king, and value is important. But these bloggers say that is all that is important, and that they will not TRY to get readers. If they happen by they happen by, and they won't do anything to improve their readership, or they are not PURE. They say they DON'T want readers any other way, and they won't go out and get them, they won't even ask their family and friends, if that is the way they must get readers. These are the SAME readers who get ANGRY with me, saying i have more readers than them, and say i don't deserve it, yet i work hard for readers in different ways, have been working/blogging for six years, and try to write good content. They refuse to build lists, some refuse to put RSS buttons on their blogs, and don't want to raise their PR ratings. And they get angry with me, saying I add secret html in my blog (a secret code!) which raises my PR with Google. About ten bloggers said that. I thought I would die laughing. The point of all this is to say, on one hand they are angry, and say it's all not fair, on the other hand they say they don't want to get higher ratings on their blog, or more readers. And while all of this is going on, these bloggers refuse to do anything to improve anything about their blogs, any ratings, getting more successful or popular or wellknown, nor will they do anything to improve their blog. When asked why, they merely say, "It's not about numbers or readers for me, I don't care about how many readers I get, I just want to remain pure, unlike you do. You are a sell out. You don't write about the truth anymore, you only care about numbers, any how many readers you can get." David, this isn't true. My writing hasn't changed. And they DO care about numbers/ amount of readers. They say they don't care if ANYBODY reads their blogs. If that's true, why would they be writing then? And trying to monetize, LOL. NOBODY would waste their time writing a blog if no one were going to read it. So what do you think is up with all this? Thanks!

    krissy knox :)
    follow me on twitter:
    http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
  • Ok, I'm learning :) New blogger, brand new Aweber account....just starting to connect the dots!
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