How to Build Your Email List Using Social Media (a campaign report)

I have a love/hate relationship with the idea of a free opt-in to grow an email list. 

While I don't represent everyone, it's clear that my actions often lean towards signing up just for the freebie, without any intention of buying from the provider. Admittedly, there are times when accessing the download changes my perspective.

So, I imagine, if I'm doing this,  other people are doing it too 🫣.

This got me thinking, "How do I grow my email list without offering a traditional free opt-in?".

This thought led me to think more deeply about what I was happy to offer for free, and what the benefit would be to the people I want to work with.

To begin, I prioritize two complimentary offerings:

1. Maven of Momentum Monthly newsletter (you can subscribe here).
2. A complimentary 20-minute call (known as the Momentum Match Meet – you can book here).

As for anything else, such as digital downloads, video trainings, or webinars... well, those will be monetised (sorry, not sorry).

Part of my reason for this is that I want a quality email list full of quality leads. Not a huge email list with people who don't really care about what I have to say. I believe every small business, coach, and consultant should want the same.

One of the most common questions I hear clients say is "how do I get people onto my email list to begin with?" 

To be honest, when I began my journey with Maven of Momentum, I had the upper hand of already possessing an email list of slightly more than 1k subscribers from my previous venture in the health and wellness industry.

Over 4 years, I diligently grew this list using various traditional email list growth strategies. When I decided to close down that business, I sent out an email notifying my subscribers and extended an invitation to join my new email list. Despite the transition, only 10 individuals chose to subscribe.

Before launching my Maven of Momentum Monthly newsletter, I sought to expand my subscriber list further with the right type of people. So, I decided to test out a social media campaign akin to launching a new product or service via an email campaign. 

And in this blog, I share with you my approach and finding: 

• My Formula
• Analyzing the Data
• The Results
• The Best and Worst Posts

My Formula

In a week-long social media campaign, I focused on a specific theme each day, urging people to sign up for my newsletter. Each post had a particular focus, but the call to action remained consistent – subscribe to the Maven of Momentum Monthly newsletter. 

By creating urgency and emphasizing the unmissable first issue, I aimed to inspire immediate action. I used diverse types of posts – videos, text-based images, photo posts, and carousels.

Being a founding member and receiving the first issue was an exclusive opportunity that I wanted to emphasize throughout the campaign. 

Here's the breakdown of each Instagram post-by-day.

Day 1: The Grand Teaser/ Launch 

This post is about the launch of the Maven of Momentum Monthly issue; it focused on teasing what the newsletter was about, who it was for, and when the first issue would be released. My call to action to subscribe relies on encouraging my followers to subscribe and become founding members of the newsletter.

Day 2: All About Benefits 

This post discusses the contents of the Maven of Momentum and emphasized the newsletter's features, benefits, and its potential positive impact on readers' businesses. The call to action urges readers to subscribe, promising to elevate their business game.

Day 3: Grabbing Attention

The opening line of this post introduces the target audience, followed by a comprehensive overview of what Issue 01 of the Maven of Momentum Monthly newsletter entails. The call to action encourages readers to subscribe to the first issue and ensure they don't miss out on the valuable content.

Day 4: The light-hearted hook post

I wanted to try a bit of comedy and entertainment in this post, which began on a light-hearted note with what I thought was a funny and clever wordplay ("porpoise" instead of "purpose"). I again outline the numerous benefits and features of subscribing to the newsletter. This time, the call to action emphasized that subscribing to the newsletter means joining a movement dedicated to transforming the way we conduct business.

Day 5: The Values and Beliefs post

This post went beyond simply addressing small business owners, coaches, and consultants. Instead, it delved deeper into identifying the purpose, values, and beliefs that the readers may have. For instance, it appeals to socially conscious small business owners and entrepreneurs seeking compassionate and thoughtful business growth approaches. Additionally, this post states when the first issue will be released and highlights an overview of what to expect to be included in the inaugural issue.

Day 6: Why You Need to be a Subscriber

This post highlights the four advantages of subscribing to the Maven of Momentum Monthly newsletter. This concise post features a compelling call to action, emphasizing the imminent release of tomorrow's inaugural issue.

Day 7: The Last Call 

This post exudes enthusiasm and a sense of urgency, emphasizing the importance of subscribing 'today' to avoid missing out on the inaugural issue and the opportunity to become a founding member of a business revolution. It reinforces the benefits of subscribing to the newsletter. 

Analyzing the Data

I began this campaign with a modest following on Instagram of just 35 people. Over time, it has grown to 49 (as of writing this blog). While my Facebook following has remained unchanged, I have focused on Instagram as the primary platform to amplify my work. More recently, I have also started leveraging the power of LinkedIn.

But remember, my goal wasn't to increase my social media following but to get those from my social media onto my newsletter.

the Results

I'm immensely pleased with the campaign results: 287 accounts were reached, with 14 actively engaging with the content (so that's 4.8% engagement). 

From a perspective of email list growth, the campaign proved successful by expanding the subscriber count from 11 to 24, representing a remarkable growth rate of 118.18%. Although these numbers may seem small, they have established a benchmark for the open rates of my monthly newsletter, which stands at 55% when this blog post was published. 

There's a slight hiccup with this data that caught my attention. 

Surprisingly, some of the folks who emailed me to show their love for the newsletter didn't show up in Flodesk's analytics as "email opened." 😳 It's a tad frustrating and worrisome when you're keen on data-driven marketing. 

Anyway 🙄.

Drawing from my experience, I share three possible reasons why email marketing platforms may not accurately track opens. Brace yourself for some eye-opening insights!

1. The email clients block images – meaning these don't download automatically - and many email marketing platforms use image downloads as a way to track opened emails. I know Gmail does this from time to time, as I have had to click 'Download images' on several emails before. 
2. Some email clients don't support HTML or Javascript; another way email marketing platforms track opened emails.
3. Technical issues. 

This is why it's also important to track other email marketing analytics such as click-through rates.

Best to Worst Performing Posts

Alrighty then, let's dive straight into the nitty-gritty and dissect which of my posts really hit the mark.

Coming out on top is Day 1's teaser post. This video post, even without the pumping tunes of a trending audio, caught the eye of 210 accounts. Of these, 189 were non-followers, proving that videos certainly can reel in fresh faces. And let's not forget the 271 views - considering I had a following of 35 at the time.

Day 7's 'Last Chance' photo post reached fewer accounts (52 to be exact), but it did manage to snag the highest number of likes (7). Now, Likes are a vanity metric. However, it also stirred up some profile activity with five clicks. 

On the flip side, my favourite post flopped 🫠. 

The Light-hearted Hook post on Day 4 featuring a photo of a porpoise and the opening line "Ready to build a business that aligns with your passion and porpoise? JKS! I mean PURPOSE, obviously 😅" seemed to have fallen flat, reaching only 22 accounts. But hey, maybe my sense of humour just doesn't translate via text...

In terms of profile activity, Day 6's '4 Reasons Why' carousel post took the lead with six profile clicks. It's typical for carousel posts to achieve a higher engagement rate because people interact with the post by flipping through the images, but to lead to actual profile visits is what it's all about!

Next Steps

There are a couple of approaches I want to take when I run a similar campaign for Issue 2 of the Maven of Momentum Monthly.

ONE – I'll amplify my content with captivating Reels.

TWO – To my dismay, I'll avoid the temptation of weaving in my sense of humour throughout my content.

THREE – I'll leverage engaging carousel posts.

FOUR – I'll strategically choose a consistent time of day to post (to make it easier for future analysis). 

FIVE – I'll use some type of tracking URL to identify exactly where people are coming from. While on Instagram I can't link from a post. I can change the link in my bio to something that will highlight that anyone who clicks on that link and converts, has come from IG. I'll also use tracking links for Instagram story post.

I'll also include the feedback I received from my subscribers who read the first Maven of Momentum Monthly. Testimonials and social proof are massive in getting people to opt-in to whatever it is you're offering.

Stay tuned for more updates on my upcoming campaigns!

To Sum Up

So, what's the takeaway here? 

In essence, tracking your own data and analyzing the results provides you with a roadmap to success. It's all about continually testing, learning, and adapting so you can create content that not only appeals to your audience but also drives conversion. Even better, sharing what you've learned with others so that they can grow too!

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your social media strategy should be as unique as your audience and as dynamic as the digital world itself.