Blog & Mailing List Freebies That Will Increase Your Sign-Ups
Sunday, June 06, 2021 A mailing list is beneficial to any blog, especially if you're looking to make your blog into a business. It can be hard to get signups when you're first starting a newsletter. With an opt-in freebie, you can increase your subscribers quickly. There are so many things you can offer for your blog that will benefit your readers. From courses to worksheets, you can make your freebie work with your blog theme. Here is a long list of popular freebies that you can create for your newsletter.
Why You Need Mailing List
A mailing list can be used for many reasons. I've managed to create a 200+ subscriber mailing list since the start of my blog. While I know many bloggers who have more, I am proud of that number. Mailing lists allow you to promote exclusive content to a more dedicated group of readers. They also help you to make more affiliate sales as you promote your links within the newsletter. It's a good way to build a community for your blog.
If you're starting a mailing list, here are over 100 themes and ideas that you can use to keep your readers entertained! These ideas can help you come up with topics to talk about in your newsletter. They're engaging and can also help you to increase signups.
What Is A Mailing List Freebie
A mailing list freebie is a free gift that you give people for signing up for your newsletter. It could be a printable, an online course or a template that they can use to benefit their own blog. Freebies shouldn't require anything more than a sign up to your newsletter, hence why they're called freebies! You can arrange for the freebie to automatically be sent to the subscriber's inbox with most newsletter providers. You could also create an exclusive freebie library that subscribers have access to with a special code.
If you're not interested in creating a mailing list, you can come up with a freebie library. Freebies are fun to make and can benefit your blog. I have a mailing list, but I don't utilise it as much as a should. I prefer to create freebies that you can download after clicking on a blog post. To me, this is more beneficial as individual posts gain more traffic. You can also create a separate page on your blog and host it as a freebie library. Your readers will have all of your downloadable freebies in one place. Your freebies can be displayed however you want, but it's a good idea to have some freebies on your website.
Why Should I Make A Freebie
Freebies entice people to sign up for your newsletter. Without seeing what you offer in a newsletter, it can be hard to determine whether it's beneficial to sign up for it. Freebies give people a reason to join your mailing list. It can help you to increase the number of subscribers you have to your mailing list.
- It helps you to gain more subscribers to your newsletter
- Email lists can lead to sales and affiliate sales
- Newsletter signups can help you to increase your traffic
- Freebies show people what you offer, and they may even ask you to help them create media for a fee
- Having a newsletter improves your stats and gives you a better range of sponsored and gifted opportunities
- You can build a community
- You can help people out on something you're passionate about
50+ Freebie Ideas For Your Newsletter
Create a checklist
One of the easiest things to create for your blog is a checklist. Checklists can apply to most niches, so it's one you can make for any blog. You can apply this freebie to most blog posts you've created. Checklists are a fun freebie to use as an opt-in for your newsletter, so here are some ideas that you can use!
- Movies to watch based off of a movie-themed blog post
- Things to do when starting a new blog
- Self-care checklist for when you're feeling down
- Decluttering list for those doing a spring clean
- Everything you need to buy and do before the baby comes
- Trendy outfit essentials to purchase for the summer/winter
- Places to go/things to do before you turn 30
- Wedding photo checklist
- Everything you need to do in a certain location/holiday bucket list
- Things to back when going to university or on holiday
- Ingredients for a delicious recipe you've shared
- Study checklist and preparation for exams
- Everything you need to do/remember when planning a birthday party, wedding or holiday
Create an email course
Email courses can be as short as you like, but they offer something for your subscribers to work through. Email courses can be beneficial if you've got a lot to teach, but a blog post may not be the best way to share the information. Your email course could be step-by-step, a series of videos or even worksheets. Here are some free email courses you could create for your subscribers!
- The best piping tips for beginner bakers
- How to master setting up a blog
- How to pitch to brands when blogging
- A simple guide to matched betting
- How to use simple piping tips for unique creations
- 5-week guide to investing in stocks
Make a cheat sheet
I love finding life hacks and ways to get around things. If you have some tips and tricks that would benefit your readers, why not create a cheat sheet? A cheat sheet is a quick reference sheet that has notes in a concise format. It's a useful cheat sheet for bloggers who bake, use makeup or craft. Here are some cheat sheets you could create:
- Baking measurement conversion sheet
- Hashtags that are good for social media
- Cricut tool cheat sheet
- Microsoft cheat sheets with formulas and shortcuts
- Stitches for different crafts
- Laundry stain remover cheat sheet
- Eyeliner, concealer or lipstick cheat sheets
- How to conceal blemishes
Free Consultation
If you're offering a service on your blog, you could offer an exclusive consultation to your subscribers. Your free consultation could be an evaluation on a blog or social media channel. For example, you could audit it and mention how many things could be changed to rank better. There are lots of different consultations you could offer, but make sure it links to your blog.
Your consultation should be a small sample of your service. If not, you could be losing out on sales as you're giving away too much. It's also worth considering how much time you have to do the consultations. It may be worth doing a group session where you offer a supportive group consultation.
Have printable worksheets
I love working through tasks and filling in the blanks. Personally, I love the fill-in pages of my planner, so worksheets always appeal to me. If you've got some self-help content, why not create a worksheet? A worksheet that can be printed out or used digitally allows your subscribers to get involved and take action. They're a fun way to get subscribers and can be helpful to a large group of readers. Here are some worksheets you could create!
- Mental health/self-discovery worksheet
- Goal setting plan
- Fill-in budget sheet
- Colouring in, maths or other education worksheets for kids
- Plan your blog post content
- Schedule/study planner for students
- Social media content planner
- Meal planning worksheet
- Blank calendar or weekly to-do list
- Mood or habit tracker
Give printable planners
I love planning, and it can help so many people out. Tracking your day and keeping an eye on upcoming events is beneficial for productivity. It can also show you where you need to approve on. Printable planners are easy to make with Canva, and you can create similar designs to keep in line with your brand. Here are some easy planner ideas that you could create for your newsletter:
- Meal planner for the week with budget
- Weekly/monthly budget planner
- Goal setting planner for ambitious people
- Homework/school work planner
- Planner to track projects or sponsored posts
- Tracker for blog content and social media posts
- Mood tracker for better mental health
- Debt tracker to help pay off debts
- Bullet journal layouts to use
- Monthly or daily to-do list
Social media filters & covers
Everyone loves a good filter. If you're good with Lightroom, you can create a free filter for your readers. The filter could be one you use yourself, so subscribers would be more inclined to use it, as you do! There are lots of different tones that you could try when making your filters. A lot of social media fans will be wanting filters to share their holiday photos. You could also release a set of filters across a few blog posts, encouraging people to remain subscribed to your newsletter. You could even release holiday versions of your filters so that you appeal to people all year round!
Instagram also lets you add covers for your stories. You could create an exclusive range of Instagram covers for your subscribers. Everyone loves to customise social media. It's something that most young adults have, so making it look nice is a priority. There are so many types of cover you can make, from plain to ones with icons. You could try to make your filter match your Instagram covers, so you keep a theme going.
Offer a limited access podcast
Podcasts are becoming more and more popular. I love listening to them in the morning. If you have a lot to say and would rather speak, hosting a podcast is a helpful freebie for your subscribers. Every week, you could email out a link to the new episode. The podcast would be limited to your subscribers, or there could be exclusive episodes for newsletter readers. Podcasts have a lot of creative range. You could link it to your blog and go in-depth about a blog post you've recently written. For example, you could do a mental health post and speak more about your experiences. You could also invite guests to talk about things you've seen or heard relating to your niche.
Podcasts are a great way to get personal and speak your mind. Writing 1000 words can take time to do and need extensive editing before publishing. A podcast can be raw, and you can listen to them anywhere. If you're only sticking to blog content or a newsletter, you need people to be reading, which isn't always possible.
Offer a workshop
Workshops are a fun way to collaborate and interact with your subscriber. Whether you pre-record your workshop or have live sessions, workshops are a great freebie to offer. Workshops allow you to share your skill and have people there while you do it. It also allows them to ask questions with a quick response time, so they know what they're doing. Here are some workshops that you could try with your audience.
- Yoga or another fitness workshop
- Guided breathing
- Goal setting and guided month planning
- How to do stylish makeup looks
- Online book club or writing workshop
- Step-by-step tutorial for something on your blog
- Baking masterclass with piping skills
- Pinterest workshop & how to create good pins
- How to start your own business
- Workshop on how to budget or save money
- How to do matched betting
- DIY masterclass for sewing or card making
How To Come Up With A Freebie
There are so many opt-in freebies that you could use that it can be hard to pick one that is right for your blog. There are a few ways to decide on the best freebie. Take your time choosing what to share, as it should draw in your target audience.
- Choose a blog post - Build a freebie based on a popular blog post. You could add a mailing list form to the blog post and create a freebie to go along with it. For example, a popular yoga post might have a flow worksheet or meditation guide as a freebie.
- Create something you'd use - If you think there is a gap, fill it! Create a freebie you wish you'd had when you were in the same position as your readers. It could be a cheat sheet or even a class that helps.
- Look at what is trending - An easy way to come up with an idea is to see what people are looking for. You can use Pinterest to see what's trending and share your freebie for more sign-ups. You could also ask your current readers what they would like as an opt-in.
While it's easy to see what other people are doing, you want to create a freebie for YOUR readers. You also want it to represent your brand and blog. There is no point in offering a webinar if you're not confident with talking and your niche is maybe travel. It's hard to think of things on the spot, but putting in research can help increase your mailing list sign-ups. For me, I create freebies on my most popular posts. I am already getting lots of traffic for those articles, so adding in a sign-up form with a freebie improves my monthly sign-ups. Use what you have and share things you're proud of, not just because it can get you lots of views!
Freebies are a great way to increase signups. If you didn't want to use them in a newsletter, you could always create a freebie library or offer them alongside a blog post. Freebies are a great way to entice new readers to your blog. There are so many that you can create, and you'll always find something that fits your niche. What freebies are you going to be creating for your newsletter? I'd love to hear what you've found to be a successful freebie!
13 comments
I really need to get on board with creating a mailing list! These are some really good tips xx
ReplyDeleteI love this comprehensive list of fun opt-ins to make! Designing a thing is as much fun as delivering it to subscribers. I am starting a newsletter and am thinking of creating a mini poetry book as an opt-in, to stay more within my creative writing niche.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing some lovely ideas!
These are such helpful ideas! I need to tackle my email marketing, but have been putting it off for ages. This post has given me a great starting point xx
ReplyDeletemia // https://beautiful-inspiring-creative-life.com/
This is an amazingly helpful post. I use email marketing in my day job but have never considered doing it for my blog. It's a lot of hard work and I'm such a perfectionist. I'm bookmarking this post and coming back to it as I work on my email marketing strategy
ReplyDeleteRosie
Printables are always a really great idea! Free consultations work amazingly as well as long as you have the time for it x
ReplyDeleteThis is an incredibly helpful post, there's so many wonderful ideas! I'm definitely saving this one for later, thank you for sharing x
ReplyDeleteA great post Em! so many great freebie mailing list ideas! x
ReplyDeleteLucy | www.lucymary.co.uk
Your ideas are like gold dust, I swear. You have soo much to teach me and I can't thank you enough for sharing this stuff for free!
ReplyDeleteRosie
Love all of these ideas and this was such a great post to read! I am always on the lookout for new freebie ideas and i must say that the cheatsheet never came to mind! x
ReplyDeleteI've got a freebie library but I really am exhausting ideas now of what to put in it! Some of these are GREAT ideas. I think I might consider a few of these for the coming months so thank you! x
ReplyDeleteGreat list including some ideas that are new to me here! Great list, I'm going to go back over and read again, and get inspired! Thank you! .... Never thought of offering a free consultation as a lead magnet. Hmmm... ! :)
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the explainer here as I've not done freebies before but will look deeper into it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this! I spent all day yesterday looking for ideas to offer on my new blog. These are great! Would love to work up to an email course but will likely start with a small printable to begin with ��
ReplyDelete