5 Ways to Grow Your Email List *Without* Social Media
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This is a little embarrassing to admit as an email marketer, but it literally did not occur to me that I was growing my email list the hard way by creating content.
(I think it’s because I was a social media marketer before I transitioned to email, so my brain was still in “content mode.”) 😅
Of course, I knew that there were many ways to grow your email list, but in my mind, they were secondary to creating content.
But not only is social media not the only way to grow your email list..it can be one of the slower ways! 🤯
I had heard this from people like Liz Wilcox (this episode of the Smart Passive Income podcast really got the wheels turning!)
So, I decided to sponsor an online summit and gained about 20 subscribers in just a few days. More importantly, they were people who were genuinely interested in the type of information I share.
What I’d been hearing was correct! Social media is great, but far from the only way to grow an email list.
In this post, I’ll cover 5 ways you can grow your email list without social media. I’ve tried some of these methods and plan to try the others.
Being social media optional is a goal I have for my business, so if it’s a goal for you too, read on!
How to Grow Your Email List Without Social Media
Marketing without social media still requires you to get in front of the right eyes. You’re just changing the medium.
You can grow your email list without social media by collaborating with other business owners, sponsoring newsletters, using Pinterest, networking in person, and creating SEO-optimized content.
👉 The best approach depends on the capacity you have and how fast you want the results!
This is not an exhaustive list, of course…but it’s a great start to supercharging your email list growth and making social media optional for you!
5 Ways to Grow Your Email List Without Social Media
Let’s get into it:
#1: Collaborate with other business owners
There are an INSANE number of ways you can collaborate with other business owners to grow your email list without social media.
Some of them are:
Freebie swaps
Participating in bundles or summits
Being a podcast guest
Hosting a joint webinar
Guest speaking in someone’s program or workshop
Guest blogging…
The list goes on! (This episode of the Smart Income Podcast also had some very unique ways to collaborate.)
And you might be asking, how do I find these opportunities?
Google business owners that have an audience you’d like to get in front of, pitch them on your idea, and take it from there.
A shortcut (woo!): join Leticia Jadene’s Collaboration Directory for $9 and add yourself to a growing list of business owners looking to collaborate! I’m part of the Collaboration Directory, and it has saved me tons of time. For $9, ya can’t beat it!
#2: Sponsor a Newsletter
Some business owners offer paid sponsorship slots on their newsletter. (I didn’t include this in #1 because it’s usually something you pay for.)
This means you’d pay for an ad slot in their newsletter to promote your lead magnet, newsletter, product, or service. If you have the money to spare, this can be a great way to get in front of the right crowd!
#3: Use Pinterest
I know what you’re thinking:
“WHAT?! Pinterest is a social media platform!”
…and that’s where you’re wrong, respectfully. 😊
Pinterest functions much more like a visual discovery and search platform than the traditional social media apps most business owners think of.
You can link pins directly to your newsletter opt-in, lead magnet, blog post, or any page on your website.
(PS, if you’re looking to build a website or start your email list, check out my tools page!)
Unlike social media, pins can appear in searches for months or YEARS, which means that your work will compound over time.
I’m not a Pinterest expert, but I’ve learned a lot from Heather Farris’s content. I’m still learning about this platform, and I will update this section with anything new I learn!
#4: Networking & IRL Events
I’m gonna put it out there: some of the most engaged subscribers I have on my email list are people I’ve met in real life.
It can be really easy to get wrapped up in “passively growing your list” from your laptop stuff. And don’t get me wrong, we want that too!
The best advice I have is to attend events in your local area and drop your newsletter naturally in conversation. I usually end up talking to a few people about email, then end our convo with something like “I actually have a short newsletter that I send every week about [topic], wanna join my list?”
The worst someone can say is no, but they almost all say yes!
#5 Write SEO-Optimized Blog Posts
Similar to Pinterest, SEO content (blogs & website) is a slower but more evergreen way to drive people to your email list.
This involves doing keyword research, writing an SEO-optimized post, and waiting for the algorithms to pick up your post and show it in SERPs (search engine results pages).
While time-intensive, this also compounds and can bring leads to your website and email list for years.
If you go this route, my advice is to start small. You can write one blog post a month if you want!
Which Email List Growth Strategy Is Right For Me?
If you want subscribers quickly, start with collaborations or paid newsletter sponsorships. If you're willing to play the long game, Pinterest and SEO can create more compounding growth over time.
Personally, I like having one or two active strategies for faster growth and long-term strategies that continue working in the background. That way, you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket. 🧺
Now Go Grow Your Email List!
There you have it: 5 ways you can grow your email list that don’t involve social media!
Of course, you can join my email list where I help business owners like you build an email strategy you can feel good about. 😁
And if you think we may be good collab partners, send me an email at hello@domsavaglio.com. I’d love to hear from you!
In case we haven’t met…
👋 I’m Dom—an email marketing strategist who believes email can be simple & profitable for your business!
If you enjoyed this post or got something out of it, here are other ways we can connect:
📧 Subscribe to my newsletter. I send a short email every Tuesday to help you build an email marketing strategy you can feel good about.
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🛠️ Check out the tools & resources I use in my business. I keep this page updated with the tools I use and recommend (some with full reviews!). If you’re looking for a solution for your business, it’s worth perusing!
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