How to Build an Opt-In Mailing List and 12 Steps to Promote Your List

Posted by Kerrie Sheehan on 23 March 2010 filed in List Building

An opt in list is a list of names and email addresses of people who have agreed to let you send messages to them regularly. The best way to develop a successful Internet business is to build, promote and take care of your opt in list.

People who visit your website will subscribe to your opt in list in return for incentives such as a free report or e-book. Therefore, if you want to increase the number of subscribers in your opt in list, you must attract more visitors to your website.

Use the following 12 methods to attract more visitors to your website:

1. Submit your website URL to search engines such as Google and Yahoo:

Go to Google.com/addurl and enter the URL of your website homepage. You can add a short description of your website in the comments box. Similarly, submit your website URL at search.yahoo.com/info/submit.html.

2. Submit articles to article directories such as EzineArticles.com and ArticleWorld.net:

Add your name and a link to your website in the resource box at the end of the article. Your article must whet the appetite of your readers and make them eager to visit your website for more information.

3. Send a newsletter to your subscribers regularly:

Send the newsletter preferably once a week and include useful information and free offers and services. Don’t forget to provide an unsubscribe link in your newsletter.

4. Advertise in other e-zines:

Use e-zine directories such as Ezine-dir.com to find newsletters in your niche and publish advertisements about your website.

5. Advertise in pay-per-click advertising such as Google AdWords:

Use these advertisements to attract targeted visitors to your website.

6. Start a blog:

Initially, start a free blog using blogger.com or WordPress.com. This is a good way to reach people who are interested in your niche. Invite your blog followers to subscribe your opt in list. Post comments in other blogs as a way to attract traffic to your blog and website.

7. Use social networking services such Twitter and Facebook:

Invite your Twitter followers and Facebook friends to subscribe to your email mailing list and invite your email subscribers to follow you on Twitter and Facebook.

8. Post messages on forums in your field of expertise:

This is a very effective way to establish yourself as an expert in your niche. Add a short message and a link to your website in the signature text in your posts.

9. Answer questions on Question & Answer sites such as Yahoo Answers:

Check the sites occasionally for questions in your niche. Answer them and include a link to your website at the bottom.

10. Send press releases to online sites interested in your products and services:

You can also send your press release to various online free distribution services such as PR Log and PR Free.

11. Submit podcasts to podcasting sites such as iTunes, Podcast Directory and Digital Podcast:

A podcast is an audio file, usually in MP3 format. Include your website URL and information about your products and services at the end of the podcast.

12. Submit videos to websites such as YouTube and Google Videos:

Include your name and a link to your website in the video description box. If you are recording a commentary, include your website URL in it.

You can attract a steady stream of visitors to your website by following the above twelve steps. When people visit your website, they will subscribe to your opt in list if you give them a clear call to action, keep the lead capture page very simple with only one purpose, capturing emails. Promotion of your website and opt in list should be an ongoing activity.

Once you increase the number of subscribers to your list, you improve the chances of selling your products and services by building a relationship with your subscribers through email marketing.

Effective email marketing is a very big subject and will require the use of many different strategies to fine tune your conversion rates.

To learn more about lead capture tools, strategies and opt-in list building, visit http://www.superteammarketing.com and read some of our free marketing mini-courses.

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