35 ways to grow your newsletter list

The newsletter man himself, Dan Oshinsky, founder of Inbox Collective, spoke at The Audiencers’ Workshop in New York in March 2024 on how to grow your newsletter list. With 35 recommendations and multiple examples for each, this was an incredibly valuable session for newsletter teams to be inspired and benchmark others in the industry.

Below you can find Dan’s slides and the full list of 35 ways to grow your newsletter list.

35 ways to grow your newsletter list

Main newsletter sign-up page: Many teams have a version of this page already, but there’s almost always room for some improvement.
Individual sign-up pages: For orgs with multiple newsletters, create pages for each newsletter.
Header/navigation bar: This is real estate where you’re already directing readers to other places on the website — and the main newsletter sign-up page should be listed among these choices.
Footer: Adding a newsletter sign-up to your footer is means you have a sign-up box on every page of your site.
Social icons: Anywhere you list the social platforms that your org is on, consider adding a newsletter icon, too.
House ads: Create house ad slots to promote newsletters on site, or display these in your remnant ad inventory.
Text-based CTAs: These sorts of units don’t have to be complicated. They could be as simple as a line of text with a link back to a sign-up page, placed at the top or bottom of a story.
In-line units: A visitor who’s reading one of your articles is engaged, so give them the chance to stay engaged by signing up for newsletters.
Right rail: On desktop, right rail units can be less intrusive and often blend in nicely with the design of the page.
Pop-ups: Pop-ups are among the most effective units for converting readers to subscribers. Show these based on scroll depth (25, 50, 75%) or time on site (at least 15 seconds on a story). Offer two clear opt-outs (a “X” and a “No, thanks”) option on these forms. And utilize art to reinforce the value or voice of the newsletter.
Toasters: Toasters pop-up from the bottom of the screen (like toast from a toaster), and can be a less-intrusive option that still converts well.
Registration walls: You may want to deploy a registration wall to convert readers to newsletter subscribers/members.
Exit-intent units: These are pop-ups shown only when a reader navigates to leave a page.
Banners: These are a great way to promote a newsletter to readers on all pages of your site. Try not to overuse these units. They’re good for new launches or to promote a newsletter a day or two before it goes out.
Auto-registration: You may want to auto-enroll new paying supporters in your newsletter as part of the subscription, membership, or donation process.
Post-payment / onboarding: Readers are highly likely to take an action in the moments after they subscribe, so offer readers the chance to sign up for newsletters here.
Event registration: Encourage a reader to sign up for a relevant newsletter when they register for the event.
Comments: Ask both registered and anonymous users if they want to sign up for a newsletter as part of the commenting process.
Quizzes: Quizzes drive great engagement, and they’re also an opportunity to drive readers to sign up for a newsletter.
One-off polls: If you’re asking readers to vote on something, ask them to sign up for a newsletter, too.
User generated content: Any time you ask a reader to enter their email address to submit a question or feedback, ask them to sign up for a newsletter.
Surveys: Surveys can be an effective way to drive sign-ups.
Social media: There are still opportunities to convert readers from a social platform to a newsletter. Lean into the strengths of each platform.
Forward to a friend: Encourage readers to share the newsletter with a friend. These word-of-mouth referrals are always among your most loyal new readers.
Newsletters: Ask your existing newsletter readers to take a next step and sign up for more newsletters.
Cross-promotion: Partner with other publications or newsletters to do cross-promotion.
IRL promotion: Growth doesn’t have to come via online channels. You may be able to convert some readers via IRL opportunities.
Giveaways: Giveaways can drive significant sign-ups — but they don’t always drive highly-engaged readers.
Best ofs: Best Ofs can be about businesses, professional services, or to identify and honor outstanding local individuals.
Lead magnets: With a lead magnet, a reader trades an email address for access to a guide or email course.
Homepage units: As long as your homepage is driving traffic, you should have some sort of sign-up box on this page.
Lead ads: Promote your newsletter to a specific audience and ask them to sign up. Popular formats at the moment include image plus CTA, video-based testimonials and carousels.
Content-to-capture: Content-to-capture effectively combines two strategies: Lead ads and registration walls.
In-newsletter ads: Existing newsletter readers tend to like signing up for more newsletters.
Run a referral program: Referral programs can help you grow in small ways