Hate pop ups, pop overs, lightboxes, and anything related? Okay, I hear you. You weren’t a fan of my post last week about using a pop up ad.
That’s okay. There are other options to boost your newsletter subscriptions.
1. Improve what you’ve already got.
You’ve got an opt-in box on your blog or website, right? Of course you do. Here are some ways to optimize it to get more attention and more opt-ins:
- Put it on every page of your website.
- Make sure it’s “above the fold” which means when you first load your website it should be visible on the page without scrolling down.
- Add an image to represent what people are getting when they opt-in. Could be a virtual image of your ezine, the gift you give subscribers, etc.
- Include a privacy statement close to the offer box promising not to share subscriber info.
- Keep your text by your offer easy to read. Don’t make it too long.
- Try adding a testimonial near the box, or link to a page of testimonials from readers.
- Change the text on the button from “Submit” to something customized like “Give Me My Freebie!”
- Try different layouts like borders, headlines (test colors), etc and split text the opt-in boxes against each other. This is simple to do with a service like Aweber. Check with your mailing list provider to see what options they offer.
2. Turn your front page into a subscription offer.
This is what I was considering against the pop up ad. By turning your front page into an offer, everyone who comes to your site through your front page sees the offer and chooses either to opt in or continue to your blog. But it only hits people who come in through the front page and they have to click through it every time.
Some examples of sites using this strategy well:
- Alicia Forest
- Kim Reddington
To do this with a WordPress site you’d need to create a new page with your subscription/opt-in offer, then set it to the initial page that loads on your website (under Settings > Reading).
3. Use a slide-in footer ad.
I’ve tested this and got about 2x as many opt-ins as with the regular opt-in box on my page. So it did increase subscribers for me. And it’s less intrusive than a pop up ad.
An example site using this technique (watch the bottom of your screen to spot it):
- Decisive Minds (Michele Scism)
- Martha Giffen
You can do this using the free WordPress plugin here: for Aweber, for GetResponse, for Feedburner.
So if you truly hate pop ups, there are alternatives! :)
Michelle has been online since the late 80s, creating websites since the early 90s, and has coded thousands of web pages in that time. She's worked as a virtual assistant and website designer for small business owners including marketers, authors, coaches, crafters, and other solopreneuers.
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Twitter: learnit2earnit
says:
These are all good alternatives to the pop up Michelle. And I think it is important for each online business to test each technique to see how it results in traffic or sign ups or whatever you ultimate goal is.
Last blog ..Marketing Points For a Successful Business Online
Twitter: MichelleShaeffr
says:
Exactly! It completely depends on the goal — and we’ve got to test to see what works best for each of us.
Thank you so much for the wonderful advice, Michelle. Or, to paraphrase Paul… Michelle, ma belle, sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble….
Twitter: MichelleShaeffr
says:
I believe you’ve just won the awards for first French comment, first lyrics comment, and first Beatles comment. Thanks Roy!
Twitter: SabiGrivec
says:
Thanks for the tips Michelle, I always look forward to your emails. I’m finding WordPress and blogging a huge learning curve but I will get there. I’m not a fan of the pop up, to be honest, I find it intrusive as it interrupts the reading flow and fuzzes up concentration! I prefer an opt in box but I have now have to figure out how to get one up on my site! (Really hope that my pic shows up on this post, I have got an avatar but it has been quite elusive recently, another technological hitch no doubt).