The most cost-effective way of collecting subscribers to an email marketing list is via a website. Once set up, the systems and automated sign-up forms require little or no monitoring over and above checking on figures. The keywords here, though, are largely QUALITY CONTENT.
The one thing essential to gaining subscribers using this method is to have high numbers of your target group visiting your website. As with so much in email marketing, quality beats quantity every time.
With so many other websites competing for your customers there has to be a reason for them to visit yours. But here Google can come to your rescue.
The search engine giant is often portrayed as the bad guy, something to circumvent, but in fact it is much better to work with it. A content management company can be the best route, but these are never both cheap and good. However, there are less expensive options.
Last year’s update to the Google algorithms, the hyper-complex systems used to rate websites, was intended to limit the opportunity to cheat your way to the top. For instance, it is now very dangerous to buy links. Whilst there are no safe shortcuts, there are cost effective methods of compliance.
Google looks for relevant and original copy of high quality. Logically, therefore, we can safely assume that the more relevant and original high quality copy you have on your website, the better. Such content doesn’t necessarily cost much.
You have information to hand which can easily be turned into content. For instance, do you produce an e-newsletter? Then take the text and images and put them in your website. In order to keep subscribers to your e-newsletter it will be best to delay publication, perhaps on the day of the next e-newsletter.
Do you have to review long, technical treatises? If so, then a simplified précis for those not quite so technical might be useful, and if current might well be searched for. Internal memoranda, historical documents and insider information can be interesting to readers. They can create an impression of being a leader in your field as well as encourage people to subscribe to your email marketing list. And, most importantly, it impresses Google.
