Welcome to the first installment of our two-part “Power up your email list” series. In this post, we’ll focus on building a high-quality email list that drives real results. In part two, we dive into the art of maintaining quality and engaging your hard-earned subscriber base.

Email is dead. Long live email!

Despite countless predictions that the end was near, the amount of email we send and receive is actually growing.

What’s more, most consumers say email still influences what they purchase. That’s why email marketing remains one of the most potent tools fast-growing retailers can use to engage shoppers, sell their products and services, nurture prospects, and retain customers.

All you need is a great big list of leads. Right?

Well, not exactly. Quality is much more important than quantity for email marketing lists to drive opens, clicks, and ultimately, conversions. You need a list of engaged leads interested in—or most likely to buy—your products or services.

Building (and maintaining) a high-quality email list requires time and effort. If you’re up for the challenge, we’re here to help.

Here are the best ways to grow a high-quality email list to improve your marketing results.

Start your email list with a solid foundation

How well do you know your audience? The better you do, the easier it’ll be to build your email list (and the more likely it’ll be to succeed).

Get to know your audience

Before emailing your target audience, learn who they are, what they like, and how your business can solve their problems:

• Find out what your best customers have in common
• Research competitors and how they’re connecting with customers
• Follow the industry influencers your customers know and love
• Ask customers about their problems and challenges
• Create personas to collect and share everything you’ve learned

Once you’ve defined your target audience, you’ll know how and where to reach them and which products and services can help them. Your emails should practically write themselves.

Understand compliance and sending standards

Laws around the world require businesses to get permission before sending emails. Before sending your first email, make sure you know how they impact your customers and your deliverability. Here are three laws and regulations you should know:

• CAN-SPAM Act: In the US, the CAN-SPAM Act was designed to stop unsolicited and misleading commercial emails. Requirements include providing a sender address and ensuring recipients can easily opt out.
• GDPR: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of laws created by the European Union to protect the privacy of its citizens and residents. It gives recipients the right to access, correct, or delete personal data and withdraw consent at any time.
• Email provider sending standards: Google and Yahoo also set standards for email authentication, designed to reduce phishing and other malicious attacks. They prioritize sender reputation and consistent, high-quality engagement with recipients.

These are just the tip of the iceberg. There are more—many more—with new and updated ones cropping up constantly.

That means you’ve got to do your homework, watch for new regulations, and laser-focus your lists. Ignoring email sender rules risks having your messages end up in email jail—spam folders—where no one will read, click, or share them.

Keep in mind that you need to know the compliance and sending standards where your contacts live. So if you plan to send emails to residents of Brazil, Sweden, and Georgia (the state or the country), you must follow guidelines specific to each region.

All this may sound like a lot of work, but there is a silver lining. Following email sender practices is a win-win for you and your contacts: they get the content they want, and you can get higher-quality prospects and leads.

Three smart ways to grow your email list

So how do you get prospects and customers to opt into your emails? Here are some of the best ways to showcase your brand, engage customers, prove your value, and get people to subscribe.

1. Use high-quality content to gain email subscribers

More than 361 billion emails are sent and received every day around the world. That’s a lot of competition for your readers’ attention—and why it’s critical to create and share unique, high-quality content that demands to be read, watched, and shared.

Lean into what you learn when you define your audience (this is where personas come in handy). Focus on information they want and need, like practical advice, sales, promotions, product how-tos, or recommendations.

So, how do you get subscribers to sign up for your content in the first place?

Offer them a free resource they’ll find interesting or helpful—a lead magnet that attracts subscribers, compels them to share their email addresses, and helps you grow your list faster. Try ebooks, webinars, and newsletters.

2. Optimize opt-in opportunities on your website

When an interested lead visits your website, don’t miss an opportunity to gain a subscriber. Make it easy for them to opt into your email list through optimally timed and strategically placed pop-ups, chatbots, sign-up forms, and landing pages.

Capture more email addresses by making forms and pop-ups eye-catching with simple and direct calls to action. Mention perks they’ll receive by subscribing, like 20% off their first purchase.

3. Supercharge subscriber sign-ups with social media offers

Multiply potential subscribers by promoting your email newsletter on social media. Include topics or snippets of content from your emails that give readers a sneak peek of the content they’d receive. Offer sign-up bonuses that encourage engagement, like sharing posts or emails with friends ,so both earn special benefits.

Make email list building easier with AI and automation

Building a high-quality email list is the foundation of successful email marketing. By focusing on attracting engaged subscribers who are genuinely interested in what you offer, you set the stage for higher open rates, click-throughs, and conversions. Remember:

• Know your audience inside and out
• Stay up to date and compliant with email regulations
• Use compelling content as subscriber magnets
• Optimize your website for easy opt-ins
• Use social media to expand your reach

Ready to supercharge your email list building efforts? Maropost Marketing Cloud’s powerful tools are the easy way to attract and manage high-quality subscribers:

• AI-powered list segmentation
• Customizable sign-up forms and landing pages
• Social media integration for cross-channel promotion
• Compliance management

Don’t let list building overwhelm you. Book a Marketing Cloud demo today and discover how Maropost can help you lay the groundwork for email marketing success.