How to grow your email list using WordPress forms

Hello everyone! If you’re on the quest to grow your email list (and, honestly, who isn’t?), you’re in the right place. Building and sustaining a thriving email list can make a world of difference for your business, blog, or whatever passion project you have running on WordPress.

There are countless form plugins out there that can help you in this quest. While all of them come with their pros and cons, my personal go-to is Happyforms. But hey, choices are good, right? So, let’s take a balanced look at how you can skyrocket your email list.

Table of contents

Why email lists are crucial

First off, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Why are email lists so important? Well, it’s pretty simple. Your email list is a direct line to people who are interested in what you’re offering. There are no algorithms to beat, no paying for ads—just you and your audience in harmonious conversation. Unlike social media, where your posts may or may not appear in your followers’ feeds, emails land straight in their inboxes, providing a direct, uninterrupted line of communication.

Choosing the right form plugin for WordPress

WordPress offers many form plugins to help you gather those golden email addresses. You’ve likely heard of WPForms, GravityForms, and the like. While each has its merits, my go-to recommendation is Happyforms—and for good reason. This is a plugin that allows you to not only collect emails but also initiate meaningful conversations with your audience. Happyforms is replete with features, such as:

User-Focused Design: This isn’t about merely capturing an email. It’s about creating an experience that makes people want to engage.
Rich Features: From GDPR compliance to real-time form previews, Happyforms is feature-rich.
Exceptional Customer Support: The support team responds with the swiftness and precision of a hawk spotting its prey.

Setting up your form

Whether you go with Happyforms or another plugin, the process is usually straightforward:

Install the Plugin: Download your chosen form plugin from the WordPress marketplace and activate it.
Create a New Form: Navigate to the plugin’s dashboard and create a new form.
Select Your Fields: Add fields that you want in your form, like Name, Email, etc.
Integrate with Your Email Marketing Tool: Most plugins will let you integrate your form with email marketing services like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, etc. This way, new sign-ups are automatically added to your email list.
Embed the Form on Your Website: Finally, place your form strategically on your website. Popular locations include the sidebar, within blog posts, or on a dedicated landing page.

If you’ve chosen to go with Happyforms and want help setting up your form, follow the steps outlined in this help guide.

Tips for higher conversion

We all love to see high conversion rates. To maximize yours, here are some proven techniques:

Utilize Lead Magnets: Offer valuable resources like an e-book or webinar as a carrot to encourage form submission.
Design Harmony: Ensure your form’s design language is in sync with your overall website aesthetics.
Use Conditional Logic: Happyforms offers conditional logic to display certain fields based on previous answers, making the form-filling process highly personalized.

Designing forms that convert

Here’s where the rubber meets the road. The success of your email collection strategy hinges on the design of your forms. A well-crafted form not only captures data but does so in a way that is satisfying for the user. The key steps involved include:

Plugin Selection and Installation: Choose a plugin that aligns with your needs and ensure it’s secure and well-reviewed.
Setting Up a New Form: Navigate to your WordPress dashboard and follow the step-by-step guide. Your chosen plugin will typically have a dedicated menu for form creation.
Field Selection: Here’s where you need to think about UX. Keep the form short and sweet to avoid overwhelming the user.

Email collection best practices

Ethics and legality should be at the forefront of your email collection practices. Here’s how to keep it clean:

Double Opt-In: You know those emails that appear in your inbox without warning? Annoying, right? Let’s not be that person. Use a double opt-in system. This means after someone punches in their email, they’ll get a follow-up email asking them to confirm their subscription. It’s a second layer of consent that ensures folks genuinely want to hear from you. And, hey, it’s a good practice because it keeps your list full of people who are actually interested in what you have to say.
Transparency: You don’t want to be the guy who promises a weekly newsletter and then spam your subscribers daily, do you? Be upfront about what you’re going to deliver. Let them know if it’s a monthly newsletter with some special offers thrown in. If it’s weekly updates on a topic they care about, make that clear, too. Transparency builds trust, and trust is what turns a subscriber into a loyal customer.
GDPR Compliance: GDPR is everyone’s favorite acronym (not!). But seriously, these regulations are critical for anyone dealing with personal data of EU citizens, and that includes email addresses. The good news is, if you’re using Happyforms, you’re already ahead of the game. Happyforms makes it super simple to be GDPR compliant, so you can sleep easy knowing you’re on the right side of the law.
Segmentation: Let’s face it; your subscribers aren’t all into the same stuff. Some might be die-hard fans of your blogs, while others are just here for the coupons. Segmentation lets you tailor your emails to specific groups, making your content more relevant to them. It’s a little extra work, but the engagement rates will speak for themselves.
Quality Over Quantity: You might think the bigger the list, the better. Well, not necessarily. You want people who are genuinely interested in your product, service, or content. A smaller, more engaged list trumps a large, disinterested one any day. So focus on attracting the right crowd, not just any crowd.

Advanced email list strategies

Alright, you’ve got the basics down. You’re collecting emails, growing your list, and doing it all legally and ethically. High five! 🙌 But why stop there? Let’s dial it up a notch and talk about some advanced tactics not just to grow your list, but to make it a killer asset for your brand.

Automated Email Sequences: Here’s the thing: People have short attention spans. You’ve got this golden window right after they subscribe where they’re actually eager to hear from you. Don’t waste it! An automated email sequence can help you engage and nurture these fresh sign-ups. You can start with a warm welcome email, maybe follow it up with some top blog posts or special offers, and then gradually lead them down your sales funnel. The best part? Once you set it up, it pretty much runs itself, like a well-oiled machine.
Retargeting: It’s like the rom-com trope where the guy runs after the girl at the airport before she leaves forever. It’s your second chance to win back those who’ve interacted with your brand but haven’t made a purchase. You can retarget these folks with tailored emails, reminding them why they were interested in the first place.
Multi-Channel Integration: You know how you use your phone, tablet, and computer interchangeably throughout the day? Your audience does the same. Multi-channel integration means connecting your email strategy with your other marketing channels like social media, your blog, or even an app if you have one. The idea is to provide a seamless experience for your audience no matter where they interact with your brand. With Happyforms, you can easily integrate these platforms, making your marketing truly omnichannel.
Drip Campaigns: It’s like a slow dance; they’re all about timing and progression. Over a series of pre-set emails, you deliver information, offers, or content that corresponds with where the subscriber is in the customer journey. It’s automated but thoughtful, providing value step-by-step. Plus, it helps you keep engagement up without being overwhelming.
Social Proof and Testimonials: This is a psychological phenomenon where people are more likely to engage in action if they see others doing the same. Include testimonials or user reviews in your emails to build credibility and trust. It shows that real, live humans appreciate what you’re offering, encouraging new subscribers to be more active or even purchase.

Wrapping up

So there you have it, folks! Growing an email list doesn’t have to be a tedious task. With the right form plugin and some strategic thinking, you’ll have a booming email list in no time. If you’re looking for our recommendation, give Happyforms a try. It’s simple, powerful, and gets the job done with finesse.

Good luck, and happy form building!