Category Archives: E-mail Marketing

If you’re publishing a regular newsletter but not generating any money from it yet, it may be time to consider monetizing.

Can you generate high profits from a newsletter?

Yes, and probably more than you might imagine.

If you can crack the code on providing irresistible value to your niche audience, the sky’s the limit.

Morning Brew Newsletter was acquired by Business Insider for $75 million.

The Hustle newsletter is valued at an estimated $27 million.

Growth in Reverse newsletter generates $500,000 annually.

Letters from an American newsletter generates $12 million per year.

In this guide, we show you 21 ways to monetize your newsletter. No matter what type of readership niche you serve, you’ll find a way to begin earning money from your newsletter in the list below.

21 Ways to monetize a newsletter

The first step toward monetizing an email newsletter is to develop a captive audience by providing exceptionally valuable content. Once you meet that challenge, you’re ready to think about how you’ll generate income from your newsletter without compromising its quality. 

The monetization strategies below include 21 options to help you decide which path is best for you and your audience.

#1 – Paid subscription newsletters

Paid subscriptions newsletters, or premium subscriptions, are a popular monetization strategy. Successful newsletters typically begin by cultivating an engaged subscriber base, then adding an optional paid version down the line.

For example, Sudhir Khatwani, Director of The Money Mongers, Inc., created a premium paid subscription newsletter after cultivating a loyal subscriber base.

#2 – Sponsored newsletters

Sponsored newsletters involve a business paying you to have your newsletter dedicated to them. 

For example, The Superpath newsletter below opens with the line, “This issue is brought to you by our friends at Moz.”

#3 – Sponsored content

Sponsored content in newsletters is small chunks of content that are integrated within your newsletter. 

When you include sponsored content, it’s important to:

Clearly label it as sponsored content.

Ensure that the rest of the newsletter provides valuable content.

For example, when Matt Little started his Festoon House newsletter, he immediately focused on providing value and creating a loyal audience. 

“I made certain that my newsletters were more than just product promotions and that they also included valuable insights, tips, and even behind-the-scenes information,” Little explained.

Over time, Matt established trust and credibility with his subscribers and now monetizes the newsletter using sponsored content and several other strategies.

#4 – Affiliate advertising

Placing affiliate ads in your newsletter allows you to sell other people’s products and earn a commission on them. Affiliate advertising is a popular way to monetize newsletters. 

If you place affiliate ads in your newsletter, be sure to recommend products relevant to your audience. Additionally, be transparent with your readers about your affiliate relationship.

#5 – Direct sale ads

Direct sale ads are sold by you without going through an affiliate or network. 

If you have the time and sales skills to sell ads directly, you can earn more money and hand-pick advertisers whose products are a good fit for your readers.

For example, one issue of Business Insider’s newsletter includes a highlighted text ad from T-Mobile for Business.

#6 – Referral partnerships and advocacy programs 

Referral partnerships allow you to earn commissions by referring business.

For example, AWeber’s Advocate Program pays up to 50% recurring commission for the life of the subscription.

#7 – Partner networks

Partner networks help you connect with other newsletters for cross-promotion and potential subscriber growth or revenue share.

Sparkloop is a good example of a partner network that allows you to earn revenue by recommending other newsletters to your readers. 

#8 – Advertising networks

Advertising networks connect businesses that want to advertise with newsletter publishers who have space to sell in their newsletters. 

For example, Paved and BuySell Ads Newsletter Network are two popular advertising networks that help businesses monetize their newsletters.

#9 – Classified ads

Classified ads are less costly ads that sell or promote something in one or two lines of text. For example, job listings are a popular form of classified advertising.

Ben’s Bites newsletter features a modern take on the classified ad called “Unclassified ads.” In this example, the ad is one simple line that reads “Outlier Slim Dungarees – do AI’s need pants?” Tapping the link brings you to a full page on Outlier.

#10 – Product sales

Promote your company’s products to your readers, who already trust your knowledge and insights.

In the examples below, the Performing Arts Center and Atlantic Magazine promote their products in newsletters.

Hair and beauty specialist Kate Ross says that her team monetizes its newsletter in several ways, including sharing exclusive deals to boost product sales. 

“We started making money from our newsletter after about six months by sharing exclusive deals, beauty tips, and sponsored posts. 

Our secret? Really useful content that our readers can’t get enough of, like insider hair care advice and sneak peeks at new products.“ – Kate Ross, Hair and Beauty Specialist, Irresistible Me

#11 – Printable products

Creating and selling printable products directly within your newsletter works well if you can create printables that are a perfect fit for your readers.

Products such as planners, artwork, and calendars are popular printable products. 

Wondering what type of printable might be a good fit for your subscriber base? You can find countless successful downloadable product ideas by searching for printable products on Etsy.

For example, Lola Paper Center sells a printable Airbnb Host bundle that includes a welcome book, cleaning checklists, inventory checklist, signs, and more.

#12 – White label digital download products

White label digital products are materials created by someone else that you can resell under your own brand name.

For example, Your Secret Weapon creates “done-for-you” digital products you can resell as many times as you like. It’s an excellent service for coaches, content, and course creators who don’t have the time to build their own products. 

#13 – Digital courses

Creating and developing an in-depth course on a platform like Thinkific, Udemy, or Skillshare, has proven very lucrative for some.

You can promote your course in your newsletter by teasing content from it, sharing insider tips, or even giving your readers a peek behind the scenes when filming your class.

Developing and creating a course can be consuming, but when finished — you have a product that you can resell for years.

#14 – Courses delivered by email

Do you have an Information-based course idea that’s relevant to your audience, packed with valuable training, and doesn’t  require a heavy amount of video, audio or images?

Courses delivered by email are a less common, but often profitable, way to monetize a newsletter.

Embed AWeber how-to create email course (can be monetized):

#15 – Branded merchandise

Connect with your audience on a different level by selling branded merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, etc.) to email subscribers. Some companies also use branded merchandise as an incentive to share their newsletter.

For example, the Morning Brew/Marketing Brew newsletter gives away branded merchandise to subscribers who earn points by sharing its newsletter.

#16 – Events

Host paid webinars or live online events that provide a deep dive into your niche or expertise. 

In the example below, the AMA partners with a local performing arts center for a special event. Its newsletter promotes the $20 tickets.

#17 – Product follow-up sales

Boost your product sales with automated, personalized follow-up campaigns. Segmenting your newsletter allows you to send email nurture campaigns that increase follow-up sales, such as:

Upsell emails 

Cross-sell emails

Abandoned cart emails

Repeat purchase emails

In the example below, FabFitFun sends a special promotional offer aimed at encouraging former customers to reactivate their subscriptions.

#18 – Donations and crowdfunding

Whether you’re looking to fund your next new product or encouraging readers to pitch in and support your efforts, crowdfunding and donations can be an excellent way to finance projects or support your newsletter.

The ARD (Anti-Racism Daily) newsletter includes a donation, sponsor, and referral link in every newsletter.

#19 – Memberships and paid communities

Create exclusive online communities where members pay for access, discussion, mentorship,  or any other features that cater to your audience.

For example, the Creator Science newsletter is free to its 54,000+ subscribers. It operates a paid membership community called “The Lab” for creators. 

The Lab has generated more than $600,000 despite having a small (200-person) membership base.

#20 – Premium archives access

Provide premium access to archived newsletter content to subscribers who pay a fee. 

For example, AWeber’s newsletter hub is an editable collection of your broadcast emails. You can monetize it by charging a premium rate to access it.

#21 – Build and Sell

When you’ve built a large, engaged subscriber audience, it becomes highly valuable to other people in your industry. Selling your newsletter may be a good idea if it’s already generating high profits.

For example, Business Insider acquired the Morning Brew newsletter for $75 million in 2020. At the time, it had 4 million subscribers and generated $20 million per year. 

Morning Brew was started by two college kids who simply wanted to “make business news more enjoyable to read,” according to an interview by CNBC.

Beyond Clicks: Metrics That Matter

Metrics are the golden key to building a high-performing newsletter. 

Checking your metrics regularly will show you which of your emails are a win — and which ones were a flop.

Find out how many people are opening your emails, who’s clicking on the links inside them, whether they’re reading your emails or bouncing away, and much more by following your email marketing metrics.

Open rate lets you know how many people opened your email. 

Click-through-rate (CTR) lets you know if people are engaging with your emails by clicking on the links inside of them (like your CTA).

Conversion rate tells you how many readers completed a goal (such as purchased a product).

Bounce rate shows how many of your sent emails were bounced back due to a non-working email address. 

Delivery rate indicates how many emails were not bounced.

Unsubscribe rate reveals how many people unsubscribed from your newsletter.

Email ROI (return on income) shows how much profit your newsletter generates.

To ensure that your email readership continues to engage and grow, keep a steady eye on your key metrics to understand how well your email marketing campaigns are performing.

How to monetize your email newsletter

In this guide, we’ve covered 21 different ways to monetize an email newsletter. As you’ve seen in the stories above, there are no limits on what you can earn with a newsletter.

In most cases, though, success doesn’t happen overnight. Many people spend years building their subscriber list and cultivating readership. Yet others breeze right in and walk away with incredible profits.

If you’re interested in providing genuine value to your audience through email marketing, AWeber is the place to start. We’ve got everything you need to monetize your emails, including email templates and tutorials, plus product landing pages. Why not sign up for a free account today?

The post How to monetize your newsletter 21 different ways appeared first on AWeber.

Affiliate marketing has grown from a niche pursuit into one of the most popular ways for content creators to monetize their online audience. Indeed, one in three publishers say affiliate marketing is in their top three revenue sources, while one in 10 say it’s their #1 revenue stream.

But you’re not going to make any money as an affiliate if you can’t find an effective way to get your affiliate links in front of as many people as possible.

So what’s the best way to promote affiliate links?

To answer that question, we’re going to round up eight of our favorite promotional strategies, each backed by real-world examples from successful affiliate publishers.

Let’s get into it…

How affiliate links work

Before we start discussing where to post affiliate marketing links, it’s worth explaining how those links actually work.

When you join an affiliate program, your affiliate partner (i.e. the brand whose products or services you’re promoting) allows you to generate your own affiliate links — unique referral links that point toward key pages on the brand’s website.

When someone clicks your affiliate link and buys something, the information in the link proves that you played a key role in the path to purchase. So your affiliate partner will reward you with a commission. Nice!

Here’s a more detailed look at how it all works:

You share an affiliate link with your audience via a blog, email newsletter, social media post, or some other method.

A customer likes what they see and clicks your affiliate link to find out more.

The link takes the customer to your affiliate partner’s website.

Cookie tracking technology shows that the customer clicked one of your affiliate links.

The customer buys something from your affiliate partner.

Your affiliate partner attributes the sale to you and pays you a commission.

How to promote affiliate links

Now that we’ve discussed the theory behind affiliate links, let’s dive into our top strategies for promoting them:

1 – Send email newsletters

Given that email marketing delivers a return of $36 for every $1 spent, sending newsletters is arguably the single best way to promote affiliate links.

The biggest benefit of newsletter marketing is that it gives you total control over who sees your content and when. No relying on search or social media algorithms; you can land in your subscribers’ inboxes whenever you like.

Meanwhile, the only real downside is that it can take a little time to grow your email list. But you can accelerate that process with some smart marketing.

Tips for promoting affiliate links in product reviews

Golf Span is one of many affiliate sites that uses email marketing to promote its affiliate links.

Let’s take a look at some of the tactics they use:

Add a compelling hook to your email capture form to grow your marketing list fast. For instance, Golf Span promises to help people increase their drive distance — a common goal of anyone looking to improve their golf game.

Give people a reason to open your emails by crafting compelling subject lines promising some kind of value. Golf Span often uses its subject lines to promote the savings on offer, without giving away too much information.

No need to send readers to your website; you can add affiliate links within your email newsletters to streamline the path to purchase.

👉 Learn more: 13 Ways to Build Your Email List For Free 

2 – Create an online course

As we explained in our guide on how to be a successful affiliate marketer, there’s one affiliate link promotion strategy that we’d recommend time after time — and it’s surprisingly underutilized.

It involves creating your own online course.

At this point, you’re probably thinking: “How on earth does building a course help me promote affiliate links?”

Here’s the answer:

Start by finding a common pain point your audience is eager to overcome.

Create an online course designed to help people tackle that pain point.

Use the course to recommend specific products and services that relate to your target pain point (e.g. if you’re helping people to promote an online business, you might recommend a marketing tool like AWeber). 

Every time you mention a product or service, add an affiliate link so you get paid for any sales you generate.

Promote your online course far and wide!

This strategy works like a dream because the people who sign up for your course have come to you for answers. When you tell them a specific product can help them resolve their pain point, there’s a good chance they’ll listen.

Tips for promoting affiliate links in an online course

Marketing education brand Legendary Marketer is the absolute master of using a (paid) online course to promote a bunch of affiliate links. Let’s dig under the hood and see how they do it:

Identify a pain point with broad appeal, then build your course around it. For instance, Legendary Marketer has created a course to help people start a profitable online business, which is one of the biggest goals for its audience.

Funnel website visitors toward your course content using prominent CTAs. Even though Legendary Marketer sells a wide range of courses, its homepage CTAs are all about promoting the same course on starting an online business:

Charge a (small) fee for your online course. This step is optional — but if customers are prepared to hand over money for your content, that’s a good sign they trust you. Which, in turn, means they’re more likely to buy your recommended products.

3 – Write product reviews

Product reviews are one of the most effective ways to promote affiliate links.

Why? Because writing product reviews allows you to target audiences who are close to purchasing. 

Someone searching on Google for a term like “Stanley Cup review” is clearly already thinking about buying a Stanley Cup — they’re not reading reviews for fun. So if you can persuade them that a Stanley Cup is worth buying (or point them toward a cheaper and/or better alternative), you’re well on your way to driving affiliate link clicks and sales.

Tips for promoting affiliate links in product reviews

NBC News was one of countless publishers to latch onto the Stanley Cup trend by writing its own product review:

Here are some of the ways they use product review content to share affiliate links:

NBC adds prominent CTAs to product reviews, making it easy for readers to click straight through to the retailer of their choice and make a purchase. Of course, each of those CTAs incorporates an affiliate link: 

Share personal experiences of you actually using the product to demonstrate that your review is worth listening to. For example, NBC’s reviewer shares this scintillating anecdote about how she tested Stanley’s claim that it keeps drinks cold for up to 11 hours:

If you’re recommending a product, make sure you reference specific features and benefits so your words are more meaningful and persuasive, like NBC did here by discussing the Stanley Cup’s various lid positions:

4 – Compare 2+ different products

A twist on the classic product review is to create comparison content that pits two or more products against one another. They typically target users searching for phrases like “{product A} vs {product B}”.

These articles are aimed at people a little higher up the buyer funnel than a traditional product review, because the customer hasn’t yet singled out a single product.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because comparison articles allow you to recommend multiple products at the same time, potentially helping you convert a broader audience than with a product review.

Tips for promoting affiliate links in comparison articles

Stock Photo Secrets publishes a ton of affiliate content, much of which helps people choose the right graphic design tools for their needs. Just like this comparison piece that pitches Canva against Figma:

Here are some of the ways they use comparison content to promote affiliate links:

Explain who should use each product. This tactic is especially effective if you’re comparing products with slightly different value propositions, features, and audiences.

Comparison articles aren’t the place for in-depth reviews of the products you’re analyzing, so be sure to add links to supplementary content so readers can find out more about their preferred option:

What if the products you’re comparing aren’t a great fit for every potential buyer? In that case, be sure to recommend some relevant alternative products (and, if possible, add links to your reviews of those alternatives).

5 – Create buying guides

Whereas product reviews are all about sharing links to one specific product and comparison pieces tend to focus on 2-3 different options, buying guides give you the opportunity to link to multiple products within a specific category or use case.

Buying guides fall into two main categories:

Buying guide typePurposeExampleBest {product type}Target a broad audienceBest gaming chairBest {product type} for {use case/pain point}Reach a niche audience showing high buying intentBest gaming chair for back pain

As with any type of marketing content, focusing on a more niche target audience reduces your traffic potential. But anyone who does find your content is likely to be more qualified — and, therefore, more likely to buy.

Tips for promoting affiliate links in buying guides

PC Gamer regularly writes articles rounding up the best gaming peripherals, accessories, hardware and software in specific categories, like this one on the best gaming chairs of 2024…

Let’s break down some of the link promotion methods they use within buying guides:

The more your content speaks to specific audience pain points, the more readers will click your affiliate links (and hopefully buy something). So be sure to explain who should (and shouldn’t) buy each product, like PC Gamer does here:

Give users an at-a-glance view of your product picks — because not everyone wants to wade through thousands of words to reach a buying decision. PC Gamer does this by adding a brief synopsis of each product at the top of its buying guides (plus CTAs to buy the products on various e-commerce sites and marketplaces):

Let readers know why they should trust your product recommendations. To do this, you need to demonstrate your subject-matter expertise, like PC Gamer editor Jacob Ridley does here:

6 – Add affiliate links to YouTube captions

All the methods we’ve shared so far require you to have some sort of central “hub” (AKA a website or blog) to reach your audience.

But what if you want to know how to promote affiliate links without a website?

Of all the available options, we reckon your best bet is to start a YouTube channel. 

While most people think of it as a streaming platform and/or social media site, YouTube is also the world’s second largest search engine, with 2.5+ billion logged-in users accessing it every month. In other words, YouTube effectively gives you two different ways to reach your audience:

Through algorithmically generated content recommendations

By targeting the types of keywords people search for on YouTube

Tips for promoting affiliate links on YouTube

When it comes to leveraging the power of YouTube for promoting affiliate links, Garage Gym Reviews is up there with the very best. It’s built a community of 500,000+ followers on YouTube, and most of its content incorporates affiliate links within the video descriptions:

Here are some of the tactics they use to promote affiliate links on YouTube:

Perform YouTube keyword research to find the types of terms your audience are searching for. You can do this by entering a seed keyword (like “home gym”) in a YouTube-specific keyword tool like TubeRanker.

Showcase products in a way that resonates with your target audience. For instance, Garage Gym Reviews is specifically targeting people who want to build or improve a home gym, so it always demonstrates products in use in a household setting rather than a professional gym.

Add CTAs to subscribe to your YouTube channel and follow you on other social platforms at the end of your videos. The more often people see your content, the more likely they are to click your affiliate links!

7 – Share affiliate links on Pinterest

You might be surprised at the social media platforms we have (and haven’t) included in this article.

Sure, YouTube’s a huge deal. But why Pinterest? And why no Instagram or TikTok?

Well, firstly, Insta and TikTok didn’t make the grade because they make it too difficult to share affiliate links, with no links allowed in post descriptions or comments. 

And then there’s the fact that, while Pinterest certainly isn’t the biggest social network, it has excellent organic reach and comparatively low competition in many affiliate niches. Not only that, but almost half of weekly Pinterest users have discovered a new brand or product on the platform, so it’s also a popular source of shopping inspiration.

Tips for promoting affiliate links on Pinterest

Lantern Lane Designs generates almost five million monthly views on Pinterest. They put all that visibility to good use by linking from their Pinterest posts to affiliate content on their website:

Here are some of the affiliate link promotion tactics they use:

Like YouTube, Pinterest is part social media site and part search engine, so take the time to seek out relevant keywords using the platform’s autocomplete functionality, then add those terms to your post titles and descriptions.

While we generally recommend keeping the path to conversion as short and sweet as possible, Lantern Lane Designs adds links to blog posts rather than linking directly to affiliate products. This approach might lead to fewer initial conversions, but it also makes it easier to build a trusted brand — and higher trust leads to more sales down the line.

Don’t be afraid to promote the same content more than once. Sure, you can’t try to game the system by creating lots of Pinterest accounts, but you can absolutely create several pins to steer people toward a single blog post.

8 – Include affiliate links in podcast show notes

Podcast listenership has sky-rocketed in recent years, with 42% of Americans now listening to at least one podcast per month — triple the figure from a decade earlier.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: podcasts are, first and foremost, an audio medium. Which means they’re not the most obvious choice for sharing affiliate links. However, plenty of affiliates are seeing success by adding links to their podcast show notes. 

While this approach is unlikely to convert many (or any) people who just happen to stumble across your show notes, it’s a highly effective way to drive sales from existing podcast listeners. And the added benefit is that these people actively choose to listen to your content, which suggests they’re at least somewhat likely to respect your product recommendations.

Tips for promoting affiliate links in podcast notes

Sahara Rose, host of the Highest Self Podcast, often uses the show’s notes section to share relevant affiliate links and discount codes:

Here are some of the promotional strategies she uses:

Tell listeners that you’ll be adding product links to the show notes so they know where to look. You don’t necessarily have to explain that they’re affiliate links within the podcast, but you should definitely disclose it in the show notes.

Create a “resources” section within your show notes and use it to steer people toward your affiliate links (plus any other useful content you want to link to).

Share your latest episode on social media to get more ears and eyes on your podcast and show notes. Choose the most relevant platform(s) for your audience — for instance, Sahara Rose links to her latest podcast episode in her Instagram bio:

Get more eyes on your affiliate links with AWeber

We’ve shared eight different strategies for promoting affiliate links in this article.

But in reality, if you’re going to succeed as an affiliate marketer, you’ll likely have to combine several (or perhaps even all) of those strategies. Because you don’t want to rely on a single channel to generate all your traffic, clicks, and sales.

All of which means that you’ll definitely need an email marketing tool in your corner — and AWeber is hard to beat.

With our huge library of templates, our intuitive drag-and-drop email builder, and our AI writing assistant, we make it super simple to craft high-converting newsletters to house your affiliate links.

See for yourself by signing up for your free AWeber account today!

And when you’ve seen how great we are, why not get paid for recommending us to your audience by joining the AWeber affiliate program?

The post The 8 best ways to promote affiliate links in 2024 appeared first on AWeber.

Handmade products are big money, with the North American handicrafts market expected to be worth an astonishing $744.1 billion by 2032.

If you want to claim your slice of that delicious (homemade) pie, you need to choose the right ecommerce platform for your needs. One that’s:

Easy to use

Affordable

Trustworthy

Etsy has long been the go-to choice for selling handmade items. But in recent years, the platform has been beset by negative headlines over decisions to increase transaction fees and withhold sellers’ money…

…prompting many merchants to seek out alternatives to selling on Etsy.

To help you out, we’ve rounded up 13 of the best Etsy alternatives, from household names like Amazon and Shopify to lesser-known platforms like Finnalby and Art in the Heart.

Let’s get into it…

Finnalby

Who are they?

Finnalby is one of the newest kids on the handmade items block, having launched in September 2023. Billed as an independent marketplace for artisans and independent retailers, it specializes in handicrafts, wholesale products, online courses, and tutorials.

👍 Pros

Finnalby vets all products listed as “Strictly Handmade” to ensure authenticity, meaning you won’t be competing with cut-price bulk manufacturers.

As well as selling handmade items, you can make money from online courses and tutorials. Plus you can sell the products required to participate in your classes, giving you the potential to generate multiple sales from the same customer.

The platform offers a simple and affordable fee structure, charging a flat 5.5% commission on all sales.

👎 Cons

Finnalby is currently only available in the US, so if you (or your audience) are based elsewhere, you’ll need to look for different Etsy alternatives.

The platform is still relatively unknown; at time of writing, the term “Finnalby” only generated 90 global searches a month on Google, per Ahrefs. So you shouldn’t expect much passing traffic.

Its lack of brand awareness may put off potential customers who haven’t heard of the platform.

What do merchants say about them?

Unfortunately, we can’t tell you — they’re so new we couldn’t find any reviews!

Fees

Finnalby charges a flat 5.5% per sale commission, with no listing fees or monthly fees.

Shopify

Who are they?

Shopify is one of the world’s biggest ecommerce platforms, with Shopify merchants generating combined sales of $235.9 billion in 2023. Unlike marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, Shopify gives you the tools to build and manage your own dedicated online store, with the flexibility to sell pretty much anything you want.

👍 Pros

Shopify lets you build your own handmade items store from scratch, giving you total control over your branding, products, and pricing.

Because you’re running an independent store, you’re not competing with hundreds (or thousands) of other merchants on the same platform.

With thousands of apps and hundreds of themes to choose from, Shopify lets you customize your store to your specific needs.

Shopify’s prebuilt themes allow you to launch and customize your store without requiring any coding skills.

👎 Cons

Building and maintaining an online store is more expensive than running an Etsy store.

Setting up an attractive, high-converting store can take days or weeks of work.

What do merchants say about them?

“Easy to set up, easy to use. Many integrated products to help me get things done. Easy-to-use integrated apps. Customer support is very good. I use it every day.”

– Jim E., G2 customer reviewer

Fees

Shopify charges a subscription of $9 – $2,300+ per month, depending on the features you require. It also has an online credit card processing fee, which varies depending on your price plan and location (e.g. merchants in the US pay 2.4% – 2.9%, plus $0.30 per transaction).

Artisans Cooperative

Who are they?

If you’re looking for alternatives to Etsy that are 100% dedicated to handmade items, Artisans Cooperative could be for you. The marketplace has a human-driven verification process to ensure all products are made by genuine artisans, so you won’t be competing with bulk producers. This helps merchants charge a fair price for their goods.

👍 Pros

All applications made through Artisans Cooperative’s voluntary verification process are manually checked by two human reviewers, so customers can be sure the products they’re buying are made by genuine artisans.

Merchants can access extensive marketing and promotional support, including a branding kit, marketing plan, and social media toolkit.

👎 Cons

The platform is still relatively unknown, with only a few hundred followers on Facebook and Instagram, and minimal search volume for its brand name.

Membership costs and transaction fees are higher than most other marketplaces.

What do merchants say about them?

“I love that my handmade work has a place among a community of other authentically handmade artisan products. I really appreciate that Artisans Cooperative puts its artisans first. And it’s exactly the marketplace I want to do my shopping in, too.”

– Artisan member

Fees

Artisans Cooperative charges sales commissions of 8% – 12%, depending on your membership level. To unlock the most attractive rates (and various other benefits), you’ll have to pay a buy-in fee of $100 – $1,000.

DeviantArt

Who are they?

DeviantArt is part-marketplace, part-social network, but wholly dedicated to showcasing artworks from independent creatives. Members upload tens of thousands of original pieces every day, from paintings to digital art to sculpture to films. The platform has 90+ million registered members and hosts over 550 million artworks.

👍 Pros

Sellers can tap into a huge, engaged community of art enthusiasts.

Membership and transaction fees are comparatively low, especially for original commissions.

Setting up a seller profile is quick and easy.

Groups and forums give you an easy way to engage with other members of the art community, get tips, and promote your work.

👎 Cons

With so many creatives using the platform, it can be hard to stand out.

The site has seen a significant dropoff in popularity in recent years:

What do merchants say about them?

“DeviantArt is great! The layout is user friendly, the community is great and I have had an account on there for a few years now.”

– Aron, Trustpilot reviewer

Fees

DeviantArt charges a membership fee of $7.95 – $14.95 per month (although it often offers discounted rates on these prices). Transaction fees range from 0% – 20% per sale, depending on your membership tier and the product type you’re selling.

Handmade

Who are they?

Handmade is another marketplace specializing in handcrafted items, from fashion to home decor to jewelry. All sellers on the platform must take Handmade’s ethical pledge, under which they commit to take care of the environment, do business in a responsible way, and respect other artisans’ intellectual property.

👍 Pros

Handmade has a large audience, with customers in 100+ countries.

New sellers get free platform fees for the first 12 months and can list their first 50 products free of charge.

Active merchants can invite up to five other sellers, then earn bonuses on the sales they generate, giving you a whole other revenue stream.

Handmade is owned by Novica, which has partnerships with big global brands and organizations like the National Geographic Society and the Grassroots Business Fund.

👎 Cons

The transaction and credit card fees are more expensive than some other marketplaces.

What do merchants say about them?

“Thank you for the confidence and perseverance in being part of our growth process. You have shown us a new market with many opportunities to continue growing and showing the traditions that define us.”

– Delfina Ruiz, weaver and Handmade merchant

Fees

After the first year, Handmade charges a flat monthly fee of $3, while standard listing fees are $0.15 per item. Merchants also have to pay transaction fees of 9.9% plus $1.95 per sale, as well as credit card fees of 3% plus $0.49.

Amazon Marketplace

Who are they?

Let’s be honest: you know what Amazon is. Marketplace is the platform’s service for third-party sellers, allowing them to generate sales by reaching Amazon’s huge customer base. Shoppers on Amazon buy approximately 7,400 products a minute from sellers in the US.

👍 Pros

Amazon is one of the world’s most trusted ecommerce platforms. If someone finds your products on the platform, they can feel pretty confident they won’t get ripped off or have their card details stolen.

Tap into a global audience of 310+ million active customers.

You can start listing products on Amazon in a matter of minutes.

Take advantage of additional services like Fulfillment by Amazon.

👎 Cons

Competition from other sellers is huge, making it tough for your products to stand out.

Depending on the types of handmade items you’re selling, Amazon’s referral fees can eat up as much as 45% of your earnings.

What do merchants say about them?

“When we launched on Amazon, I had expectations that Amazon would be about 10% to 20% of our total business. Within the first six months, it was 50%. It just exploded. And it really changed the way I thought about the future of our business.”

– Dee Murthy, Co-Founder, New Republic

Fees

Amazon has two seller plans: 

Individual: $0.99 per item sold

Professional: $39.99 per month

You’ll pay referral fees of up to 45% per sale, depending on the product category. Plus there’s an extra cost for services like Amazon Ads and Fulfillment by Amazon, and additional fees for merchants with high listings volumes.

My Community Made

Who are they?

My Community Made (MCM) isn’t specifically dedicated to handmade items, but it is focused on supporting small businesses. Merchants on the platform sell everything from personalized gifts to vintage treasures to unique artworks across a wide range of categories, including fashion, jewelry, and interior design. All products on the marketplace are made in the US.

👍 Pros

Probably the cheapest of all the alternatives to selling on Etsy.

The MCM team ensures all products on the site are handmade, self-designed, or vintage — so you won’t be competing with bulk producers or dropshippers.

Sellers can add keywords to their product metadata to stand out in search results on the platform.

Customers can follow your store and get updates when you add new products, increasing your chances of driving repeat sales.

👎 Cons

Lacks the brand awareness of larger platforms like Amazon and Etsy.

Only for products made or designed in the US.

Upper limit of 50 product listings at a time limits scalability.

What do merchants say about them?

“I started selling on My Community Made early last year. I also have an Etsy shop. MCM is by far more user-friendly, and the fees, if any, are reasonable. I don’t feel lost on this platform as I do on Etsy. Vendor support is beyond amazing. There is always a quick response and a solution to any problem, even if you’re not that techy.”

– V. Chin, Trustpilot customer review

Fees

My Community Made doesn’t charge any transaction fees. You can list up to five items at a time with a totally free account, or upgrade to the Basic Package for $5 per month to list 10 times more products.

IndieMade

Who are they?

IndieMade launched in 2010 with the vision of providing creators with a user-friendly web presence to promote their products. Unlike platforms like Etsy and Amazon, IndieMade isn’t a marketplace. Instead, it’s an independent website builder that allows merchants to create their own online space.

👍 Pros

Use IndieMade to create your own, unique website, with full control over your store’s appearance and marketing.

Simple fee structure; you only pay for the features you need, with zero transaction fees.

If you already sell on Etsy, you can create a store through IndieMade and list your Etsy products in minutes.

👎 Cons

You’ll have to build your own audience rather than targeting visitors to an existing marketplace.

Far fewer themes and apps than other ecommerce website builders (like Shopify).

What do merchants say about them?

“I just can’t believe how great my experience has been. I have used Weebly, HostMonster, and HostGator — NO one has support like you guys do. I wish I had been with you 5 years ago! I’m sure my business would be much bigger if I had. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! I have NEVER had such great tech support, EVER! IndieMade rocks.”

– Sierra, Dakotadesigns

Fees

IndieMade’s paid plans range in price from $4.95 – $19.95 per month.

Art in the Heart

Who are they?

Art in the Heart is a UK-based platform that supports merchants selling handcrafted gifts, artworks, and other unique items. It started out as a physical store, before transitioning into an online marketplace in 2018.

👍 Pros

Art in the Heart allows you to import your existing Etsy products to your new storefront.

The platform doesn’t have any monthly platform charges or listing fees.

Create a unique storefront with its own online address and leverage the easy-to-use seller dashboard to track sales.

👎 Cons

Art in the Heart takes 25% of every sale you generate.

It doesn’t have a ton of brand awareness (especially outside the UK), so you can’t rely solely on the platform’s own traffic.

What do merchants say about them?

“I am very proud to be a seller on the Art in the Heart online store. It is a truly unique eclectic mix of stores brought together by the inspiring CEO Dawn Birch-James. In a world full of stores that stock the same mundane work, Art in the Heart is a breath of fresh air.”

– Susie Lidstone, fine artist and Art in the Heart merchant

Fees

Art in the Heart doesn’t have monthly or per-listing fees — but it does charge a 25% commission on your sales, which is pretty steep.

Goimagine

Who are they?

Goimagine is a marketplace for US-based artisans to promote and sell handmade items, including physical products and digital c/reations like graphics and photography. As well as supporting independent creators, the platform is committed to social good, donating 100% of profits to children’s charities like Horizons for Homeless Children and Relief Nursery.

👍 Pros

Goimagine’s commitment to donating all profits to charity appeals to ethically conscious consumers.

The marketplace runs its own Maker Business Academy, offering tips to help makers sell online, build a brand, and achieve their growth targets.

Goimagine has better brand awareness than most independent Etsy alternatives, helping merchants reach a wider audience.

👎 Cons

Only for merchants who reside and make products in the US.

The guidelines on what constitutes a “handmade product” are pretty strict, which may exclude some potential merchants.

What do merchants say about them?

“I am a buyer/seller on goimagine, I love the fast responses from real people when I have a question. It’s easy to use and I am happy to be on a platform that donates profits to children’s charities.”

– Stephanie Stone, Trustpilot reviewer

Fees

Goimagine charges a monthly fee of $2.50 – $10, depending on the number of products you want to list and the platform features you want to use. It also has a 5% transaction fee and a payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30.

Making App

Who are they?

Making App is an Android and iOS app that allows individual creators to host and sell their own digital patterns and projects. However, the platform has plans to expand into additional online spaces and new product categories going forward.

👍 Pros

Tap into a ready-made community of 22,000+ members.

👎 Cons

Currently only for makers creating and selling digital patterns and projects.

You can only sell to people who download the app on Android or iOS.

What do merchants say about them?

“As a new-ish knitter, Making puts inspiration, project tracking and connecting with a knowledgeable and friendly community in the palm of my hand––can’t imagine creating without it!”

– MKE Maker, Making App merchant

Fees

Making App charges 8% per transaction. You’ll also have to pay Stripe’s payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction and 0.25% plus $0.25 per payout (although these fees will be waived for sellers who make <$50).

iCraft

Who are they?

iCraft is a Toronto-based platform for artists, craftspeople, and designers who create handmade, one-of-a-kind art, crafts, and fashion products. Merchants can use iCraft to showcase their ready-made products and accept commissions for custom orders.

👍 Pros

iCraft’s niche focus and commitment to handmade creators means you aren’t competing with bulk sellers.

The platform regularly promotes sellers through its “In the Spotlight” blog and monthly newsletters.

Sell your products to an engaged audience; iCraft attracts ~200,000 visitors a month, with an average visit time of four minutes.

👎 Cons

Requires a non-refundable upfront fee to join the platform.

The platform looks a little dated, which might put off some potential customers.

What do merchants say about them?

“I have found that my jewelry receives many more views on iCraft than on any other venues! Being a venue only for handmade, the shopping traffic that comes to iCraft is only looking for quality handmade goods and they are sure to find unique crafted items.”

– Linda, AKA GalleriaLinda, iCraft merchant

Fees

iCraft charges platform fees of $10 – $15 per month, depending on the length of your contract, plus a one-off upfront payment of $25. It doesn’t charge any other hidden fees.

Big Cartel

Who are they?

Big Cartel gives creators the tools to build their own sites selling T-shirts, art, merchandise, prints, and more. Launched in 2005, the platform has supported over three million stores and generated $2.5+ billion in global sales.

👍 Pros

Get started fast with a free Big Cartel template or code your own unique online store from scratch.

Choose from three simple plans, including a generous free-for-life plan.

Integrate with hundreds of third-party ecommerce apps, covering everything from marketing to store management to fulfillment.

👎 Cons

Offers fewer website templates and less customization than Shopify (although all its templates are free).

Limited scalability, with an upper limit of 500 product listings per store.

What do merchants say about them?

“What I love about selling my jewelry through Big Cartel is how easy each step, from designing my store front to listing products and managing orders, has been and continues to be. It takes all the hassle out of it, so I can spend more time doing the thing I like the most — making jewelry.”

– Anarres Metal, jewelry maker and Big Cartel merchant

Fees

Big Cartel doesn’t take a cut of any sales you generate. Instead, it offers a free-for-life plan that allows you to list up to five products, while its paid plans range in price from $15 – $30 per month (or less if you pay annually).

Turbocharge your ecommerce growth with AWeber

As you can see, there’s no shortage of alternatives to selling on Etsy.

But whichever you choose, one thing’s clear: you need a reliable way to reach and engage your audience so you can keep driving traffic and sales.

In short, you need AWeber. 

Our simple-yet-sophisticated marketing solutions let you build automated email campaigns quickly and easily using our stylish templates and intuitive drag-and-drop builder.

But don’t take our word for it — see for yourself by signing up for your free AWeber account today!

The post 13 best Etsy alternatives for selling handmade items appeared first on AWeber.

If you’ve ever been surprised by a bad review of your business, you’re not alone. 

Whether you run a local business, Etsy shop, YouTube channel, or other type of service that receives online reviews, we all have to face the dreaded bad review at some point.

Naturally, you want to ignore negative feedback, especially if it seems unfair or exceptionally harsh.

However, data shows consumers are 41% more likely to do business with companies that respond to all of their reviews, positive and negative.

I reached out to businesses with first-hand experience responding to bad reviews, and nearly every one of the 50+ people that shared their stories volunteered a common message: Bad reviews present valuable insights and opportunity for growth.

In this guide, you’ll find tips on the most pressing issues surrounding negative reviews, such as:

How to write a productive response to nearly any type of bad review.

Why it’s so tough not to take negative reviews personally.

Why you should never delete or ignore bad reviews.

You’ll also enjoy stories and insights from businesses that have been where you are, and cheer for the CEO who used a surprise tactic to turn an irate reviewer into a customer evangelist.

How to respond to bad reviews

Are bad reviews good for business?

The psychology behind bad reviews
Why are people so harsh, and why does it get to me?

7 Steps to crafting successful responses to negative reviews
Tips, templates, and examples to help your team respond productively

3 Impressive review response stories with examples 
Find out how three businesses turned things around after negative reviews

Are bad reviews good for business?

You wake up to discover that your 5-star status dropped thanks to a harsh negative review. It feels like personal criticism, and your natural reaction is to defend yourself by pointing out their inaccuracies.

But you can take heart in the fact that bad reviews, when handled professionally, can be very good for business. 

For example, Laviet Joaquin, Head of Marketing at TP-Link, applies emotional intelligence when responding to poor reviews.

The 3 Surprising Upsides of Negative Reviews

Negative reviews can humanize your business, legitimize your positive reviews, and boost your profits — provided you respond in a productive way.

1 – Responding to all reviews can result in a 41% boost in business. 

via GIPHY

Be warned, though, that ignoring reviews may have the opposite effect. 

A significant portion (41%) of consumers favor business that respond to all their reviews (positive and negative), however;

Nearly half (47%) of consumers won’t take a chance on businesses that don’t respond to reviews.

2 – Negative reviews reveal opportunities for improvement. 

Negative reviews provide you with valuable feedback that can help you identify areas for growth and improvement.

3 – Negative reviews humanize your brand. 

Admitting your mistakes and empathizing with unhappy customers shows there are real people behind your brand who care about their experience.

4 – Negative reviews lend credibility to the review system.

Have you ever felt suspicious about a company or product that has nothing but 5-star reviews? It’s a little hard to believe, especially knowing how many less-than-honorable companies pay for fake reviews. 

Negative reviews can serve as proof that your positive reviews are legitimate.

Jonathan Feniak, General Counsel at LLC Attorney, explains that, in the legal world, bad reviews are often simply part of doing business because “You can’t secure wins every time, which can make some clients very angry — even when your work went above and beyond.” 

Many of the businesses you’ll read about below have used negative feedback to increase overall customer satisfaction, improve their products or services, and generate higher long-term profits. 

However, overcoming bad reviews becomes tougher when your star rating dips below a four or five.

How bad is good? What consumers look for in starred ratings

Negative reviews can be good for business — but too many of them can put a serious dent in your profits. 

Most consumers look for businesses with four- or five-star ratings. The majority (77%) of people will not do business with companies whose ratings are below three stars.

According to the Brightlocal 2024 local consumer survey, here are the lowest ratings consumers will accept when considering a business:

The psychology behind negative reviews

Bad reviews of your business, product, or service can be disappointing — and sometimes even emotional. 

For example, small business owner and Reddit user grizzlygrizet was devastated by her first negative review, and internalized the comments as a gauge of her businesses’ quality. 

“I just feel like a failure,” she explained, “as how else would we get such a rating?”

It’s normal to feel as if you’re on the other end of a gut punch when a bad review pops up, especially if you haven’t had much experience with negative reviews.

There are legitimate psychological and scientific reasons why unhappy customers often leave harsh reviews — and why it’s natural for you to sometimes feel hurt by them.

Why are unhappy customers so harsh in their reviews?

Negative emotions hit harder and last longer than positive ones. As a result, they need to be processed more thoroughly. 

So when a customer has a bad experience with a business, writing a harsh review helps them overcome their uncomfortably strong emotional reaction. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, customers who’ve had a great experience tend to forget it more quickly. This is why it’s a great practice to encourage and ask for reviews on social media and in your email newsletters.

If negative reviews are good for business, why do they feel so hurtful?

Hurt feelings are a natural human response to negative feedback, which is why it’s easy to feel hurt over a bad review — even when it’s not personal.

via GIPHY

Psychologically, this emotional human response is 100% normal. Psychologists and researchers say there are a couple of reasons we struggle when receiving negative feedback:

By nature, negative feedback tends to cause feelings of shame. This is a natural human response to criticism because the brain often interprets negative feedback as a deviation from society’s standards. 

We humans often internalize negative feedback as a statement of our personal identity.

Additionally, our brains often react to negative feedback as if it’s a threat that must be staved off.

The desire to react defensively is a normal human response that likely traces back to the beginning of time. 

To overcome this natural reaction and respond productively, frame the feedback in a way that benefits you. Keep in mind that bad reviews can provide you with a type of insight, reflection, and clarity that you may never otherwise receive.

7 Steps to crafting successful responses to negative reviews

How you respond to reviews will determine whether you win over new customers or send them running in the opposite direction. 

Below is a 7-step process that will help you craft the perfect response to nearly any negative review.

#1 – Keep the end goal in mind

Maintain a calm and professional manner when writing your reply, even if the review is harsh or seems unfair. 

Avoid any temptation to defend yourself or argue with reviewers.

If you feel attacked or angry, take a pause and remind yourself that bad reviews can ultimately boost your profits. 

#2 – Respond quickly

Show that you take customer feedback seriously by responding quickly to negative reviews.  

Reviewers want to see quick responses to negative feedback. 

33% of consumers expect a response in 3 days or less

53% of consumers expect a response within one week.

Rex Huxford, Director of Demand Generation at MD Clarity, says that timely responses and resolutions make a strong statement about brand integrity.

#3- Thank the reviewer and acknowledge their complaints

Start by thanking the reviewer for their feedback and acknowledging their poor experience.

Here are some examples:

[Reviewer’s Name], thank you for sharing your feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention.

Hi [Reviewer’s Name], thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We value your feedback and are grateful for the opportunity to improve.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention [Reviewer’s Name]. Your insights are valuable as we strive to enhance our services.

#4 –  Understand, empathize, and apologize

Next, show that you understand and empathize with their experience and apologize.

For example:

We understand how [specific issue] can be frustrating. We’re here to help resolve this matter for you.

Hi [Reviewer’s Name], we’re truly sorry to hear about your experience. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we’re dedicated to making things right.

We’re sorry you had a bad experience and assure you that we’re taking steps to prevent similar issues in the future.

Gauri Manglik, CEO and cofounder of Instrumentl, advises that acknowledging and apologizing shows you appreciate their input. 

#5 Offer a resolution, possibly off-platform

To resolve their issue, you might need to take communication off the platform so that you can gather details, investigate, and offer a solution.

Here are some examples of how you can take the conversation off the platform: 

[Reviewer’s Name], we apologize for your experience and are committed to resolving this issue. Please reach out to [email/phone] so we can address your concerns personally.

Hi [Reviewer’s Name], we understand your frustration and want to make things right. Please contact [Team Member’s Name] at [email/phone] so we can address your concerns promptly.

Can you please provide more details with our (title) about your experience so we can address your concerns more effectively? Please reach out to [Team Member’s Name] at [email/phone] for further assistance with this matter.

In many cases, writing an apology email is the best way to address a problem. Other times, you may need to demonstrate your sincerity with compensation or proof that their feedback helped make changes to the way you do things.

#6 Close with appreciation and accountability

End your response on a positive note by showing appreciation and taking accountability for the customer’s poor experience.

Here are some examples of how to demonstrate appreciation and accountability:

Providing excellent service is a top priority for our team. We appreciate your patience as we investigate this issue.

We’re committed to providing a 5-star customer experience and appreciate your feedback in helping us achieve that goal.

Thank you for your continued support and feedback. We’re committed to earning back your trust and confidence.

#7 Recognize the positive reviews, too!

Responding to positive reviews shows consumers that you appreciate their feedback and value their support. 

Take the time to craft unique, personalized responses to all of your reviews — including the positive ones!

Examples of how businesses successfully respond to bad reviews

Three-quarters of businesses don’t respond to negative reviews, but many of the businesses that do respond swear by its results.

Zero Bounce, Capsule, and Thankbox share their experiences with bad reviews below.

Zero Bounce turns customer around with a whole-team effort

When a customer left a 2-star review and accused their company of “bait and switch,” due to an unclear pricing structure, the team at Zero Bounce didn’t take it lightly. 

Instead, a team effort resulted in changes that prompted the reviewer to update to a 5-star rating.

ZeroBounce PR Manager Corina Leslie explains, “We all thought the pricing structure was clear on our platform, but this customer pinpointed that the copy was causing confusion.

Our whole team got to work right away to fix the copy, then I reached out to the customer via email and shared the updates.“

As a result, the customer updated her review to 5 stars and “is still a customer today,” according to Leslie.

Leslie praises the customer’s original review for allowing them to see things from the customer’s perspective.

Capsule wins over unhappy reviewer with surprise tactic

Shortly after Capsule launched its public beta, a video creator wrote a negative review of the company in his newsletter. 

Capsule’s response took the reviewer off-guard and turned him into a customer evangelist.

His surprise tactic: Agreeing with them!

“Hi! CEO of Capsule here. I read your review and while it wasn’t fun to read, I found myself agreeing with all your points.

It’s a tough call as a startup knowing when to push the “go” button. We chose to push it knowing that the product was far from perfect, but perhaps good enough that we could get some feedback.. Even if that meant some of it would be negative.

Thanks for writing, hope you’ll give us another shot soon!! We’ll be pushing fixes and features like mad 😉 “  – response written by Capsule CEO Eric Kinariwala

The reviewer, Video creator Tiger Joseph, was so impressed with CEO Eric Kinariwala’s response that he shared it on LinkedIn under the title “Quick story on humility for any CEO…”

“…Talk about a winning attitude.

If you can take harsh feedback & transform it into positive change, you have a RARE superpower.

I already have high hopes for Capsule’s future from this short response.”

Thankbox CEO uncovers the benefits of consistent professional responses

Valentin Hinov, CEO and founder of Thankbox, says that the true benefit of responding to negative reviews is showing potential customers that you care about their experience.

“During the first year or two of my business,” he explains, “when I got bad reviews, I took them personally and did everything I could to appease the reviewer to get them to update their review.”

But Valentin says that one of his most important lessons was learning not to expect reviewers to update their public feedback, even after you help them.

Writing productive responses to bad reviews

Regardless of your industry or company size, responding professionally to all your reviews (negative and positive) can improve your product, customer experience, and overall profits.

Here’s a bonus tip to help improve your review ratings:

Nurture relationships with customers in-between purchases by sending out a personalized weekly newsletter. Well-written, non-promotional newsletters can humanize your brand and encourage positive sentiment when people are writing reviews.
To get started with personalized email nurture campaigns, visit AWeber and sign up for a free account today.

The post How to respond to negative reviews online: Examples & 7-step template appeared first on AWeber.

You invest a lot of time and effort into building a successful social media community for your brand. Long nights. Tough decisions. Mornings spent racing to your page to discover how your last post performed. You’ve done it all.

Likes and comments don’t generate profits, though. For many brands, the key to generating traffic, conversions, and sales from social media is all about their link in bio.

When you’re ready to turn your social media followers into paying customers, a link in bio landing page can help you get there. Using your link in bio (on any social media platform) to provide a menu of options lets you serve people at every stage of your marketing funnel. 

Linktree is a popular link in bio service, but you might need more capabilities, customizations, features, or pricing options than what Linktree provides.

Discover the best Linktree alternatives for any social media audience in the guide below.

You’ll find examples, ideas, and unique features designed to help you turn social media followers into website traffic, email subscribers, and paying customers with a simple link in bio landing page.

Top Linktree alternatives

What are link in bio tools?
Best Linktree alternatives

#1 – AWeber

#2 – Campsite.bio

#3 – LNK.Bio

#4 – Contact In Bio

#5 – Bitly Link in Bio

#6 – Tap Bio

#7 – Many

#8 – Link in Bio

Top Linktree alternatives by feature
Top Linktree alternatives by social media platform
Tactics for driving traffic, conversions, and sales with link in bio

What are link in bio tools?

On most social platforms, brands can add a link to their bio (or “profile”) page. But between link limitations and ugly-looking links (with no anchor text), the standard link in bio isn’t always enough to prompt viewers to take action. 

Poor link options often result in lower conversions, sales, and profits for brands that invest their time and money into social media marketing.

A link in bio landing page solves that problem by allowing you to provide a selection of links aimed at meeting your marketing goals.

Instead of publishing a single-destination link, you can use your profile link to send viewers to a landing page with several options.

When set up to align with your marketing goals, link in bio landing pages help convert your profile viewers and social followers into email subscribers, web traffic, or paying clients and customers.

For example, you can include a link to your blog, special promotions, product pages, and other social media channels. 

Some Linktree alternatives even let you put an email subscription form directly into your link in bio landing page.

Best Linktree alternatives

We’ve included some of the top Linktree alternatives in the list below. 

Whether you’re looking for advanced customization, unique features and tools, more pricing options, or integrated marketing tools, this list will help you choose the best Linktree alternative for your marketing goals.

#1 – AWeber

AWeber’s Link in bio tool provides an all-in-one marketing solution to help you drive traffic, conversions, and sales. 

AWeber’s fully customizable link in bio landing page includes:

Built-in Canva Designer

YouTube embeds

Email newsletter signup form

Ecommerce capabilities

Social media icons

Smart content capabilities

Tired of working with multiple apps to market your business?

AWeber’s integrated marketing tools let you manage it all from one platform:

Build a fully customized link in bio landing page that includes everything you need:  links, email subscribe forms, embeds, e-commerce, and more.

Create automated email campaigns that nurture your social media leads. Segment your audience and personalize content based on user behavior. Create email automated campaigns that sell your products for you.

Build and host product landing pages and lead magnet landing pages to drive more conversions and sales.

With AWeber, you get all the history, knowledge, and support that comes with a platform that has been in business for 20+ years. Unlike many other Linktree alternatives, AWeber delivers  outstanding customer support, a comprehensive training library, and constantly updated software that works exactly as it should 

Here’s why you’ll love AWeber’s link in bio tool:

Add practically anything to your link in bio landing page: unlimited links, email signup form, YouTube embeds, ecommerce, and more.

Built-in Canva Designer lets you customize your page for consistent branding across multiple platforms.

Its prebuilt templates and drag-and-drop interface make your link in bio landing page super easy to create.

Includes custom domain names, landing page insights, and embedded email subscribe forms.

Free plan available.

“AWeber is quite intuitive to use, and there is hardly a learning curve. The software is robust without the bloat of bells and whistles. It’s truly not lacking anything.”

– Cheniece P, G2 review

#2 – Campsite.bio

Campsite.bio link in bio tool gives you in-depth analytics, a personalized domain name, and premium integrations such as forms and tracking pixels.

The app provides several key features that brands look for in a link in bio landing page, including:

Unlimited links

Titles and dividers

Social icons

Analytics

Custom domain names

Premium integrations

Campsite is a good option for brands looking for a free Linktree alternative or a paid plan with more customization and analytics tools.

Why we like Campsite.bio:

Generous free plan available.

Pro plan allows for advanced customization and branding.

Pro plan provides access to in-depth analytics.

“I can easily direct my readers from Instagram to my recent blog posts, have them sign up for my email list, and schedule links when I want them to go live. It’s a game-changer. And I love being able to customize everything to my own branding.”

– Becca, Campsite.bio review, Trustpilot

#3 – LNK.Bio

Lnk.Bio landing page examples

Linktree alternative Lnk.Bio is the second biggest link-in-bio service worldwide. Its service is similar to Linktree but with more affordable pricing.

Lnk.Bio lets you post unlimited links on your landing page, including sponsored, social media, and website links.

Some of Lnk.Bio’s notable features include:

Link scheduling lets you create a variety of campaigns.

2,500+ icons so you can link to social media, music, contacts, and other services.

Monetization options that help you generate income include a donation box, a thanks box, and affiliate programs.

Some analytics are provided, including clicks, views, and CTR.

Its focus on social media profiles and icons makes it a good option for social-first brands that want to cross-link their other social profiles.

Why we like Lnk.Bio:

Super-easy, 1-minute setup.

One-time payment option or choice of subscription plans.

Personalized URLs available.

“I like how easy and intuitive the platform is. I never have any issues working on this software because everything is straightforward and easy for me to understand.”

– G2 reviewer

#4 – Contact In Bio

Contact in Bio gives users slightly more control over customizing their landing page. Its options include colors, themes, button styles, and background choices. 

The service also provides key features such as built-in contact forms, payment collection tools, and Messenger links for direct social messaging.

Contact In Bio notable features include:

Tracking options include Google Analytics tracking and Facebook pixel retargeting.

Design options that let you control the look and feel of your landing page.

An online store that allows viewers to purchase your products inside the Instagram app.

Contact in Bio may be a good choice if you’re looking for a Linktree alternative that offers more design options and a greater selection of features.

Why we like Contact In Bio:

Offers the ability to collect payments via Stripe and Paypal.

Provides messenger links that let users connect directly via social messaging.

Features in-depth analytics.

“Ideal for my Instagram page! Allows me to connect all my social media and webstore in one place!”

– Lufc Fanzone, Contact In Bio customer

#5 – Bitly

Bitly Link in Bio landing page examples

Bitly link in bio tool lets you create a simple landing page where you can add multiple links. These could be links to your website, other social media profiles, product pages, or other essential content.

As part of Bitly’s URL shortening service, you’ll also enjoy helpful click tracking analytics. 

Its main features include:

Basic personalization options that let you upload your logo or image and choose from preset color palettes.

Social link icons that connect users to your other social media channels.

Tracking features let you easily track views and clicks.

Link scheduling feature allows you to create link campaigns in advance by scheduling link stop and start dates.

If you already shorten links with Bitly, its link in bio tool is a natural extension and may be a good option for you.

Why we like Bitly:

Simple solution for businesses wanting an all-in-one URL shortener, QR code app, and link in bio landing page.

Advanced plan allows you to manage and analyze all links from a single dashboard.

Custom domains available.

“The platform has a very easy and reliable user interface even for first time users. The tool also helps you track engagement rates like clicks which is very helpful.”

– Saurav S., Bitly G2 review

#6 – Tap Bio

Tap.bio  can host multiple links and pages, called “cards.”

Its layout differs from most link in bio tools because it looks more like an Instagram Story than a landing page. 

Its customizable “cards” allow you to stack several pages of content and links.

Tap.bio features include:

The ability to embed YouTube videos

Click link analytics

Multiple swipeable cards with every link in bio

Tap.bio may be a good option for creative-minded users. 

However, users might consider directing this type of engagement toward their Instagram or web content, rather than their link in bio.

Why we like Tap.bio:

Offers a fun and interactive way to present comprehensive information.

Provides you with extensive customization options.

#7 – Many.bio

Many.bio link in bio examples

Many.bio is a link in bio tool designed for Instagram and TikTok. Like Linktree, it lets you create a small landing page that can share multiple links from several sources.

Many.bio highlights include:

Unlimited links on your landing page

Customization options that include colors, fonts, and background images

Social media icons for linking to your other social pages

Messenger links so people can message you directly

Basic analytics so you know how many people visit your links

Many.bio may be a good option for people looking for a more simple and direct approach to a link in bio landing page. 

Why we like Many.bio:

Simple, straightforward link in bio solution.

50 ready-design themes

Custom URL options

Generous free plan

#8 – Link in Bio

Link in Bio sample landing page

Looking for a more complex link in bio program with a wide selection of tools and features? 

Link in Bio is a platform that lets you add links, music, video, shops, and email/SMS subscriptions to your landing page.

Some of its features include:

Automatically-generated link previews

One-click subscriptions

Unlimited links

Blue check verification

Branded pages

Insights allow you to track how many people click your links

Embedded YouTube videos

Link in Bio may be a good choice for users wanting multiple admins, dedicated support reps, and unique features such as link previews and instant verification.

Why we like Link in Bio:

Paid plans provide unique features such as instant verification and multiple admin users.

Pro plan offers collaboration tools and advanced insights.

Free plan allows you to get started with unlimited links and link previews.

The Linktree alternatives we’ve covered in this guide allow you to cater to any stage of your marketing funnel with customizable link menus for your social media audiences. Many of the services provide free trials or free versions, so you can give them a try to find out which one is best for you!

If you’re looking for specific features or the best fit for your favorite social media platform, the guide below will help.

Top Linktree alternatives by feature

Looking for specific features in a Linktree alternative? The lists below will help you find the best service for your needs.

Several of the above-mentioned services provide a generous free plans, including:

AWeber

Campsite

ContactInBio

Lnk.bio

Many

Link in Bio

Linktree alternatives with unique features

If you’re looking for a service with features that go above and beyond, consider:

AWeber: YouTube embeds, analytics, embedded email subscribe forms, built-in Canva designer, ecommerce features

Link in Bio: Blue check verification, auto-generated previews

Contact in Bio: Collect payments with Stripe & Paypal

Linktree alternatives with more customization options

If you’re searching for a Linktree alternative with more creative freedom, you might like:

AWeber; built in Canva Designer, fully customizable landing pages

Tap Bio; customizable cards let you create slider landing pages (think Instagram Stories layout)

Linktree alternatives with video embeds

Ever considered embedding videos in your link in bio landing pages? Some Linktree alternatives that let you embed videos include:

Link in Bio

Tap bio

AWeber

Top Linktree alternatives by social media platform

If you mostly use one social media platform, why not choose a link in bio tool that caters to it?

Linktree alternatives for Instagram

Instagram started the “Link in bio landing page” revolution. Its old policy of allowing only one link in your bio PLUS not allowing links in captions forced users to find a better solution. As a result, most link in bio tools work great with Instagram.

Any of the tools above make an excellent Linktree alternative for Instagram users. Our favorites are:

AWeber

Lnk.Bio

Many.bio

Linktree alternatives for TikTok

TikTok users looking for a small landing page should check out Many.bio, which was designed with TikTok in mind.

Linktree alternatives for LinkedIn

Like Instagram, LinkedIn only allows one link per bio. Plus, its algorithm favors posts that do not include links. This makes it an ideal social channel for the right link in bio landing page.

However, LinkedIn users are a discriminating crowd. Building a landing page that fits LinkedIn’s professional aesthetic is critical to building trust with your followers.

To fit in on LinkedIn, look for a highly-customizable, yet simple, Linktree alternative such as:

AWeber allows you to design professional, branded landing pages, perfect for LinkedIn.

Contact In Bio provides a sleek, simple design that you can customize for a professional aesthetic.

Tap.Bio’s creative approach is a good fit for designers who understand the LinkedIn aesthetic.

Tactics for driving traffic, conversions, and sales with link in bio

Link in bio tools provide a clear path to boosting your marketing goals. Here are some tips for using your landing page to drive results for your objectives.

Boost your website traffic

To boost your web traffic from social media, use a link in bio landing page to highlight your most engaging web pages.

For example, you might link to content such as:

Highest-performing blog posts

How-to guides

Landing pages

Free ebooks or educational resources

Checklists, templates, and infographics

To optimize the results of your traffic, include a link option for every stage of the marketing funnel: Awareness, interest, and decision-stage content.

Drive conversions

To boost email conversions, feature an email subscribe form at the top of your landing page. 

For example, Dork Tales Storytime Podcast focuses on driving conversions by putting its email subscribe form at the top of the landing page. Below it, the page includes links to highly engaging content such as a listener survey and printables shop.

Increase sales

Drive more sales from social media by featuring your best products and services on the link in bio landing page. 

Include compelling CTAs to encourage clicks. For an extra boost, add your best promotion, deal, or promo code at the top.

For example, HR Art focuses its attention on enrolling people in its classes and training. 

With selections such as “Book your first appointment,” “Join a virtual Qigong class,” and “Sign up for the in-person vision fest event,” the page acts as a catalyst for its #1 marketing objective: increasing sales.

Increase traffic, conversions, AND sales

If your current marketing goals are a balance of objectives, include a balance of links that cater to your goals.

To increase traffic, conversions, AND sales with your landing page, consider including the following:

A link to your current promotion, product launch, or best-selling item

An email subscription sign-up form with a free offer (lead gen) incentive

A link to your best-performing blog article

A link to your customer testimonials or case studies

A link to your booking schedule

Send traffic to your primary social media channel

If you’ve already built a strong audience on one social media channel, then it makes sense to send users from other platforms to your main audience.

For example, if your strongest community is YouTube, embed your most compelling YouTube videos in your link in bio landing page. 

To find a link in bio tool that lets you embed videos, check the “Linktree alternatives with video embeds” section above.

How to build effective link in bio landing pages

To achieve the best results from your landing page, ensure that every link you share aligns with your marketing objectives.

For example, many landing pages encourage you to add social media icons to your landing page. But before you do, ask yourself “How will this achieve the results I’m pursuing?”  In most cases, including additional social media icons won’t increase your conversions or sales.

Your landing page is a hub that can send massive traffic to the places where it will do the most good. To ensure that it’s effective, remain focused on your marketing goals as you create it.

Keep your landing page productive by including (only links) that will lead to the results you’re looking for!

Conclusion 

Linktree is a solid starting point as a bio link tool, but the best Linktree alternatives provide more enhanced features and tools to help you boost traffic, conversions, and sales.

Bio link tools are an excellent way to increase your social media ROI, but they’re only the beginning. Email marketing, product landing pages, and lead generation pages are critical tools for guiding visitors along their journey to becoming customers.

AWeber’s streamlined approach to marketing provides you with everything you need to nurture and convert leads from your social media channels. From email marketing to landing pages and link in bio pages, you can do it all from one platform.

No experience with landing pages or email marketing? No problem! Choose from hundreds of templates that let you create emails or landing pages in minutes. Sign up for a free AWeber account today and start building your link in bio landing page in minutes!

The post Best Linktree alternatives for driving traffic, conversions, and sales appeared first on AWeber.

Email marketing for realtors. You’ve heard about it, but you’re not sure how it can help you connect with home buyers and sellers.

Imagine this scenario for a moment: You’re hosting another open house for a charming two-story Cape Cod home. A flood of people enter in and out, browsing around on their own without saying much to you. 

You leave out some business cards on a side table by the door and hope interested home buyers take one. But even if they do, there’s no guarantee that your card won’t end up lost in a purse or thrown out later on in the day.

If you had an email list you could ask potential homebuyers to sign up and guarantee future interactions. 

But email marketing isn’t just helpful for when you host an open house – it’s a great way to connect with potential home sellers and buyers in any scenario. And it allows you to reach a much more targeted audience. 

Email marketing for realtors allows you to stay connected with those who are interested in working with you, ultimately making it more effective than many other types of marketing.

Benefits of real estate email marketing

1 – Measurable 

Unlike other types of marketing that are difficult to measure, you can determine the ways in which your email efforts are impacting business by reviewing information such as open rates, click rates, traffic to your website, and more.

2 – Proven ROI 

Email marketing delivers a return of 3600%, according to Litmus.

3 – Preferred by clients

74% of consumers prefer to receive commercial communication through email. Think about that for a minute. In order for you to send emails to someone, they have to come up to you or go to your website and sign up, already knowing they’re interested in something you have to offer.

Posting an ad for your business can be good for raising awareness of your services. But you’re promoting yourself to a wide audience of people who will most likely look at your ad and move on. 

That means there will be no future opportunities for you to engage with that person. When someone gives you their email address, however, you get the chance to start up a conversation and build a relationship with that person by sending them content that is relevant to their lives (such as information about new house listings or tips for homeowners).

4 – It frees up your time 

As a realtor, your life is a busy one, and you need a way to manage your relationships with your clients while also having time to go on house tours, attend settlements, and so on. If you set up automated email messages, staying in touch with your clients becomes hassle-free.

Step 1: Find an email marketing provider

The first step to getting started with email marketing is to research and choose a reputable email marketing provider. A few characteristics to look for in a good provider include high-quality customer service and excellent deliverability.

By having a top-notch team of email experts to help you throughout your email marketing journey, as well as the highest possible chance to get your messages delivered to your subscribers’ inboxes, you’ll be better prepared for success.

Once you’ve found your match, you can begin collecting email subscribers to grow your client base.

Step 2: Grow your subscriber base

In order to sell a house, you need interested buyers and actual sellers, right? Email marketing can help you gain the respect and trust of potential clients. But first, you need a list of people to email.

Fortunately, there are many easy ways you can collect email subscribers once you’ve selected your email marketing provider. Here are the tactics that we find work best for real estate agents:

Your website

If you have a website, chances are you get tons of visitors but not nearly as many inquiries as you’d like. Fortunately, you can tap into some of those visitors by adding an email sign-up form on highly trafficked pages of your website (such as your homepage). 

Your sign-up form should inform your visitors what they’ll get out of signing up to your emails, such as updates on new listings, home improvement tips, and anything else you plan on informing them about.

In addition to including the value of your email list, be sure to add fields to your form that ask them to submit their name and email address. While you can also ask for additional information, such as whether they’re a home seller or buyer or what town they live in, remember that less is more. You don’t want to lose potential email subscribers by making them jump through too many hoops to hear from you.

If you want to attract home sellers, create a page that explains how you can help them sell their homes quickly and for the best possible price. Then use your sign-up form to offer exclusive email updates or a newsletter with tips for people selling their homes.

To attract home buyers, create a landing page with a different sign-up form that offers another type of email newsletter that provides information on homes that are for sale and other tips to help with the home buying process.

Open houses

At open house events, place a sign-up sheet at the entrance to collect email addresses of interested buyers. Even if they’re not interested in buying that particular house, they may be interested in working with you in the future.

On the sign-up form, be sure to explain what it’s for (e.g., weekly newsletter, updates on new listings) so subscribers know what to expect when they receive your emails. You also might want to offer more details about the specific house they’re touring, which they can get by signing up to your email list.

At the end of the open house, add your new subscribers to your email list and let the communication begin!

You can also collect email addresses by having a sheet with a QR code which sends them to a landing page to sign up.

Promotional materials

If you create print materials with property details to promote each listing, be sure to include a link to your email sign-up form so prospects can easily sign up for emails. You can even add the link to your business cards!

Email signature

Your daily email correspondence can also be a great opportunity to raise awareness of your email list, so include a link to your sign-up form in your email signature as well. You might want to include a little bit of information about the benefits of signing up to your email list, too.

Facebook business page

If you have a Facebook business page, chances are you have followers who have never interacted with you or your website. Set up your call-to-action feature to connect to your sign-up form, or a landing page that’s specifically designed to attract new email subscribers.

X (formerly Twitter)

Encourage your Twitter followers to sign up to your email list and share the link to your sign-up form in a tweet. Be sure to tell them about the benefits of signing up to your list!

Real estate email content ideas

Real estate email marketing offers a unique opportunity for relationship-building, because a lot of time can pass from when someone expresses interest to when they actually make a purchase.

The idea of sending regular emails to any number of people can seem daunting. But there are a number of ideas you can use for your email content, such as the ones listed below.

Regular email newsletter

Whether you send a weekly or a monthly email newsletter, these emails are perfect for keeping your subscribers up to date on industry news and policy changes as well as tips to help home buyers and sellers make more informed decisions.

You can also create two different email lists, so you can send tailored information to those who identify as home buyers or home sellers.

Whatever you decide to write about, keep in mind that your email newsletters should not be self-promotional. Rather, the goal is to create and share content that is valuable to them and where they are in their lives. 

As you begin on the first versions of your newsletter, consider what your readers should get out of the content.

New listings

Send targeted emails that feature new listings, foreclosures, and up-and-coming areas to clients in nearby areas. So if a new house goes up for sale in a specific neighborhood, send a geo-based email to your subscribers in that area (if you collect that information in your sign-up form).

You can continue to connect with interested buyers by sending another targeted email to those who opened your email and clicked on the link to view the listing online. This allows you to continue the conversation with someone who may have been interested, but for one reason or another did not reach out to you.

Home improvement tips

From painting tips to gardening advice, there’s a lot of helpful information you can share with homebuyers (both new and experienced). Other topics might include:

Remodeling

Kitchen renovations

Carpeting vs. hardwood flooring

Designing children’s rooms

Updating looks so they’re more modern

Exterior decorating

Interior decorating

Reviews of household appliances

Energy-saving advice

… and more!

Ask your readers what they’d like to learn more about! This can help you create content that is relevant to your subscribers.

Industry updates

Policies within the real estate industry are known to change every now and then. Email is a great way to keep your clients up to date on the latest news that can impact them.

When informing your subscribers of a new policy or a change in an existing one, be sure to offer your own explanation of what this means for them. Remember, your clients probably aren’t well-versed in real estate industry jargon, so break it down to them in layman’s terms.

Automated email series

Buying or selling a house is no easy feat. To educate your clients who want to learn more about each topic, you can also create an automated series of educational emails that clients can specifically sign up for.

If you want to educate a variety of clients, such as first-time home buyers, home sellers, or apartment hunters, an email series is perfect for providing subscribers with important evergreen content (i.e., content that will rarely change).

An email series can consist of one or 10 emails (up to you!) – whatever is necessary to teach your clients what they need to know.

Email series topics you can offer:

Everything first-time homebuyers should know. Give subscribers an overview of the journey and advice that’ll help them be more informed buyers.

Tips on maximizing the value of your current home. Within each email, focus on a different way readers can increase their home value.

Ideas for quick renovations you can do to sell your house faster. Share a new renovation idea in each email, or pick one idea and build an email series around that concept.

Tips for home buyers and sellers

On your sign-up form, consider asking your subscribers if they’re planning on selling or buying a home. With that information, you can send emails specific to each group to further educate them in their buyer or seller journey. 

When you have a clear understanding of what their needs are, it’ll help you identify content topics that will help them make the many decisions involved in buying and selling a home.

This makes for great content for your blog and social media posts, too!

User-generated content

Ask your clients to share their home buying and home selling experiences working with you. If you like them, consider including them in emails to your subscribers. This is a great way to encourage current clients that you’re the right realtor for them, as well as prospects who are still deciding whether they’re buying a house or moving.

Or increase the level of interaction you have with your clients by creating a contest that asks your clients to submit a photo of a redesign they’ve done. Share it on social media and ask for email addresses in order to enter. Leave it up to your audience to choose the winner!

Incentives

People love free stuff, so why not give your email subscribers free things to keep them interested in your emails?

Incentives you might want to offer in your emails or on your sign-up form include whitepapers, eBooks, or even a downloadable how-to guide.

Use this real estate email marketing guide

Educating your clients is essential to creating a great home buying or home selling experience. And email is a great way to maintain that relationship and gain the trust of your subscribers.

Email marketing for realtors is simple, but don’t get discouraged if it seems like a lot of work. As with any good habit, it’s important to stay motivated and stick with it. Consider devoting at least 30 minutes a day to nurturing your email list until it becomes routine. 

And if you do have any questions along the way, feel free to contact our email marketing experts at any time – we’re happy to help!

Looking for an email marketing provider for realtors – try AWeber. We’re a trusted, user-friendly platform that makes email marketing and lead generation simple and efficient. Why not sign up for a free AWeber account now and create your first landing page and newsletter today!

The post Real estate email marketing: Turning potential buyers and sellers into clients appeared first on AWeber.

Social media brand awareness can deliver huge advantages to businesses. 

A successful brand awareness strategy can expand your reach, improve your credibility, and dramatically increase your conversions, web traffic, and sales.

With the right approach, all those benefits can translate to big profits and a healthy ROI for your business.

But in a world where nearly 5 billion people upload 2 billion photographs and videos to social media daily, finding a way to stand out can be challenging.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wonder how to get noticed on social media because we’ve got answers for you in the guide below.

I reached out to several industry experts who shared first-hand experience and creative tips for building brand awareness on social media.

You’ll find their tips and success stories below, along with 23 ways to increase your brand awareness on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

What is social media brand awareness?

Brand awareness refers to how familiar and likable your business is on social media. It reflects your reach and visibility but doesn’t stop there. Brand awareness also encompasses your reputation and credibility.

Increasing brand awareness on any social media channel is the first step toward building an audience. It’s also an ongoing process of building, engaging, and converting your target audience so they become happy customers.

Why does brand awareness matter?

Brand awareness is the first step to getting people interested in your business. On social media, it translates into more followers and larger audiences.

Brand awareness also builds your business’s trust and credibility, which makes people much more likely to purchase your products or services.

Finally, a strong brand awareness can make your business stand out in your industry and on social media.

Keep your target audience in mind as you browse the tips below, and you’ll be on your way to creating successful brand awareness campaigns in no time!

25 Super-effective ways to increase brand awareness on social media

The following tips will help you grow your audience, reach, and brand awareness on nearly any social media channel. We’ve included some priceless expert tips, so take notes, bookmark this page, share it on social media — do whatever it takes so you can return any time for inspiration and ideas!

#1 – Understand Your Audience

You probably already have a target audience in mind, but how well do you know them? Check out your competitors, industry influencers, Reddit forums, and other online groups. Find out what your audience wants and needs, and support them with content that engages them.

#2 – Encourage user-generated content (UGC) campaigns

Contests and giveaways that encourage UGC can quickly expose your business to hundreds of new audiences.

#3 – Live video broadcasts

Use live video broadcasts to interact with audiences and gain new followers.

#4 – Publish highly-shareable, non-promotional content

Every time someone shares your content, it exposes your brand to a new audience. Shareable content helps boost your brand’s reach and credibility. 

For example, digital marketing agency NP Digital shares marketing tips that appeal to its target audience.

Images, videos, illustrations, memes, and GIFs that are heartwarming, funny, informative, or entertaining are good examples of shareable content.

According to Museum Hacks CEO Tasia Duske, memes are responsible for helping her company’s Instagram page grow to nearly 35,000 followers.

Duske shared a few tips about how her brand developed the viral memes.

“Rather than chase the meme of the moment, we centered our strategy around our own, personalized meme format. Since it wasn’t directly brand-related, it was instantly relatable and attention-grabbing and encouraged sharing — yet, it was still on brand enough that people also learned about our product at the same time.”

#5 Interactive social media content

Publish interactive social media content that engages followers and encourages them to share with friends. For example, quizzes, polls, and surveys are excellent interactive content on any platform.

#6 Partner with influencers

Partner with influencers whose audiences are similar to yours. Experiment with different types of influencers and partner content to learn what drives the most engagement and awareness for your business.

For example, Dunkin’ Donuts partnered with e.l.f. Makeup for a “Wake up and make up” campaign that resulted in 2.3 billion impressions in one day.

You don’t have to be a giant company to create successful partnerships that boost your brand awareness. Micro-influencers and niche influencers often generate higher engagement rates from smaller audiences.

#7 – Post consistently at ideal times

You can learn the best times for audience engagement by monitoring your social media insights. If you don’t have enough analytics history to determine your best posting times, you can start with general posting guidelines and improve as you go. 

#8 – Share behind-the-scenes videos with your audience

Behind-the-scenes clips are  popular because users love seeing the real people behind their favorite brands. Brands love them because it helps to build a personal connection with their audience.

For example, Spread Great Ideas shares a fun video of its “Global rockstar team” on its YouTube channel.

#9 – Experiment with formats

Experiment with a variety of formats to find out what resonates best with your audience.

#10 – Use analytics to guide your content

Increase your content’s reach and engagement by monitoring your insights to learn what sparks engagement and sharing from your target audience.

#11 – Use location tags whenever possible

If you have a physical location, you can significantly Increase visibility by adding location tags to your posts on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

#12 – Optimize your captions

Include keywords and hashtags in your captions to expand your reach on search and other feeds. 

#13 – Email marketing

Use email marketing to promote your events, contests, and collaborations: Send an email invite to your subscribers and encourage them to share it with friends. 

#14 -Share brand awareness content

At the brand awareness stage, the ideal content is non-promotional and designed to entertain, educate, teach something new, solve a problem, or share a life hack.

For example, the Stallion Express Instagram post below provides helpful information and tips for shipping within the U.S. — without trying to sell or promote its services.

These 14 tips can help you boost brand awareness on nearly any social media platform. 

Keep reading to discover platform-specific tips for Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Instagram brand awareness tips

#15 – Run contests as often as possible

On Instagram, contests get about 64 times more comments than any other post type.

#16 – Understand and apply Instagram SEO

Don’t rely on hashtags for SEO – they’re only a small part of the puzzle. Implementing Instagram SEO techniques provides greater visibility in the Explore and Search feeds. 

#17 – Use eye-catching visuals

Use high-quality images and videos in all your content, to match the Instagram aesthetic. 

#18 – Reels, Reels, Reels!

Short-form videos are popular on every social channel, especially Instagram. Whether you post filmed videos or create videos with an app like Canva, Reels can go a long way toward expanding your reach.

For example, NP Digital consistently posts Reels related to digital marketing.

Kimberly Deese, marketing and PR leader at NP Digital, recommends using short form videos to entertain and inform your audience.

#19 – Respond to all comments and DMs in a timely manner

On Instagram, engagement is your key to getting in the good graces of its algorithms. Responding to comments on your page and in messages (in a timely manner) helps boost your visibility in its feeds.

Facebook brand awareness tips

#20 – Long videos

Yes, you read that right. Videos over one minute long receive the most median interactions and reach on Facebook.

#21 – Join Facebook groups

Join Facebook groups in your niche and participate: Look for ways to encourage, advise, and support group members. 

#22 – Run Facebook ad campaigns

Use its sophisticated ad targeting features to deliver engaging content to your target audience.

Will Yang, Head of Growth and Marketing at Instrumentl, uses storytelling to create an emotional connection in Facebook ads.

Yang tells the story of a video campaign he once ran for a nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged youth.

“The video followed a student’s journey from a challenging background to graduating college thanks to the nonprofit’s programs. It highlighted the organization’s inspirational work while tugging at viewers’ heartstrings. 

We received tons of positive feedback from people who felt connected to the cause after seeing the student’s story. This just goes to show how powerful video storytelling can be on Facebook.”

YouTube brand awareness tips

#23 – Optimize YouTube videos

Optimize video titles and descriptions: to improve your visibility in YouTube feeds and encourage people to subscribe to your channel.

#24 – Invest in high-quality sound equipment

Invest in high-quality sound equipment to ensure that the sound quality of your videos is professional. 

Creating a high-quality sound doesn’t have to be expensive. The video below provides excellent tips for achieving high quality sound on a budget.

#25 – Collaborate with other YouTube creators

Collaborate with other YouTube creators to instantly expose your content to new audiences.

Vaibhav Kakkar, CEO of Digital Web Solutions, highly recommends YouTube collaborations for building brand awareness.

As you build social media brand awareness for your business, remember it’s a process. 

Keep publishing unique, engaging content on a consistent basis. 

Regularly monitor your industry influencers and competitors to discover new trends and learn what’s working in your niche. 

Network and collaborate with others in your industry as often as you can. 

Along the way, allow your target audience, marketing goals, and analytics to steer you in the right direction.

How to measure social media brand awareness

Determine how well your brand awareness campaigns are performing by monitoring the native social media insights on each platform. 

The following metrics help measure brand awareness:

Reach & Impressions: How many people see your content and how many times is it viewed?

Engagement: Are people liking, commenting, and sharing your posts?

Mentions: How often do people tag your brand or use your hashtags?

Follower growth: How does your follower count increase over time?

Competitor growth and engagement: Compare your engagement and growth rates to competitors on the same social media platform.

Off-platform accomplishments: How many people click on your external links, and how does that affect traffic, conversions, and sales for your business?

Consistently tracking the progress of the above measurements will give you a crystal-clear understanding of how well your brand awareness campaigns are performing on social media.

Turn social media brand awareness into profits

Building brand awareness on social media is an ongoing process that requires creativity, consistency, and a deep understanding of your audience. But building awareness is just one part of a successful marketing strategy. 

Turning brand awareness into conversions and profits is equally important.

At AWeber, we provide the marketing funnel you need to turn social media followers into customers. You can guide followers along the entire customer journey from one platform that includes:

Email marketing software with behavior-based segmentation and personalization, and automation that does most of the work for you.

Landing pages to feature your products, lead gen content, and link in bio hubs.

All inside an easy-breezy drag-and-drop interface with a massive selection of templates plus a built-in Canva Designer.

PS: You’ll love our help resources and blog, packed with tips and tutorials to help your business succeed with digital marketing!

Ready to turn your social media success into profits? Try AWeber for free today and start driving traffic, conversions, and sales right away.

The post How to increase brand awareness on social media: 25 tips with expert insights and stories appeared first on AWeber.

Have you ever dreamed about waking up to discover that your brand’s social media page went viral overnight?

Or that, within a few months, you were able to build a highly engaged audience that feels like a real community?

Social media success happens on different timelines, but there’s one thing you can count on: Interactive content is one of the most reliable ways to get there.

Whether you’re looking to expand reach and awareness, grow your audience, or drive traffic and conversions, engagement is the key to making it happen on social media. 

Keep reading for creative and popular ideas on how to create interactive content for your brand. You’ll find ideas and suggestions, plus insights, stories, and tips from people with first-hand experience.

What is interactive social media content?

Interactive social media posts are any type of content that encourages users to actively engage with your content. Interactive posts may take the form of videos, Stories, image posts, ads, or any other form of content.

Some interactive content uses text to inspire engagement, while others feature tools or technology such as stickers, polls, and augmented reality.

For example, NP Digital uses polls, especially on Instagram and LinkedIn, to encourage engagement from its viewers.

“Our favorite type of interactive social media is polls – both on LinkedIn and Instagram – because they allow our audience to offer their input on industry trends, where they can comment on these posts to add further context.”

– Kayla Bautista, Social Media Manager, NP Digital

On any social media channel, interactive content can help boost your engagement rates, reach, and visibility in the feeds.

Why interactive posts matter

Interactive social media posts help boost engagement rates for your brand. Those higher engagement rates deliver several benefits:

Lets the platform’s algorithm know that your content is valuable, often resulting in better visibility in social media feeds for all your brand posts.

Builds community by creating a two-way conversation that makes your audience feel seen, heard, and appreciated.

Encourages sharing, which exposes your content to new audiences and boosts your brand awareness. 

Provides your brand with valuable insights into your audience’s opinions, preferences, pain points, and favorite types of content.

More than five billion social media users spend an average of 12 billion hours using social media platforms daily. Most of them (those aged 16 – 64) log on to keep in touch with friends and family, fill their spare time, and read news stories. 

A significant portion of social media users also log on to view and interact with brand content like yours. 

Here are a few of the main reasons people use social media:

35% are looking for content

27% are searching for inspiration on what to do and buy

26% are looking for products to purchase

22% want to see content from their favorite brands

One of the best ways to engage social media users is through interactive content. This opens the door to conversions, sales, and traffic that can generate real profits.

Interactive post ideas for social media content

Fundraising campaigns, UCG campaigns, and live videos are some of the most successful types of interactive social media content (across all channels).

Fundraising campaigns

Fundraisers are a great opportunity to share compelling stories related to a cause your audience cares about. They inspire empathy and build an emotional connection between you and your audience. 

Interactive posts inspire people to get involved and help make your fundraiser a success. 

Try the following interactive post ideas to support your fundraiser:

Quizzes about the cause

Contests and giveaways that inspire people to share photos or stories related to the cause

Challenges like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and the Betty White Challenge

UGC Campaigns

UGC (user-generated content) campaigns encourage interaction by asking followers and customers to create, share, or interact with content on your behalf. 

For example, the Natura Marketa UGC post below shows a typical UGC Giveaway contest. To enter its giveaway drawing, users must tag two friends. 

UGC campaigns give your brand reach and engagement a massive boost because they expose your brand to new people and build trust and credibility.

Other user-generated content ideas include:

Photo/video contests with prize incentives

“Caption this” challenges

Fill-in-the blank prompts

Testimonials and reviews

Priyanka Swamy, CEO & Founder of Perfect Locks, says interactive content, especially UGC, helps her brand build community and better understand its audience.

Swamy shared the following tips for businesses looking to boost their results with interactive content:

Create branded hashtags.

Host photo challenges or contests.

Invite participants to repost their content.

Share their stories.

Offer incentives, like discounts or features, on our social channels.

Interactive video 

Interactive video creates a two-way conversation that makes viewers feel like active participants instead of passive observers. 

Build trust with followers by answering questions about your product. Generate more leads by encouraging viewers to subscribe to your email list. Gain valuable insights by asking questions and encouraging live feedback.

Other interactive video ideas include:

Live polls and quizzes

Q&As

Live contests and giveaways

Product tutorials and demonstrations (encourage questions and answer them on the spot)

Virtual events

Live stream shopping

For example, watercolor artist and product designer Kristy Rice uses text overlays to turn Instagram Reels videos into interactive content. “Comment ‘empty’ and I’ll DM you a link to shop!”

Interactive Facebook content

Twenty percent of shoppers begin their search on Facebook, the world’s most-used social media platform. To engage users on Facebook, consider interactive videos, Stories, and image posts.

Interactive Facebook post ideas

On Facebook, a lot of users like to watch and observe without participating. That’s why inspiring people to engage with interactive posts can go a long way toward building a stronger connection with your audience.

This or That post example

Here are some ideas for interactive posts on Facebook:

Fill-in-the-Blanks: Present two options and ask people to choose their favorite.

“This or That” Scenarios: Present two options and let people choose their favorite.

Caption Contests: Post a funny photo, and let your audience compete for the best caption.

Share Your Story: Encourage your audience to share experiences related to a brand-relevant topic.

Polls and surveys: Let your audience vote or test their knowledge in a playful way.

Carousels: Inspire swipe-throughs with compelling carousel posts and ads.

360 photos: Share 360 images that users can pan and explore. Try it here.

Interactive Facebook Live video ideas

Live streaming video is an excellent way to engage followers on Facebook and Instagram.

Here are some popular Facebook Live video ideas:

AMAs (Ask Me Anything): Host live Q&A sessions and let viewers steer the conversation with questions and comments.

Coffee Clutch: Create casual, conversational sessions focused on a specific (brand-related) topic. Hold coffee clutch sessions at a scheduled time each week for the best results.

Live Tutorials/Demonstrations: Share DIY tips, host a live cooking class, share helpful tips that solicit questions and comments, or ask for input on your next product.

Announce contest/giveaway winners: Build excitement with UGC content, then announce your contest winners in a live video broadcast.

Interactive Facebook ad ideas

Facebook ads provide you the chance to use augmented reality and 360 videos to prompt engagement from viewers. 

Here are some engaging ideas for interactive Facebook ads:

Instant Experience: A full-screen mobile experience opens up when someone taps on your ad.

Poll Ads: Include interactive polls directly in your ad.

Lead Ads: Ads that include a lead generation form users can easily fill out.

Collection Ads: Showcase a range of products and let users tap to learn more. 

360-degree Videos and Images: Let users explore products or environments from all angles for a more hands-on feel.

Quizzes & Trivia: Use a quiz format to educate users about your product or brand in a fun way.

Interactive Instagram content

Half of weekly Instagram users want to see more funny content, and more than 45% of them would like to see more creativity, according to a recent Statista survey.

As you’re considering interactive Instagram content, look for formats that allow you to get creative or funny!

Interactive Instagram post ideas

If you’re looking to boost engagement on Instagram, run more contests. Contest posts receive 64 times more comment engagement than any other type of post.

Here are some interactive post ideas for Instagram:

Contests or giveaways that require tagging or images with your brand hashtag

Photo contests, in-store contests, drawing, and giveaways

Before & after image posts relevant to your brand or product

“Would you rather” scenarios that let people pick a side

You can turn any Instagram image post into interactive content by asking the right questions or posing fun challenges!

Senior fitness coach Benedict Ang says that challenges and contests perform consistently well for his company, TotalShape.

Ang explains, “Whether it’s a fitness challenge like a 30-day workout program or a healthy recipe contest, these kinds of initiatives really get our followers excited and involved.” 

He adds that engagement isn’t the only benefit they enjoy, “When they see others participating and sharing their progress, it creates a sense of camaraderie and motivation. Plus, it’s a fantastic way for us to showcase the effectiveness of our programs and engage with our audience in a fun and interactive way.”

Interactive Instagram and Facebook Story ideas

Instagram and Facebook Stories are a must-publish for any brand looking to boost engagement on the platform. Its Story stickers let you turn every page into an interactive experience.

Best interactive Instagram Story stickers:

Poll Stickers

Quiz Stickers

Questions Sticker

Emoji Slider

Countdown Sticker

Mention Tag

Instagram Story stickers are a great way to engage your audience, and users love engaging in Stories. 

For example, Mercedes Benz and Chef Carla Hall use questions, poll stickers, and tagging in Instagram and Facebook content.

Steve Pogson, founder of First Pier e-commerce growth agency, says that interactive Stories make a big impact for his brands. 

“We focus on creating polls, quizzes, and ‘ask me anything’ sessions that are directly relevant to the brand’s products or services.” 

For example, Pogson used this interactive approach for a skincare brand, running daily polls about people’s skincare routines and preferences. “This not only increased story engagement rates,” he explained, “but also provided valuable insights into the customer’s needs and preferences, which further informed the brand’s marketing and product development strategies.”

Interactive content for engagement, awareness, and conversion

Interactive social media content can drive massive engagement and awareness for your brand.

It can also fuel the numbers that matter most: conversion and sales.

Next time you’re creating interactive content for your social media pages, consider ways you might encourage viewers to subscribe to your mailing list. For example, you might use a link in bio tool to embed an email subscribe form. Or mention that email subscribers get exclusive discounts.

Encourage your social media audience to subscribe to your email list accomplishes two things:

Gives you a way to nurture leads through your marketing funnel, eventually leading to more sales.

Grants you “ownership” of your social media followers, adding them to a platform where you own all the data. If the social platform ever gets shut down, or if you can’t access it, your email data will allow you to stay in touch with your audience — forever.

At AWeber, we specialize in helping you turn leads into sales with email marketing, landing pages, and link in bio pages. You’ll love our huge selection of templates that let you create professional landing pages, email series, and ink in bio hubs in minutes.

We’ve got a free account with your name on it. Try AWeber today!

The post Interactive Posts: Steal these ideas and say goodbye to boring social media appeared first on AWeber.

Are you frustrated with crafting what you think is the perfect email, only to see it fall short when it comes to getting clicks? You’re not alone. 

Picture this: You’ve nailed the subject line, you’ve hooked your readers with enticing content, and you’ve hit send with high hopes. But then, crickets. Your open rate looks good, but where are the clicks?

If you’ve ever found yourself scratching your head over this conundrum, you’re in the right place. We’re going to dive deep into the world of email marketing to uncover the secrets to boosting your click-through rate. 

Get ready to learn how to turn those opened emails into action-packed click-throughs that drive results.

How to improve email click through rates

1. Stick to one main call to action per email

When you’re creating an email, it may be tempting to include multiple calls to action (CTA) buttons in the hopes that your subscribers will respond to at least one of the offers in an email. After all, the more options you provide, the more likely they’ll engage with one of them, right?

Well, not exactly. In fact, this can hurt your click rates rather than help them.

Too many CTA buttons can distract and overwhelm your subscribers, decreasing click-through rates in your emails. To get optimal click through rates, include one call to action button in your emails to focus your subscribers on taking a single action.

In the email below from EOFire, there is one clear call to action and no question of what the subscriber is supposed to do – join the class.

2. Segment your emails

Different people have different interests. So do your email subscribers.

If you send the wrong people on your list an offer they’re not interested in, your click through rates will most likely plummet.

For higher click-through rates, segment your subscribers and send tailored emails based on their interests. You’ll see better click through rates when you send the right offer to the right person.

3. Create a sense of urgency

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is real, and eliciting this feeling in your subscribers can influence them to click on your calls to action right away.

If you have an offer that ends soon or a limited number of spots at a webinar, for example, you can create a sense of urgency by adding words like “now” or “today” to your emails.

4. Personalize your emails

Have you ever received an email that didn’t apply to you at all? This kind of email may leave you feeling like a nobody on a huge list of email subscribers. And this feeling of alienation doesn’t encourage you to click.

Instead, when your subscribers receive an email for you, they should feel like you are addressing them alone. Truly personalized emails will feel like something written just for you. That kind of connection leads to higher click through rates.

Here are a few simple ways you can personalize your emails:

Include your subscriber’s name in your email. While this technique isn’t fresh, it can be effective. Instead of adding subscribers’ names at the beginning of an email, try adding them in the middle or at the end.

On your email sign up form, ask for information about your subscribers’ interests. Then, send segmented emails based on their responses.

Collect your subscribers’ birth dates on your sign up form and send them a celebratory email on their birthday.

Send emails tailored to what you know about your subscribers. What did they buy from you recently? Do you have something similar they may like? Send an email with a suggestion.

5. Create mobile-optimized emails

85% of people access email from their phones.

And that means if your emails are difficult to read on a phone, there’s probably a huge percentage of your subscribers who aren’t getting the best experience and are most likely not clicking on your emails.

To make sure your emails are easy to read from any device, use email templates that are mobile responsive instead of mobile-friendly.

Mobile responsive emails are easier to read on both desktops and mobile devices, because text, images and buttons automatically adjust to fit the screen size. Additionally, multi-column email layouts adjust to single columns on mobile devices, and content is easy to access with both a mouse and a touchscreen.

Mobile friendly emails, on the other hand, scale down to fit the size of the screen, but don’t adjust layouts or fonts.

See how this mobile-friendly email below is difficult to read because the double-column layout makes the images, fonts and headlines too small?

Compare that to this mobile-responsive email below, where fonts and images are resized for the small screen and double columns turned to single columns:

If you’re not an email designer and have no idea how to make an email responsive, fear not! Most email service providers (like AWeber) automatically have the emails you create  mobile-responsive. But send yourself a test email to verify. 

6. Include colorful, clickable buttons

One of the simplest ways to improve click-through rates is to ensure your subscribers know where to click. While plain text calls to action work for some people, a big button with a contrasting color immediately draws attention and can significantly improve click-through rates.

7. Don’t over complicate your email design

Complex isn’t always better, and this is often the case with email design. Avoid overwhelming your subscribers with an overabundance of images, icons or different fonts. Not only does this make for a disharmonious email, it’ll also take attention away from the content of your email and your call to action.

This beautiful, yet simple email from You Need a Budget incorporates a clean font, one image that works with the content of the email and a clear call-to-action button:

8. Use action-oriented CTA copy

Your email call to action copy should encourage people to take a specific action. Instead of using a generic call to action like “click here,” use verbs that describe the action you want subscribers to take, such as:

Shop

Learn

Get

Grab

Submit

Send

Start

Try

Reserve

Take

View

See

Watch

Read

By doing so, you’ll frame the subscriber experience in a way that influences them to want to take action.

9. Pique their curiosity

“The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind is curiosity.”

– Edmund Burke

Everyone has been curious about something at one point in their lives. And when a person is curious about something, they are inclined to resolve their curiosity.

Fortunately, you can also leverage curiosity in your email copy to encourage people to click-through on your emails.

Birchbox, for example, does this in the email below by offering a free mystery prize with a purchase. To find out what they would get, they need to click on the call-to-action button.

Hopefully the prize is a good one, but at least it gets the click!

10. Include social proof

Believe it or not, people like to do what other people do. When they notice multiple people or a famous person doing something, they’re more likely to want to do it themselves. 

This is called social proof, which is a phenomenon where people are persuaded to take an action by seeing that other people have taken that action before them—and have seen success as a result of that action.

You can use social proof in your email content to encourage people to click through your calls to action. 

Bite does just that in the email below. By showing off how customers use their product and sharing their success stories, they tap into the power of social proof.

11. Write engaging headlines

If you use a headline in your email content, it will be the first thing your subscriber sees when they open your message.

A good headline quickly grabs your subscriber’s attention, engages them and gets them to read the rest of your email. And when subscribers read your email content, they become more likely to take action – which makes headlines pretty darn important.

For the email below, MailCharts used the subject line “Are your subscribers annoyed??” and then followed it up with the headline “You don’t know, do you?”

By linking the headline to the subject line, it guides the subscriber to continue reading through the rest of the content. You’ll also notice MailCharts does a good job of raising curiosity, which gives readers even more of a reason to continue reading and click the call-to-action button.

12. Use video

People love videos. They’re engaging, easy to follow, and often fun to watch. 

While video doesn’t play in all inboxes, the inclusion of a thumbnail image of your video and a play button can boost click through rates tremendously. In fact, Wistia increased their email click through rates by 300 percent by incorporating videos in their emails.

Bonus tip: You can also try using GIFs in your emails to add motion to your emails and boost click-through rates.

13. Cater to what your audience likes

If one of your emails had an insanely high click through rate, it’s apparent that your subscribers liked what you did in that email. So, do it again.

Your audience should be your main barometer for what is working in your email strategy and influence the content and design elements you include.

Do you see high click through rates when you send short emails or long emails? Does your audience click more when there’s an image or video? Does a certain kind of content lead to higher clicks?

Take a look at your past emails and see which ones got the highest click through rates.

Then, repeat, repeat, repeat.

Have two (or three) ideas for one email? Split test them. See which version of the email wins and do it again. 

14. Feature the right images

Images in your emails can be a powerful way to grab the attention of your subscribers and convince them to click. However, you need to use the right images.

Email images should add meaning, support the content of your email or help make a relevant point. Additionally, you should use alt text in case your images don’t display.

Check out the header image in the email below, which serves multiple purposes:

There are a few things that work well here.

It summarizes the content of the email briefly and immediately, giving the reader everything they need to know in the space of a few seconds.

The image supports the content of the email and provides additional meaning.

Finally, it includes a call-to-action button, which encourages people to click on the email.

For the subscriber who skims or doesn’t read the email content, this image does it all. It catches their attention, tells them about the offer and gives them a place to click.

15. Set expectations early 

To set a good foundation for your emails (and help your engagement rates start off on the right foot), you’ll want to make sure subscribers know what they’re signing up for before they give you their email address.

Whether it’s a monthly newsletter, weekly do-it-yourself tips or seasonal exclusive offers, being upfront about the kind of emails readers will receive helps attract the right people to your list. Plus, it sets expectations as to what you’ll be sending them – as a result, there shouldn’t be any unwanted surprises.

16. Experiment with the frequency and timing

Depending on your target audience and the content they prefer, the frequency and timing of your messages could vary greatly.

You may find a weekly email newsletter is a great place to start. Eventually, you can increase the frequency of your emails to promote your product, share content or break your newsletter into smaller chunks. Or, ask your subscribers what cadence they prefer.

Try experimenting with time frames to figure out when your audience is most likely to read your email. 

You can use analytics to determine when people are most likely to open your emails and plan your campaign accordingly.

17. Craft a strong subject line

Strong subject lines impact click through rates just as much as open rates. Your email could contain the best content ever, but no one will read it if your subject line is weak.

Most people skim through their inbox, so make sure your subject line is short and punchy. 

Adding a special offer, asking a question, or emphasizing a sense of urgency, for example, can all be effective ways to create a compelling subject line.

Of course click through rates are important, but open rates and other forms of email engagement can contribute to your email marketing success. Make sure you track your email engagement metrics to learn what works for your unique audience.

Commonly ask questions for email clicks

What is an email click-through rate?

Click-through rates reveal how many subscribers clicked a link in an email, as well as how many times they clicked it. Your click-through tells you if people are engaging with your emails.

What is a good click-through rate for email?

A good email click-through rate will vary by industry and type of email, but on average a good click-through rate is about 2.5%.

Overall, an email marketing benchmark will vary widely among industries, business size, audiences, and more. 

What is the average click-through rate of an email?

To better understand small business email marketing benchmarks, we conducted research asking survey respondents to self-report their click-through rates. Overall we found that 77% of small businesses have an average email click-through rate between 0% – 10%.

While it’s nice to get an idea of how your metrics stack up against others’, I would encourage you to change the way you view email marketing benchmarks. 

Rather than comparing your email click-through rates to other businesses’ rates, keep an eye on how your rates improve over time. You’ll learn a lot more about your particular audience by focusing on your own data. 

After all, it’s true that ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’

But, you should know that low click-through rates can tank a product launch, hurt your website traffic, and make your email strategy ineffective.

Want to make sure this doesn’t happen? Try these 14 ways to optimize your emails and get more clicks. 

How to calculate email click through rate?

Email click-through rate is calculated by dividing the number of people who clicked a link in the email by the total number of emails sent.

Go get yourself a sick amount of clicks.

Try these tactics with your subscribers and see what increases click-through rates. Tell us what worked in the comments below!

(You’ll need an email marketing platform to apply what you learn in this post. Try AWeber’s easy-to-use email platform for free.)

The post 17 Powerful strategies to increase click-through rate in email marketing appeared first on AWeber.