Steal These Top 5 Opt-In Boxes to Build a Killer Email List

This is a guest post by Marc Howard.

So you've decided that you want to step-up your email list building but you aren't sure what the next move is. Should I just add email box on my sidebar? Should my email form simply ask visitors to subscribe or should I use a better call-to-action? Should I use a pop-up form?

Let's review five email opt-in boxes from five high-traffic sites that have spent a long time trying to figure out these same problems.

For each opt-in, we'll look at: what makes the offer compelling, what website it's used on, and how it was made.

Opt-In #1: themuse.com

The Muse is a career site that matches job seekers with employers. Their opt-in uses visual balance of blue and orange. The bait: “Are you ready for your next interview?” offering 31 interview questions for free. The choice: click the button or “No thanks, I'll just wing it.” Appears on exit-intent using BounceExchange.

Opt-In #2: quicksprout.com

Quicksprout is the brainchild of Neil Patel. The message “DO YOU WANT MORE TRAFFIC?” is a no-brainer. He doesn't ask for email first. Just your URL for a free SEO analysis. After you see basic results, you can download the full report by providing your email. Very clever value-before-ask approach.

Opt-In #3: lifehack.org

Lifehack's opt-in doesn't directly ask for your email or bribe you with an offer. It simply makes a statement you either agree or disagree with. Upon agreeing, you're then prompted for your email with “We think so, too!” A warm approach that likely converts well above the 1-3% industry average. Appears on exit-intent.

Opt-In #4: videofruit.com

Founded by Brian Dean. The “SHOW ME THE FORMULA” button is prominent with social proof logos from NBC, Moz, and ESPN. The bait: the exact formula of how he grew his list to 10,000 and grossed $200,000 in his first year. The landing page has no other options, just one conversion goal. Uses LeadPages.

Opt-In #5: copyhackers.com

At the helm are Joanna Wiebe and Lance Jones, two of the best persuasion experts. The bait: 172 pages of actionable persuasion tips, basically a free book. The choice: “YES Get the free guide” or “NO I'm already a persuasion expert.” Uses BounceExchange on exit-intent.

Conclusion

If you have a blog or website where you want to continue interacting with visitors that have left, email capture is one of the most reliable ways. Capturing email addresses gives you a direct communication channel to your followers and prospects regardless of search engine algorithm changes.

Just remember to always test to see if there's a tweak that gives you a better conversion rate. Start with asking yourself: what is it about my opt-in that makes it compelling?