In this tutorial, you\u2019ll learn how to double your WordPress email subscribers over the next few months by strategically using content upgrades. Let\u2019s dive in! \ud83e\udd3f<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The secret to WordPress email subscribers: content upgrades<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In the intro, I told you about how I basically tripled my email opt-ins. I was able to do that with content upgrades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A content upgrade is a lead opt-in that\u2019s directly related to the article a user is reading. Think of it as an \u201cupgrade\u201d to the content. A shortcut to the answer they set out to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc49 Content upgrades could come in many forms, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Cheat sheet to implement what the blog post talks about<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- E-book about the blog post subject that goes more in-depth<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Case study of the blog post in action<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A PDF version<\/a> of the blog post<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Extra examples of the thing in the blog post<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
For my example, I have a free \u201cSEO cheat sheet\u201d people can get. But even after implementing the upgrade, I still only saw one to two percent conversions. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One word: Presentation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
My call to action didn\u2019t stand out. It didn\u2019t catch the eye. In fact, it blended into the background, easily passed over. It was a gray box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So how\u2019d I triple conversions and get more WordPress email subscribers? \ud83e\udd14<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I changed the box from gray to an obnoxious, can\u2019t miss me yellow<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"WordPress](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/WordPress-Email-Subscribers-Optin.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAlso, just for some extra background, clicking the link opens this pop-up:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Lead](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Lead-box-popup.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nNow that you know what I did and what worked for me, let\u2019s talk about how to actually create and implement your first content upgrade.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHow to create a content upgrade<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This section will hold your hand through choosing a page for your upgrade, picking an upgrade to go with it, and adding it to your post. (In the next section, we\u2019ll talk about how to make the most of your upgrade and get more subscribers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s do it! \ud83d\udc68\u200d\ud83d\udcbb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Step #1: Find your most trafficked pages<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step #2: Come up with an upgrade idea<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step #3: Add the upgrade to your WordPress website<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nStep #1: Find your most trafficked pages \ud83d\udcc8<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Before you blindly pick a post to add an upgrade, you should do a little planning to get the most bang for your buck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For me, that means checking my Google Analytics account<\/a> and seeing which pages get the most organic traffic.<\/a> I look at organic because this traffic is recurring, whereas social traffic<\/a> is more sporadic. But if you only get social traffic, go with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, go to \u201cBehavior\u201d, then \u201cSite Content\u201d, and finally \u201cAll Pages\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Google-Analytics.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nFrom there, click the button that says \u201cSecondary dimension\u201d, click \u201cAcquisition\u201d, then select \u201cSource\u201d from the dropdown.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Finding](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Finding-page-source.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nFinally, click \u201cadvanced\u201d next to the search bar, then choose \u201cSource\u201d and type \u201cgoogle\u201d into the text field. Click \u201capply\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Filtering](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Filtering-by-source.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nNow you\u2019ll only see pages with traffic from Google.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Page](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Page-analytics.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBased on this, I know that my time would be best spent on these top three pages on my site. They\u2019re the pages I would add an upgrade to first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now how do I know what content upgrade to add?<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nStep #2: Come up with an upgrade idea \u231b<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Like I said in the beginning, there are loads of ways to upgrade your content and get more WordPress email subscribers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But how do you decide which one to use?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I can\u2019t answer that for you, but I can give you a few examples to help you come up with your own ideas. For my top page from the Google Analytics screenshot – the post about RV accessories – here\u2019s what I\u2019d do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because it\u2019s a huge list of 40+ accessories, I would probably create an upgrade that distills this list into the absolute essentials<\/strong>. Or the most popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I could create an opt-in box that says \u201cNot sure which accessories to buy? Click here to get a list of the 10 most popular RV accessories, according to the experts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at a different example\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My girlfriend runs a cooking blog. Her most popular recipe (as voted on by friends and family) is her homemade Nutella recipe. (It\u2019s delicious, BTW<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For her upgrade, I would recommend creating a step-by-step video of her teaching you how to make the nutella. If you enter your email, she\u2019ll send you the video for free!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So there are a couple ideas…now, how do you actually add the upgrade to your site?<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nStep #3: Add the upgrade to your WordPress website \u2699\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are a lot of ways to do this. Personally, here\u2019s how I do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- If you\u2019re giving away a PDF<\/strong>, upload that PDF to your WordPress media files<\/a>. When you send an email to new WordPress email subscribers, include a link to that PDF.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- If you\u2019re giving away a Google doc<\/strong>, put the link to the \u201cView-Only\u201d version of the document in your email. Just make sure you tell them they need to click \u201cFile\u201d -> \u201cMake a copy\u201d in order to use it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
As far as actually presenting the upgrade, I would use a WordPress plugin like Thrive Leads<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now you have your first ever content upgrade. Well done! \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the work isn\u2019t done yet. It\u2019s time to optimize the presentation of that upgrade to get the most WordPress email subscribers possible!<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThree tips to maximize your content upgrades<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As you saw in the beginning of this article, the presentation of your upgrade matters – a lot. It can mean the difference between virtually no opt-ins and an overflowing list of WordPress email subscribers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If people can\u2019t see it, they won\u2019t opt in! So how do you fix that? By using the following methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Use pop ups to entice your readers<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add in-line opt-ins to naturally get subscribers<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add multiple opt-ins<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Bonus: use push notifications<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n#1: Use pop ups to entice your readers \ud83d\udcd7<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pop ups are controversial. But the fact of the matter is, they work when done well<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc49 There are three main kinds of pop ups you can use to promote your new offer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- On-load or timed pop ups<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Exit-intent pop ups<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- On-scroll pop ups<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
There are also on-click pop ups, like the one I showed in my SEO case study example. But those are more to make people\u2019s experience frictionless than they are to get people\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of the three main kinds of pop ups, I personally like to use on-load pop ups in combination with exit-intent. That means that when a person clicks on an article, the pop up will come up immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there are a few caveats here\u2026 \u26a0\ufe0f<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Your upgrade needs to be VERY related to the article\u2019s goal and high-quality<\/strong>. If someone Google\u2019s \u201cRV Accessories\u201d and sees a pop up about the top ten RV accessories, that works. But if they see a pop up about buying a new RV or something not related to their initial query, that\u2019s when people get aggravated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You should only use this setup on desktop<\/strong>. Google has started penalizing mobile on-load pop ups, which means it could hurt your rankings. In Thrive Leads, you can set your pop ups to only load on desktop devices. On mobile, consider a timed or exit-intent only pop up to avoid penalization.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Besides that, you should also consider personalizing your pop ups to the current user<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personalized pop ups are less annoying and convert better<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But just because you use pop ups, that doesn\u2019t mean that should be the only way to opt in!<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n#2: Add in-line opt-ins to naturally get subscribers \ud83e\uddd1\u200d\ud83d\udcbb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In-line opt-ins (like the box in the SEO example above) also tend to convert well – if you make them stand out<\/strong>. Like I said, mine converted at almost ten percent once I made the copy and color enticing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can use a box, like I did, or you can include a form directly in the content. For example, in my guide to living in an RV, I gave visitors the option to download the guide as a free PDF. And I did so with an in-line opt-in form like this:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Content-upgrade-example.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThis form has a ten percent opt-in rate. My audience loves it – especially because quite a few of them are older, and like having the option to read something offline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personally, I like to include in-line opt-ins at least two to three times in an article. Once in the beginning, middle, and end. But let\u2019s talk a bit more about that…<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n#3: Add multiple opt-ins \ud83d\udca1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
By showing your opt-in form multiple times (in the form of a pop up and in-line opt-ins), you increase the chances of getting a subscriber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brian Dean from Backlinko does this well. Here\u2019s the opt-in<\/a> for his SEO copywriting guide, which he puts at the end of his article:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"list](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/list-building-tactics.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nIt\u2019s a giant button you can\u2019t miss. Plus, it gives you a preview of the content you\u2019ll be getting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But you don\u2019t have to put that much work into it. You can get people\u2019s attention with a big download button, like this example from Video Fruit:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Content-upgrade-example-2.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nYou can easily use Canva<\/a> (or a Canva alternative<\/a>) to create simple download buttons like this. Then, use Thrive Leads to create a pop up that shows up on click, with the forms for a name and email. Just like I did in the SEO example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But life isn\u2019t all about WordPress email subscribers…<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nBonus: use push notifications \ud83c\udf81<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
While email subscribers are amazing, it\u2019s not the only way to get high-converting followers. Push notifications convert almost as well, and tend to draw people in more than an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whenever you publish a new post, you can send a notification straight to your subscriber\u2019s desktop, like this:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"push](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/push-notifications.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMost people think of push notifications as a way to send people discounts or sales. But you can also use them to notify users of new content you publish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, we use PushEngage on The Wandering RV and we have over 400 push subscribers. Whenever we publish something, we send out a notification, and our average click-through rate is thirteen percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So just by adding a simple option to subscribe that pops up when people visit our site, we get a guaranteed 50+ visitors to all our new posts. Not too bad for a few minutes of work!<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udc46\ud83d\uddb1\ufe0f Click here to learn how to use push notifications on WordPress<\/a> and also check out some of these email marketing services\/tools<\/a> for additional resources.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nA word on GDPR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you’re not familiar with GDPR, it’s an EU law that regulates what businesses need to do to take care of their users’ data the right way. This includes all the info you get via your email optin forms as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No matter the scale of your website, you probably do have some visitors from the EU, so you cannot ignore this. If you do, you can be fined even up to 20 million EUR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have a separate WordPress GDPR Guide<\/a> if you’d like to learn more about it.<\/p>\n\n\n
Go to top<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nConclusion \ud83e\uddd0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\nGetting more WordPress email subscribers means more money in your pocket<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Email converts better than any other marketing channel, and has the power to grow your business way bigger than you ever thought possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \t\n\t\t \t\tHow to 2x the number of #email subscribers on your #WordPress site \ud83e\uddd1\ud83d\udce7<\/a>\n\t\t \t<\/div>\n\t\t \t\n\t\t \tClick To Tweet \n\t\t \t\t<\/span>\n\t\t \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nBy implementing targeted content upgrades in your best content, you can easily convert more email subscribers and reap the benefits of email marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are you using content upgrades (or another method) to get email subscribers? Let us know in the comments below!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
- You should only use this setup on desktop<\/strong>. Google has started penalizing mobile on-load pop ups, which means it could hurt your rankings. In Thrive Leads, you can set your pop ups to only load on desktop devices. On mobile, consider a timed or exit-intent only pop up to avoid penalization.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- On-scroll pop ups<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Add in-line opt-ins to naturally get subscribers<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- If you\u2019re giving away a Google doc<\/strong>, put the link to the \u201cView-Only\u201d version of the document in your email. Just make sure you tell them they need to click \u201cFile\u201d -> \u201cMake a copy\u201d in order to use it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Step #2: Come up with an upgrade idea<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Extra examples of the thing in the blog post<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n