Marketing is always changing, but one channel remains a steady workhorse for keeping your biggest fans updated on your latest work — email.
With social media algorithms constantly changing who sees your posts or videos, email offers consistency and predictability. Here are the top reasons why all authors should be investing in growing their email list.
1. You own your email list
The most valuable thing about collecting emails is that you own them. Unlike on social media, where another platform controls your access to your followers, email gives you total control over when and who to reach from a list of your biggest fans.
An email list also protects you from changing social media algorithms or policies that might limit your ability to reach your readers, and can be transferred from one service to another.
In short, collecting emails to stay in touch with your readers gives you security, control, and independence.
Here’s how one author we surveyed summed it up:
I have a newsletter so I can control my communication with readers. Like my website, it is a space I own, where I am not subject to the vagaries of another entity (or at least, not completely). Social media is great, but the algorithms are constantly changing and you can’t control your exposure. Also, if your social media account is hacked or frozen and you don’t have a newsletter as backup, you’re starting completely from scratch.
2. Email is incredibly engaging
Short-form videos might be all the rage right now, but email has always been one of the most effective and engaging communication channels across demographic groups.
According to Litmus, an email testing and personalization platform, “email marketing ranks as the top channel affecting purchase decisions (28%), even ahead of social media ads (22%).”
Of course, you need to figure out what kind of content you want to share with your audience — and what they want to hear from you! — but email gives you the flexibility and control to try things out, ask questions directly of your audience, and start two-way conversations.
Another author we surveyed shared why email is excellent for building connections with readers:
A newsletter can be sent at once to hundreds of people, just like a social media post, but it still remains a private connection between you and your readers, allowing you to interact and share with them in a way that’s more meaningful and actionable than a blog or Instagram post.
3. It doesn’t require a big time investment
Another benefit of email as a way to stay in touch with your readers is that it doesn’t have to take up a ton of your time.
Social media algorithms tend to reward creators who are posting consistently — one expert recommends posting three to four times per week on Instagram to get maximum exposure and engagement.
There are ways to create that volume of social media content efficiently, but email doesn’t demand this level of frequency or consistency: over 57% of authors are emailing their subscribers once a month or less, with only 12% emailing their subscribers every week.
4. Email is a cost-effective promotional tool
Of course, we at BookBub are big believers in the power of email for promotions! But don’t just take it from us: studies put the average return on investment (ROI) for email marketing somewhere between $36 and $40 per every $1 spent.
Why does email have such a good ROI?
- It’s low-cost. Many email providers charge per contact or per email, so you can choose a platform with a pricing structure that makes sense for your needs.
- It’s targeted and personalized. Email gives you the opportunity to tailor messages to particular segments of your list based on factors like their past click behavior or how and when they signed up. Sending personalized messages can increase engagement.
- It’s focused. You have total control over the content of your emails and can make it clear what action you want readers to take, whether that’s purchasing a new book, posting a review, or replying to share their thoughts.
- It’s easy to test and measure results. Trying out different subject lines, email layouts, or calls-to-action (CTAs) can have a big impact on how readers engage with your emails, and it’s straightforward to run tests and compare results between messages.
Many authors use their email lists to let readers know about new releases, but don’t forget to promote your backlist, too — there are plenty of creative ways you can encourage your existing fans to purchase older books via email.
5. Your books are a built-in promotional tool to grow your list
As an author, you have a natural way to capture readers’ attention and encourage them to subscribe to your email list: your books!
75% of authors gain new email subscribers via links in the back of their books. It’s the perfect moment to engage the readers who really loved the book they just finished and are eager for more.
A simple request to join your list to hear about future books is a great start, but one of the best ways to incentivize readers to sign up is with a piece of downloadable free content (a “reader magnet”). This could be a sample of the next book in the series, a deleted scene or bonus scene from the book they just finished, a workbook or other resource, or even an entire ebook.
Are you investing in growing your email list this year? Why or why not? Share this post and your thoughts!
