Email marketing remains one of the most profitable channels in digital marketing. While social media algorithms limit organic reach and ad costs keep rising, your email list belongs entirely to you. Creators who build their presence through MyLinkHub know this well: email is the only channel no algorithm can take away from you. In this article you'll learn how to build an email list from scratch and write newsletters people genuinely open and read.
Why email marketing still works – and better than ever
Research shows that email marketing delivers an average return of $36–42 for every dollar spent – the highest ROI of any marketing channel. Meanwhile, average organic reach on Facebook has dropped below 5%. An email list is an asset that doesn't disappear when a platform changes its algorithm or bans your account.
Newsletter subscribers are also the warmest possible audience – they actively asked for your messages. That level of engagement is impossible to replicate in any other channel.
How to build an email list from zero
1. Choose an email marketing platform
A free account with one of the popular tools is all you need to start:
- Mailchimp – free up to 500 subscribers, very beginner-friendly
- Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) – free up to 300 emails per day, feature-rich
- ConvertKit – built for creators, excellent automations
- MailerLite – free up to 1,000 subscribers, intuitive interface
Don't wait until you have "enough" addresses – start collecting them today. An email list grows linearly, but its value grows exponentially.
2. Create a lead magnet
A lead magnet is a free piece of value offered in exchange for an email address. It's the most effective way to grow your list quickly. Options include:
- A PDF checklist or guide (e.g. "10 steps to a better portfolio")
- A mini email course (a sequence of 5–7 automatically delivered messages)
- A downloadable template (spreadsheet, contract template, photo preset)
- Access to exclusive content or recordings
- A discount on a product or service
3. Place your sign-up form where people can see it
Your sign-up form should appear everywhere potential subscribers find you: on your homepage, in your blog footer, in your social media bios. A link in bio page is one of the best spots – that's where everyone lands when they click your Instagram or TikTok link. Instead of losing that traffic, convert it into subscribers. More subscriber growth strategies are covered in our Online Marketing hub.
How to write newsletters people open
The subject line is everything
On average, 47% of recipients decide whether to open an email based solely on the subject line. Key rules:
- Be specific: "5 CV mistakes that recruiters reject" works better than "Important career info"
- Spark curiosity without clickbait – readers remember when you disappoint them
- Run A/B tests – send two subject lines to 20% of your list, send the winner to the rest
- Personalisation (first name in subject) lifts open rates by 26%
Structure of an effective newsletter
- Opener – one sentence that connects to a current event or reader pain point
- Main content – one idea, developed with real value (not five topics at once)
- Call to action – one button or link, one clear ask
- Footer – contact details and unsubscribe link (legally required)
Sending frequency – how often per week?
- At least once a month – less and readers forget who you are
- Optimally once a week – builds a reading habit
- Consistency matters more than frequency – biweekly and reliable beats weekly and erratic
Segmentation and automation – advanced email marketing
Once your list grows past a few hundred subscribers, segmentation pays off: split subscribers into groups and send each group tailored content. Personalised emails generate 760% more revenue than mass broadcasts.
Automations (welcome sequences, reminders, follow-ups) work for you around the clock – once set up, they deliver value to every new subscriber without your involvement.
Key metrics in email marketing
- Open Rate (OR) – what % of recipients opened the email; industry average is 20–30%
- Click-Through Rate (CTR) – what % clicked a link; a good result is 2–5%
- Unsubscribe Rate – if it exceeds 0.5%, your content isn't reaching the right audience
- Conversion – how many took the desired action (purchase, sign-up, contact)
Where to start today
Pick a platform, create a simple sign-up form and decide what you'll offer in exchange for an email address. You don't need a perfect lead magnet from day one – promise valuable content and deliver on that promise in your very first message.
If you want your newsletters to have something worth promoting, check out how to build a content marketing strategy – email and content together are far more effective than either on its own.
An email list is the only medium over which you have complete control. – Seth Godin