How to Passively Promote Your Content Upgrade
Episode #4 of the course How to rapidly grow your email list by Jessica Festa
By now, you’ve created an amazing Content Upgrade. Now, let’s get it in front of as many eyes as possible.
While we talked about promoting the freebie with targeted blog posts, let’s dive into some passive strategies.
A Thank You Page
New subscribers should be redirected to a thank you page welcoming them to the community. Let them know that their freebie will be hitting their inbox soon, but in the meantime, they should share the great offer with their friends.
Make it easy for them to share by adding a clickable Tweet to the page. You can create this using the free ClickToTweet tool. Sample text:
“Congrats on taking the first step on the path to your best life! You’ll soon receive an email with my blogging resource library. In the meantime, why not share this exclusive offer with your pals?
Subscribe to @jessonajourney for a library of FREE blogging worksheets! http://eepurl.com/cBadir -Tweet That” [<- This text would be clickable to turn into a Tweet]
On Your Website
You’ll want your Content Upgrade to be one of the first options the subscriber has when they visit your website. This means it should be promoted above the fold (what the reader sees on your homepage before scrolling) at least once—more times, if possible.
For example, you can have a homepage header image that promotes the freebie and a menu item. Melyssa Griffin’s website offers an excellent example. You might also install the free SumoMe plugin and create a clickable smartbar promoting the opt-in.
Don’t forget about that sidebar! Head over to Canva and create a gorgeous graphic. You can use Jetpack to upload the graphic via their Image Widget and link it to your opt-in form.
And while pop ups can be annoying, done right, they can be powerful. Choose an exit-intent popup that is shown once the reader is leaving your website. You can make one for free using plugins like SumoMe or PopupAlly.
Within Your Content
Every blog post you write should have a Call To Action (CTA). While you should be asking people to sign up for your email list within your blog posts, you can also automate this CTA with a few plugins:
• What Would Seth Godin Do?: Place an automated message (with links!) at the top of every blog post.
• Magic Action Box: Add an opt-in form at the top or bottom of every post.
• WordPress Calls to Action: In just a few clicks, easily create and add CTA boxes within content, in your sidebar, or as a popup.
Within Your About Page
The About Page is one of the most underutilized pages on any website. This is your chance to share your story in a way that resonates with visitors. Because let’s be real: Even though the page is about “you,” it’s really about how your experiences can help “them.”
Additionally, add links to your best blog posts. Because they’ll be impressed with your knowledge at this point, it’s also the perfect place to have an email opt-in box showcasing your Content Upgrade.
In Social Media Bios
The problem with many social media bios is they read very “me, me, me.” Instead, make it about “them” by using a formula like: “I help_____ (group of people) do _____ (how do you help?).”
Then, add another sentence that can lead to additional followers and email subscribers: “Snag my free [insert Content Upgrade] here: [insert link].”
You can use bitly to create customized short links, like bit.ly/free-sheets, which serves as another reminder of how generous you are.
Your Turn
Add your Content Upgrade to your About Page, social media bios, website sidebar, and within an automated CTA box using one of the plugins mentioned in the lesson (or an equivalent tool). Make sure it’s also promoted at least once above the fold on your homepage.
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