How to Grow Your Email List Using Facebook

Co-authored by Sharon Lee and Madeleine Criglow

Last Updated: December 14, 2021 References

If you're trying to market your business, or any type of content for that matter, Facebook is a great tool. It can really come in handy when you're looking to expand your email list, as the social media platform offers a variety of strategic ways to get emails from potential clients. Read on for some tips on how to boost your email following in no time!

Method 1

Method 1 of 10:
Run a contest or giveaway.

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Members will have to give their name and email address to sign up. Offer a prize related to your content or brand.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Sharon Lee
Success Strategist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.} That way, new email subscribers will be interested in what you have to offer and will hopefully stay on your list after the contest is over. To keep participants engaged and attract new people to join in on the fun, promote the contest on Facebook with repeated status updates.^{[2]
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- Contest ideas include asking a trivia question on your Facebook page, running a photo contest, or holding a caption contest.
- If you run a bakery, make the prize a free sampler of pastries. This will attract participants who are interested in your brand and will hopefully stay on your email list after the contest is over.
- Get in touch with even the contestants who don't win to thank them for their support and motivate them to stay on your email list after the contest is over.

Method 2

Method 2 of 10:
Promise exclusive content.

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Offer a free PDF or access to a class in exchange for their email.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Sharon Lee
Success Strategist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.} Choose something that you know your members would want enough to share their contact information with you. Maybe you run a tutoring business. Offer an exclusive PDF with study tips in exchange for signing up to your email list.^{[4]
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- Consider changing up what you offer regularly to reach as many people as possible.

Method 3

Method 3 of 10:
Host an event or webinar.

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Make it so people give you their email in exchange for signing up.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Sharon Lee
Success Strategist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.} Put on an in-person or virtual event that advertises your brand and encourages members interested in your product to really want to participate. Those that sign up will actually be interested in the product you're offering, so you'll not only have a bigger email list, you'll have meaningful engagement from them.^{[6]
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- For example, if you're promoting a book you wrote, host a virtual book reading.
- Promote the event regularly on your Facebook page to really get people engaged and excited. Schedule posts once a day or at least twice a week to reach as many people as possible.^{[7]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 10:
Change up your cover photo.

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Make the image the front page of your email newsletter. Alternatively, make your cover photo an ad for a current contest that you're running. Provide details in the caption that encourage readers to sign up for your email list or sign up for the contest in exchange for their email.^{[8]
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- If you don't have an email newsletter, consider making one to boost your email list. It's a great option to keep people engaged with your brand and can grow your following.

Method 5

Method 5 of 10:
Share previews of your email newsletter.

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That way viewers will want to sign up and read more. Share an excerpt or publish your whole newsletter on your website and link to it on your Facebook business page. Provide a link to signup for future email newsletters in the caption. Make it something snappy to really get readers' attention.^{[9]
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- For a good caption, try, "Like what you see? Never miss an update and signup for future newsletters here!"

Method 6

Method 6 of 10:
Use the call-to-action button on Facebook.

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This button provides a link to sign up to your email list on your cover photo. To add a call-to-action button to your Facebook business page, click "visit group." Next, click "edit button." Once you do this, it will prompt you to choose what you would like the call-to-action button to do.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Sharon Lee
Success Strategist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.} To use the button to grow your email list, click "contact you" and follow that with the "sign up" option. This will allow you to add a link to signup to your email list on your page.^{[11]
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- This method allows visitors to see the option to sign up as soon as they visit your page.^{[12]
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Method 7

Method 7 of 10:
Make a pinned post at the top of your page.

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Address new contacts directly to get people to sign up for your email list. Offer an exclusive deal for new members if they sign up and pin that post to the top of your profile. That way, it's the first thing people see, even if they haven't liked your page yet.^{[13]
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- This is a great way to make users feel welcome on your page, even if they're just learning about it. Most likely, they'll want to sign up and learn more.

Method 8

Method 8 of 10:
Create welcome posts for new members.

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Encourage them to sign up for your email list to learn more. Tag your new members in the post so that they'll be sure to see it and offer an incentive for users to sign up in the post. Mention the benefits of signing up for email updates (discount codes, up-to-date information, free products, etc.) or promise an exclusive offer for signing up.^{[14]
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Method 9

Method 9 of 10:
Try text-to-join to add people to your email lists.

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Prompt people to submit their email after they text you. Text-to-join works by encouraging people to text a keyword followed by a specific number. Once they do that, they're automatically signed up for text alerts. Choose a third-party marketing tool of your choice to set up the text-to-join number. Customize your first response so that it asks users for their email.^{[15]
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- This is an easy way to reach people who may be looking at your Facebook page on their phone.

Method 10

Method 10 of 10:
Run a Facebook ad.

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These cost money, but can really help boost your email following. First, select the kind of campaign you want to run. Either choose a lead generation campaign or a conversion campaign. Both require a lead magnet, meaning something to incentivize people to sign up. This can either be a free product or an exclusive service.^{[16]
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- Choose a lead generation campaign if you're newer to marketing on Facebook. It's cheaper and lets you stay within Facebook to run the ad, so you don't need a website to link to in order to get an email from your new members.^{[17]
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- Pick a conversion campaign if you're more experienced with email marketing. You still offer a free product or service in exchange for an email, but it'll prompt people to your website to sign up and learn more.^{[18]
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