How to Grow Your Email List with Instagram

Co-authored by Christina Bachelor and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 13, 2021

No matter how many followers you have on social media, it’s always a good idea to get people on an email list as well. With an email list, you can send out any kind of content you want on any schedule you want—there’s no algorithm or shadowban to contend with. Growing your email list can take a bit of effort, but it’s worth it! Keep reading to learn how you can get people to sign up for your email list on Instagram with every post and story you put up.

Method 1

Method 1 of 8:
Put your sign-up page in your bio.

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Make it the first thing people see when they click on your page. If you’re a business page, you can add a link to your bio easily when you edit your profile. Add something like “Sign up for my email list!” so people know what they’re clicking.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Christina Bachelor
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Expert Interview. 23 April 2021.}
- To add a link to your page, click “Edit Profile” then paste your email signup link where it says “Website.”
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Method 2

Method 2 of 8:
Promote your email list in your stories.

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If you have more than 10,000 followers, you can add a link. Add a post to your story telling your followers about all the cool content they can expect from your email list. Then, add a link for your followers to swipe up so they can sign up right away.^{[2]
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- To add a link to your stories, click the “Insert link” option in the top right-hand corner (it looks like a little chain symbol). Then, paste the link to your email signup page.
- If you have fewer than 10,000 followers, you won’t be able to add a link to your stories. You can still promote your email list and then tell your followers to click the link in your bio, though.

Method 3

Method 3 of 8:
Write about your email list in your captions.

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Try to insert it into every other post that you make. You can talk about your exclusive content or how everyone who signs up gets a free PDF. The more you tell your followers about it, the more of them will sign up!^{[3]
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Expert Source

Christina Bachelor
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Expert Interview. 23 April 2021.}
- For instance, maybe you posted a pic of your planner that you use for organization. At the end of your caption, say something like, “If you want a PDF of my weekly planner, sign up for my email list to download it for free!”
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Method 4

Method 4 of 8:
Hold a contest on Instagram.

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Have followers enter by signing up for your email list. Make a post detailing what they could win: a free trial, a percentage off, or even a physical item. Then, have them like the post and sign up for your email list to enter the contest. Don’t forget to pick a winner!^{[4]
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- Most people run Instagram contests for 1 to 2 weeks until they choose a winner.

Method 5

Method 5 of 8:
Offer a free service in exchange for signing up.

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Give people a discount code or a free PDF if they register. To make this even more appealing, tell your followers that you’re only offering this free service for a limited time, like 1 or 2 weeks. Then, give everyone who signs up a little bonus as a thank you.^{[5]
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Research source}
- This is also a fun way for people to test out your products for free!
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Method 6

Method 6 of 8:
Engage with your followers over DM.

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At the end of the conversation, send them your email signup. Ask your followers to message you with questions. When they do, have a thoughtful, engaging conversation with them where you explain the services you provide and what you have to offer. At the end of the conversation, send them your email link and ask them to sign up to learn more. Don’t pressure them, but let them know that the best way to reach you is via email.^{[6]
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- You could say something like, “If you need any more info, sign up for my email list! I will go into more details about my services there.”

Method 7

Method 7 of 8:
Post exclusive content for your email subscribers.

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Don’t give away all your tips and tricks online. Instead, post a hint or a teaser about your content, then let your followers know they can get the full thing through your email list. It will incentivise people to sign up so they can learn more.^{[7]
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Research source}
- For instance, if you have 5 tips on how to grow your small business, post about 2 of them on your Instagram. Then, say something like, “The last 3 tips are exclusively for my email subscribers! Click the link in my bio to sign up for free and access exclusive content once a week.”
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Method 8

Method 8 of 8:
Host an Instagram Live with tips and strategies.

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Then, send a handout via your email list with details. Let your followers know when you’re going Live well in advance so they have time to plan for it. During your Live, give away simple tips and business strategies to all your followers. When you’re done, tell them that you’ll send out a PDF with all your content if they sign up for your email list.^{[8]
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- Going Live on Instagram regularly is a great way to engage with your audience in a more personalized way.
- Try telling your followers when you’ll be going Live at least 24 hours in advance.

Community Q&A

Question

What's the benefit of having a business account with Instagram? Why can't I just use a personal account?

Christina Bachelor
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Christina Bachelor is a Marketing and Advertising Specialist and the Co-Founder and CEO of Bach Enterprises in Los Angeles, California. She specializes in navigating social media landscape, building long-lasting branded partnerships, and producing digital content. Christina holds a BA in Accounting from The University of Florida and an MA in Accounting from The University of Southern California. She has created numerous partnerships with notable brands including Toyota, Lyft, Postmates, EA Games, and Trident. Christina was the Executive Producer of “Dead House” for Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network and the Co-Executive Producer for “Where’s the Money” starring King Bach, Logan Paul, Kat Graham, and Terry Crews. Christina also co-founded the RuJohn Foundation, which is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the necessary tools for education to rural and inner-city schools throughout Jamaica and the United States.

Christina Bachelor

Marketing & Advertising Specialist

Expert Answer

With a business account, you can utilize analytics. This will really help you understand your audience. If you don't know who you're talking to, you can't identify your market. If that happens, how are you going to sell your product or service? You can only access those analytics with a business account, though.
Question

How can I automatically post content to get more emails?

Christina Bachelor
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Christina Bachelor is a Marketing and Advertising Specialist and the Co-Founder and CEO of Bach Enterprises in Los Angeles, California. She specializes in navigating social media landscape, building long-lasting branded partnerships, and producing digital content. Christina holds a BA in Accounting from The University of Florida and an MA in Accounting from The University of Southern California. She has created numerous partnerships with notable brands including Toyota, Lyft, Postmates, EA Games, and Trident. Christina was the Executive Producer of “Dead House” for Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network and the Co-Executive Producer for “Where’s the Money” starring King Bach, Logan Paul, Kat Graham, and Terry Crews. Christina also co-founded the RuJohn Foundation, which is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the necessary tools for education to rural and inner-city schools throughout Jamaica and the United States.

Christina Bachelor

Marketing & Advertising Specialist

Expert Answer

The Instagram Creator Studio makes it really easy to schedule out content you want to post. You can generate posts using that to encourage followers to sign up for your email lists.
Question

How much does it cost to publish Instagram story ads?

Christina Bachelor
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Christina Bachelor is a Marketing and Advertising Specialist and the Co-Founder and CEO of Bach Enterprises in Los Angeles, California. She specializes in navigating social media landscape, building long-lasting branded partnerships, and producing digital content. Christina holds a BA in Accounting from The University of Florida and an MA in Accounting from The University of Southern California. She has created numerous partnerships with notable brands including Toyota, Lyft, Postmates, EA Games, and Trident. Christina was the Executive Producer of “Dead House” for Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network and the Co-Executive Producer for “Where’s the Money” starring King Bach, Logan Paul, Kat Graham, and Terry Crews. Christina also co-founded the RuJohn Foundation, which is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the necessary tools for education to rural and inner-city schools throughout Jamaica and the United States.

Christina Bachelor

Marketing & Advertising Specialist

Expert Answer

There are so many different prices depending on where the ads are going that it's hard to say. I will say this, though. When you start doing this, pay close attention to how the ads are performing. You're much better off putting your money and energy into the types of ads that perform well with your audience.