The Stupid And Crazy Reasons Why Readers Are Not Subscribing On Your Blog (And What To Do About It)

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Ever wondered why your eye-catching bribe does not seduce enough people to take action and subscribe? You often hear how popular bloggers brag about their daily conversions.

“We increased our daily email subscribers by 600%.”

“I grow my email list from 50 to 150 customers daily.”

“160 subscribers daily and still counting.”

You stumble on their blog to gain more insight into what triggers their audience to take action, only to find out their allure is no better than yours.

And you can’t help but think…

How exactly do they do it? What’s the secret behind their daily success and boasting? Why are people knocking on their door begging to join their email list?

The Simple Reason People Aren’t Subscribing To Your Blog

Once upon a time, you could create a short guide that promised to solve people’s problems, and you could build an email list.

But those days are long gone.

Nowadays people are afraid to give their email address to just anyone because they want to be free from an overload of weekly newsletters and spam emails that promise to solve a problem in their life but failed.

Your blog readers are looking for a valuable reason to give out their email addresses”

The solution – give them a quality reason why your blog stands out, a reason that easily overweighs all their reasons not to sign up.

And the following steps will help you to get your readers drooling to join your list.

Here’s how:

The Big Benefit of List Building

Let’s get this straight and done with. An email list is one of the most important blogging assets and most bloggers advise you to build it up from day one.

The only problem?

They don’t tell you what to do to make your readers actually take that action. They also forget to tell you step by step how to implement the strategies they offer. And it’s terribly annoying.

And maybe that’s why you aren’t seeing it as valuable. That’s why you aren’t taking it seriously. And that’s why your list isn’t growing.

Well, here’s the thing…

If you take list building seriously, it’ll eventually mean the difference between success and failure for your blogging business.

Maybe you don’t know, your list is a profitable asset. They are your future customers who will someday pay your bills and send you on vacation to the Bahamas.

The problem:

They aren’t signing up no matter what you say or do.

Don’t worry. This post is a quick fix to get subscribers begging to get on your flight. And it all boils down to 5 easy steps.

Want to know how?

Consider Your Placement

You’ve probably heard this advice, “Place your newsletter form somewhere on your blog and visitors will locate it and sign up to get weekly updates.,” or “Place the form on your sidebar,” and maybe “Get another popup staring at readers in the face.”

It’s a good idea, right?

Well, wrong.

List building is now far beyond all that. Today it’s about being strategic and more deliberate.

So you want to ask, Where do I place them? A smart question.

And the answer?

There are 9 strategic places on your blog that give high (CTR) and they work like a charm in getting readers clicking. So let’s look at them quickly:

Top Featured Box:

Have you considered placing it above the fold of your blog? Aha! Chances are you have not even given it a thought. But listen, it is generally proven that blogs with opt-in boxes convert more traffic. Here’s what it looks like in real life on Smart Blogger.

Because that’s the first thing readers get to see when they land on your blog. It welcomes and pulls them in.

The point?

Get a featured box on your blog and watch your list grow.

Top Sidebar:

Sidebars are the next most important spot to get a SignUp form. In fact, it’s the most common I have seen on blogs.

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of sidebars anymore and I have not used them on any blog In recent years. I just think it has been overused. This doesn’t take away the fact many bloggers still use it because it converts.

So, to get your visitors to opt in, you should get one or two up and running. Neil Patel’s sidebar has more than one, giving the visitor multiple opportunities to subscribe. Also, See how he smartly positioned his call to action.

About Page

This page on your blog is one of the prominent and most visited pages of your blog. When you provide value, your readers want to know more about you. It’s an opportunity to let them in on your offers. See an example on Backlinko.

Pop-Ups

Michael Dunlop of incomedairy.com uses a popup to increase subscriptions to up 200%. I discovered prominent bloggers are also using it:, Jon Morrow, Darek Halpin, Yaro Starek, Jeff Bullas, and yours truly, all raking in hundreds of subscribers.

It’s annoying, granted.

But with a sizzling and breathtaking offer, you’re the boss.

After The Post

Increase your chances of getting more signups by adding a form just after your post. It’s an emotional game, always play the damn out of it. Anyone who just finished reading helpful content from you would be happy to want more from you. Just align your boxes nicely just after the post.

See how we did that here:

Hello Bar

Positioned at the very top of your blog can help increase the chances of getting readers clicking and getting them on board.

The best part?

They are seen and get noticed before any other Optin box on the page.

The Footer

When readers read your blog post to the end, they are presented with an Optin form that throws a SignUp opportunity at them. It’s great because that’s the last opportunity they have before walking away. Come on, why not utilize that spot? Get your readers in by placing one. See how Pat Flynn used his footer.

The Bottom line?

Your placements are as important as the email list building in itself. jackpot city Get it wrong, and you are screwed. And you can keep hitting your head against the rock and hoping for miracles… but no matter how you try it’s never going to work.

Display Irresistible Benefits

If you want more sign-ups, your subscription boxes or pages need to answer the question: “What’s in it for readers?” You see, readers are sceptical about giving their email addresses away.

For goodness sake, no one wants to get bombarded with spam emails.

So to get them in, show them the carrots, and the big benefits of why they should sign up.

Make them feel they have something great to lose if they don’t hop on immediately.

How do you capture them?

Use strong and irresistible headlines in your pages and subscription boxes.

Neil Petal is an expert and demonstrates this clearly.

So, go ahead and re-write your headlines.

Display Social Proof

The easiest way to win the attention of your readers is to show and prove that your argument is time-tested and solid. And you see, people are easily swayed into taking action when they see others doing the same.

I discovered this with my own blog posts over the years. People are more enticed to drop comments if they see others dropping theirs.

The same goes for subscribers.

The fix:

Display proof.

Prove to them that you are the best person for the topic.

How?

Tell meaningful stories, do case studies, and show social or subscriber counts. You can also display testimonials right before your Optin forms. Quick and easy, right?  Next…

Make It Concrete And Promising

Avoid using hidden, bland words and sleazy designs. Make your subscription boxes look professional, visible, and promising.

Do readers struggle to find your subscription or Opt-in boxes? Is there a clear call to action? Does it have a magnetic effect?

If yes, then you are doing great; otherwise, rewrite them immediately.

Use The Word “FREE”

You are probably thinking about why I decided to add this point, right?

Well, here it is: If you aren’t using it in your lead magnet, then you are making a huge mistake.

Why?

The word “free” is a powerful emotional trigger and a source of irrational excitement.

Yes!

It’s one of the most powerful words used by copywriters and in the business world to win more clients. It magnetizes and draws in readers. Surprisingly, it also appeals to interest and greed.

Used right, it’ll revamp your list-building efforts.

Want to see examples?

Jeff Bullas also uses the same formula on his sidebar Optin boxes and this makes a lot of sense, right?

The catch though?

Use the word with caution and only as occasions demand. Or else? You’ll subconsciously program your readers to never buy anything from you in the future…

The bottom line?

Use the word in your subscription boxes and pages to maximize clicks, boost sales, and entice your readers into giving you their email addresses.

Interesting, huh?

The Hidden Secret To Getting 200% Optin Rate

You’re probably thinking right now: “Daps if list building is crucial, why isn’t every blogger emphasizing this?”

The answer?

Maybe they don’t want you to know, or more likely, they trust someone else would tell you.

And until now, you’ve wandered around in circles looking for that nugget of wisdom that will transform your list-building efforts.

Because, what’s the rationale behind blogging in silence?

It’s time to begin building your list like a real pro. Focus on those things that give maximum benefits.

And it begins by rewriting your copy, checking your placements, show benefits. Shamelessly display social proof, make your form professional, and use the power of “free”

It’s time to set sail and get the world clicking on your buttons, saying “Yes, I need it,”. “Me too,” and “Get me on board.”

It’s possible.

You too can do it.

This is your chance.