grow your blog traffic using email marketing
DESCRIPTION
How to use your email newsletter to grow traffic and your audience for your blog, website, or business.TRANSCRIPT
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014
Audience Building With Email How to grow your blog’s audience using the web’s oldest technology.
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Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 2
Hi.
I’m Brian Casel Designer. Founder. Writer. New Dad.
!
!
Twitter @casjam Email [email protected]
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 3
Restaurant Engine • Streamlined website design for
Restaurants.
• Built on WordPress Multisite. Hosted, managed service.
• Our blog and email strategy drives 95% of our traffic and sales.
!RestaurantEngine.com
RestaurantEngine.com/blog
What I do
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 4
My blog, casjam.com • Articles & Email Newsletter
• Podcast, Bootstrapped Web
• Book, Design For Conversions
• Course, Content Marketing Automation
!casjam.com
casjam.com/course
What I do
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 5
Why Email?
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 6
Email > Social
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 7
Email > RSS
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 8
Email > SEO
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 9
Email is…
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 10
Email is…Attention
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 11
Email is…Attention
Trust
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 12
Email is…Attention
Trust
Engagement
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 13
Email is…Attention
Trust
Engagement
Here to stay
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 14
Email is…Attention
Trust
Engagement
Here to stay
Universal
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 15
Email is…Attention
Trust
Engagement
Here to stay
Universal
Yours
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 16
Blog = Email
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 17
!
Results
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 18
Case Study
casjam.com • Blogging since 2008
• Audience of my peers
• Case studies & lessons learned
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 19
Case StudyCasjam.com Visits
0
1750
3500
5250
7000
4/11 7/11 10/11 1/12 4/12 7/12 10/12 1/13 4/13 7/13 10/13 1/14 4/14
Visits
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 20
Case Study75% Return Visitors
0
1750
3500
5250
7000
4/11 7/11 10/11 1/12 4/12 7/12 10/12 1/13 4/13 7/13 10/13 1/14 4/14
Visits Return Visits
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 21
Case StudyStarted Email Newsletter
0
1750
3500
5250
7000
4/11 7/11 10/11 1/12 4/12 7/12 10/12 1/13 4/13 7/13 10/13 1/14 4/14
Visits Return Visits
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 22
Case Study
My Newsletter • Every 2 Weeks (ish)
• Personal note
• Why my latest article should matter to you
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 23
Case Study
Restaurant Engine !
• Launched Jan. 2012
• Education Marketing
• Systematized & Automated Content Marketing
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 24
Case StudyRestaurantEngine.com Visits
0
4000
8000
12000
16000
1/12 4/12 7/12 10/12 1/13 4/13 7/13 10/13 1/14 4/14
Visits
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 25
Case Study73% Return Visitors
0
4000
8000
12000
16000
1/12 4/12 7/12 10/12 1/13 4/13 7/13 10/13 1/14 4/14
Visits Return Visitors
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 26
Case StudyStarted Email Newsletter
0
4000
8000
12000
16000
1/12 4/12 7/12 10/12 1/13 4/13 7/13 10/13 1/14 4/14
Visits Return Visitors
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 27
Case Study
Restaurant Engine Newsletter
!• Every Tuesday
• Branded
• Standardized format
• Strong visual
• Short reason why you should read this week’s article
• Prominent, single call-to-action
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 28
!
Retention
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 29
Discovery Retention
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 30
Discovery RetentionSEO
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 31
Discovery RetentionSEO
Social Media
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 32
Discovery RetentionSEO
Social Media
Ads
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 33
Discovery RetentionSEO
Social Media
Ads
Word of Mouth
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 34
Discovery RetentionSEO
Social Media
Ads
Word of Mouth
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 35
Discovery RetentionSEO
Social Media
Ads
Word of Mouth
Relationship
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 36
Discovery RetentionSEO
Social Media
Ads
Word of Mouth
Relationship
Trust
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 37
Discovery RetentionSEO
Social Media
Ads
Word of Mouth
Relationship
Trust
Value
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 38
Visitor Lifecycle
Discovery Subscriber Fan Raving Fan
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 39
Visitor Lifecycle
Discovery Subscriber Fan Raving Fan
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 40
Your Emails
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 41
No Rules!
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 42
(…but some tips)Send early and often
Write them yourself
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 43
Incentive • Give away more value
• Relevant = Conversions
• Immediate delivery
• “Drip” delivery
!
More tips…
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 44
Minimal Format • Reads like a regular email
• Personal voice
• Mobile-friendly
!
More tips…
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 45
One thing • Single call-to-action
• Something of value
• Relevant, compelling subject line
• Short, compelling message
!
More tips…
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 46
!
WordPress
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 47
My Setup
Gravity Forms MailChimp
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 48
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 49
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 50
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 51
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 52
Alternatives
bit.ly/mailbag-plugin
Mailbag • Available on Wordpress.org
• by Mike McCalister (Array)
!!
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 53
Alternatives
bit.ly/mailchimp-wordpress
MailChimp Tested Plugins
!• Collection of plugins tested by the
Mailchimp team
!!
Brian Casel · WordCamp Connecticut 2014 54
Thanks! Questions?
One more thing…My email newsletter & free course:Content Marketing Automationcasjam.com/course