Yoooooooooo! I finally started a newsletter! You heard it right!! I started a newsletter. I have had this blog for 4 months now and I feel like it is a perfect time to have a mailing list up and running but before we go on, just before we go on, I want to thank you all for the love and support y’all have showed me. Like I said earlier, it’s been just 4 months since I created this blog and the amount of love and support I have received from you guys has been overwhelming. So many people have reached out to me one way or the other saying they love my blog.
Related reads:
- Blogging Resources Every Blogger Should Use
- Lessons I Learnt From 3 Months Of Blogging
- Tips For Writing Better Blog Posts
Photo by Andrijana Bozic on Unsplash
My blog gets compliments all the darn time from the theme and layout to the posts. When I publish posts, you guys leave thoughtful comments. The comments literally get me dancing and high AF. Even more, when I write guest posts for other blogs, I see comments about how people love my blog and it literally makes my day. It makes me so HIGH!
I put a lot of hard work, time and effort into this blog so much that I wouldn’t have it any other way. You all have made my blogging journey worthwhile. Thank you so much for the love, support, the amazing comments and all your input to this blog. I see ya. Let’s talk about the fact that I started a newsletter!
RLG’s Newsletter
The process of creating a mailing list and a newsletter was crazy and I was excited AF throughout the whole process. I never had an interest in creating a mailing list and sending out newsletters until I read a post about a mailing list and how important it is to have one. After reading that post, I gave the mailing list thing a rethink. I decided to give it a go and it was fun. I enjoyed setting up the mailing list, I enjoyed creating the freebies. And most of all, I enjoyed writing April’s newsletter.
Now if you don’t already know, the newsletter for the month of April is ready. And it will be going out to all the lovely people on my mailing list at the end of the month. That will be RLG’s first newsletter ever and we are sure you don’t wanna miss out.
If you want to become a homie and a part of RLG’s inner circle, receive blog updates (not notifications of new posts), have access to freebies, and lots more, then my newsletter is for you and you can sign up here!. This post isn’t gonna be so much of a long one but I do wanna tell you what a mailing list is and why you need to have one up on your blog. If you are ready, let’s dive into it!
What is a mailing list?
This is a very important question that is often overlooked. At a point, when I was still a very new newbie, I thought a mailing list was the same thing as a content notification sign up haha. You know the one where you are asked to subscribe to get alerted when a new post is up. Yea, for the longest of time, I thought it was the same as a mailing list haha but I have since adjusted that reasoning.
A content notification sign up is one that alerts your subscribers of new posts when they opt in. It is automated and it sends an email to your subscribers only when there is a new post up on the blog. No new post, no email to your lovely subscribers but a mailing list allows for more flexibility. It is a collection of names and email addresses to a list by an individual or company used to send updates, materials and the likes to people who are subscribed to that list.
A content notification sign up is very important (I have one on my blog) but it only alerts people of new posts and nothing else. Meanwhile, a mailing list allows you to do much more, be more personal with emails, send updates, etc. It’s important to sign up to the both tho as they aim at completely different things. I mean you would sure love to be alerted of new posts and be a part of RLG’s big family as well. More importantly, I would love to have you on both ends haha!
I use MailChimp for my email list and they are wonderful. There are a lot of options to choose from tho. There’s Convert kit, Flodesk, Mailer lite, there’s a lot but you should go with whichever one works for you. I love MailChimp because it is easy to use. It has drag and drop features that you can use when writing a newsletter and I didn’t have to watch any instructional videos to create a newsletter. MailChimp is amazing. I recommend it!
Keep reading: I started a newsletter
Benefits of a mailing list!
It will help you build a stronger connection with your audience
While blog comments are an amazing way to interact, make friends and build a connection with your readers, interactions are limited as the comments are public and there’s a limit to how personal a conversation can be in the comments. But a mailing list allows you to have more personal, one on one interactions with your audience. Your audience can reply to emails, ask you questions directly in private with confidence, etc. This helps build trust, a stronger connection, and a more intimate relationship with your audience.
Emails are personal
A mailing list lets you interact with your audience on a personal level. It lets you make your business messages personal. It allows for real interactions and you can even address each user in your audience with their names. Isn’t that just fab?!
You own your email list
Many of us think we own the amount of followers we have on social media but that’s a LIE! The social media platforms own your followers on social media. The way you interact with your followers on social media changes with change in the policy of these social media platforms.
Also, come to think of it, what will happen to your followers and all your audience if Twitter decides to close up?! Yea, everything will be lost right? There are so many social media platforms that were once popular and are now extinct haha but studies have shown that there are more than 4 billion email users in the world and that’s solid proof that email isn’t going extinct anytime soon.
Oh! I said this wasn’t going to be a long post but I’m past 1000 words haha meaning it’s getting long. A mailing list is a must have. I am so glad I created one and I’m excited to start this new journey with y’all. There are so many benefits of a mailing list and these are just a few. If you don’t already have a mailing list, it is time to create one!
Woo congratulations girl! A massive step and I know it’s going to help your blog grow massively
Rosie
I am so late on the email list thing! I just struggle to make time to create content without having to think about creating a newsletter, but I really really want to.
I am using my holiday to create ideas for it and maybe over the next few months, I will finally make use of my mailchimp account that I have had for a year!
Great advice Ruth, good luck with your newsletter x
Glad you joined the club of newsletter Ruth! Just subscribed and can’t wait to read the first one! We have been using MailChimp and so far never had an issue with it, thank you for sharing x
I used to have a newsletter but just found I had nothing to report and barely anyone opened it. But I do love getting newsletters into my inbox from other bloggers. I’ll definitely sign up!
Well done on starting a newsletter lovely! It sounds amazing x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Well done on starting a newsletter. I’ve just signed up.
This is amazing, congrats! I never got the chance to really look into it, but someday, I’d like to have a newsletter as well. I love to see how bloggers create and style their own personal newsletters. It does have great benefits to it.
Inna | https://thedaiilysunlight.blogspot.com
Congrats on how far you have come! I really need to get on the mailing list bandwagon, but I seriously struggle to think of unique ideas to mail each month other than my posts and updates. but I think this is a sign I need to get on it, and will look into the platforms you mentioned!
-Gigi| https://www.guidancebygigi.com
I’ve just started putting together a newsletter with Mailchimp! Do you use the free version or paid? x
Congratulations! That’s wonderful! I have a mailing list, but I definitely have to get more consistent with it. Good luck with the newsletter! 🎉
Reading thoughts on something I have written from other people is truly an uplifting and happy moment in my days! That people spend time on our writing is a special relationship to be nurtured.
Love that you are starting an email list! I am looking to start one, so I will be pleased to join yours. <3
Congratulations 🎉 I always enjoy getting to read your blog post. I currently am just starting on having an email list and I’m over six months in so it’s never too late.
Huge congratulations, that’s amazing news! I can definitely see how they’re beneficial for your blog and for connecting with your audience.
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
WOO! Amazing that you’ve taken this step! Good for you girl. I agree it’s important to have an email list! Thank you so much for sharing!
Congrats on your first Newsletter, that’s amazing!
I’ve only just started focusing on my mailing list and wish I had started much sooner. Great post!
Well done for starting a newsletter lovely! It sounds amazing Xo
Congrats on starting a newsletter! I have a new post notification on my blog but not a mailing list as such, although it’s something I do want to try and build this year. Not least because as you say, those names will be my list rather than anyone else’s!
Congratulations! I use Mailerlite because it’s easy to use and I’m happy with the finished product- but MailChimp is super popular too! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I can’t wait to see your latest newsletters!
Wow, the initiative you have! I’m jealous haha. I guess I’ll just start my newsletter when I switch to WordPress. Yes, I agree to all your benefits about having a mailing list. Great post, thanks for sharing!
http://www.lifebeginsattwenty.com
Congrats on your mailing list! I’ve just subscribed! Thank you for sharing this post as it’s so useful! I don’t have a mailing list but I’m definitely going to start one at some point.
Congrats on taking that HUGE step.
Honestly I’m still trying to figure it out. This had lots of good info. Thanks for sharing!
Ahh I’m so excited for you! I’ve literally just done this about two weeks ago as well, although I have to admit I’m still trying to figure out exactly what I want to send (like, one for each post, but then I don’t want to spam people who might get alerts in other ways?) and how to grow my freebie library. Best of luck with yours!
Yay! Congratulations – it’s so an exciting part of your journey to start! I haven’t got a mailing list but it’s something I hope that I’ll be able to start this year.
That is so great! I haven’t used a mailing list before, so maybe I will start one myself to… would love to join yours! <3
I love this! I hope that I can build my blog up to a point where people actually want to read a newsletter lol 🙂
Fantastic read and super informative too
http://www.itsrebeccaellis.co.uk
Congratulations! I announced the start of my newsletter this month and am planning to send my first newsletter in May. So I totally understand your feelings about it. It’s exciting! And something new to explore and a new way to connect. It will be great.
Good luck with your newsletter!
Sumedha | the wordy habitat
Wow! That’s crazy! Great job! I’ve been blogging since 14 (since 2011) and never did this, I probably should try this year!
xx
https://anna-alina.blogspot.com
Good luck in your newsletter! I’ve just started one and need to sort out a good freebie incentive for it!
Congratulations on the newsletter Ruth! I wish you much success with your lovely blog.
Congrats!! Wishing you all the best as you put together your first newsletter. Creating a mailing list and sending out newsletters is one of my goals for the upcoming month so I found this post incredibly helpful! Thanks for sharing this.
Amazing, congrats! I really should do the same for my own blog. Thanks for sharing ❤️
I was a bit late on reading this but I think that the timing was right since I am in the process of creating my mailing list. I still think about the platform I should use.
After these moths of using Mailchimp you are still satisfied by your choice? I just joined your mailing list and got my freebies 🙂
Thank you Ruth! looking forward to receiving your newsletters also!
Hello Eri! Mailchimp is awesome but at the moment, I have switched to convertkit. I’m trying to test the waters and see which works best for me! Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! I’m excited to have you on board!