3 Website Opt-In Forms You Need To Get More Subscribers

I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this… but your email list isn’t gonna magically grow just because you have a pretty website. Not without strategic, easy-to-find website opt-in forms.

The truth is: It’s actually NOT all that easy to convince people to give up their email addresses. Especially if you don’t make it super duper easy for them to opt in.

Which means you should ideally have multiple newsletter opt-in forms on your website (nope, just one won’t do). When you have multiple website opt-in forms, regardless of where users are in their browsing journey, they’re only just a click or two away from being able to sign up.

These are the three opt-in forms I recommend having on your website to capture more subscribers.

1. Opt-in on a dedicated “Subscribe” page

One of the best ways to boost your email list growth and make it SUPER easy for people to know where to go to subscribe is by having an actual “Subscribe” page on your site that’s linked in your main navigation.

(Check out my Subscribe page, linked in the menu bar, for an example.)

I first learned about this tip from Between The Lines Copywriting. The idea is that, instead of dangling a PDF freebie (that, let’s be real, everyone has about a million of in their downloads folder) or some generic promise of receiving “updates,” you use your Subscribe page to position your newsletter as the valuable thing itself.

What do I mean by Subscribe page? Think of it almost like a mini soft sales page for your email newsletter.

It’s a page on your website where you can clearly explain what people get if they subscribe and convince them of the value of it. It should NOT just be a random form thrown up on a new page of your site.

What to Include on Your Subscribe Page

• Compelling headline: Throw your “Subscribe for weekly updates!” heading in the trash and replace it with something that’s actually interesting. For example, for my newsletter, I could say something like, “Marketing newsletter that feels like brunch.”
• Simple but non-boring description: Explain the vibe of your newsletter, topics you cover, and the kinds of emails people will receive if they subscribe. This helps set expectations and lets people figure out if it’s a good fit for them.
• How often you send newsletters: A lot of people really appreciate knowing how often they’ll be hearing from you. If you’re upfront about the frequency, you’ll get less unsubscribes because people already know what to expect.
• Examples of past newsletters: If you have a newsletter archive for your past emails (you totally should, by the way), linking a few of your best past editions can be a great way to let people sample your content first. If it’s good, they’ll be even more ready to subscribe for real!
• Social proof: Any time you get email replies or compliments about your newsletter, take the opportunity to screenshot those comments (keep them anonymous unless you get permission), and include those directly on your Subscribe page to act as social proof.
• Mini bio: It’s a good idea to have a mini bio or “About” section towards the end of the page. This lets people coming in from external sources (like social media) get an idea of who you are.

2. Footer opt-in form

A lot of business owners leave their website footer as an afterthought (🙋‍♀️guilty!). But it’s actually a prime spot to put things you want website users to be able to easily access without just stuffing everything into your main navigation menu.

Your footer appears on every page of your website — so no matter where someone lands or what page they’re looking on, they’ll be just a scroll away from your opt-in if you place one in the footer.

Think of it like having a gentle invitation that follows visitors around as they browse your site. It’s there whenever they’re warmed up or ready to take the next step, but isn’t too intrusive or distracting.

A couple things to keep in mind when it comes to footer opt-ins:

• Simple is better: Make it quick and easy to fill out – name and email address. Don’t go overboard with lengthy descriptions and details like you did on your “Subscribe” page.
• Make it visually distinct but subtle: It should stand out enough to catch people’s attention, but the size or design shouldn’t overwhelm the entire page.

The footer form isn’t about heavy selling. It’s a low-lift way to give website visitors an easy way to say yes, regardless of where they are on your website.

3. Opt-ins on your blog

If you have a blog on your site, you should absolutely be taking advantage of that additional real estate to promote your email list.

Here’s the thing about blog posts: they’re often written with SEO in mind, which means they’re discoverable for months or years down the line by people searching on Google.

When someone enters your site for the first time through a Google search, they likely have no idea who you are. But if they like what you have to say, they might be interested in hearing more.

The best way to capture those people so they don’t just click off your site and go *poof* forever is to get them on your email list.

Two places you can place website opt-in forms on your blog:

• Your blog sidebar: If your website template/blog layout lets you have a sidebar, you should definitely place an opt-in there. You’ll only have to set up the opt-in once, and it’ll show up beside every blog post whenever someone comes across your blog. Easy peasy.
• Individual blog posts: In-post opt-ins are embedded directly within individual blog posts — often near the middle or end. You can tailor the opt-in copy to the post’s topic or link a relevant freebie to entice people to sign up.

Tip: If you have a newsletter archive on your website, include an opt-in form on every archived edition. This way, anyone who discovers it that’s NOT already on your list can subscribe if they want.

TL;DR — Make it easy for visitors to subscribe

Well-placed, on-brand website opt-in forms can help you capture more subscribers with the same amount of traffic. By giving website visitors multiple opportunities to join your list, you’re removing friction. If they’re drawn to you or your brand, it makes it a no-brainer to say yes, sign me up!

And once your website’s working double duty to grow your list, you can make your email marketing efforts go even further through content repurposing: linking past newsletters as samples on your Subscribe page and transforming your best editions into SEO-optimized blog posts.

That’s exactly what I help creative entrepreneurs do through my email repurposing services. Reach out to inquire or book your project here!