I have a good understanding of opt-ins and the benefits of your email list driving traffic to your blog. My question is how do you use that email list to help monetize your blog? (aside from the traffic it generates)
Majority of email marketers tend not to focus on driving their subscribers to their blog but instead drive them to affiliate promotions. The main priority is to build a relationship and trust with your email list, if you publish valuable blog posts then you can send an email to your list informing them and insert the blog post link. This not only drives them to your blog providing them with value in your post increasing trust but also puts them in front of any affiliate links or banners you may have in your post or sidebar etc.
Once you've built a email list related to your niche, you could act as a solo ad seller to send that particular traffic to those who need it. E.g. you have a weight loss site and have been collecting subscribers in that niche. There are people who want to direct weight loss traffic to their offers.
I couldn't agree more with what Thomas had stated. In addition you can act as middle man and be an seller and divert that possible traffic to those who are in need of it. You need to establish a very good relationship with your list though, to make it work.
Once you have an email list you have one of the best traffic generators! No reason to drive this traffic to your blog (unless it's to a page with a specific offer); use the blog to help build the optin list. Then send your subscribers directly to an offer, either your own product or an affiliate offer. You have created a relationship with your list so this 'warm' traffic converts well (if you've established a strong bond with your email subscribers). You can now market to them over and over again.
Presumably you have picked a niche and are attracting subscribers to your email list because of a common bond with this niche. You will then be sending out quality emails to your subscribers on a regular basis (2-3 times a week) and maybe once very 3-4 emails you would include a link/reference to an affiliate product that you believe in, which should be related to your chosen niche. Your subscribers will have come to trust you by now and some of them will make a purchase. Rinse and repeat. Good Luck
Too right. The problem I have is building the list quickly. I have paid for some solo ads and spent $150 and have only 60 subscribers. Granted it is targeted but it is taking a long time. Any ideas to supercharge this will be appreciated.
I have read that funnel clicks convert better than solo ad clicks. I will be trying it myself very soon. Give it a try and compare. Good Luck