Is a Blogger’s Money Really in the List?

I know you have heard this over and over.  The money is in the list.  Is the money really in the list?  Well that depends on many factors. Many times yes, many times no.

This is usually preached by the leaders in the affiliate marketing industry, that you need a list.  The thing is, there are many different niches out there, not just the affiliate marketing niche.  Many make sense to have a list.  There are some however that simply just do not.

Many just start a blog, toss a sign up box on it to grow a  list without another thought.  Usually because that is what the masses tell them to do.  Every blog, every niche is different and building a list or how you serve that list is not a one size fits all black and white sort of thing.

Does Your Blog Even Need a List

I will start with an example of a blog that doesn’t really need a list.  Let’s take a gift blog.  A blog that has gift ideas for different people, ages and interests.  If I land on this blog, say on a post about gifts for grandma and happen to sign up for your list, what happens next? I need a gift for Grandma, probably just once a year.

Do you send me an email next week with gifts for toddlers?  I am 55, I don’t have any toddlers.  People don’t usually buy gifts everyday, so email marketing probably isn’t worth the cost.

To need a list, you need to be able to target a specific group of people with an ongoing interest in your specific  topic, not just something they seek out once or twice a year. If you don’t have a specific topic, you probably don’t need a list.

You need to have a return on your investment.  If your list isn’t making you money, consider if you are targeting your audience correctly or maybe your blog isn’t targeted.

The Mental Opt Out in List Building

Mental opt out happens when you send emails that don’t grab attention or emails that just seem like the same thing you have read a thousand times.  You know, like the “make thousands of dollars today” thing.  How many times have you seen such promises?  How many times did it actually happen?  We consumers are getting savvy and we opt out mentally more and more.

Take a stroll through your own inbox.  How many emails do you not even open and why?  What kind of lists do you unsubscribe to? What email titles just make your eyes glaze over?

Be Real With Your List

I know many believe the soul purpose of your list is to make money.  While yes, making money is what we all want, a list is a great way to build a relationship with your readers.  The best way to do this is to just be you and offer them value.  Value can range from tips to sharing a new product that will help them.

I think it’s obvious to your reader if you are trying to help them or trying to just make a buck on a random product and this happens because you took the time to build the relationship in the first place.

An email list is a line of direct communication to your reader.  Safe from algorithm changes of social media and the search engines.