How to build your email list from Facebook

Building your email list from Facebook can be challenging, as Facebook ultimately want you to pay to do this in the way of ads.

The benefits of using Facebook Ads to grow your email list include:

• Quick to set up
• Instant results if your ad strategy works
• Can be hyper targeted on who you want to target

There are also some downsides to Facebook Ads to build your email list:

• Can be very expensive
• Limited options
• Can have poor conversion rates based on other examples
• Limited customisation options - only multiple choice + short text answers

Promoting via regular Facebook posts can also have a poor conversion rate due to the generally low take up rate with these types of posts - usually in the 0.5 - 2% conversion rate mark.

An alternative to Facebook Ads - Gamified Lead Magnet Ideas

The guiding principle of capturing ‘zero-party data’ is if you provide your audience with a great experience, they’ll happily provide you with their data.

Coupling Facebook with gamified content as a lead magnet can help drastically grow your email list conversion rates. Here’s how an Australian sports team used a polling tool to grow their email list and capture quality leads, and a Record store used a simple competition mechanic to grow their email list.

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It takes a little more time to set up, but using a tool like Campaignware’s 50+ pre-made interactive content examples can really help. 

1. Sign up for an account
2. Head to the ‘Create New Campaign’ page
3. Select the goals Grow Database and Audience + Fan Engagement
4. Pick a lead magnet template that works for your audience

5. Customise it and get it ready
6. Embed it onto your website
7. Share it across your social networks to drive engagement, or boost it with Ads.
   
   

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One of the key benefits here is you’re converting your Facebook audience who are mostly anonymous and unknown, into your email list - which is a high value email subscriber since they’re already familiar with you and your brand, and you’re doing it in a way that’s simple, brand authentic and high performing.

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