Build a highly targeted list

The job of your blog is to get you free traffic, help you build your email list and allow you to segment your readers for better targeting.

When you have a segmented list, you can create a perfectly tailored email sequence that speaks directly to this specific audience. Which in turn leads to higher conversions.

You can create a highly targeted list a few different ways.

If you have a blog with 3 main categories, create a different lead magnet and opt-in form for each of these categories.

For example:

- Budgeting

- Real estate

- Retirement

Rather than just showing one generic "finance" opt-in form, you can show readers an offer they're more likely to be interested in.

You can set up either rules or visual automations in ConvertKit to make this work.

In this visual automation, I have 3 forms, one of each of my main blog categories.

Depending on which form they join from, I add a tag and send them a targeted email series designed to sell an ebook in that particular niche.

You also allow readers to segment themselves right from the start. Create a multiple-choice opt-in form with 2-4 options.

For example, you can ask readers what they need help with the most:

You can also do levels such as beginner, intermediate and professional to send out the best content to each group.

Since ConvertKit can't do this on its own, I use the Thrive Leads plugin to create these types of forms.

What if you already have a group of general subscribers who were never segmented? You can send an email asking them to segment themselves.

You can set up link triggers in ConvertKit that will add the appropriate tag based on which link they clicked on. You can then start sending them a targeted email sequence.

Your email lists will consist of cold subscribers who never open your emails, subscribers with a small interest, subscribers who are very interested, and paid customers.

Based on your subscribers activity in your list, you can tag your subscribers and send them a highly-targeted email sequence.

Example #1: Cold subscribers

Cold subscribers do you no good. Not only do they cause your monthly cost to go up, but they also hurt your deliverability.

If email providers like Gmail see nobody is interacting with your emails, you might start seeing your emails delivered to the Promotions tab or spam folder.

Rather than deleting people who haven't opened your emails lately, give them one last chance to stay on your list.

Step 1. Find people who don't open your emails and add the tag COLD.

Step 2. Send an email where the subject line includes the words [action required].

Step 3. Inside the email, let them know they will be removed from the list unless they click on a link.

Step 4. The link would be a link trigger that removes the tag COLD if clicked.

Step 5. Give it a week and then delete any subscribers who still have the COLD tag.

Example #2: Saw your sales page, but didn't buy

You can also segment your subscribers based on whether they have visited your sales page.

If they do, you can 

Step 1. In your email series, set up a link trigger on links leading to your sales page. You can tag them as Product1-Interested.

Step 2. Unsubscribe them from welcome email series since it has done its job of moving the reader to the next step in your funnel.

Step 3. Subscribe them to the Product1-Interested email series instead.

This will be a series of highly-targeted emails about Product1. This could be emails with testimonials, frequently asked questions, free trials, and even discounts to those who still haven't bought yet.