My first 3 email subscribers were Bradley, Bradley, and Bradley.
Yes. I had signed up for my own list with 3 different accounts so I could see my own sends.
After that, I shared my new email list with my mom, a few friends, and my virtual assistant.
Soon enough, I had double-digit subscribers. It was a start.
But none of those people were going to buy my products.
My mom and friends subscribed to be supportive. My VA subscribed because she works for me. Even my Copy Chief friends — some of whom HAVE purchased my products — don’t number more than a dozen people.
Real list growth (and, frankly, real revenue) requires getting strangers onto your list. People who found you because they were looking for what you offer, not because you’re mom’s favorite child or the cool online business guy in your friend group.
The good news: There are plenty of ways to do that.
The sobering news: None of them is instant.
You’re either going to spend time or money… or both. There’s no shortcut around that.
So today, you’ll learn 12 list-building channels (six organic methods where you trade time, and six paid methods where you trade money), along with the pros and cons of each, so you can figure out which ones make sense for you.
Organic (“Free”) Methods
Organic list-building methods (sometimes called “inbound marketing”) are free. You can hire professionals to do these for you (such as a social media specialist), but the method itself does not inherently cost money.
This makes organic content a great choice for brand new businesses lacking capital. Think service businesses (like myself) that need to “bootstrap” things. Bigger businesses can benefit from organic methods too, though.
These methods cost you time. They take far longer than paid methods.
However, their efforts tend to compound as you build up a base of content that lives online forever. People could stumble upon organic content from years ago and subscribe because of it.
Because of this, I recommend using multiple free channels at once since organic channels blend together more naturally…
As long as one is the “focus.”
For example, most (including me) fuse blog content and social media into 1 strategy, then supplement with the others.
1. Blog Posts/SEO
Writing blog posts is one of the oldest and most reliable organic channels.
Identify keywords (or, really, topics that interest your audience), write helpful content that covers those keywords/topics, and wait for the content to rank in search engines (mainly Google).
People then find and read your content. Some portion opts into your list via your header, footer, pop-up, or lead magnet squeeze page.
More content = more entry points. More entry points = more traffic. More traffic = more subscribers. This compounds as your content library grows and gains readers (which, in turn, helps it MORE in the algorithm).
Today, AI SEO is worth considering. Google is still something like 4-6x the search volume, though, so focus on that.
Last little note:
Podcasting could be another great long-term “online content” email list growth strategy. Episodes compound over time and build authority, but the barrier to entry is higher. Works best in the “creator” world, but eCom brands could potentially pursue this strategy.
Pros
- Content lives online indefinitely and can drive traffic + subscribers for years after publishing
- Builds authority and trust in your niche — readers who find you through search are already interested in your topic
- Compounds over time, since more content = more entry points and more chances to get found
Cons
- Takes a long time to see results, even vs. other organic methods. SEO can take months or years to gain meaningful traction
- Requires consistent effort and a solid understanding of keyword research + on-page optimization
- Algorithm changes can tank rankings overnight with no warning
2. Social Media
Social media lets you gain followers and build an audience by showing up consistently and posting content that connects with them.
“Consistently” is the keyword. Most social platforms reward regular posting and engagement with others.
Learn where your target audience spends time and focus your energy there instead of trying to be everywhere at once.
(It’s ok to have presences elsewhere, but consider using those merely to cross-post. Extra distribution with minimal extra work.)
Funnel these followers to your lead magnet/email list. Put a link in your bio, and reply to your posts with your lead magnet + a blurb.
By the way, social media is a “rented” platform. Powerful, but you’re at the mercy of the platform’s whims (algo changes, for example). Hence, the importance of funneling people to your list ASAP.
This + content is how I am building my email list at the moment, fun fact.
Pros
- Free to start and can build an audience relatively quickly with consistent posting
- Allows direct interaction with potential subscribers, building trust before they join your list
- Content can go viral and expose you to audiences beyond your current following
Cons
- Algorithm changes or account issues can wipe out reach overnight (it’s not an owned platform)
- Requires constant content creation to maintain visibility. Going quiet = lost momentum
- Converting followers to email subscribers requires an extra step that many never take
3. Podcast Guesting
Podcast guesting lets you share your expertise in conversation with someone who shares a target audience (or has an adjacent audience).
You reach out to podcast hosts in your niche, pitch yourself as a guest, do a bit of prep beforehand, share your expertise, and direct listeners to your list or lead magnet at the end.
Getting booked requires a compelling angle and genuine relevance to the host’s audience.
For instance, in the first podcast I went on, I talked about being a freelancer. A few years later, I was on my friend Brien Gearin’s podcast, Millionaire University, to talk about email marketing.
Which is another good point — make friends with people who have podcasts if possible. That’ll help out, but you still need a strong, relevant topic.
Lastly… Podcasts can be fun once you get over stage fright. Talking about a topic you’re an expert in is great.
Pros
- Gets you in front of a warm, highly engaged audience that trusts the host
- A single episode can drive subscribers for months or years if it stays in the podcast’s feed
- Builds credibility and authority by association with established hosts in your niche
Cons
- Requires landing bookings which takes outreach effort and time, especially early on
- Results are inconsistent — some episodes drive dozens of subscribers, others drive none
- You have no control over when the episode airs or how it’s promoted
4. List Swaps
A list swap is when you and another email list owner agree to promote each other’s lead magnets via email to your respective audiences. No money changes hands.
Put another way:
Your lead magnet → Sent by your partner to your partner’s email list
You partner’s lead magnet → Sent by you to your email list
Simple. Not always easy, though. Two things you have to iron out:
- A good lead magnet
- A good list swap partner
First, make sure you have a quality lead magnet worth promoting before you start pursuing swaps.
Your partner puts their reputation on the line by recommending you to their subscribers — the better your lead magnet, the more willing good partners will be to work with you, and the better the results for both sides.
Second, a good swap partner has an audience overlap. Your lead magnet can help them solve an issue adjacent to the main problem the partner solves.
For example, I am soon doing a list swap with a digital ads specialist.
My list (that is here to learn about email copy/marketing) learns something for free about ads from an ads expert (I believe it’s a swipe file of ad frameworks).
My partner’s list (there to learn about ads and ad copy) learns something for free about email from an email expert (the 10 email sequences in my Simple Email Sequences That Sell eBook).
Pros
- Free and fast to execute once you have a relationship with another operator
- Subscribers are warm since someone they trust recommended them
- Can be repeated with different partners to keep driving steady growth
Cons
- Requires a list of sufficient size for the swap to feel worthwhile to the other party (although you don’t need a MASSIVE list to start)
- A poorly matched swap can bring in poor-fit, quick-churning subscribers
- Relies on finding and maintaining relationships with other operators
5. Collaborations/Co-Marketing
A collaboration is a step beyond a list swap.
Instead of simply promoting each other’s existing content, the parties create something together to benefit their respective audiences.
The format’s flexible. You could do:
- A joint webinar where you share a stage
- A joint lead magnet
- A podcast
- Guest posts on each other’s blogs
And so on.
The key here, like with list swaps, is complementarity.
You want a partner whose audience overlaps with yours in terms of interests or problems, but who isn’t a direct competitor.
For example, I cohost a weekly Substack live show/podcast called Inside the Inbox with my friend, Pete Reginella.
Pete is a copywriter, yes, but has a more digital-product/creator audience than me (although I serve them, too). So he brings a different perspective to the email marketing topics we discuss on the show.
Or return to the earlier example of my ads specialist friend. Same type of business owner, different expertise.
Heck, I work with some of my friend Lucas’s clients, and we’ve discussed a joint lead magnet. He does similar, but not the same, types of work as me. So slightly different but overlapping audiences.
Make friends, and the collab opportunities will appear.
Pros
- Creates genuine value for both audiences rather than just a straight promotion
- Can generate significant exposure + perceived expertise if the partner has a large or highly engaged audience
- Builds relationships with other operators that can lead to future opportunities
Cons
- Requires more time and coordination than a simple list swap
- Results depend on the partner’s audience size, engagement, and how well the collab is promoted
- Finding the right partners + pitching the collab takes effort and isn’t always reciprocated
6. Referral Programs
Referral programs for email subscriptions incentivize existing subscribers to spread the word, either by:
- Rewarding them for bringing in new subscribers, OR;
- Making it easy to share your newsletter with people they think would enjoy
Mechanics vary by platform.
Tools like SparkLoop let you set up automated reward systems that reward subscribers with something for every person they refer.
Kit’s Creator Network lets you recommend other newsletters to your subscribers and have other operators recommend yours — essentially a built-in swap network.
Substack has features of both:
- You can set custom referral rewards and tiers (escalating rewards for more lifetime referrals)
- The built-in “Recommendations” function lets others funnel you subs by making your publication a “Recommendation” (I’ve gained a couple dozen subs this way)
The big catch:
This method is slow until your audience builds up. If no one is on your list, no one can refer their friends.
So set this up early, but only expect it to accelerate and compound once you gain a steady stream of good subs via other methods. Then, it’ll compound on autopilot.
Pros
- Leverages your existing audience to grow for you (word of mouth from a trusted subscriber is powerful)
- Referred subscribers tend to be high quality since they came through a personal recommendation
- Can run passively in the background once set up
Cons
- Requires an existing audience to refer from (not useful when you’re starting from zero)
- Incentive-based referrals can attract people interested in the reward rather than you
- Needs a compelling enough incentive or highly engaged audience to generate meaningful volume
Paid Methods
Paid methods inherently cost money. This shortcuts the process by letting you “buy” customers.
But you don’t need as much as you think. If you’re still small, you can start using some paid methods for a few dollars/day (a few hundred/month).
You see exactly what goes in and comes out. When you put in $1, you can tell whether you get $1+ back.
So no need to start on multiple channels. Pick ONE. Master it. Dominate it. If it isn’t working or you don’t like it, try another. You can turn off ad campaigns much more easily than organic methods.
Now, paid methods can make some subscriber relationships feel “transactional,” but the quick volume offsets that. Don’t worry about that.
1. Social Media Ads
Social media advertising is one of the most common paid channels. You buy ads, aiming to drive traffic to your lead magnet’s landing page.
Some platforms include:
- Facebook/Meta
- YouTube
Facebook/Meta is the most established and widely used. It has extensive targeting capabilities, and there’s a deep body of knowledge around what works. It also has over 3 billion users — almost half the world’s population.
That said, other platforms are catching up or carving out their own niche. For instance, Twitter/X ads are underrated. Different user intent, but less competition. It can drive high-quality subs at a better cost if you learn how to do X ads right.
Pick one ad platform and focus on it. Don’t spread yourself thin. Wait until you have a winning campaign on one platform (and a process for routinely creating them).
Pros
- Can generate subscribers quickly at scale since volume is limited only by budget
- Targetable — you can reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors
- Results are measurable and can be optimized in real time
Cons
- Costs money continuously… the moment you stop spending, the subscribers stop coming
- Requires testing and optimization to find a cost-per-subscriber that makes sense (this can be expensive to figure out)
- Ad fatigue sets in over time, requiring fresh creative and hooks to maintain performance
2. Paid search ads
Search engines let you run ads that appear in the search results. These show up in their own section, labeled Sponsored Results, above the organic results when you run an Internet search with certain keywords. Google is the dominant platform.
For example, say you search for “Asana” (the project management software) on Google. Guarantee you’ll see ads from other project management SaaS products at the top.
The key difference between social and search ads is intent.
Someone clicking a Facebook ad was scrolling passively, and your ad interrupted them.
Someone clicking a Google ad was actively searching for something, which means they’re looking for what you offer.
Such a difference in intent can translate into higher-quality subscribers, though the cost per click tends to reflect it.
Pros
- Captures high-intent traffic. People actively searching for what you offer are more likely to subscribe and engage
- Can be highly targeted by keyword, location, and device
- Works well when paired with strong SEO content that reinforces the paid traffic
Cons
- Can be expensive, depending on keyword competition
- Requires ongoing management and optimization to avoid wasted spend
- Less effective for newsletters or content-based opt-ins, than for direct product offers
3. Newsletter Ads
You can pay newsletter operators to place ads for your lead magnet in their free or paid newsletters. That could be a dedicated mention, sponsored section, brief recommendation, or something else.
Ads in paid newsletters cost more, but you’re appealing to proven buyers rather than a mixed list of buyers and non-buying subscribers.
Proven buyers are more likely to buy for two reason:
- Shown a willingness to spend money (easier to justify a free download or low-cost tripwire)
- Given their trust to the newsletter owner
Free newsletters can work great, too. They probably cost less and are more widely available. But the traffic, while solid, will be lower quality.
Finding the right newsletters takes research. You want:
- An audience that overlaps with yours without being identical
- A list that’s actually engaged (open rates matter more than subscriber count)
- A placement format that lets you write something compelling enough to drive clicks
A poorly written ad in a great newsletter will still underperform.
On the other hand, if you can find newsletters whose audiences closely match your target audience, you’re essentially buying access to a pre-qualified, already-engaged group of people.
Pros
- Reaches a highly targeted, engaged, newsletter-reading audience — the kind of person likely to subscribe to your newsletter
- Subscribers acquired this way tend to be high quality and engaged
- Can be tested with relatively small budgets before scaling
Cons
- Good newsletter ad placements in relevant publications can be expensive and hard to get
- Results vary significantly depending on the newsletter’s audience size, engagement, and ad copy quality
- Research and outreach are required to find the right newsletters to advertise in
4. Podcast Sponsorships
Like with other forms of media, you can pay podcast hosts to mention your newsletter, lead magnet, or other offer as a mid-roll or pre-roll ad during an episode.
Host-read ads are the gold standard.
When the host reads your ad in their own voice rather than playing a pre-recorded spot, it carries the weight of a personal recommendation from someone their audience already trusts.
Finding the right podcast matters as much as the budget. A smaller podcast with a highly engaged, tightly niched audience will often outperform a larger one with a broad, loosely engaged listenership.
Look for shows where your target subscriber is already showing up and paying attention.
Pros
- Reaches a warm, highly engaged audience that trusts the host
- A single sponsorship can drive subscribers for the episode’s life
- Builds brand awareness and credibility by association with trusted niche voices
Cons
- Can be expensive, especially for larger podcasts with established audiences
- Results are hard to track since attribution from podcast ads is notoriously difficult
- Requires finding the right podcasts and negotiating sponsorship terms, which takes time
5. Affiliate Programs
Affiliates promote your products in exchange for a commission on each sale. For instance, you might pay affiliates a 20% commission on every sale. You keep the rest.
“But Bradley. Isn’t this a monetization method? You can’t pay commissions on a free lead magnet.”
Yes. But when someone buys your product, they get on your list. You make money and add new BUYERS (not just free subs) to your list to whom you can sell other offers.
Affiliate quality is HUGE. The affiliate must have a decent-sized, engaged audience that overlaps with or is adjacent to yours. For example, an email marketer selling a Facebook ads course to his audience.
(NOTE: I’m always looking for new affiliates for my offers. DM me if you’re interested.)
Pros
- Scales well… The more affiliates you recruit, the more potential reach you have
- Performance-based. You only pay when someone converts
- You earn while gaining subs (the only paid method that inherently earns), and buyers are more likely to convert again (if your product delivers results)
Cons
- Requires tracking, commission structures, and payment systems (adds operational complexity)
- More friction means you may gain fewer subs than other methods (a customer must buy the product rather than download a FREE resource)
- Building a strong affiliate program takes time, affiliate vetting, and ongoing relationship management
6. Paid Recommendations
Paid recommendations sit between newsletter ads and list swaps. You pay for others to recommend your newsletter to their subs through platforms like SparkLoop’s paid recommendation network or other tools.
But instead of appearing as a traditional ad, you, well, appear as a recommendation.
This hits a bit harder than an ad, because it doesn’t inherently feel “promotional.” It also means subs tend to be higher quality than typical paid traffic… though cost/subscriber reflects that.
Mechanics vary by platform but the idea is the same. Newsletter operators who participate in the network recommend other newsletters to their subscribers in exchange for payment.
You set a cost-per-subscriber you’re willing to pay. When someone subscribes through the recommendation, you pay.
Pros
- Subscribers arrive warm since they come through a trusted recommendation rather than a cold ad
- Highly targeted since you can select newsletters whose audiences match your ideal subscriber
- Can generate consistent volume at a predictable cost per subscriber once dialed in
Cons
- Cost per subscriber can be higher than other paid methods since lead quality is better
- Limited by the availability of newsletters in your niche that participate in recommendation networks
- Results depend on how well your newsletter’s description and positioning converts browsers into subscribers
Go Forth And Grow Your List
Don’t do everything at once.
For organic methods, pick one as your “focus” and let others support it. I do weekly content and daily social posts (which play off each other), supplemented with occasional list swaps and podcast guesting.
For paid methods, pick and master one before adding others. Paid channels give you clear, measurable feedback — money in, subscribers out. Makes it easy to iterate and improve fast. If one channel doesn’t work after a genuine effort, try another.
The list doesn’t grow on its own. But with the right channel and consistent effort, it compounds faster than most people expect.
And the best part is…
You can combine the speed of paid with the financial benefits of organic methods if you know how to craft a solid low-ticket offer.
Instead of running ads to a free lead magnet and absorbing the cost of every subscriber, you’ll drive traffic to this low-ticket product and make sales. Structure your funnel well, and you could recover enough of your ad spend to break even…
Which means you’re effectively acquiring subs for free.
And if you can make that funnel profitable, you get paid to grow your list.
Oh, and buyers are more likely than free subs to stick around and buy again.
So it’s possible to get paid to fill your list with high-quality, engaged, and lucrative buyers.
It sounds too good to be true. It isn’t. It’s just math. I know people with profit-positive funnels. If you want to learn how to build one for yourself, I’ve got just the thing for you:
⇒ Learn how to launch and scale a low-ticket product that pays for itself
What To Do Next
- Share this article with someone who might find it helpful (or entertaining).
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- Learn 10 key email automations that unlock 10-15% more store revenue without extra ad spend.
- Grab my 21 best email templates/frameworks.
- Reach out to me at info(at)bradleyschnitzer.com if you have a sizable email list and make less than 20% of your revenue through email.