How can I build an email list from scratch?

Email & Newsletters

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This guide explains how to build a permission-based email list from zero, covering strategy, content, opt-in flows, and growth tactics.

Who is this for?

Creators, marketers, small business owners, and teams looking to start or grow an email list without relying on paid traffic.

Before you start

Basic website knowledge, a way to collect emails (form on site), access to a landing page builder or CMS, and a clear offer for subscribers.

General Process (How it works)

Clarify who you are building for and what you want to achieve with your list.
Offer something valuable in exchange for an email address.
Place sign-up forms on key pages and optimize for conversions.
Require confirmation to improve deliverability and comply with regulations.
Send a warm welcome email and deliver the lead magnet.
Grow signups via content, SEO, and partnerships.
Segment by interest and engagement for relevant content.
Track metrics and optimize yield over time.

Jump to tool:

AWeber

GetResponse

🏆 Recommended for this task

🏆 Recommended

AWeber

Best for: Bloggers, coaches, Etsy sellers, and other small businesses seeking to grow their email list and automate communications.

Paid Required$20.00 / month

How to in AWeber

Open Aweber And Create Free Account: Go to Aweber, click Get Aweber Free, enter your name, email, and create a password.
Choose Free Plan: When prompted, select the Free Plan to avoid billing details; you can upgrade later.
Provide Business Info: Enter business name, website (if any), industry, and your physical address for anti-spam compliance.
Set Up Basic Preferences: Answer business goals and tools used (e.g., WordPress) and finish onboarding.
Create A Sign-Up Form On A Landing Page: In Sign Up Forms > Create A Sign Up Form On A Landing Page, pick a template or build from scratch.
Customize Landing Page: Upload logo, change background, adjust images, spacing, and text to reflect your brand.
Configure Form Fields: Remove unnecessary fields (e.g., name) to simplify signup; set labels.
Add Consent Lines For GDPR: Add a line stating that downloading the ebook adds them to the newsletter (compliant).
Set Thank You Page: Choose Custom URL for thank you page or a dedicated page that confirms and guides to download.
Create Confirmation Email: Adjust confirmation subject and body; ensure it asks to confirm subscription.
Create Automation / Welcome Campaign: Create a new Campaign triggered by the tag from the form submission; configure welcome email with download link.
Tag Subscribers And Link To Campaign: Add a tag like Free Ebook Puppy Schedule to form submissions; ensure campaign triggers on tag.
Publish Landing Page And Test: Publish the landing page; subscribe with a test email; verify redirection to THANK YOU and email delivery.
Test And Debug: If issues, verify publish status, tags, and custom URLs; fix and re-publish; re-test.

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Alternatives

Best for: Marketing teams, ecommerce businesses, and brands seeking scalable email marketing, automation, and AI-driven experiences to grow engagement and revenue. The platform consolidates email, landing pages, forms, and AI recommendations to streamline campaigns.

Paid Required$19 / month

How to in GetResponse

Define List Goals: Decide the audience you want to reach and what consent you will require. This establishes the criteria for inclusion in your list.
Create a Saved Segment in the Web Panel: Log in to GetResponse. Go to Managing Contacts > Custom Filters / Segments. Click Create Segment, give it a descriptive name, and add your initial conditions.
Retrieve the Saved Segment to Get searchContactId: Use the API to list saved segments: GET /search-contacts. Note the searchContactId of the segment you created.
Fetch Contacts from Segment via API: With the segment's searchContactId, call GET /search-contacts/{searchContactId}/contacts to retrieve the matching contacts. Review fields like contactId, email and name.
Handle Pagination for Large Lists: If more results exist than the first page, request subsequent pages using ?page=N&perPage=100 (or 1000 max). Default perPage is 100.
Optional: Create a One-Time List Without Saving: Post a payload to POST /search-contacts with your criteria payload to generate a temporary list without saving the segment.
Validate and Prepare the Email List: Ensure emails are valid, remove unsubscribes, and confirm consent status before use.
Export the List to Your Destination: Copy emails from the API response and export to CSV or import into your CRM or ESP.
Use the List for Campaigns: Attach the prepared contact list to your campaigns or automations to send messages.

Tool details

Quick Comparison

Tool	Free Plan?	Min Price
AWeber	No	$20.00 / month
GetResponse	No	$19 / month

Which tool should you choose?

AWeber

AWeber provides an end-to-end, repeatable workflow for list growth: free automation, landing pages, sign-up forms, and compliant confirmation flows. Its clear pricing, built-in support, and integrated testing streamline setup and iteration, enabling you to build a live, growing audience quickly and with less friction.