20 Content Upgrades That Will Skyrocket Your Email List
You have a great email opt in offer.
It started off great, but the excitement has fizzled out.
But there are still so many more people to get on your list!
What are you going to do? How are you going to continue growing your email subscribers?
The answer?
…content upgrades.
Even if you’ve never heard of a content upgrade, you’ve definitely seen them.
They are bonus pieces of content within a blog post that readers can get by entering their email address. They are free, just like your typical opt in offer, but it’s where they are placed and what they are about that makes content upgrades work so well.
Each content upgrade adds value to the specific blog post it is found in.
How much more likely?
Well, Brian Dean of Backlinko has said that content upgrades are responsible for taking his conversion rate from .54% to 4.82%.
Brian Harris of Videofruit uses them on almost every post he writes and says his opt-in rate is anywhere from 20-30%, and has gone up to 62% in one post.
As you can see, the right content upgrade can skyrocket your conversion rate and add tons of subscribers to your list.
Ready to get started?
Here are 20 types of content upgrades to test out.
20+ Content Upgrade Ideas
#1: Checklist
This is especially great if your post is a how-to type of post. Provide a checklist with step-by-step instructions for your readers to print out. Alternatively, you can create a checklist for materials instead of tips.
#2: Resource List
If you mention resources or tools in your post, compile them into a list, link to where they can be found and make it available for download. While people can easily find these resources on their own, the convenience of having it all in a list complete with links is enough to make most people opt in.
#3: Transcripts
If your post contains a video or an interview, offer the complete transcript as a content upgrade. This works so well. While some people are visual, others would rather read. Offering the content in two formats covers all your bases.
#4: Video or audio
Alternatively, you can create a video to go along with your written post. This concept works well for how-to instructions. You could also record yourself speaking your content and offer the audio.
#5: Quick-start guide
People love to learn things, but they also want to know how to do it easily and quickly. Simplify your concept and create a printable that will tell your readers how to get started. You can compress each step into 1-2 sentences to make it easy to understand.
#6: A cheat sheet
Make something your readers can keep for easy reference long after they have read your blog post. For example, if you list the top WordPress plugins, make a one-page printable of your list.
#7: A PDF of your blog post
I’m serious. A content upgrade doesn’t have to be vastly different from your post. In fact, it doesn’t have to be different at all. If your post is full of value, something that can referenced time and time again, it would make a great report in pdf format.
#8: A SlideShare version of your post
Same content, different format. Pick the format that resonates best with your audience.
#9: Homework
Does your blog post teach something? Is it structured almost like a lesson? If so, provide extra assignments for your readers that will really help drive the concept home and help them apply what they have learned.
#10: Spreadsheets
Budget spreadsheets. Tracking spreadsheets. These make great content upgrades for readers. Turn it into a pdf to be written on, or keep it in spreadsheet format for readers to fill in on their own.
#11: Bonus interviews
Interview someone who is an expert on your blog topic, and offer the audio as an upgrade.
#12: Case study
Finding out what has worked for others is an enticing offer. People want to know how successful people got where they are. A bonus case study doesn’t have to be a lot of work. In fact, you can share your own success story.
#13: Add on to your list post
If you have a list post, why not continue the list and offer it as an upgrade? If you have top 10 list, give readers 10 more.
#14: Short eBook
Key here is short. You don’t want to spend too much time on your content upgrade; writing it shouldn’t take longer than writing your actual blog post.
#15: Templates
Templates are great because we’re always looking for things to make our lives easier. Email templates are probably going to get the most traction. Emails for reaching out, making contact, and so on. For example, as a blogger who blogs about blogging, I might offer a template for asking for guest post spot. People want to do these things, but aren’t always sure what to say.
#16: Formulas
Formulas are sort of like a plug-and-play framework. They work great for blog post titles, or social post headlines. They give the framework, and your readers can use them however they’d like.
#17: Free trial
If you sell a product or service, you can offer a free trial, free sample or a free consult as your upgrade. While this doesn’t fall in the content category, it is something that is very valuable.
#18: Free stock images
If you are a photographer, free stock images are a great free offer and it is something valuable to bloggers.
#19: Infographic
Turn your blog post into an infographic for people to share. It provides other bloggers with something valuable that they can use, and it can provide you with backlinks. You can easily create your own infographic using tools like Canva or Piktochart.
#20: Swipe files
Swipe files are a collection of materials or templates to be used as a reference or inspiration. This could be a set of designs if you’re a designer or a collection of well-written sales pages if you’re a copywriter.
If you feel like your email optin rates have stalled, boost your conversions by adding content upgrades into your blog posts. It is just what you need to take your conversions from stalling to skyrocketing!