I know, you’re thinking: “I’ve read this a gazillion times, so what?” 

Okay, before you write us off as just another post, let me broaden the horizon a bit. 

It’s not about the reach. The impressive return on investment (ROI) of $36 per dollar spent, only comes if you understand how to automate and personalize the email workflows.

And to do that, it’s essential to understand and map out the customer journey. 

So, in this guide, I’ll explore:

• What an email marketing customer journey entails.
• How to create an effective email marketing customer journey map. 
• Practical strategies for designing email campaigns that resonate with your audience at every stage of their journey.

Buckle up!

What is an email marketing customer journey?

An email marketing customer journey represents all the steps (called touchpoints) a user takes with your brand, from brand awareness to becoming your evangelist. 

These journeys (steps) are often delivered as a series of emails, each crafted to nurture familiarity and trust.

To put it plainly, email marketing is an integral part of the customer journey as a whole, with a strong focus on the email touchpoints and their relationship with the recipients (typically users or leads). 

Where does email marketing stand in the customer value journey?

Email marketing fits into every stage of a customer value journey, and here’s how you can use its power at every stage:

• Awareness: Embed email capture forms on blogs, social media, and landing pages to raise awareness of your newsletter and value proposition. But remember, you can’t email anyone unless they explicitly opt in. 
• Consideration: Send a welcome series after signup. Introduce your brand, share resources, or testimonials. If someone adds items to the cart but doesn’t buy, trigger an abandoned cart email to remind them. The same goes for free trials; it would only be like an abandoned trial drip sequence. At this stage, you could offer more free resources highlighting the product benefits, ask for a survey, or just have a charming sunset sequence.
• Decision/purchase: Send transactional emails like order confirmations, shipping updates, password and security info, and thank-you notes. These reassure customers with details and even promote their next purchase.
• Retention: After a sale, focus on keeping loyal customers. Email a product recommendation or usage tutorials with personalized emails. High-authority, industry newsletters also work well at this stage. 
• Advocacy: Turn happy customers into advocates, request reviews or referrals. For example, send a review request email (with a form or button) and seriously consider offering a small incentive. 

Note: Each email should feel helpful, not pushy. You must match the message, tone, and call-to-action to the stage (discussed in detail later). The goal is to move people smoothly from one phase to the next without random blasts or confusion.

Why use a customer journey map for email marketing?

A customer journey map is a visual representation of every interaction a customer has with your brand, from first contact to becoming a loyal advocate. It’s a record of your customers’ experiences, emotions, and needs at each stage. 

Consequently, a mapped-out journey can significantly support all your marketing channels, and email is just one of them. 

But don’t take my word for it, let’s shop around for opinions.

Dave Hockly, founder of Data Story, says “the customer journey isn’t linear” is a common excuse marketers give to run messy, unstructured campaigns. He argues that treating the customer journey as an ‘orbit’ is an unnecessary overcomplication:

And I agree, particularly regarding the B2B space. 

The sales cycles are long and crooked, but you still need a clear structure, with different campaigns and messaging tied to real customer stages.

Assuming the above was enough of a persuasion, I’ll show you how to utilize customer journey mapping for email marketing:

1. Map each stage to specific email goals: Start by aligning each journey stage (i.e., awareness, consideration, purchase, retention, and advocacy) with a clear email objective. 

Something like this:

Pro Tip: Your map should include real customer pain points, triggers, and decision criteria, and these should directly shape email copy and offers.

2. Create trigger-based campaigns from key touchpoints: Use a journey map to identify high-impact moments (actions or milestones that should trigger emails). Some examples:
   • After expressing interest (e.i, filling out a form): Send related content or a comparison guide
   • After signup: Send a welcome series introducing your brand and value.
   • After the first purchase: Trigger onboarding or how-to emails
   • After inactivity: Send re-engagement nudges or win-back offers

3. Segment email lists by journey stage: Use the journey map to segment based on where users currently are.
   
4. Repurpose journey insights into email content themes: The questions, objections, and motivations you identify in your journey map can become rich insights for personalizing your email content.
   
   For example, if your pricing appears to be a conversion blocker, you might send an email featuring an ROI calculator or a persuasive case study. If they feel overwhelmed, offer a straightforward starter guide to simplify their next step.
   
   Or, after completing a trial, prompt them with success stories to encourage an upgrade.
   
5. Test, measure and iterate by stage: Track email performance by journey stage instead of as one-size-fits-all. Here are some examples:
   • Awareness: Signup rates, CTR on lead magnets
   • Consideration: Email opens, content engagement, replies
   • Purchase: Click-through to checkout, coupon redemptions, active service usage
   • Retention: Open rates on post-purchase series, repeat purchases
   • Advocacy: Referral clicks, review submission rates

6. Use the map to break the silos (Pro Tip):
   
   Here, I need to give you a bit of background. Imagine a marketing team throwing MQLs over the wall and sales calling them “not warmed-up enough.” It happens, but it’s only a mundane interdepartmental blame game, especially in B2B.
   
   This is what marketers and LinkedIn gurus call ‘working in silos’ – a disconnected way of working where every department lives in their bubble, chasing individual KPIs without understanding that the metric that truly matters is the revenue.
   
   In the context of email marketing, you can prevent this with an email strategy that is not just transparent to, but also closely aligned with your sales, product, and support teams to ensure a cohesive customer experience. Admittedly, this is harder said than done, but far from impossible. 

Email marketing customer journey examples

To ensure you get the right picture of the email marketing customer journey and its role, it pays to check some examples:

1. Sephora – Beauty insider tiered-loyalty emails

Sephora’s Beauty Insider program keeps email touchpoints tightly aligned with its three spending tiers (Insider, VIB, Rouge). 

For retention, members who are getting close to an upgrade receive a real-time progress note (e.g., “You’re 120 points from Rouge”) showing their exact balance, a countdown bar, and a “double-points weekend” nudge. 

In the advocacy phase, the annual birthday email lets VIB and Rouge members swap their gift for an extra 250 points, reinforcing the “spend-for-status” habit. 

Sephora backs these emails with a live points feed and tier-specific CTAs so members can convert curiosity into a purchase in one click. 

The result? 

25 million + members worldwide!

2. Headspace – Email marketing and meditation journeys come together

The Headspace example is quite an esoteric, albeit fun way to explain the concept of email marketing customer journey. 

The service eases new users into meditation with a four-email journey that mirrors the path from first curiosity to daily habit. 

The Awareness email “Welcome to Headspace” uses plenty of white space, a single calming GIF, and one CTA that launches a one-minute breathing exercise. 

Next, the Consideration email, “Science of Meditation,” backs the practice with peer-reviewed results and links to an expert video. 

Early Retention kicks in a few days later with “Streak Builder,” where a gamified progress bar shows completed sessions and the next milestone, nudging commitment. 

Finally, the Retention email, “Your 30-Day Challenge,” invites subscribers to a guided month-long plan while enabling push-notification reminders to keep momentum.

How to create an email marketing customer journey map

Follow the steps below to create customer journey maps to support your email marketing strategy.

1. Define your personas (Who): Identify your main customer segments. Gather data (age, interests, pain points) and craft buyer personas. Understanding these personas ensures your emails will speak to real needs.
   
2. Outline stages (When and Where): Choose the stages of your funnel (common ones: Awareness, Consideration, Decision/Purchase, Retention, Advocacy). Write what a potential customer does and feels at each stage.
   
3. List email touchpoints: List all email triggers and campaigns you have or need for each stage. For examples: 
   • Newsletter signup (Awareness) 
   • Welcome series (Awareness/Consideration) 
   • Cart abandonment (Decision) 
   • Purchase receipt (Purchase) 
   • Onboarding tips (Retention) 
   • Re-engagement campaigns (Retention) 
   • Referral requests (Advocacy)
     
     Tip: Don’t forget transactional emails (password reset, shipping confirmations, invoice emails, etc.) as a part of the journey.

4. Create the map: Design a diagram (or spreadsheet) with stages on one axis and desired actions on the other. 

5. Analyze data (Why): Use your analytics to see how customers move. Check your sales pipeline, web analytics, and campaign results. Ask: Where do most people drop off? Do people often abandon carts? Do they engage with newsletters?
   
   Look at actual purchasing paths and how customers behave at each touchpoint. Also, examine pain points from support or reviews.
   
6. Identify gaps and opportunities: With the map and data, inspect if there are missing messages at specific touchpoints or weak spots. For example, do you have a follow-up after a download? Or if there’s a lull of silence after a purchase? Fill those gaps. The journey map highlights where a helpful nudge is needed.
   
7. Assign content and tone: For each email on your map, define its goal and message (see next section). Decide on tone, CTA, and offer. For example, an abandoned-cart email offers a discount with a friendly reminder, while a birthday email is celebratory and personal.

8. Validate with the team: Involve marketing, sales, and support teams. Share the map and refine it. Everyone should know their role at each stage (marketing handles awareness, support handles retention issues, etc.).
   
9. Document and visualize: Put the final map into a shareable format (diagram, slide deck, or documented flow). A clear visual helps the whole team follow the plan.
   
10. Iterate: The first map is a draft. After implementing some campaigns, revisit the map with real campaign data and feedback. The goal is continuous improvement.

In short, journey mapping answers four key questions: 

1. Who is doing what? 
2. When do they do it? 
3. Where do your recipients see you?
4. How do you engage with the recipients?

How to design email marketing campaigns for a customer journey

Once you have your email marketing customer journey map, you can design each campaign to fit its stage. Here’s how:

• Awareness stage (top of funnel): The language of your emails at this stage should be informative, authoritative, yet friendly (you don’t want to scare your prospects away with heavy jargon). 
  
  Start by introducing your brand and benefits. Common emails at this stage include a welcome or thank-you for signing up, newsletter opt-in confirmation, or content offers (guides, blog updates). 
  
  Also, use mild CTAs like “Learn More” or “Join Us” and focus on engagement over immediate sales. For instance, a welcome email with a free tip builds interest. 
  
  It’s just the start, so keep it light and accessible.

• Consideration stage: The tone here should become more supportive and educational. It is the point when prospects are evaluating you versus your competitors, so send testimonials, case studies, or product demos. 
  
  Use dynamic personalization like recommendations based on past browsing. 
  
  CTAs can get stronger now but still soft: “Watch Demo,” “See How It Works,” or a “Free Trial” sign-up. 
  
  If a lead has abandoned a cart, send a friendly reminder with an incentive, such as “Complete your order now with 10% off.”

• Decision/purchase stage: Here, your customer is almost ready to buy, so emails should be reassuring and action-oriented (action as in conversion).
  
  You can improve your conversion rates by using age-old marketing tactics like creating a sense of urgency (limited offers), the bundling effect, or simply the thrill of grabbing a discount.
  
  Plus, it should be stupid-simple to complete the purchase. Common campaigns at this stage include final nudges for abandoned carts, coupon or promo emails, and free shipping alerts.
  
  Also, after a sale, follow up immediately with transactional emails like order confirmations, shipping info, and a thank-you.
  
  You can also share a ‘next purchase’ incentive at this point. Only make sure not to cram too many things into one email. For instance you can send the order confirmation or shipping info with a thank-you note, then the ‘next purchase’ incentive as a follow-up. 

• Retention stage: After a sale, it’s time you shift to value-driven messaging. Send tutorials, usage tips, or care instructions to help users enjoy the product (e.g., how-to guides or product maintenance tips). 
  
  Also, send personalized recommendations based on their purchase history. Loyalty rewards programs or “exclusive member” emails fit quite well here. The tone here should be appreciative and helpful (reward them for being customers and create a sense of belonging). 

• Advocacy stage: This is the last stage where the fans of your product/service become your brand advocates. So, for them to be able to promote your venture, emails should make it easy to review or share it. 

Here’s a table with a list of email types and their respective journey stage for quick reference:

Marketing automation and sequencing

To further enhance your email marketing efficiency, you can automate email sequences using tools like Mailtrap, Mailchimp, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, etc. 

These tools let you set up triggers (e.g., “when a user signs up” or “30 days after last purchase”) and automatically send the right email. 

Let me show you some email marketing automations that most businesses deploy:

• A welcome automation: Instantly send a welcome email, then a follow-up after a day or two with more info or an offer.
  
• An abandoned cart flow: Send an email a few hours after cart abandonment, then a reminder with a coupon.
  
• A win-back series: If a customer hasn’t opened emails in 60 days, send a “We miss you” email with a special deal.

Automation saves time and keeps the journey consistent without manual effort. It also makes it easy to personalize as you can insert the customer’s name, mention past purchases, or adapt content blocks based on their interests.

Setting goals and KPIs

To get the most out of the email marketing customer journey, you must also know how to measure its performance.

So here’s a stage-level breakdown of what goals and metrics you must track:

Important: In addition to the KPIs mentioned above related to different journey stages, some KPIs must be tracked throughout the campaign. These include unsubscribe rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints.

Email marketing customer journey mapping software

We’ve talked about how to create an email marketing customer journey map, but you don’t have to draw it on paper. There are dedicated software solutions that take care of that.

Key features to look for in mapping software

Here’s a list of features to look for in a journey mapping software:

• Drag-and-drop email and journey builder
  
• Segmentation and personalization (dynamic content, condition splits)
  
• Analytics and reporting (open/click rates, conversion tracking)
  
• Templates and a responsive design editor

Top email marketing customer journey mapping software

Let’s look at some superior mapping software platforms:

1. Spreadsheets

A simple spreadsheet works great for an email journey map. You can create columns like Persona, Stage, Trigger, Email, KPI, etc.; add one row per touchpoint (e.g., “Signup → Welcome #1”).

Then you can colour-code stages, filter by persona, and drop in formulas to pull open-rate or revenue exports from your ESP. With Google Sheets or Excel, you get instant version control, easy sharing, and zero extra software to learn.

Note that this method requires some programming skills, so you can use Apps Script to create spreadsheet formulas to extract and manage the sheet’s data. 

2. Native solutions in macOS

If you’re on a Mac, Freeform turns journey mapping into a visual drag-and-drop board. 

Drop sticky notes for each stage (Awareness, Consideration, etc.), use shapes for triggers, and draw connectors to show flow. 

You can also paste email mock-up screenshots, tag each note with a color per persona, and add quick comments for KPIs. 

Because Freeform syncs over iCloud, teammates on macOS or iPadOS can edit live—no file-sharing gymnastics. It’s a zero-cost, native way to keep your email marketing funnel map transparent and collaborative.

3. FigJam

FigJam offers a structured “Journey Map” template where you can label columns for Awareness, Consideration, Decision, Retention, and Advocacy. 

You can add sticky notes for each email trigger, annotate them with KPIs, and link supporting assets such as email mock-ups.

Also, team members can comment, tag owners, and view changes in real time; all edits save automatically in Figma’s cloud workspace.

4. Miro

Miro supplies a ready-made Customer Journey Map board with lanes for each funnel stage. 

You can drag cards for triggers, assign colors for personas, and embed live data widgets from Google Sheets to monitor open and conversion rates.

The canvas in Miro supports task ownership fields, comment threads, and integrations with tools like HubSpot and Slack, so marketing, sales, and support can update the map and track progress in one place.

6. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is known for its intuitive interface. It provides a free plan for up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month. The “Customer Journeys” is an automation feature that allows you to create visual email flows. Paid plans offer advanced automations and multivariate testing.

7. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign offers powerful automation and a built-in CRM. While there’s no free tier, a 14-day free trial is available. The Lite plan starts at approximately $29/month for 500 contacts, providing unlimited emails and advanced personalization features.

8. HubSpot Marketing Hub

HubSpot includes email and automation tools with a free CRM that allows up to 2,000 emails per month. Paid plans add workflow automations and branching journeys, suitable for scaling businesses.

9. Ortto (formerly Autopilot)

Ortto is a visual journey builder focused on mid-market teams. It offers a 14-day free trial, with professional plans starting around $509/month for up to 10,000 contacts. Features include a drag-and-drop journey builder, email/SMS capabilities, pop-ups, and analytics.

Other notable software: MailerLite, Moosend, Klaviyo (eCommerce-focused), Customer.io, etc.

How to track and optimize the customer journey using email  marketing analytics

Once your customer journey is set up and running, it’s time to measure everything and keep tweaking to maximize your time and budget.

Use these tactics and metrics:

Important email metrics you must track

You should regularly check how your emails are performing. Look at things like:

• How many emails were delivered (95% + of your emails should be delivered)
  
• How many bounced back (bounces should be lower than 2%)
  
• If anyone marked them as spam (the rate should be lower than 0.1%)
  
• How many people opened your emails (averages between 15% and 25%, with some industries citing up to 35%)
  
• How many clicked on links inside them (the average across different industries is about 2.7%, and the good click rate is between 2% and 5%)
  
• How many opened and clicked (click-to-open rate) (it’s tricky to provide averages since different sources provide quite a different range, going as low as ~5% or as high as ~30%)
  
• How many unsubscribed (the average is 0.26% across different industries)

Also, track your conversion rate. It tells you how many people took action (like made a purchase or signed up). If you see lots of bounces or spam complaints, your email list might need cleaning. 

Open and click rates show if people are interested, and show whether your emails are driving real results.

Test what works (A/B testing)

Try small changes to see what gets better results. You can A/B test subject lines, sender names, button text, images, or send times. 

Even tiny changes can boost open or click rates. Most email tools make it easy to run these tests and show you what works best.

Get personal with segments

A survey by Venturebeat.com reported that about 20% of marketers observed a 15-20% increase in email open rates when they invested efforts in personalization:

And only 5% of marketers reported no increase in open rates from personalization.

I’m guessing your business doesn’t fall under those 5%, so you must use what you know about your customers to send more relevant emails. 

For example, if you’re a SaaS, you can customize content based on someone’s location, purchase behaviour, industry, or feature usage. 

Sure, there are a bunch of other ways to do it, but however you approach personalization, double down on your efforts to handle user data safely. 

Track your email flows 

If you’re using automation, check how each part of your flow is doing. 

For example, how many people start your welcome series? How many finish it? If one email has low opens, try changing the subject line or send time.

It also pays to run a technical inspection of the entire automation flow every now and again to ensure all triggers and actions work properly, without blocks and data bottlenecks. 

Ask for feedback

Feedback helps you improve. Send short surveys after someone buys something. Ask new subscribers what kind of emails they want. 

If someone stops opening your emails, ask why, ou can fix a lot of issues just by listening.

Use Google Analytics and your CRM

Google Analytics helps you track the source of your website traffic. 

For instance, it can track visitors from affiliate links, social media posts, paid ads, etc. 

And yes, Email’s part of the list too (you can check all the sources tracked by GA4 here). 

You just need to add UTM tracking links (e.g., utm_source=newsletter, utm_medium=email) to your emails, and Google Analytics will be able to tell you that the site visitor came from an email. 

Also, if your email tool connects with your CRM (like HubSpot or Salesforce), you can track who becomes a customer and what emails helped get them there.

Keep improving

Your email journey should never be on autopilot. Review your numbers often. 

• If open rates drop, try new subject lines or send to smaller, more targeted groups. 
• If people aren’t clicking, try stronger call-to-action buttons. 

The key is to test, learn, and improve constantly.

Wrapping up

We covered a lot about the email marketing customer journey, from mapping each stage to crafting emails that truly address customer needs. It’s clear that understanding your customer’s path is critical for effective communication, be it emails or even some other medium.

Now, if you’re looking for a tool to bring all this into action, consider Mailtrap. It’s designed to help you create, test, and send emails that align perfectly with your customers’ journey. With features like a drag-and-drop editor, pre-designed templates, and detailed analytics, Mailtrap simplifies the process.

Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your strategy, Mailtrap offers a free plan to get you going. It’s user-friendly and built to support your growth every step of the way.

Ready to enhance your email marketing?

Try Mailtrap for free.

But here’s the thing: if you want an email list that grows fast, converts well, and actually drives revenue, you’ll need a tool that’s purpose-built for it.

In this guide, I won’t be discussing makeshift workarounds; I’ll present some dedicated email list building tools that are packed with the essentials: smart targeting, popups that convert, deep integrations, and automation that does the hard work while you sleep. 

Disclaimer: The reviews in this write-up reference feature offerings, software catalog ratings and pricing. These were valid at the time of writing but could be subject to change by the time you’re rading the article.

Email list building tools: a snapshot

Click on a platform name to jump to the detailed review.

• OptinMonster is best for marketers and solopreneurs who want full control over where, when, and how popups appear. It’s perfect for capturing high-converting leads using advanced behavior targeting.
  
• OptiMonk is best for ecommerce stores and DTC brands looking to personalize pop-up experiences at scale with gamified campaigns, precise targeting, and high-converting templates.
  
• Sleeknote is recommended for teams that want to collect leads without disrupting the customer journey. It is ideal for subtle, mobile-optimized forms and content-driven brands.
  
• Mailchimp suits beginners and small teams looking for an all-in-one email marketing platform. It is great for launching quickly and managing lists, emails, and automation from one dashboard.
  
• HubSpot nails it for businesses that need their list-building to connect deeply with CRM, sales, and customer service. It is perfect for teams wanting to build detailed customer journeys and automate across departments.
  
• Klaviyo is best for fast-growing e-commerce brands that want to combine email, SMS, and smart automation. Go for it if you need behavior-triggered flows, dynamic personalization, and lifetime value.

And here’s a side-by-side comparison of the email list-building tools

Email list building tools: comparison criteria

Not every email list-building tool works the same way, and not every marketer needs the same thing. To help you choose the right one, here’s how I evaluated each tool in this guide:

Selecting service type

Service type is the first thing to check since it largely affects how you use it.

Some tools in this list, like OptinMonster, OptiMonk, and Sleeknote, are dedicated popups and form builders. They help you capture email addresses directly from your website using smart triggers, beautiful forms, and personalization. That’s it.

The given tools don’t send emails, manage your campaigns, or do list segmentation. Instead, they plug into your existing email marketing tool, so if you already use something like Mailchimp or Klaviyo, these can be powerful add-ons that boost your list growth.

Conversely, tools like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and HubSpot are like all-in-one email marketing platforms. They give you the full toolkit: popups, email sending, automation, segmentation, SMS, and CRM under one roof. These are great if you want to avoid juggling multiple tools and just want one place to manage your audience from signup to sale.

So while comparing, I grouped the tools into two categories:

• Do they only capture leads (standalone)?
• Or do they capture and nurture those leads through full-service?

This helped me evaluate each tool based on what it’s actually meant to do.

Pricing

Pricing is important to determine what you get from the tool at each tier. It also affects the service cost when your business scales, increasing the demand for list building. Also, I focused on whether the “free plans” are genuinely useful. 

Particularly, I looked at the following:

• Is there a free plan? And what does it include? (Many free plans cut off key features like A/B testing or integrations.)
• How is the pricing calculated? Some charge based on the number of contacts (like Mailchimp and Klaviyo), while others use pageviews (OptiMonk) or email sends.
  What features are locked behind higher tiers? For example, things like exit-intent popups or lead verification are sometimes available only on mid- or top-tier plans.
• What’s the jump like as you scale? Some tools double in price when your list crosses certain thresholds.

For instance, Mailchimp and Klaviyo offer free plans that are great for getting started. You can collect emails, send basic campaigns, and try out automation. But as your list grows, so does your bill.

Others like OptinMonster or Sleeknote don’t offer a free plan at all. Instead, they give you a short trial or a money-back window, which is fine if you want to test the waters. 

Email list-building features

When checking the tool’s core list-building capabilities, here’s what I paid close attention to:

• Form variety: popups, slide-ins, inline forms, sticky bars, full-screen mats, and multi-step formats.
• Trigger and display controls: scroll depth, time on page, exit intent, cart value — anything that makes targeting smarter.
• Personalization options: dynamic content, behaviour-based offers, or audience-specific messaging were a big plus.
• Custom fields support: collecting more than just a name and email stood out for building richer segments.
• Lead magnet delivery: instant access to downloads or coupons post-signup made the user experience smoother.
• A/B testing: easy-to-run tests on headlines, designs, timing, and how the results are presented.

AI and integrations

AI is helpful in email list building, not for writing your emails (though it can help there, too). But, in this context, it can make your forms smarter, segments sharper, and data cleaner from day one.

Here’s what I looked for:

• AI-enhanced form building: AI suggestions for copy, design layout, and targeting to help you launch high-converting forms faster.
• Predictive segmentation: machine learning to group contacts or flag unengaged users early, which is great for keeping your list lean and effective.
• Real-time lead verification: filter fake emails, bots, or mistyped addresses before they ever hit your list.

The integrations relate to how easily each tool connects with email marketing platforms, CRMs, and e-commerce stores. A good integration means new contacts are automatically added to the right segment, tagged properly, and ready to receive relevant emails.

Also, bonus points went for tools that sync behavioural data, product views, or even quiz responses to personalize sign-up forms in real time.

User experience 

While testing each platform, I considered how smooth the experience was, especially when setting up forms, customizing campaigns, and managing contacts day to day.

Here’s what I examined:

• Ease of setup: tools that made it simple to go from idea to live pop-up in minutes. Drag-and-drop editors, quick-start templates, and guided wizards all helped.
• Navigation and form building: how easily you can add fields, change styling, preview mobile views, and set targeting rules without clicking through five different menus.
• Onboarding & learning curve: tooltips, checklists, or onboarding flows without trial and error.
• Help resources: should always include tutorials, help docs, video walkthroughs, and live chat support. These are especially important for list building when you hit a blocker and need a fast answer on how to set triggers or connect integrations.
• Form previews & testing: test exactly how your form would look and behave across devices before publishing it.

Legal compliance 

Legal compliance isn’t optional, especially when you’re collecting personal data like emails. 

I checked if each tool supports:

• GDPR-ready features include the ability to add consent checkboxes, privacy policy links, and clear consent language to your forms.
• Double opt-in support: helps confirm subscriber intent, reduces fake signups, and improves deliverability.
• Cookie and tracking controls: options to respect user tracking preferences and integrate with cookie banners.
• Region-based controls: ability to hide or customize popups for visitors from GDPR or CCPA regions.
• Responsible data handling: clear unsubscribe options, data privacy settings, and contact storage policies.

Customer experience 

I started by reading through dozens of reviews on platforms like G2, Capterra, and even Reddit. These gave me an unfiltered insight into what users love, what frustrates them, and what they wish the tool did better. I paid special attention to recurring themes, whether people praised the UI, ranted about bugs, or appreciated how quickly support responded.

Next, I tested how accessible the support is. Some tools offer live chat on nearly every page, while others hide support behind paywalls or limit it to email-only help. I noted whether basic plan users could still reach someone when needed, and how clear the escalation path was.

I also spent time exploring each platform’s help centre and documentation. So I looked at how easy it was to find setup tutorials, walk-through videos, form guides, and answers to common issues like trigger settings or integration errors.

Additionally, I considered brand credibility and real-world results. If a tool had been used by known brands or they shared measurable success stories (like massive list growth or conversion lifts), that gave me confidence it wasn’t just marketing fluff.

Continuing with the discussion, let’s now explore the tools I’ve lined up for you in greater detail.

OptinMonster

G2: 4.4 🌟 Capterra: 4.2 🌟

OptinMonster is built with one thing in mind: to help you turn your website visitors into email subscribers, and it’s really good at it. With its drag-and-drop builder, 700+ professionally designed templates, and smart targeting options (like exit intent, scroll depth, or time on page), you can easily show the right offer to the right visitor at the perfect time. 

Also, whether it’s popups, slide-ins, floating bars, or full-screen welcome mats, you can personalize every form and conduct A/B testing. You also get advanced rules like page-level targeting and geo-location, besides features like MonsterLinks™ for two-step opt-ins and content locking to gate high-value material. 

It integrates with nearly every email platform and CMS and even includes TruLead™ to filter out fake signups. 

Pros

• Easy to use (once you get the hang of it): Most users say it’s beginner-friendly with a drag-and-drop builder that saves a ton of time.
• Tons of templates and pop-up styles: From welcome mats to exit-intent popups, you get a lot of design freedom without needing to code.
• Works well with other tools: Easily connects with email platforms like Mailchimp, HubSpot, Constant Contact, WordPress websites, and more.
• Helpful customer support: People love the support team for quick replies, clear help, and even videos to walk you through stuff.
• Built-in A/B testing and analytics: Handy for testing which pop-up works best, so you can keep improving.
  

Cons

• Mobile design needs extra effort: Sometimes you have to create separate versions for mobile and desktop, which doubles the work.
• Customization can be tricky: For advanced tweaks, you might need to use CSS/HTML.
• Can feel a bit pricey: Some users report that it’s expensive, especially for smaller sites or those just starting out.

Pricing 

OptinMonster offers four pricing tiers, billed annually:

Note: All plans come with unlimited campaigns and subscribers, with no additional subscriber fees.

For more details, check out the OptinMonster official pricing page. 

Customer experience 

OptinMonster receives positive feedback on platforms like Capterra and Reddit. Some users praise its simplicity and performance for fast campaign rollouts, while others highlight its rich form options and exit-intent performance. 

OptiMonk

G2: 4.8 🌟 Capterra: 4.9 🌟

OptiMonk is a conversion-focused pop-up builder. It’s great for making privacy-friendly pop-ups to build email lists through highly targeted on-site messages. Whether you use it to reduce cart abandonment or capture first-time visitors, OptiMonk gives you full control over when, where, and how your campaigns show up. 

The service has 300+ pre-optimized templates and one of the best A/B testing systems out there. You can test and tweak your popups for higher conversions using a straightforward interface and analytics dashboard (albeit pretty basic). Its drag-and-drop builder is beginner-friendly and powerful enough to handle advanced targeting. The builder includes cart value, page behaviour, referral source, and more. 

You can collect rich first-party data with multi-step forms and custom fields (beyond email). And the best part is that you can sync it all with tools like Klaviyo, Mailchimp, or HubSpot. 

Lastly, the tool itself is GDPR and AdBlock compliant.

Pros

• Simple to use: An intuitive drag-and-drop builder so you don’t need to be a tech wizard to create great-looking popups.
• Tons of popup formats: From spin-to-win wheels to exit popups, you get loads of fun and functional options.
• Personalized targeting is powerful: You can show different messages based on where visitors come from or what they’re doing on your site.
• A/B testing is built right in: You can test different versions of your popups to see which gets the most sign-ups.
• Works nicely with other tools: Easily connects with Mailchimp, Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, Shopify, and more.
• Helpful support team: Quick responses, friendly vibes, and ready to help you make things work.

Cons

• Gets pricey with traffic: If your site gets lots of visitors, plans based on pageviews can get expensive.
• Analytics are a bit basic: The data is helpful, but some users wish it showed more detailed insights.
• Not all tools integrate natively: Most big-name tools are covered, but you may need Zapier for niche platforms.

Pricing 

OptiMonk offers a forever-free plan and a 14-day free trial on paid plans. All plans include unlimited campaigns, users, and access to all features.

See the table for more details: 

Want a closer look? You can explore all plan details on OptiMonk’s official pricing page.

Customer experience 

OptiMonk earns consistent praise for its intuitive design, conversion-focused features, and excellent customer support. Users frequently highlight how easy it is to build popups and launch high-performing campaigns even without technical expertise.

Sleeknote

G2: 4.3 🌟 Capterra: 4.8 🌟

Sleeknote lets you create popups, slide-ins, and teasers that feel like a part of your site, not a random interruption. You can build anything from simple newsletter signups to fun gamified campaigns like “Spin to Win” with zero coding. 

Its drag-and-drop builder is easy to figure out, even if you’re not technically inclined. You can personalize messages based on user behaviour like showing a discount only to visitors who’ve been scrolling for a while or are about to leave. You also get A/B testing, scheduling, and detailed targeting to make sure your messages hit the mark. 

Sleeknote integrates nicely with tools like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and HubSpot, and works well with Shopify and WordPress too. 

Pros

• Easy to use: Users say Sleeknote is intuitive. You can get campaigns up and running quickly.
• Pre-designed templates: The templates aren’t just pretty; they work. Users love that they’re editable and tailored for different occasions.
• Modern, clean design: From slide-ins to popups, the design looks sleek. 
• Smart triggers: Personalized targeting lets you show popups based on user behaviour, which helps move people further down the funnel.
• Highly customizable conversion boxes: Goes beyond basic email capture in that you can tweak colors, fonts, forms, and triggers easily.
• Helpful for multiple use cases: Lead capture to webinar signups, guiding users to product pages, or adding dynamic content, Sleeknote has it all.
• Great for eCommerce and promos: Ideal for showing product specials, limited-time offers, and running sales without being intrusive.

Cons

• Pricing can be high: Many users felt that the pricing model based on visitor/session limits becomes expensive quickly. And indeed, it’s among the priciest tools in the list. But, based on your goals and conversion, you need to determine if Sleeknote’s price is justifiable. Given all the features and gamification options, there’s a lot on the table. 
• Analytics could be more robust: Some users highlight that they’d like more in-depth reports and easier integration with tools like Google Analytics.
• Not built for multiple domains/languages out of the box: Users running multi-language or multi-market setups said it required extra effort to configure.

Pricing 

Sleeknote offers a 14-day free trial with full feature access. Pricing is based on your monthly visitor count, and every plan includes unlimited campaigns, domains, and support.

Want to explore plan features? Check out the full Sleeknote pricing page.

Customer experience 

Sleeknote consistently garners praise for its user-friendly interface and effective lead-generation capabilities. Users across various platforms highlight its ease of use, customizable templates, and responsive customer support.

Mailchimp

G2: 4.3 🌟 Capterra: 4.5 🌟

Mailchimp is a powerful all-in-one marketing platform that simplifies email list management and building through its intuitive form builder. You can create embedded forms, popup forms, or full landing pages, all of which are mobile-responsive and customizable to match your brand. Their drag-and-drop interface is beginner-friendly, while advanced users can access custom HTML editing. 

What sets Mailchimp apart is how seamlessly it connects your lead generation to personalized email campaigns. Using advanced targeting filters, you can control who sees which forms based on user behavior, traffic source, or device. Every lead captured flows straight into Mailchimp’s Smart CRM, where you can segment audiences and launch automated campaigns tailored to specific cohorts. 

Pros

• Seamless Facebook ads integration: Sync collected leads directly with Facebook Ads to retarget new subscribers without switching platforms.
• Built-in segmentation and tagging: Automatically organize signups into cohorts and send them into tailored email journeys right from the form setup.
• Personalization and insights: Form analytics help you track performance, while AI tools assist in subject line generation and behavior-based targeting.
• Great templates for email campaigns: Mailchimp offers a good selection of email templates that are both customizable and professional-looking.
• Solid A/B testing tools: Users appreciate the ability to test different email versions to see what resonates best with subscribers.
• Helpful analytics and reporting: Users liked the built-in insights like open rates, CTRs, and campaign performance.
• Smooth preview/edit experience: Users love the ability to preview emails before sending them to ensure quality and brand consistency.
• Good deliverability rate: Many users mentioned that emails land in inboxes reliably, which is critical for campaigns.

Cons

• Limited on free plan: You can send only 500 emails and can’t access automation unless you upgrade. 
• Limited form customization on mobile: Some users noted that forms don’t always scale perfectly on mobile without CSS tweaks.
• List management feels clunky: A few users felt the contact segmentation and tagging could be better organized and more intuitive.
• Editor learning curve: Switching between form and email editors can feel disjointed for new users or those used to simpler tools.

Pricing 

Mailchimp offers four plans based on your needs and the number of contacts. 

• All plans (except Free) come with A/B testing, automation, and exclude Mailchimp branding.
• Premium users get advanced reporting, predictive segmentation, and multivariate testing.
• You can save 15% on annual plans or with 10,000+ contacts.

Need more details? Explore the full Mailchimp pricing breakdown.

Customer experience 

On Reddit, some users have shared mixed experiences, with comments about the platform being suitable for simple email marketing needs but lacking in more advanced functionalities.

Overall, users appreciated Mailchimp’s intuitive design and automation capabilities, such as the Customer Journey Builder, for saving time and enhancing engagement.​

HubSpot

G2: 4.4 🌟 Capterra: 4.5 🌟

HubSpot isn’t just another email tool; it’s the Swiss Army knife for growing and managing email lists at scale. With drag-and-drop forms, popup builders, and embedded CTAs that plug directly into its Smart CRM, every lead captured is instantly actionable. 

You can easily segment your list based on user behavior or where they are in their journey. And when it’s time to send personalized follow-ups based on their interactions, like clicks or page views, HubSpot makes it seamless.

The tool’s real magic lies in how it connects your forms, email workflows, and contact records in one place without any clunky APIs or manual CSVs.

Pros

• Easy email list creation via forms: It’s very simple to use HubSpot Forms on your websites to build email lists and automate newsletter delivery.
• Real-time email analytics: Users can track who opened emails, clicked on links, or engaged, helping marketers understand what’s working.
• All-in-one marketing platform: Many love having email, CRM, social media, landing pages, and lead tracking under one roof, making it efficient and centralized.
• Excellent A/B testing tools: Several reviewers praised the built-in A/B testing capabilities that help optimize subject lines, content, and timing for better results.
• Personalized email tokens: HubSpot supports personalized email content using tokens – useful for making emails feel more direct and relevant to recipients.
• Supportive community and tutorials: Even when issues arise, users find plenty of answers in HubSpot’s documentation or community forums, along with responsive support.

Cons

• Price increases as the list grows: HubSpot becomes expensive quickly once your email contact list starts to scale.
• Limited list management tools: Filtering contacts or creating custom lists isn’t always straightforward and can feel clunky for some users.
• Lack of dynamic fields: Marketers wished they could use dynamic fields (like UTM parameters or custom properties) more flexibly in email list filters.
• Manual suppression lists: Managing suppression lists to avoid over-sending or duplication isn’t fully automated unless configured manually.

Pricing 

HubSpot’s pricing for email marketing is a part of its Marketing Hub, which offers tools like form builders, landing pages, automation, list segmentation, and analytics.

• Contacts beyond the included number incur additional charges.
• Pricing is based on the number of “marketing contacts” (those you actively email or nurture).
• All plans include access to HubSpot’s CRM and form builder.
• Automation and advanced segmentation start with the Professional plan.

You can explore more details or build a custom plan using HubSpot’s pricing calculator.

Customer experience

Many users appreciate how easy it is to capture leads using customizable forms, and how the system then automatically organizes those leads into segmented lists for targeted email campaigns.

Klaviyo

G2: 4.6 🌟 Capterra: 4.6 🌟

Klaviyo is purpose-built for eCommerce businesses that want to build, segment, and monetize their email lists. It combines email and SMS marketing into one intelligent platform, enabling brands to capture leads through high-converting popups, embedded forms, and gamified opt-ins, all of which are fully customizable and behavior-triggered. 

Once collected, subscriber data is automatically enriched with shopping behavior, site activity, and past purchases, allowing for granular segmentation. This makes sending personalized campaigns and automated flows like welcome series, cart reminders, or product recommendations possible. 

Klaviyo’s drag-and-drop editor, pre-built templates, and dynamic product feeds reduce design time and boost performance. Its tight integrations with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce ensure real-time data sync for more informed targeting. 

Pros

• Powerful automation flows: Users love Klaviyo’s flow builder, which enables complex automation with ease—especially for email and SMS.
• Drag-and-drop email builder: Many users praised the intuitive drag-and-drop editor for building responsive email templates quickly.
• A/B testing support: The built-in A/B testing features help users optimize campaign performance without third-party tools.
• High customizability: Klaviyo gives you control over flows, forms, and emails with various custom variables and triggers.
• Great reporting and analytics: Real-time insights on open rates, click-through rates, and deliverability help teams optimize campaigns.
• Supports long and complex campaigns: Some users rely on Klaviyo to send 50 -100+ emails as part of structured programs with excellent delivery.
• Time-saving template system: Pre-built and custom templates make it easier for teams to reuse workflows and reduce repetitive work.

Cons

• Overwhelming for beginners: The interface and depth of features can be intimidating for new users or those without technical backgrounds.
• Auto upgrades: Klaviyo has an Auto Upgrade feature to keep up with your increased demand without disrupting workflows. However, many users are unaware of this and may see it as cheeky or confusing. But, as an admin, you can easily turn it off under Billing Preferences (of course, this applies to paid plans).

Pricing 

Klaviyo charges based on active profiles, i.e., the number of contacts you plan to email. Pricing scales as your list grows, and you can choose between Email-only or Email + SMS plans. Here’s a complete breakdown:

Klaviyo does not offer a traditional free trial, but the free plan is a great way to test the platform before committing.

For real-time calculations, visit Klaviyo’s Pricing Page or use their built-in ROI calculator.

Customer experience 

Klaviyo earns applause from users across platforms. And I can attest to that, but again, note that it’s one of the most complex to use for inexperienced marketers. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll understand exactly what these people praise. 

Build smarter, not harder

At the end of the day, the best email list-building tool is the one that fits your business goals and growth stage. 

Whether you’re looking for deep segmentation, drag-and-drop ease, or tight CRM integration, there’s always a tool that can fulfill your needs. 

So, go beyond generic forms. Build with intention, test what works, and let your list grow on autopilot.

I’m sure manual address cleanup, missed segmentation, and deliverability issues chip away at your ROI. 

To avoid that, you need to use proper email list management tools.

In this article, I’ve listed five popular platforms for maintaining healthy, segmented, automated, and compliant email lists.

Although they are not dedicated email list management tools, I’ve evaluated them based on how well they support segmentation, hygiene, automation, and compliance.

Let’s dive in.

Disclaimer: The reviews in this article reference feature lists, pricing, and software catalog reviews. These were valid at the time of writing but could be subject to change by the time you read this piece.

Best email list management tools: a snapshot

Click on a platform name to jump to the detailed review.

• Mailchimp is best for marketers who want straightforward audience segmentation, smart automations, and beginner-friendly design tools in one place.
• ActiveCampaign is best for B2B brands that require advanced automation, deep behavioral segmentation, and lead scoring to manage and grow lists intelligently.
• HubSpot is best for businesses that need tight CRM + email integration, GDPR compliance, dynamic lists, and contact lifecycle tracking.
• Constant Contact is best for small businesses and nonprofits that want basic list management with easy drag-and-drop emails and simple automations.
• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is best for eCommerce brands that need unlimited contacts, flexible segmentation, and scalable automation without breaking the budget.

And here’s a side-by-side comparison of the email list management tools:

Email list management tools: comparison criteria

Before diving into these tools, let me share the benchmarks I used for comparing them. Here’s what I checked:

Type of platform

I checked whether the tool is a standalone email service provider (like Mailchimp or Brevo), a CRM with integrated email sending (like HubSpot), or something more developer-focused for email testing and deliverability.

This matters a lot because the type defines how the tool fits into your larger marketing or tech stack.

• If it’s a full-blown ESP, you can manage lists, segment users, automate workflows, and send campaigns, all from one place.
• If it’s a CRM-first tool, you’ll get richer customer profiles, deeper sales integrations, but sometimes slightly less focus on the nuances of list hygiene.
• If it’s a developer-focused tool, the emphasis shifts to deliverability, suppression management, and infrastructure stability over traditional marketing.

So, for each platform, I explored:

• Whether it can handle list building and nurturing.
• Whether it supports marketing campaigns or just transactional/system emails.
• Whether the list management tools (like tagging, segmentation, list cleaning) are native parts of the platform or secondary add-ons.

This helped me align expectations early: knowing if the tool is built for marketers, developers, or sales teams, or trying to serve all three.

Pricing

When testing these tools, I didn’t just glance at their pricing pages and call it a day. I dug deeper because pricing is about what you get, how fast the costs can scale, and whether the free plan (if offered) is genuinely helpful or just a teaser.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Is there a free plan?

I looked at whether a tool offers a free forever plan or just a limited trial. And if it’s free, what’s included? Are critical features like automation, segmentation, or basic list hygiene available? Or do you get stuck with something too basic to be practical?

• What’s the pricing model?

I made note of how they charge:

• Some tools charge based on the number of contacts (like Mailchimp and HubSpot).
• Some charge based on the number of emails sent (like Brevo).
• Some have tiered pricing based on extra features (like ActiveCampaign).

This matters because your cost trajectory can look different depending on whether you’re growing a contact list or sending frequent emails.

• Where do price jumps happen?

Many platforms show competitive starting prices but have hidden leaps. For example, prices often shoot up once you cross certain thresholds (like 500 contacts, 1,000 contacts, or need advanced automation). I kept an eye on those “gotcha” moments because no one likes surprise bills when your list starts to take off.

• Are essential features locked behind expensive plans?

Some tools tease you with a nice starting plan but hide things like advanced segmentation, dynamic content, re-engagement automation, or even better analytics behind premium tiers.

• Is the scaling fair?

Last but not least, I considered whether the platform feels fair as your business grows. Some tools charge aggressively once your list grows, while others offer more generous scaling. I made sure to flag this because good list management is a long-term game, and affordability over time matters.

Email list management features

This aspect received the most attention when I compared the tools because if a platform cannot help you organize, clean, and segment your list efficiently, it’s just another email blaster.

Here’s a breakdown of what I specifically looked for while testing each tool’s list management capabilities:

List hygiene 

First, I checked how well each tool helps users keep their lists clean and healthy.

• Suppress hard bounces, spam complaints, and unsubscribes without manual intervention.
• Allow easy identification and removal of unengaged or inactive contacts.
• Provide suppression lists or cleanup workflows that prevent damage to sender reputation.
• Flag risky email addresses (like role-based or temporary domains) proactively.

I also looked at whether the platform alerts you to issues, like too many bounces or spam complaints, before it damages your deliverability.

Segmentation 

This one’s huge. I tested whether the tool lets you segment contacts based on:

• Demographics (location, job title, etc.)
• Behavior (opens, clicks, purchases, visits)
• Tags or custom fields
• Lifecycle stage (new subscriber, active user, churned, etc.)

I wanted to see how flexible and intuitive the segmentation was. Could I build segments in minutes without manual intervention, or was it buried under confusing menus?

Bonus points went to tools that allow dynamic segments. These segments update automatically based on real-time contact behavior. However, this feature is typically gated behind higher-tier plans. 

List management automation

Beyond drip campaigns, I evaluated whether the automation engine could help maintain the list itself. That includes:

• Auto-tagging contacts based on activity or lifecycle stage.
• Removing or suppressing cold contacts after a certain period.
• Triggering re-engagement sequences or lead-nurturing workflows.
• Managing unsubscribes, opt-ins, and re-confirmations automatically.

Analytics and engagement tracking

Next, I explored how much visibility you get into how your list is performing. I checked for:

• Visual dashboards that show engagement levels (opens, clicks, inactivity).
• Subscriber growth trends and churn tracking.
• Bounce and unsubscribe rate reports tied to specific segments or campaigns.
• Deliverability alerts tied to list performance.

Some tools make this data easy to act on. Others bury it or barely surface it at all, and that makes a big difference when you try to improve your campaigns.

AI and integrations

After testing the basics, I moved to a layer that can elevate (or sometimes limit) how useful a platform feels in everyday work: AI capabilities and integrations. 

AI isn’t just about writing email copy anymore; it can (and should) play a role in how you manage your list, too. I checked if the platform offered:

• Predictive segmentation or engagement scoring using machine learning (to help you identify your hottest leads or disengaged subscribers).
• AI-driven recommendations to clean inactive contacts or re-engage cold segments.
• Smart suggestions for audience segmentation based on user behavior.
• AI-based form optimization (helps create higher-converting sign-up forms by analyzing interaction patterns).

Also, a great tool shouldn’t force you to manually move data around all the time. So, I paid close attention to:

• Native integrations with major CRMs (like Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Telecrm), eCommerce platforms (like Shopify, WooCommerce), webinar tools, landing page builders, and ad platforms.
• How easy is connecting lead capture forms, signup popups, or other front-end tools without messing with manual API configurations or developer help every time? I looked for platforms that offered plug-and-play integrations with minimal setup effort.
• Whether behavior data (like purchases, site visits, or abandoned carts) can be synced to contacts automatically, powering smarter segments and automations.
• Availability of Zapier, Make, or direct API connections for custom workflows (at times when native integrations are missing).

I also tested whether integrations supported real-time updates. In high-volume email marketing, it’s critical that:

• New contacts instantly enter the right segments or automations.
• Purchase behavior or event tracking flows into contact profiles without manual refreshes.
• Any change in a connected CRM or shop triggers updates on the email side without lag.

Platforms that lagged on real-time syncing or made integrations overly technical lost a few points here.

User experience

Features mean nothing if the platform feels clunky every time you log in. 

So, once I got past the tool sets and integrations, I reviewed how each one felt to use on a day-to-day basis. 

I started by checking how intuitive the dashboard was. Could I find the list settings, segmentation tools, and engagement insights without hunting through endless menus? Platforms that laid things out clearly, with smart defaults and clean workflows, instantly stood out.

Then came daily usability. I tested how quickly I could do basic but essential tasks: tagging contacts, removing inactive users, setting up automation, and viewing segment performance. Some tools made this feel effortless. Others buried key functions in tabs I’d never think to click. 

Support and guidance mattered, too. I explored each platform’s help center, looked for tooltips or onboarding checklists, and tested how easy it was to get real support (especially on free or basic plans). The best tools offered live chat, step-by-step tutorials, and solid community support.

Finally, I checked the form-building experience. Most email lists start with a form, so I checked how smooth it was to build, style, preview, and publish sign-up forms. If the mobile view was glitchy or the editor required CSS knowledge, it lost points.

Legal compliance 

When you’re collecting, storing, and emailing personal data, legal compliance isn’t optional. Regulations like GDPR, CCPA, CAN-SPAM, and others are getting stricter by the year. So, for each platform I tested, I carefully looked at how well it supports compliant email list management.

First, I checked if I could add consent checkboxes, custom privacy text, and links to privacy policies in sign-up forms. I also looked at double opt-in support, the ability to send a confirmation email before someone gets added to my list.

While not always legally required, it’s one of the best ways to filter out fake signups and stay compliant with anti-spam laws. Tools that allowed toggling this on/off per list or region were especially useful.

Next, I tested how unsubscribe management was handled. Every platform should automatically include unsubscribe links and remove contacts from lists the moment they opt out. I made sure this process was automatic and that the unsubscribe data was clearly visible in campaign reports. 

Some platforms also offered more advanced options like region-based form controls (e.g., showing extra consent fields only to EU users), cookie tracking settings, and automated suppression lists for people who opt out across multiple forms or campaigns. These were a bonus but important for more advanced users.

I also reviewed each tool’s data handling policy and whether they offered a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) and compliance badges (like GDPR/CCPA certifications). The ability to export/delete contacts upon request was also on my checklist.

Customer experience

I went through hundreds of user reviews on G2, Capterra, Reddit, and even Twitter and LinkedIn to get a full picture of how these tools hold up in the real world, across industries, team sizes, and use cases.

I paid attention to recurring themes in reviews, like whether users found the interface confusing, whether support was slow to respond, or whether people enjoyed using the tool long-term. Repeated praise (or complaints) held a lot more weight than one-off opinions.

I also tested how easy it was to get help when needed. For each tool, I tried accessing support directly, through live chat, email, or ticketing, and noted whether the help was quick, useful, or buried behind a paywall.

I also checked real success stories and use cases. If well-known companies trust a platform or show real growth results from case studies, it gives me extra confidence in their reliability and long-term value.

Next, let’s take a closer look at each tool and see how they stack up against these criteria.

5 Best email list management tools

1. ActiveCampaign

G2: 4.5 🌟 Capterra: 4.6 🌟

ActiveCampaign is a top-tier choice for marketers and businesses that want total control over their email list, from engagement-based segmentation to advanced automation. 

It naturally combines CRM-level contact management with powerful email marketing features. You can tag users based on nearly any behavior, dynamically segment them, and even score their intent or engagement levels. 

Its automation builder is a highlight – visual, intuitive, and packed with triggers that let you build complex journeys, prune cold leads, or re-engage the right audience. It also supports GDPR/CCPA compliance, lead scoring, and site tracking out of the box. 

While it may not offer AI list cleanup, users love the freedom to build it themselves via workflows. That said, its pricing and CRM features may not be ideal for beginners or small teams, but if segmentation and automation are your game, AC delivers like few others.

Pros

• Flexible tagging and segmentation: Users rave about how many ways you can tag and segment contacts, from custom fields to behavior tracking.
• Powerful visual automation builder: Drag-and-drop interface supports everything from welcome flows to inactivity pruning.
• Built-in lead scoring and contact history: Helps qualify leads based on activity and makes targeting easier.
• Great integration ecosystem: Syncs well with Shopify, CRMs, WordPress, webinar tools, and more.
• Dynamic list management: Segments update automatically, and automation flows can clean, tag, or move contacts in real time.

Cons

• No real-time deliverability alerts: You won’t be warned if emails start hitting spam folders, which can affect performance.
• CRM limitations: Built-in CRM feels basic to some; e.g., it lacks deeper pipeline features offered by standalone CRMs.

Pricing 

Here’s a complete breakdown of ActiveCampaign pricing:

The pricing is based on a maximum of 1,000 contacts. Costs increase with higher contact tiers. For complete details and custom quotes, check out the official ActiveCampaign pricing page.

Customer experience 

ActiveCampaign is well-regarded for bringing together contact management, automation, and analytics in a single platform. Users appreciate how easy it is to automate workflows, monitor performance in real-time, and integrate with other tools. 

While the platform earns praise for its customer support and marketing capabilities, some users mention that mastering its full potential can take time, especially for complex automation setups.

2. Mailchimp

G2: 4.3 🌟 Capterra: 4.5 🌟

Mailchimp is among the most popular, user-friendly platforms for building, managing, and growing email lists. It combines advanced segmentation, detailed analytics, and rich automation without overwhelming beginners. You can tag contacts, segment based on behavior or activity, automate re-engagement flows, and track every interaction in real time. 

The subscriber dashboard is packed with engagement data, and integrations with eCommerce platforms let you personalize campaigns by purchase behavior. Tools like lead scoring, suppression handling, and GDPR-compliant forms give it an edge for both compliance and performance. 

That said, the pricing model may sting as your audience grows, but the functionality is hard to compete against.

Pros

• User-friendly with a gentle learning curve: Most users find it intuitive to set up, design, and manage email campaigns without coding.
• Advanced segmentation options: Segment based on behavior, tags, eCommerce activity, or custom fields.
• Robust automation builder: Customer journeys, re-engagement flows, and activity-based triggers are all pre-built and customizable.
• Reliable deliverability and suppression: Built-in opt-in handling, bounce filtering, and unsubscribe management help keep lists healthy.
• Integrated contact insights: Tracks opens, clicks, and purchase history – all viewable at the individual contact level.
• Flexible integrations: Syncs seamlessly with Shopify, Salesforce, WooCommerce, Zapier, and hundreds more.

Cons

• Email design limitations: Some users report basic templates and limited flexibility unless you’re comfortable with HTML/CSS.
• Support access depends on plan: 24/7 support is reserved for higher tiers; free users rely mostly on the knowledge base.
• Open rate tracking isn’t foolproof: Metrics can be skewed by image-blocking or ad filters, leading to inaccurate reporting.
• Not ideal for cold emailing: Strict opt-in enforcement and deliverability policies can block use cases like prospecting lists.

Pricing 

Note: Unsubscribed and non-engaged contacts still count toward billing, so active list hygiene is a cost-saver.

For further details,  explore Mailchimp’s official pricing page.

Customer experience 

Mailchimp earns high marks from users for its scalable automation, audience segmentation, and ease of use. One reviewer reported a 20% boost in customer engagement after implementing its customer journeys and segmentation tools. 

Others praise its intuitive interface and strong analytics, though some note limitations in template flexibility and the fact that full support is only unlocked on higher plans.

3. HubSpot

G2: 4.4 🌟 Capterra: 4.5 🌟

HubSpot needs little introduction. It’s a full-fledged CRM and marketing automation platform for unifying email list management, segmentation, and analytics in one ecosystem. Its Smart Lists (dynamic segments) and workflows allow you to build flexible, behavior-based campaigns, from welcome journeys to re-engagement sequences. 

The platform automatically suppresses bounces, handles unsubscribes across all lists, and provides GDPR-compliant tools to manage consent. Importing/exporting contacts is seamless, and the CRM stores all interactions in one place, from form fills and page views to email clicks and sales activity. 

While HubSpot doesn’t use tags in the traditional sense, its powerful custom properties, list memberships, and lead scoring features more than compensate. Though ideal for scaling B2B or SaaS companies, the cost can be steep for small teams.

But if you’re looking for a marketing solution that tracks, scores, and nurtures contacts through the entire funnel, HubSpot delivers.

Pros

• All-in-one ecosystem: Combines email marketing, CRM, landing pages, forms, and automation in a single interface.
• Integration ecosystem: Supports many third-party tools, including a call center integration for HubSpot, as well as various analytics and dashboard platforms.
• Strong list hygiene features: Automatically handles bounces, unsubscribes, and deliverability issues to protect sender reputation.
• Segmentation and Smart Lists: Real-time updates based on behaviors, properties, or lifecycle stages.
• Visual dashboards and reports: Help track campaigns and list health at a glance.
• Workflow automation is intuitive: You can trigger actions based on email engagement, form submissions, property changes, and more.
• CRM-level contact tracking: Logs all user actions, enabling accurate segmentation and scoring without third-party tools.

Cons

• Limited flexibility outside HubSpot: Some integrations require workarounds or API involvement, especially for syncing external CRMs.
• No traditional tagging system: You’ll need to use properties or custom fields instead of flexible free-form tags.
• Occasional feature gaps: Advanced list logic or exclusions may need extra configuration or workarounds.

Pricing 

The pricing scales with the number of contacts. For detailed breakdowns and tiers, check the official HubSpot pricing page.

Customer experience
Users like how HubSpot brings everything together – email, CRM, and reporting, in one smooth, easy-to-use platform.

4. Constant Contact 

G2: 4.1 🌟 Capterra: 4.3 🌟

Constant Contact is a great fit for small businesses and nonprofits looking to grow and manage email lists. It’s known for its simplicity, from uploading contacts to sending out campaigns. You’ll get built-in tools for handling bounces, unsubscribes, and compliance without micromanaging. 

Segmentation is basic with filters and tags for organizing lists, but it’s not ideal for more complex targeting. While automation is available, it’s limited, especially if you’re used to visual workflow builders. That said, the platform shines in its integrations, syncing well with Shopify, Salesforce, Eventbrite, and more. 

The tool supports multi-channel outreach (email, social, SMS). However, scaling can be costly, and some features are locked behind higher-tier plans. If you’re just starting out or managing smaller lists, Constant Contact might be your go-to tool for simple and reliable email list management.

Pros

• Beginner-friendly and easy to use: Clean interface, great for non-tech users or small teams getting started.
• Simple list management: Uploading, editing, and organizing contacts is straightforward, with import support from Excel/Google Sheets.
• Decent analytics and deliverability tracking: Provides open, click, and bounce stats, plus pre-send spam checks.
• Multi-channel capability: Send email blasts, SMS, and even manage social posts all from one platform.
• Good integration support: Works with Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce, Eventbrite, and more, helpful for syncing subscriber data.

Cons

• Limited automation and segmentation: No dynamic list logic, behavioral tagging, or advanced triggers beyond basic autoresponders.
• Feature gating: Several useful tools are behind premium plans, even after subscribing, upgrades may still be required for full access.

Pricing 

The pricing scales with contact volume. Visit the official pricing page of Constant Contact for custom estimates and feature breakdowns.

Customer experience 

Users love its drag-and-drop builder, polished templates, and ease of managing contacts and tracking results. Many say it makes their email marketing look professional without needing advanced skills. 

5. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

G2: 4.5 🌟 Capterra: 4.6 🌟

If you’re after a solid email list management tool on a budget, Brevo can be an excellent choice. It’s an email marketing platform known for its flexible pricing (based on emails sent, not contact count) and a generous free tier. 

For list building, Brevo offers a decent mix of segmentation, automation, and analytics. You can create dynamic segments using behaviors, tags, or custom fields, great for personalizing campaigns. It’s especially handy for e-commerce use cases thanks to integrations with platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce. 

While it lacks advanced AI or lead scoring features, you can still manage contacts effectively through tags, workflows, and automation triggers. The interface is user-friendly once you get the hang of it, and deliverability is generally reliable. However, customer support and UI stability have received mixed feedback.

For small businesses and budget-conscious teams, Brevo hits a sweet spot. It offers robust tools without bloating the bill.

Pros

• Affordable and scalable: Pricing based on emails sent, not contacts, ideal for growing lists without penalty.
• Strong automation: Users love the drag-and-drop workflow builder that supports re-engagement and list cleaning flows.
• Excellent segmentation: You can build dynamic, behavior-based lists with ease, perfect for personalized campaigns.
• Clean UI and personalization: Campaign builder and analytics are intuitive and helpful, especially for small teams.
• E-commerce friendly: Syncs well with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento for triggering emails based on purchase behavior.

Cons

• Limited advanced tools: No native lead scoring, and sending one-off emails to single contacts requires creating a segment.
• Customer support frustrations: Users report slow or ineffective support, especially during account issues or suspensions.

Pricing 

For plan details, visit Brevo’s pricing page.

Customer experience 

Brevo earns points for being approachable and feature-rich for the price. Marketers love how easy it is to build and segment lists, even when working with complex campaign flows across channels like email and WhatsApp. 

The platform’s drag-and-drop editor, reporting dashboard, and blog support make it a go-to tool for those wanting powerful features without the tech headaches. 

Choose the right email list management tool!

Email list management goes beyond collecting contacts. It helps you maintain quality, boost engagement, and stay compliant. Each tool we covered shines in different areas – Mailchimp for automation, ActiveCampaign for deep segmentation, Brevo for affordability, and so on. 

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling fast, the right email list management tool can make a huge difference. Depending on your goals and team size, compare your needs with what each platform offers. Then test a few and go with the one that gives you both power and peace of mind.

When it comes to email-list building, most articles on Google just give you some vague tips and beat around the bush. However, that is not the case with this one.

In this tutorial, I’ll first go over the basic theory and answer what an email list is and why it is important. Then, I’ll show you how to build a list from scratch and go over some don’ts, and best practices you should follow to keep your list spotless.

Feel free to click on any of the links above to jump ahead.

What is an email list?

An email list is an organically built collection of email addresses you gather generally through double-opt in or permission-based forms. You keep them in Excel, Google sheets, or just regular .xlsx or .csv files, then upload to your chosen email marketing platform, and send them various types of emails like newsletters, email marketing campaigns, etc

A list the heart of every email marketing strategy; like the wheels to a bicycle, it’s what makes it spin. Without one, trying to run an email marketing campaign would be like turning on an empty microwave and expecting a meal to appear.

For example, if you open your personal inbox, you’ll probably find a newsletter email or two. Congratulations, you’ve received it because you’re on someone’s email list.

So, you can leverage this for yourself and your business. Gather email addresses, send newsletters, product updates, or other types of email campaigns, and voila: profit! 

Fun fact: Did you know that one of the first email lists was formed in the 1980s and was about science fiction, adequately called SF-LOVERS? 💡

Why an email list is important

Okay, without an email list, you can’t do email marketing; we’ve got that out of the way.

However, what I want to address here is what a quality email list can do for your business. A list you build yourself from scratch that consists of responsive contacts who are willing to engage.

Building relationships with your audience

By personalizing your emails, you build long-term trust, people not unsubscribing from your list, not marking you for spam, etc.

For example, when you ask your customers/clients for feedback, be sure to start the email with their name instead of saying ‘Hello there’ and specify the service/product they bought instead of writing a generic line. And if they answer, write them a tailored thank you message with the key points he/she mentioned for bonus points.

Long-term asset, not just ROI

At this point, even the birds on the trees know that email marketing has the highest ROI, so I won’t bother you with that. But what many forget to tell you is that an email list is not a quick and immediate return. Instead, it will provide you with ongoing value, but only if you invest in it first.

And no, investing doesn’t equal buying an email list. Although you can technically buy an email list, you shouldn’t at all, but more on this later. 

Personalize your emails, grow your list, and get loyal subscribers. Then, you’ll start to notice repeat purchases, new customers you get by recommendation, brand recognition, and more.

No middlemen and full ownership

As we’ve seen recently, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok can go down, meaning you can have your contact with social media followers cut overnight. Additionally, there are more data regulations by 3rd party middlemen, such as Meta’s change in content rules this year. 

With an engaged email list, you create your own rules and you own the communication between you and your audience.

How to build an email list

In this chapter, I’ll first show you how to build an email list organically, from scratch by adding list building mechanisms on your website and your social media channels. 

Additionally, I want to note that building an email list essentially means using existing marketing channels to convert traffic into subscribers. Hence why I went with websites and social media.

Note: You can follow these steps one or combine them for maximum results, it’s up to you. Also, as I’ve said, this is a methodology for building lists from ground up. If you’re looking to grow your list, we’ve got a dedicated article prepared for you on the topic. ⬅️

Websites

Websites are free real estate for building email lists since every visitor is a potential subscriber, that is, if you give them enough reason to subscribe. And here are some ways you can nudge them toward hitting that Subscribe button.

1. Add embedded forms across your website

Embedded forms are static forms you can place directly in your webpage in footers, sidebars, below blog posts or contact pages and about pages. 

Here’s an example embedded form you can find at the bottom of any Zendesk blog article:

To add embedded forms to your website, you can:

• Code them from scratch – If you want full control over form design and have spare time, you can create one yourself with just a little bit of HTML and backend scripting. 
• Use a standalone form builder – To save some time and spare yourself a hassle, you can use drag-and-drop builders like WPForms or Typeform.
• Static site form services – In case you have a static website and are looking for a simple serverless form submission, use solutions like Formspree or Getform.
• Use an email marketing platform – Platforms like Mailchimp offer embedded form builders, although you have to ask yourself whether it’s cost-effective.

Pro tip: When adding embedded forms to your website, don’t forget to validate your emails. This is an industry-standard practice that detects and prevents typos and invalid addresses from being entered into your forms.

2. Add opt-in pop-up forms to your pages and automated flows

Pop-ups are like embedded pages, except they are not a part of your web pages but rather show up at some point while the user is browsing, hence the name. 

And here’s another Zendesk example, this time a form that pops up after you’ve spent some time on their website:

Another difference between the two is that pop-ups typically have a higher conversion rate because they actively prompt the website visitor to action. On the other hand, embedded forms are passive and can be simply scrolled through.

You can create embedded forms as you would pop-ups, except use different tools:

• Code them from scratch – The logic behind this is the same as for embedded forms, except you’d have to create pop-up triggers using modal logic or timed scripts.
• WordPress pop-up plugins – WordPress offers a variety of plugins that make your life easier, such as Claspo, Popup Maker, OptinMonster, or Hustle.
• Use standalone builders – Not a WP user? Try tools like Poptin, Sleeknote, or Hello Bar to design forms and make them pop up on your website.
• Built-in tools from platforms – Brevo, Kit, and Mailchimp offer pop up builders that allow you to track things like scroll percentage or exit intent. 

Pro tip: Don’t make pop-ups pop up immediately when a visitor lands on a page. Instead, make them appear right before visitors leave. How? Simply measure the average time spent on key pages, and there you have it! Also, don’t know where to add your pop-up best? Check out the article on the topic by FirstPageSage.

3. Offer valuable freebies/lead magnets

Most articles you can find on Google will tell you the exact same thing: offer freebies or lead magnets that provide value. And this is true, cause let’s face it: no one wants to give out their emails and be spammed for scraps.

But, what no one tells you is how to use lead magnets most effectively and how to find the value everyone seems to be mentioning.

Now, let me share an example from SEO space:

• First, I found my ideal customers/clients’ pain points and struggles by staying in touch with them, observing the competitive landscape, analyzing clicks on my website, etc.
• By doing this, I got a job-to-be-done for your customers/clients, that is, a solver for their problems, or where the value lies in for them.
• However, if the topic is a keyword with high volume, it’s certainly competitive, so only publishing a blog article on it simply won’t do the trick.
• What will do the trick is writing an article with solutions to my customers/clients’ problems and sending it to them as a freebie/lead magnet via email.

And voila, I’ve bypassed the first page of Google, landed in my customers’ inboxes, and helped them with a blocker.

4. Use lead magnets strategically on landing pages

Use lead magnets and offer free stuff on dedicated landing pages that include:

• A strong headline
• A solid copy
• Attractive images
• Clear and visible CTA, or call-to-action
• Testimonials, download counts, etc. (Optional) 
• Brief form fields for email (Optional)

For example, here’s how HubSpot does it:

You then click on Get the Kit, and you are greeted with the following window:

And, since, at this point, you’re probably 3-4 pages deep into clicking to get here, you’re likely to add the email to get the kit, and HubSpot email marketing team is richer for one more address. Works like a charm!

However, the ordeal doesn’t stop here because HubSpot’s team knows what they’re doing. 

First, they send you off to a page where you can download the kit:

Then, they forward you an email where you can do the same:

Why is this important? Simply put, you get used to receiving emails from HubSpot, which lowers the chances of you unsubscribing from their marketing list in the future, especially if you’re lazy like me. 

For instance, I realized this was a viable strategy when I signed up for a free running program, which was emailed to me in PDF (just like HubSpot’s kit). I didn’t download it, I kept opening it via email and got used to the service that offered the lead magnet. To this day I see them in my inbox like doves in my garden. 🙂

5. Personalize your CTAs

Yes, you can use the good old ‘Sign up here’ button, it works and it’s reliable. But you can always make your CTA better and appealing to click.

Adding to the previous tip, what you can do is to personalize your CTA with the offer. Just like in the previous HubSpot example.

So, whatever you might be offering, offer it in the CTA. Giving away an eBook? Download your eBook here. Gifting a voucher? Get your coupon right here! Selling email templates? Send professional emails! And the list goes on.

For example, here’s how we did it in the Free Email Marketing Platforms article on the Mailtrap blog 😅:

6. Launch a referral campaign

With referrals, you can turn your website visitors into your best affiliates.

Simply give them an incentive to refer your email newsletter to their friends by offering them a worthwhile prize whenever their referral subscribes to your newsletter using your personal link. For example, here’s Google’s referral program for Google Workspace:

For this, you can use marketing tools like ReferralCandy, UpViral, SparkLoop, and similar, which provide you with referral tracking, link generation, and other useful functionalities.

However, sending a referred contact a newsletter telling them about your product/service isn’t gonna cut it; you need to build some trust first. To do this, you can:

• Prepare a well-designed welcome email to introduce the referral program
• Offer real value (see tip #3)
• Avoid asking for too much info; you’ve already got their email

Pro tip: Some of the affordable yet incentivizing awards you can offer include access to private communities (e.g., Slack channel invites), free eBooks, Excel templates or sheets for business owners, exclusive content, etc.

7. Email capture at sign-up and checkouts

Pop-ups and embedded signup forms work well for websites where users don’t have to register or buy anything. However, if you have a website with account creation or shopping, you should add an email capture mechanism since people are already entering their info.

During the sign-in, when the new subscribers enter their basic contact information like name, surname, email, etc. provide them a little box they can check/uncheck for newsletters, like so:

Similarly, during check-outs, before they finalize the order, place a check/uncheck box below the ‘finalize order’ button:

Important: To comply with consent laws (e.g., GDPR in EU), make sure your opt-in checkboxes (and all other opt-in forms) are unchecked by default. This way, if the user wants to be on your list, they actively choose to subscribe, not end up on your list by accident because they missed a tiny checkbox. I’ll also talk about complying with rules and regulations a bit further down in the article.

Social media

Considering that more than half of the world uses social media, with the average daily usage being 2 hours and 21 minutes, leveraging these platforms to build an email list is a no-brainer.  

1. Display and share lead magnets

Remember the lead magnets I talked about in the previous chapter (tip #3)? Well, it’s time to implement them on your social media platforms:

• Instagram – Add the lead magnet to your bio and promote it via Stories, Reels, posts, etc.
• Facebook – Edit your About page or add a dedicated page
• Twitter – Pin a tweet with the lead magnet link and retweet it regularly
• YouTube – Mention the link at the end of the video and add it to your description/pin comment.
• TikTok – Use the link in bio and point to it in the Reels.
• LinkedIn – Share the lead magnet in a post, slideshow, etc.

Pro tip: Make sure the CTA is strong (e.g., Follow the link for your free guide), don’t just place the link there expecting it to get clicks on its own.

Now, here’s an example from LinkedIn, which I can bet you’ve seen already numerous times. It offers a solution/case study/presentation in an informative post and asks the readers to write their emails if they want to receive it in PDF in their email.

2. Combine different channels

When building an email list on social media, it’s important not to focus on one platform. Instead, you should spread your marketing efforts on multiple channels and share content across platforms to maximize your reach.

For example, if you have a Facebook page for your business, merge your email list building efforts with Instagram marketing as well, especially since it has an average engagement rate of 192 seconds.

You can also send your YouTube subscribers personalized video recommendations or even exclusive videos to email list subscribers. Similar to what creators offer via Patreon.

Of course, although it’s easy to, let’s not forget Reddit:

3. Provide customer service on social media

Having your customer support team answer queries on social media is an easy way to get email addresses (and build trust with your target audience as well) because:

• Your followers will more often see your profile page/bio with the lead magnet
• You can give your followers a follow-up survey that includes a ‘subscribe to updates’ checkbox

Note that although this is not the most effective method of building an email list if you’re starting from scratch, it doesn’t cost a lot and doesn’t hurt, that’s for sure. Here’s how Canva does it, for example:

So, if you have a customer support team, give them access to your social media accounts and surprise them with an additional task in their backlog. 🥳

4. Organize contests and giveaways

On the other hand, if you’re offering services or products, one of the most effective ways to build a list and even get into eCommerce email marketing is to give away whatever you’re selling for free. 

Let’s take a look at this example and break it down:

Both you and I have seen such a post a million times already. The poster asks for a like, share, follow, etc., the usual package, and by doing this, you enter a pool of participants. Let’s say that 3 people win a prize of $100, totalling $300. That might seem like a lot to give away, but the poster just got a bunch of followers and increased brand awareness in one easy move. Worth every penny.

And if you create a giveaway where you require only an email address for opt-in, more people will be happy to join in since they’re not forced to share a story or anything. Just be sure to let them know to share it with their friends or at least tag a friend or two for that extra reach.

Tip: There’s also a bunch of tools you can use nowadays to make hosting giveaways a breeze. Personally, I recommend Gleam.io for running contests or giveaways and Wask for picking winners in the comments. Also, in case you don’t have anything to give away, why not host online events like webinars for your audience?

5. Collaborate with influencers and other brands 

Speaking of webinars, you can host those, as well as other community-building events, or even collaborate on content marketing or creation with influential people in your niche/industry. This way, you don’t only get a chance to build an email list but also build credibility and expand your reach.

For example, in SEO, there’s link-building and outreach: I offer some links to get linked on a website I think would promote my business well and help my project rank. To do this, I reach out to influencers and big brands in my industry and ask them for a collaboration.

The important thing here is that when you make the collaboration happen, you can ask your audience to sign up for your newsletter to be able to attend the online event you have planned or to get access to exclusive content you’re making. Again, a win-win situation. By keeping such partnerships active, you can also get monthly backlinks that steadily improve your domain authority and search visibility.

6. Run lead generation ads

Lead generation ads are basically ads that do not force you to buy anything. Instead, they offer some value in return for a subscription to the newsletter/email list in exchange for valuable content.

To paint you a clearer picture, here’s how HubSpot does it in one of their recent content-driven lead generation ads:

Seems like an ordinary ad you can see on Facebook/Instagram, right? And to some extent, that’s true; it’s exactly what it is. However, if you look closely, it doesn’t nudge you towards buying anything. You can just click on it or hit the Sign up button. And once you do, you’re redirected to the following page:

Now, this is your typical blog post page, just like this one, except it has three (3) CTAs you can click on to subscribe to HubSpot’s newsletter. One pop-up, one button CTA in the header, and one hyperlink. The more, the merrier.

Although this might seem like a lot, the page provides valuable content and keeps the reader truly engaged with useful digital marketing tips. And, as if the three CTAs weren’t enough, at the end, there is yet another one. Check it out:

Important: If you decide to run lead generation ads, make sure not to be like Grammarly used to be and overpromote. 

In Grammarly’s case it worked since they had a huge budget and targeted a super wide audience. But in most cases, it’s better to focus on the value of the content you put in ads. Just remember: content is king. 👑

7. Send some DMs

Yes, you read that right: send some direct messages to your followers, or, as the new generation would put it, slide into their DMs. 

Now, don’t send a message to each and every one of your followers, that would be counter-intuitive and borderline creepy. What you can do is to contact followers who engage with your content. Whether they like or comment on your posts, send them a link with your lead magnet.

Of course, don’t just send the lead magnet link and expect the users to sign up. You need to be a bit smooth with it. So, say something like: “Hey there, we’ve noticed you on our page and would like to offer personalized email content, etc.” or something along the lines.

It’s a bit of manual labor, but it will pay off in the long term. Plus, you will get a chance to know your followers a lot better! And if you’re feeling lazy or got some extra bucks to spare, there are also powerful tools you can use to automate this process, such as Manychat or Mobile Monkey to name a couple.

Email list red flags

Now that you know how to make an email list, let’s talk about some red flags and things to avoid. 🚩

Never buy an email list

The biggest and the reddest of them all is buying an email list. It’s such a red flag that I’ve got a whole list of reasons of why you should never commit this cardinal email marketing sin:

• It’s against the laws like GDPR, CCPA, and others
  • For example, for violating the CAN-SPAM Act, you can get a penalty of up to $44k per email
  • Even worse, non-compliance with GDPR can lead up to fines of up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s total global annual turnover.
• It will get you above 0.1% spam fast (1 spam complaint per 1K delivered emails), which is a big no
  • Ask yourself: When was the last time you didn’t thrash the promotional flyer you found in your mailbox? 
• By being marked as spam, you risk getting blacklisted
• Low ROI since you can’t know whether the contacts can be potential customers
  • Additionally, email lists are typically sold to many people, making them less effective
• Harms your brand reputation since you’re sending to people who don’t know about you
• Most email marketing platforms won’t let you send emails to a purchased list
• Due to the high bounce rate, it will harm your email deliverability and IP reputation
• You can never know how the emails from a list were collected
  • Typically, email lists for sale are built by email harvesting done by bots, spammy banner ads, and other shady methods.
  • Remember: Good email lists are not for sale. 

To finish this chapter, I’d like to share a comment from a Reddit user I found while preparing this article—I think it fits the bill just right:

Never “get” an email list

Getting or scraping/data enrichment is a process that is typically used for cold emailing. However, it’s considered as bad as buying an email list, and it was even forbidden by LinkedIn.

Nonetheless, for explanatory purposes, the process itself goes something like this:

• You start by scraping LinkedIn, for business email addresses.
• Then, you use tools like PhantomBuster and Apollo.io to extract and pair the emails with the names or roles of the people you’re sending to.
• Finally, you validate the email list to remove invalid and high-risk addresses.
• Push the list into your CRM for outreach or email marketing software for sending out campaigns.

And here’s a shocker: Cold emailing contacts from scraped lists is forbidden by most email marketing platforms. This is because cold contacts typically don’t consent to receive emails, which is against most email compliance rules and regulations.

Email list building best practices

With a great email list comes great responsibility. Namely, your work doesn’t end once you’ve finished building an email list from scratch. Partly because it will keep growing (if you did it right) and partly because it needs nurturing so it keeps bringing you results.

Email hygiene 

Yes, even the list you build on your own from scratch, 100% organically, requires occasional email validation. This way, you can keep your list clean from disposable, invalid, or mistyped emails.

Some of the tools I personally recommend (and use) include ZeroBounce, NeverBounce, and Hunter.io. For your go-to guide or an email list hygiene checklist, feel free to use our dedicated article. 

Email segmentation

Whether you have 1,000, 50,000, or 100,000 contacts, sending them the same email isn’t gonna do the trick. So, you need to segment your list based on different demographics, purchasing behavior, state/area, etc.

Now, you don’t have to do this in Excel sheets, don’t worry. Personally, I use Mailtrap Contacts, 

Track the most important metrics

A big part of email hygiene that deserves its own chapter is tracking the most important metrics once you put your list to work and start sending marketing campaigns. By tracking performance metrics you can observe how your list is performing from different angles and then work on optimization.

Some of the most important metrics to track include:

• Bounce rate – Keep this one under 5%.
  • If it goes over: re-validate your email list and remove hard bounces.
• Spam complaints – This one should never go above 0.1%
  • If it goes above: improve your email design, avoid spammy words, and let your list breathe a little by reducing sending frequency.
• Open rates – If you’re a bulk email sender, aim for a rate between 15-25%.
  • If it goes under: Try A/B testing subject lines and segment your list based on time zones, user behavior, etc.
• Click-through rates – The industry average for bulk emails is 2.5%
  • If it goes under: Create a separate list for inactive contacts and send them a re-engagement campaign.

For example, Mailtrap provides you with an in-depth breakdown of all of the above, which also includes helicopter view dashboards and drill-down reports. Check it out:

Complying with legal requirements

Throughout this article, I’ve mentioned GPDR, CCPA, the CAN-SPAM Act, and others. These email marketing laws protect user privacy and set clear boundaries for email marketers, and, as you remember from one of the previous chapters, impose quite hefty fees.

But that’s not all. Email providers like Google, Yahoo, and, as of recently, Outlook, impose their own requirements you need to meet in order to land in their inboxes and not go to spam. Some of these include:

• Enabling email list subscribers to opt out easily
• Storing and processing email subscriber data securely
• Clearly stating what you will use the data for
• And more.

Yes, I know this might seem like a lot of rules to swallow and go through at first, don’t worry — Mailtrap’s got your back!

Besides being able to reliably send transactional and marketing emails, Mailtrap can also help you with:

• Email authentication – Without authentication, your emails can be flagged or blocked, especially under CAN-SPAM or GDPR. So, we require each sender to have proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) before they start to send so that each domain is properly checked and prepared.
• Spam complaints – Most regulations require you to minimize unwanted messages, so our Deliverability Team systematically monitors the number of spam complaints and proactively assists customers with their issues to ensure compliance.
  • There’s also the free deliverability consultation with one of our experts. 
  • Additionally, you can get a spam report for your emails and proactively solve any potential deliverability issues.

• Dedicated Bulk Stream – Our Bulk Email Service is designed for high-volume senders and can handle large amounts of emails without a stutter, all the while keeping your deliverability high. And to comply with CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and CASL, to each email you send through the Bulk stream, we automatically add a one-click unsubscribe button.

Would you look at that? A wonderfully crafted and placed CTA! 🙂

Wrapping up

And that wraps up our email list guide!

Now you know how to create a high-quality list from scratch, why you shouldn’t buy one, and the best practices to follow so you can actually see the ROI thanks to your list. 

If you feel like learning further and exploring other email marketing concepts, why not check out our blog? We’ve a lot of other valuable articles waiting for you, such as:

• Email Marketing Audit: A Go-To Guide
• Email Marketing Checklist for 2025
• 5 Email Marketing Mistakes to Know
• How to Use Video in Email Marketing