13 Smart Ways to Capture Emails in 2023 [+ Tools]

The digital landscape is ever-evolving, but some things stay constant. Among those constants is the importance of capturing emails — a crucial part of your marketing strategy.

Email marketing is still one of the most profitable marketing channels in existence, which is why it is imperative that you continue to find innovative ways to capture emails from your visitors. 

But, how do you ensure your email list keeps growing? That’s what we’re here for!

In this guide, we’ll unveil 13 genius ways to capture emails that are rocking the scene in 2023.

13 Genius Ways to Capture Emails

1: On-Site Lead Magnets

First off, let’s talk about on-site lead magnets. They’re your secret sauce for piling up those email addresses. Lead magnets offer something valuable to visitors in exchange for their email. Think of things like eBooks, whitepapers, or exclusive blog posts.

To hit a home run with your lead magnets, follow these simple rules:

1. Make it relevant — The lead magnet should align with your audience’s interests and needs.
2. Make it valuable — It’s gotta be something worth exchanging an email address for.
3. Make it visible — Place your lead magnet prominently on your site.

Example: NotifyVisitors captures emails using the lead magnet shown above, in the form of a pop-up. 

Tool spotlight: NotifyVisitors. It’s your go-to for creating lead magnets that pop. With its easy-to-use interface, creating captivating lead magnets is a breeze.

2: Webinars

Webinars are up next. Interactive, engaging, and informative, webinars are a win-win for you and your audience. They give visitors valuable knowledge, and you get their email — sweet deal, right?

But, to make sure your webinars are packed, remember to:

1. Choose a hot topic — Keep an eye on the latest trends.
2. Promote like crazy — Use your social media channels, blog, and existing email list.
3. Make it easy to sign up — A simple form asking for an email is all you need.

Webinars are a great marketing tool for many different online business ideas. The important part is that you educate your audience on something your business can help with, and upsell them during the webinar. 

Tool spotlight: Zoom Webinar. This platform makes webinar hosting and management a cinch. Plus, it’s packed with features that make sign-ups smooth.

3: Quiz Funnels

Quiz funnels — now we’re talking fun! Quizzes are one of the best ways to capture emails because they engage visitors and offer a personalized result, which creates value.

Follow these steps to create a buzzworthy quiz:

1. Keep it short and sweet — A quiz should be fun, not a chore.
2. Make it about the user — Personality quizzes or ‘What type of X are you?’ quizzes work well.
3. Offer valuable results — Make the results worth sharing and the user’s email worth it!

Tool spotlight: Outgrow. With Outgrow, creating interactive quizzes is as easy as 1-2-3. The best part? Its lead generation features are top-notch!

4: AI Chatbots

If you’re like me, then for all of your marketing activities in 2023 you’ve been asking yourself “how does AI fit into this?”. Well, it fits right here. 

ChatGPT’s API has made it possible for any business to set up and program their own AI chatbot in just a few hours. Regardless of your business’s niche, you can set up a pop-up on your website that engages your customers and answers their questions. 

Want to use it to capture email addresses? Just program the bot to figure out what your customer is looking to solve, and then ask for their email address. Tell them that you’ll send them some information by email, and they can look it over when they’re ready.

5: Content Upgrades

Let’s move on to content upgrades, shall we? These are bonus materials offered within a blog post that visitors can access in exchange for their email. The golden rule? Make the upgrade a no-brainer by ensuring it enhances the value of your blog post.

Follow these simple steps to nail it:

1. Ensure relevance — The content upgrade should be directly related to the blog post.
2. Showcase value — Explain why the upgrade is worth their email.
3. Make it visible — Use eye-catching CTAs within the post to grab attention.

For a deep dive into successful content upgrades, check out these impressive success stories.

Tool spotlight: OptinMonster. It’s the tool you need for seamless content upgrade management. With it, you can create attention-grabbing opt-in forms in no time!

6: Offer a Free Tool

Next up, free tools. Want to get people lining up to give you their emails? Offer a free tool! It could be anything that solves a common problem for your audience.

Here’s how to go about it:

1. Identify a need — Find a common pain point for your audience.
2. Offer a solution — Develop a free tool that addresses this need.
3. Request an email — Make it a small ask in return for accessing the tool.

A little stuck on what tool to offer? Why not offer a file converter, like PNG to JPG? It might be a bit saturated, but the point is that it’s one of the best ways to capture emails without alienating your audience. 

Example: Remove.bg is a web tool that removes the background from images for you. If you want to download the new image in HD, you must sign up for an account 

Tool spotlight: Bubble. A great platform for creating web tools that are user-friendly and effective. Plus, it’s perfect for capturing those precious emails!

7 Exit-Intent Popups

Hang on, don’t let visitors leave without an offer they can’t resist! That’s where exit-intent popups come in. These popups are triggered when a user is about to leave your site, offering one last chance to capture that email.

Keep these tips in mind:

1. Make it irresistible — Offer something valuable like a discount code or free download.
2. Keep it simple — Don’t ask for too much info; an email address is enough.
3. Test and tweak — Regularly A/B test your popups to improve their performance.

Tool spotlight: Hello Bar. It’s your buddy for creating awesome exit-intent popups. With its user-friendly design features, you’ll have high-converting popups in no time!

Stay tuned for more smart ways to capture emails in 2023.

8: Social Media Contests

Now, let’s get social! Social media contests can be a goldmine for capturing emails. By running a contest where participants sign up with their email, you can grow your list and boost engagement simultaneously.

Follow these steps for a successful contest:

1. Offer a juicy prize — The bigger the reward, the more sign-ups you’ll get.
2. Promote the contest — Use all your social platforms to spread the word.
3. Collect emails — Use a simple sign-up form for participants to enter.

Looking for some inspiration? Check out how brands on NotifyVisitors have nailed it!

Tool spotlight: ShortStack. This platform makes creating and managing social media contests a breeze. Plus, the email capture functionalities are superb!

9: Collaborative Giveaways

Two is better than one, right? That’s the idea behind collaborative giveaways. By partnering with another brand, you can both promote the giveaway to your audiences, doubling the chances of capturing more emails.

To make it work:

1. Partner with a complementary brand — Choose one that shares your audience but isn’t a direct competitor.
2. Offer a shared prize — It should be relevant and appealing to both audiences.
3. Promote across both brands’ platforms — More exposure equals more sign-ups!

Tool spotlight: Rafflecopter. It makes managing your giveaways a cinch. Plus, it’s great for tracking entries and capturing emails.

10: E-books and Whitepapers

E-books and whitepapers are long-standing champions when it comes to capturing emails. They offer substantial value to your visitors in exchange for their email.

To get it right:

1. Create quality content — Ensure your e-books and whitepapers offer real value and actionable insights.
2. Make it easy to download — A simple download form requesting an email should do the trick.
3. Promote your resources — Use your blog, social media, and existing email list.

Tool spotlight: Beacon. It’s the perfect tool for creating professional e-books and whitepapers that captivate your audience. Plus, its lead capture features are top-notch!

11: User-generated Content

User-generated content is all about getting your audience involved. By hosting a contest, for instance, where users submit content to win, you can easily capture emails.

To nail it:

1. Encourage participation — The more enticing the prize, the more entries you’ll receive.
2. Showcase user submissions — It’s a great way to validate participants’ efforts and encourage others.
3. Collect emails — Have participants submit their entries via email or a form that collects emails.

Tool spotlight: Yotpo. It’s a powerful platform that makes managing user-generated content super easy. Plus, it’s perfect for capturing emails from your participants!

12: Live Events and Meetups

Live events and meetups are a fantastic way to connect with your audience and capture emails. By hosting an event and asking for an email to register, you can grow your list while offering a real-time, engaging experience.

Here’s how:

1. Plan an engaging event — It should be something your audience would be excited to attend.
2. Make registration simple — A form asking for an email address is all you need.
3. Promote your event — Use your website, social media, and existing email list.

Tool spotlight: Eventbrite. It’s perfect for organizing live events and capturing participants’ emails.

13: Free Trials

Last but not least, free trials. They give your visitors a taste of your product or service, all the while capturing emails.

The key to success:

1. Offer substantial access — Make sure the trial offers enough functionality to hook users.
2. Make sign-up easy — An email address and a password should be enough to get started.
3. Follow up — Use nurturing emails to convert trial users into customers.

Example: As a SaaS business, DropCommerce offers dropshippers a 14-day free plan with no credit card needed. This is an excellent way to capture emails from qualified leads without being too pushy. 

Tool spotlight: Chargebee. It’s your go-to for managing free trials and capturing emails from potential customers.

Wrapping Up

Well, there you have it — 13 smart ways to capture emails in 2023. Each one is a unique opportunity to expand your email list and connect with your audience.

So, why wait? Start experimenting with these methods today and watch your email list grow. You don’t have to stick with one strategy forever — if something isn’t working, then try something else.

The world of digital marketing is at your fingertips!