How to Create a Subscriber List With AWeber
Alternate Question: How Do I Create An Email List In AWeber?
With our first site, we waited to long to learn how to create a subscriber list but we did create one immediately with our second site. It looked so difficult to set up that we were downright terrified.
BUT
Email marketing is still one of the most power ways to make money online and as affiliates we need to work all the angles.
Email connects us to the customer and delivers our message straight to their front door (well, internet door.) It is a must to have to build a subscriber list so that you can create a warm market.
If you don’t know what a “warm market” is we will tell you. A warm market is the people who are the closest to you like you family and friends. They are already “warmed up” to you as a person and will most likely be the first people you try to market to. They might even be ready to buy from you.
Want you want to do is warm up your audience. Give them advice and tips that are helpful. Once they trust you, they will be more likely to buy from you.
Plus you will have created a list that will stay with you through any future recommendations.
Don’t put off your list. Most successful people online say their number one regret was not starting their lists sooner.
So don’t put it off anymore!
We will walk you through creating your first opt-in form with AWeber.
Why AWeber?
Well we happen to think it is the best email marketing suite available and we use it ourselves.
If you choose to go with AWeber for your autoresponder, you can start with the free version (up to 500 subscribers)
8 Steps To Create a Subscriber List With AWeber
1. Create a Lead Magnet

Before you do anything, you will need to create a lead magnet. A lead magnet is something of value that you give away for free in exchange for a visitor’s email address. Therefore it is something that attracts or entices a visitor to become a lead.
It could be something like a free PDF or Ebook, free template, free course, free checklist, etc.
Ideally you want it to be something that provides valuable information and/or solves a problem.
Coming up with an idea and writing may take you a few days so you want to do this BEFORE you try and set anything up. For an eBook you want something like 5-10 pages. You can do this directly in Microsoft word. Make sure to save as a pdf when you are done.
Then create an attractive cover in Canva
Once finished Save as a PDF and upload it to your site.
We suggest you upload the document in to your WordPress media library and copy the URL of the document. Don’t worry and get lost here. Once you upload the document there is a URL link on the right side. Copy and save this link.
Then create a page.
Title the page the name of the document.
Then create your own text link by using whatever phrase or content you want and link it to the previously saved URL.
Alternatively, upload it to Google Docs to host your document and use the Google Doc link to share in your email. Then you would want to save that URL instead.
2. Create Email Sequence

It is good to take the time to write your email series next. It does not have to be a long series as you can always add to your email queue later, but by having a few emails to start with will help you in the end.
You Will Want To Create
- A thank you email. This typically comes already created from the autoresponder service asking for confirmation of the subscription from the subscriber. However, you can add your own message (personalize it) and/or brand to the email.
- 1st Email in your campaign – Welcome email with link to your Lead Magnet.
- 2nd Email in your campaign – Remind the subscriber of why they joined. Give them more value by way of free information. More than likely this will relate to the lead magnet in some way like more information or a companion guide.
- 3rd Email in your campaign – How you’ve helped others example or your story. Offer Benefits. Features, social proof, etc.
- 4th Create a Sales Page Email!
Sales page – Page outlining an offer and a solution for a specific problem. Proof of benefits. Include a Call To Action to buy or sign up for your product.
Later you can create other emails to send to your subscribers but the initial setup of your campaign will already be in place. The goal is to build a relationship with subscribers and then recommend products that will solve their problems.
3. Choosing an Autoresponder
There are quite a number of companies that offer an email marketing suite. We have chosen Aweber as ours.
Read Why We Chose AWeber As Our Email Provider
Some services are easier to use than others because not every company provides video training or live chat to help you out. There are free and paid services.
There have been free services with new companies that can’t always deliver all your emails whether it be a quota, a delivery issue, or not enough sever space. They often also get sent to the spam box.
AWeber is easy to set up and has a great affiliate program as well. You are welcome to use our link to get started.
This site participates in affiliate programs as a means of monetizing our site. This lets our site be free to use with free information for you. We only recommend products that we ourselves use or have tested first hand.
What this means is at no extra cost to you, we may receive compensation if you purchase something through one of these links. We Thank You for your support. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosure.
More On Autoresponders
When you join any autoresponder program you will need to give up some contact information like your name, email address (Use your business email address), website URL, and your physical address.
You cannot sign up to any one of these services with out a physical address. This is due to the CAN SPAM Act we mentioned earlier. This cuts significantly down on spam emails. The address you give will appear on the bottom of all your emails as is legally required.
If you haven’t signed up yet for your free account with AWeber click here to get started.
4. Open Your Account with Aweber
Apply and confirm your membership with AWeber. They will send an email and you will need to confirm through email.
You are now ready to get started with creating your own email sequence.
5. Create Your Opt-In Form
Log in to Aweber.
You should be greeted with a get started menu that guides you through the setup process. However if you somehow manage to skip that menu the following is a guide on what to do.

In your account dashboard there is a menu side bar on the left. Click on “Sign Up Forms”.

Then click On “Create A Sign Up Form” on the upper right hand side.

Choose the option that works best for your need in the drop-down menu. For this demonstration, we are going to place the sign up form on our website so we click on “For My Website”.

Now it is time to design your form.

You can choose from the available templates or design your own.

For this example, we are just going to choose a template at random.
Once you choose your template, scroll down and click “Load Template”.

The form will populate and you can edit it from this menu.

When you are finished editing, click to “Save Your Form” and then click on “Continue To Step 2” at the bottom of the page.
After you click on “Continue to Step 2” you will see the Form Settings page. This is where you choose to have the automated Thank You Page or create your own. For now we are going to choose the “Basic Version” which is an automatic page created by AWeber. We choose the same thing for the “Already Subscribed Page”.

Click to “Save Your Form” and then click on “Go To Step 3”.
6. Install Opt-In Form On Your Site
Now it is time to publish your form. Choose the option that best fits your situation. For this example we will be installing the form ourselves directly to “widgets” in WordPress and on our home page. So we choose the option “I Will Install My Form”.

Okay now you need to choose from either the “Javascript Snippet” OR “Raw HTML Version”.
In WordPress Block Editor there is a box and a widget called “Custom HTML” that we will be using to install the form on our site. So we copy the “Raw HTML Version” code.

Go back to WordPress and pull up whatever page or post you intend to put your form on. In this case we will be using the home page. So click to edit the home page.
Scroll Down to the place you intend to put your form and choose the “Custom HTML” box.

Now paste your copied code in to this box.

Save the page.
Then view or preview the page.

Voila there is your Sign Up Form!
Note: It looks different than the one we use in the example because it is the one we actually use on our home page

7. Create A Sign UP Form On Side Bar
Ok so now we are going to take the same HTML code and create a Sign-Up Form for a side bar.
Go Into your WordPress back office.
Highlight “Appearance”.
Then click on “Widgets”.

Choose where you want the opt-in form from the drop-down menu. We will be placing a custom HTML block on the right sidebar. As you can see we already have a couple of widgets on our sidebar.
Click “Right Sidebar”. Then click on the “Plus Sign” in the upper left menu. Type the letter “c” in to the search bar and search for the block called “Custom HTML”.

Click on the “Custom HTML” box.
Add your copied HTML code to the box.

Then click “Update” in the upper right menu.

View any page that has your side bar and see your opt-in form.

8. Create Text Link In Your Email Linking To Your Page With Download.
At this point you have created a link from the autoresponder to your website by adding the Opt-in form. If anyone decides to opt in at this point they will get your automatic confirmation page email and a basic thank you email.
What you want to do next is create a welcome email with the link to your download (lead magnet).
If you are following the prompts in AWeber then you will be able to do this from the start check list.
If not, then click on the “Messages” tab dropdown menu and choose “Campaigns”.
Then click on the welcome template.
Make your edits, making sure to create a text link to your lead magnet.
Final Words
Now that you know how important email marketing is for the continued success of your business, there is nothing stopping you from starting an account today.
With AWeber you can open a free account (up 500 subscribers) to get started.
So whether you are growing your business or just starting out, an email system for your company is a must.
We think AWeber does this the best so it is our number one recommendation for an autoresponder and email marketing suite.
I have used Aweber before and it is an amazing autoresponder with so many features, the only thing that I disliked about it, however, is that you had to pay a monthly fee even if you are not making money but I believe they have change where they will not bill you and till your subscriber list reaches a certain number which I think is better.
Yes, AWeber is free now up to 500 subscribers.
Really really good information, thank you for this knowledge.
I will look more into it and try to implement it.
Thanks so much for this detailed information on properly setting up an autoresponder series and opt-in form. This is valuable information for many. I have enjoyed using Aweber over the years but do use other autoresponders as well dependent on my specific project. All the Best.
I haven’t got this far in my learning, but I have saved your site for future reference. Aweber sounds the best, and I love your explanation on how to set one up. But first, I need to work out what my freebie is going to be.
We completely understand! For our first site we never could come up with something to give away. Each niche is different so there is no “one size fits all” solution. Take your time. Our suggestion would be to put a sign up form on your site anyway then change it when you are ready with your lead magnet.
Subscriber lists are a real struggle for me. On my Pioneer Kitty Market site, I offer a decent discount for signups, as well as a loyalty points program, and a monthly draw that keeps their name in the hat for as long as they remain a subscriber.
The problem I experience with subscription recruitment is giving people a good reason why my site is worth subscribing to. I wound up giving three, but this isn’t always enough to win over a fickle audience.
Much of it has to do with what form of program you’re using to serve as your subscription tool of choice. I did learn the hard way that not every subscription tool is user-friendly. AWeber is one of those that are. It’s what I use with two of my three (soon to be four) websites.