Understanding why your customers subscribe to your emails and SMS messages is crucial for tailoring your marketing efforts effectively.

Growing your list isn’t just about adding more names—it’s about understanding why people choose to engage with your marketing and what keeps them coming back. Whether it’s the exclusive perks, the fear of missing out, or the emotional connection they feel, knowing your audience’s core motivations is the key to growing and maintaining your list.  

By gaining insights into these motivations, you can grow and segment your lists more accurately, ensuring that each group receives messages that are relevant. This personalized approach not only increases the likelihood of engagement and conversions but also builds stronger, more loyal customer relationships.

In this post, we’ll look to understand the decisions behind why consumers subscribe and explore strategies to grow your list. 

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Why consumers subscribe to your email and SMS marketing

Understanding the psychology behind why people choose to subscribe—or not—can transform random sign-ups into a loyal community of repeat buyers. At the heart of every subscription decision lies a fundamental question: “What’s in it for me?” 

People are more likely to hit that subscribe button when they feel they're gaining something of value. This value can come in many forms, from getting a discount to early access to new products or services.

Why consumers subscribe:

• Exclusive offers: People subscribe to receive discounts and special offers because they're looking for ways to save money and access exclusive deals. You can tap into this motivation by clearly communicating the value and frequency of these offers, ensuring that every message delivers a tangible financial benefit.
• Product information: By providing regular updates on product launches, new features, and upcoming releases, you can keep your brand top-of-mind and generate excitement. This can lead to increased sales and a higher customer lifetime value. In this case, you may enroll these subscribers in a nurture drip that includes how-tos, care instructions, or customer reviews and ratings. 
• Valuable content: Customers may subscribe to receive valuable content, such as tips or guides. By offering content that adds value to their lives or helps them solve problems, you can build a deeper connection with your audience. This can lead to higher engagement rates and a more positive brand perception. In fact, 99% of consumers indicated in our 2025 Consumer Trends Report that non-promotional campaigns (campaigns that don't include a sale or discount) are helpful for their shopping experience.
• Community and engagement: Customers often subscribe to email and SMS as part of a loyalty program because they're seeking exclusive benefits, rewards, and personalized experiences that make them feel appreciated. Loyalty programs offer a sense of belonging and recognition, which can be a powerful motivator for repeat business. 

The biggest takeaway is making sure that you’re consistently delivering on the promise made when they subscribed and knowing their reason for enrollment. Whether it’s discounts, special offers, product information, or personalized recommendations, each subscriber joined with specific expectations in mind. 

By keeping the original promise at the center of every message, you can foster a deeper connection with your audience, encourage repeat purchases, and turn subscribers into loyal brand advocates. This approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also future-proofs your marketing efforts. 

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Using your list growth tools to match their motivation

We know why they’re subscribing, but now let’s look at how they’re subscribing. 

To better match the reasons subscribers sign up for SMS and email marketing messages, it's essential to align your list growth tools, such as website pop-ups and landing pages, with their specific motivations. 

For instance, if your target audience is primarily interested in exclusive offers and discounts, you might use Spin-to-Win sign-up units that prominently display what they could save today. Or, for those that want first access to a product launch, create a dedicated landing page that gives them more information that can’t fit in a pop-up. 

Attentive delivered 15x ROI for our program and we were able to quickly grow a list of subscribers by 4x in 9 months.

- Griffin Thall, CEO & Co-Founder at Puravida

Fullscreen sign-up units (pop-ups)

Fullscreen sign-up units or pop-ups are designed to capture attention at a moment when the user is already engaged with your brand. 

Pop-ups can be strategically timed to appear when a visitor is browsing products, reading content, or about to leave the site, making the offer more relevant and timely. Pop-ups often provide clear and immediate incentives, such as a discount code or exclusive content, which can motivate visitors to provide their contact information. 

The simplicity and convenience of the sign-up process, typically requiring just a few clicks, also makes it easier for consumers to subscribe on the spot. You can deploy both mobile-optimized and desktop-optimized pop-ups to capture new subscribers no matter how they visit your site. 

We have two specific types of sign-up units that have proven especially effective across a variety of industries: Spin-to-Win units and countdown timers. 

Spin-to-Win allows you to accelerate your list growth with a fun, engaging, and gamified sign-up experience. We’ve found that brands who use Spin-to-Win units can see a 3x lift in subscriber growth, 1.8x lift in conversion rates, and a 2.1x lift in revenue.

Since implementing Attentive’s Spin-to-Win sign-up unit, we’ve seen a 60% increase in CVR from new subscribers.

- Mark Stallings, Co-Founder, Casely

Countdown timers can also generate engagement and build that sense of anticipation as customers count down to a launch or the start of a sale. Visitors can subscribe to be reminded about a product drop or sale and ensure they’re the first ones to know about it. 

Landing Pages

Landing Pages are standalone pages where people can subscribe to email and SMS, or just SMS. These pages are designed to focus solely on the subscription process. A dedicated landing page provides a clear and concise message about the benefits of subscribing, such as exclusive offers, early access to new products, or valuable content. 

Landing pages can be optimized with compelling visuals, testimonials, and social proof, which can further improve trust and motivation. By creating a dedicated space that highlights the benefits and simplifies the sign-up process, you can significantly increase the likelihood of consumers subscribing to your SMS and email lists.

Text-To-Join 

Text-To-Join (TTJ) lets you create custom codes customers can text to your phone number (short code) to sign up for SMS. TTJ codes can be promoted on in-store signage, receipts, emails, billboards, site footers, social media, radio or podcast ads, etc. This method gives your customers control of the sign-up experience and is incredibly quick and convenient. 

This low-barrier entry point is particularly appealing to younger, tech-savvy audiences who are accustomed to instant communication and prefer the simplicity of texting. Moreover, the initial interaction through SMS can set the stage for a more personalized and engaging relationship, as brands can send a welcome message, special offers, or valuable content that immediately reinforces the benefits of subscribing. 

Social media 

Consumers already spend a significant amount of time on social media, so why not encourage them to engage with your brand even further by signing up for SMS and email? Social media often allows for more interactive and engaging sign-up experiences, such as clickable buttons, swipe-up links, and fullscreen experiences, which can make the process feel more seamless and immediate.

Attentive enabling us to tap directly into Instagram Stories and story ads to capture highly relevant leads has been a powerful growth opportunity. It’s allowed us to seamlessly move an engaged audience from one mobile platform to another.

- Elton Graham, Consultant at Los Angeles Apparel

Ways to grow your subscriber list on Instagram:

• Instagram Stories: Attentive can create a compliant Instagram asset that has a SMART link and our Two-Tap mobile technology to enable subscribers to sign up from the app. 
• Link in bio: Include a link to your Attentive Landing Page in your bio or links.
• TTJ: Share a TTJ code in your social posts.
• Paid ads: Share an Attentive Landing Page in your paid ads.

Influencer partnerships: Brands can also leverage the viral nature of social media to reach a broader audience, using influencers or user-generated content to build credibility and encourage subscriptions.

AI Grow

AI Grow helps you capture high-quality subscribers at the right moment by adapting in real time to visitor behavior. AI Grow optimizes when and how your sign-up units appear for each unique visitor, increasing the likelihood they’ll convert. 

AI Grow has helped Tommy John engage more high-intent visitors and contributed to a 23% increase in new subscriber growth and over 39% lift in welcome series revenue.

AI Grow supports our broader strategy by helping us acquire more high-quality subscribers. It’s an effective way to grow the top of our funnel while driving meaningful revenue.

- Talia Weisner, Director of CRM at Tommy John

Select brands are onboarding AI Grow right now, but you can start implementing other Attentive AI features immediately. Whether you want to better identify your site visitors, write on-brand messages, send messages at the perfect time, or improve your journeys, we’ve got an AI solution for that.

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Optimizing the opt-in experience with these list growth best practices

You’ve got your subscription tools, now it’s time to put them into action and grow your marketing lists. Let’s go over some best practices that can help you build a more engaged and loyal subscriber database. 

Customize the experience 

The strategic placement of sign-up units is key to their effectiveness. While it’s important to make your sign-up forms visible, you also need to ensure they aren't intrusive. A well-placed pop-up that appears after a visitor has spent a certain amount of time on your site can be highly effective without being annoying. Similarly, including sign-up forms at the end of valuable content, such as blog posts or videos, can capitalize on the visitor’s engagement. Consider using multiple sign-up methods, such as header or footer links, and in-content calls-to-action, to maximize exposure without overwhelming your audience. The goal is to be present and persuasive without disrupting their user experience.

Go further with your optimizations by creating personalized site experiences for each visitor by customizing the display rules of your sign-up units, such as using:

• Pop-up timers
• Scroll delay
• URL show/hide lists
• Exit intent
• UTM parameters
• Referral URL
• Cookie detection

‍Simplify the process: AI Grow can automatically improve the sign-up experience. It'll predict the best time to show your sign-up unit and add new subscribers to your best-performing journeys. 

Data collection

According to Attentive’s Consumer Trends Report: The State of Personalized Marketing in 2025, 99.6% of consumers are willing to share some form of zero-party data in exchange for an incentive. And 96% of consumers say they’re likely to purchase when receiving at least one type of personalized message. These messages could be back-in-stock notifications, loyalty point reminders, or product recommendations based on their last purchases. 

Consumers are likely to share personal information and zero-party data when the data is clearly relevant to the incentive—like sharing product preferences, gender, or physical characteristics like weight and skin type in exchange for product recommendations. And the value of the incentive is high, like getting a free gift. 

Success story: By asking for key information like if the subscriber is a college student or the parent of a college student, Dormify was able to increase subscriptions by 5.4% and saw a 22.9% increase in revenue. 

Don’t forget to add options for new subscribers to enroll in both SMS and email notifications as 85% of consumers who subscribe to SMS also subscribe to a brand’s emails. Attentive’s Two-Tap technology makes it easy to collect both email and SMS at the same time. 

Incentives

When people sign up for marketing messages, they're often looking for ways to save or get more for their money. By providing exclusive deals, early access to sales, and special promotions, you can create a compelling reason for potential subscribers to join. Subscribers are more likely to look forward to and open messages that promise tangible benefits, leading to higher engagement rates and conversions. Also, discounts can drive immediate action, such as making a purchase, which can boost short-term sales and revenue. 

Including a welcome offer or incentive can lead to 55% more monthly subscribers, 28% more monthly revenue, and an average 7% higher lifetime purchase count per subscriber compared to using messaging like “stay in the know.” 

Social proof

Including testimonials and reviews on email and SMS sign-up forms is a powerful way to build trust and credibility with potential subscribers. This social proof shows that other customers have had positive experiences with the brand—and stay engaged with the brand long past the transaction. 

By showcasing real stories and feedback, you can highlight the value and benefits of subscribing, such as exclusive offers, helpful content, and personalized recommendations. Authentic testimonials can help establish trust from the very beginning, making it easier for website visitors to share their information.

Another aspect of social proof is tapping into FOMO. On your sign-up unit, you can display how many people have signed up in the last week, month, or all time. 

Design and copy

You want your sign-up unit to catch people’s attention but not overwhelm them. Keep the form simple and straightforward and only collect the data you need. You can always collect more zero-party data as they interact with your brand throughout their welcome journey. Use colors and fonts that align with your brand’s aesthetic, but also stand out enough from your website’s design. 

The CTA should be clear and compelling, using action-oriented language like "Sign Up Now" or "Get Exclusive Offers." Including a brief, persuasive message or value proposition can further entice visitors to subscribe. Mention what they'll gain, such as early access to sales, special promotions, or valuable tips.

Lastly, make sure your sign-up units are optimized for performance. Here are some quick changes you can make to your sign-up units to help them load faster and be easier to read:

• Remove background images
• Replace custom fonts with Google web fonts
• Have clear contrast colors (dark font on light background)
• Enlarge subject lines and discount values
• Add a pre-engagement step
• Remove ‘no’ CTAs and rely only on the ‘X’

Cross-promote

By giving your audience control over their experience with your brand, you can build a stronger connection and retain their loyalty. We already shared that 85% of consumers who subscribe to SMS also subscribe to a brand’s emails. But if you have SMS-only or email-only subscribers on your list, be sure to cross-promote your other communication channels. 

Ways to cross-promote your marketing channels and enroll subscribers in both SMS and email:

• Encourage SMS sign-up via an email campaign segmented for non-SMS subscribers, and likewise, encourage email sign-up via an SMS. 
• Include a banner image in email campaigns that promote your TTJ keyword and short code.
• Include your TTJ keyword and short code in your website’s header or footer. 
• Link out to your SMS sign-up landing page from your email campaigns.
• Host a giveaway that asks for the customer data you’re missing.
• Target email-only subscribers through social media ads promoting the benefits of SMS.
• Create posts that feature your TTJ keyword and short code. 
• Share links to landing pages on social media where followers can sign up for both channels.

I love the fact that we get to use different TTJ keywords to track the incremental growth of signups across email activations, in-store signage, fliers, and welcome packages. Attentive makes it easy to grow our SMS list at every customer touchpoint.

- Phillip Cruickshank, Brand Marketing Manager at CB2

A/B test 

We couldn’t talk about understanding your subscribers better without talking about A/B testing. A/B testing takes the guesswork out of knowing which offers, designs, and copy resonates with your target audience best. 

• Offers: Financial incentives are a powerful motivator to subscribe, and many consumers simply expect a value exchange for their information. Test different offers in small increments (about 5%) and monitor conversions and AOV. Also consider A/B testing offering a slightly heightened incentive for returning visitors and adjust the copy to welcome them back to your site. 
• Timing: Test the timing of when your sign-up units display, such as on a first page load or second page load. We do recommend keeping the delay as short as possible, but that can vary by brand. 
• Display rules: Test how your sign-up units perform when you change up the display rules. Are website visitors more likely to convert when showing the intent to exit the page or when they’ve clicked a link in an email or on social media that has a pop-up tied to UTM parameters? 
• Unit types: Test the difference in performance between sign-up units, such as a fullscreen pop-up compared to a Spin-to-Win unit, or using an image or no image. 

Analyze

Finally, be sure to regularly review the performance of your sign-up units and list growth strategies. Within Attentive, we offer pre-built reports that feature key metrics like impressions, clicks, joins, total revenue, and number of purchases. You’ll also want to pay close attention to your sign-up rate and the percentage of new subscribers over time. If there’s a decline there, it’s time to refresh your sign-up units, offers, and test new tactics. 

​​Successful list growth isn't just about increasing the number of subscribers but about understanding and meeting the needs that drive people to subscribe in the first place. 

Think deeply about the motivations behind why customers choose to engage with your brand, whether it’s for exclusive offers, valuable content, or a sense of community. By putting these reasons at the heart of your marketing efforts, you can create sign-up units that are not only more effective but also build a stronger, more loyal subscriber base. 

Every message sent after enrollment should continue to deliver on the promises made during the sign-up process, ensuring that subscribers remain engaged and find ongoing value in their relationship with your brand—driving long-term success for your brand. 

Learn more about converting visitors into subscribers with Attentive.