Adding sign-up forms to your website is one of the most effective ways to grow your email marketing list.
But how do you know if your form is working well — and how do you measure improvement?
The calculation is simple:
Conversion rate = number of completed forms ÷ number of page visitors.
For example, if 1,000 people visit a page and 20 complete the sign-up form, your conversion rate is 2%. If a redesigned form delivers 25 sign-ups, your rate rises to 2.5% — a notable improvement.
Beyond the Form: Boosting Conversions
Testing different form layouts, copy, and calls-to-action can improve performance, but conversion rates don't just depend on the form itself. Increasing qualified traffic to your sign-up page can have an even bigger impact.
In the same example, if you double traffic from 1,000 to 2,000 visitors while maintaining a 2% conversion rate, your sign-ups double too. More visitors equals more subscribers.
Driving the Right Traffic
This is where your email marketing skills come into play. Strong headlines, optimised landing pages, and solid SEO can all drive more qualified traffic. Consider other tactics as well: some businesses report that launching a podcast or creating shareable content significantly boosts page visits.
Equally powerful is using your existing email list to generate sign-up traffic. For instance, if a particular email campaign link receives high click-through rates, it shows your subscribers are interested in that specific topic. You can then target lookalike audiences with similar messaging, driving highly relevant visitors to your form.
If you've segmented your email list, the insights become even sharper. Personas aren't just theoretical — they're data-backed groups you can actively target. Getting the right audience to the right sign-up form is the closest thing to guaranteed growth.
The Takeaway
Optimising your sign-up form design matters, but optimising your traffic source matters more.
When you combine persuasive sign-up forms with targeted, relevant traffic, your conversion rates — and your subscriber numbers — will rise.
In short: test your forms, target your traffic, and watch your email marketing list grow.