Quick Summary
Getting started with email marketing using Semrush is easier than you think! Semrush helps you find what your audience loves, write catchy emails, and track what works. Follow these simple steps to build your list, send great emails, and see your business grow.
Hey there! Ready to Make Your Emails Shine?
So, you want to dive into email marketing, but the thought of it feels a bit… overwhelming? Maybe you’ve heard about tools like Semrush and wondered if they’re just for the pros. I get it! It can seem like a big, complicated world.
But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be? Email marketing is simply about having a friendly chat with people who are already interested in what you offer. And tools like Semrush can actually make that chat easier and more effective.
My mission here at LTDWave is to show you that email marketing is like making new friends. Each email you send is a chance to connect. We’ll break down how to get started with Semrush so you can write emails that people actually want to open and read.
Let’s make this fun and simple, step by step. You’ll learn how to find out what your audience is looking for, write emails that grab their attention, and see your results get better and better.
Why Email Marketing Rocks (Especially with a Little Help!)
Think about it: when someone signs up for your email list, they’re basically saying, “Hey, I like what you’re doing! Tell me more!” That’s a golden ticket in marketing.
Email marketing is super powerful because:
It lets you talk directly to your audience.
You own your list, unlike social media followers.
It’s a fantastic way to build trust and loyalty.
It can lead to sales and happy customers.
Now, where does Semrush fit in? Semrush is like a super-smart assistant for your online efforts. It helps you understand what people are searching for, what your competitors are doing, and how to make your content stand out. For email marketing, this means you can send emails that are exactly what your audience wants to hear.
Step 1: Getting Your Semrush Account Ready
First things first, you need access to Semrush. Don’t worry if you’ve never used it before; it’s designed to be user-friendly.
Sign Up: Head over to the Semrush website. They usually offer a free trial, which is perfect for getting started and exploring.
Explore the Dashboard: Once you’re in, take a quick look around. It might seem like a lot at first, but we’ll focus on the parts that help your email marketing. Think of it as your command center.
You don’t need to understand every single button. Just knowing where to go to start your research is enough for now.
Step 2: Finding Your Audience’s Interests with Semrush
This is where the magic begins! Semrush helps you peek into what your potential customers are actually looking for online. This is crucial for writing emails that resonate.
Keyword Magic Tool: Your Idea Generator
The Keyword Magic Tool is your best friend for this. It helps you find words and phrases people type into Google.
Enter a Broad Topic: Start with a general idea related to your business. For example, if you sell handmade candles, you might type “scented candles.”
See Related Keywords: Semrush will show you tons of related keywords, like “best natural scented candles,” “soy candle making tips,” or “eco-friendly home fragrance.”
Look for “Questions”: Pay special attention to the “Questions” tab. These are actual questions people are asking! This is gold for email content ideas.
Imagine finding out that many people are asking, “How do I make my candles last longer?” That’s a perfect topic for an email newsletter!
Competitor Research: What’s Working for Others?
Semrush also lets you see what keywords your competitors are ranking for.
Enter a Competitor’s Website: Type in the domain of a competitor.
See Their Top Keywords: You’ll get a list of terms they’re getting traffic from. This can give you ideas you might have missed.
Don’t copy them, but learn from what seems to be popular in your niche.
Step 3: Building Your Email List (The Fun Part!)
You can’t send emails without people to send them to! Building an email list means creating ways for interested visitors to give you their email address.
Creating a “Lead Magnet”
A lead magnet is something valuable you offer for free in exchange for an email address. Think of it as a little thank-you gift.
Here are some ideas:
A short e-book or guide
A checklist
A discount code for their first purchase
Access to an exclusive video or webinar
A free template
How Semrush Helps: Use the keyword research you did in Step 2 to create a lead magnet that perfectly matches what your audience is searching for. If they’re asking about “easy vegan recipes,” create a “Top 5 Quick Vegan Dinner Recipes” PDF.
Setting Up a Signup Form
You’ll need a way for people to sign up. This is usually a simple form on your website.
Use an Email Marketing Service: Tools like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or HubSpot offer easy ways to create signup forms and manage your list. (More on these later!)
Place Forms Strategically: Put signup forms on your homepage, blog posts, and contact page. A pop-up form can also work well, but make sure it’s not too annoying!
Step 4: Choosing Your Email Marketing Tool
While Semrush is amazing for research, you need a separate tool to actually send emails and manage your subscribers. Here’s a look at some popular choices for beginners:
| Tool | What Makes It Great for Beginners | Good For |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | Very user-friendly interface, generous free plan to start. | Small businesses, bloggers, getting started quickly. |
| ConvertKit | Designed for creators, simple automation features, clean design. | Bloggers, online course creators, freelancers. |
| HubSpot CRM (Free) | Offers a free CRM with email marketing features, great for sales and marketing integration. | Businesses wanting to integrate sales and marketing, lead management. |
Pro Tip: Most of these tools have free plans that are perfect for starting out. You can grow into their paid plans as your list gets bigger.
Step 5: Crafting Your First Email Campaign
Now for the exciting part: writing your emails! Remember, this is a conversation.
What Kind of Emails Should You Send?
Welcome Email: The first email someone gets after signing up. Make it warm and introduce yourself.
Newsletters: Regular emails with updates, tips, or interesting content.
Promotional Emails: When you have a product or service to offer.
Informational Emails: Sharing valuable content that helps your audience.
Writing Emails People Want to Open
This is where Semrush’s research really pays off.
Subject Lines: This is your first impression!
Be Clear and Concise: Tell them what’s inside.
Create Curiosity: Ask a question or hint at a benefit.
Use Emojis (Sparingly): They can make your email stand out.
Personalize: Use their name if you can!
Email Body:
Keep it Simple: Use short sentences and paragraphs.
Focus on Benefits: How does your information help them?
Use Your Research: Talk about topics you know they care about from your Semrush findings.
Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA): What do you want them to do next? (e.g., “Read the blog post,” “Shop now,” “Learn more”).
Use Images (Wisely): Make them relevant and not too large.
Example Subject Lines (Inspired by Semrush Research):
If your research showed people asking about “DIY home decor ideas”:
“5 Easy DIY Decor Ideas You’ll Love This Weekend”
“Tired of Boring Walls? Try These Decor Hacks!”
If your research found people searching for “productivity tips for remote workers”:
“Boost Your WFH Productivity: Top Tips Inside!”
“Feeling Distracted? Get Our Remote Work Productivity Guide”
A Quick Email Structure Idea
Here’s a simple way to structure an email:
1. Catchy Subject Line: Grabs attention.
2. Personalized Greeting: “Hi [Name],”
3. Engaging Opening: Hook them with the main point.
4. Valuable Content: Share your tips, news, or offer.
5. Clear Call to Action (CTA): Tell them what to do.
6. Friendly Closing: “Best,” “Cheers,” etc.
7. Your Name/Brand.
Step 6: Sending and Tracking Your Emails
Once you’ve written your email and designed a signup form using your email marketing tool, it’s time to send it out!
Setting Up Your First Campaign
Create a New Campaign: In your email marketing tool, choose to create a new campaign or broadcast.
Select Your Audience: Choose the list or segment you want to send to.
Add Your Email Content: Paste in your subject line and body.
Schedule or Send: You can send it immediately or schedule it for a specific time.
Understanding Your Results
This is where you see what’s working! Your email marketing tool will give you stats.
Open Rate: The percentage of people who opened your email.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of people who clicked a link in your email.
Unsubscribe Rate: The percentage of people who unsubscribed. (A low rate is good!)
What’s a “Good” Rate?
It varies, but here are some general benchmarks for beginners:
| Metric | Good Benchmark | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
| Open Rate | 20% – 30% | Your subject line and sender name are grabbing attention. |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | 2% – 5% | Your email content and calls to action are encouraging clicks. |
| Unsubscribe Rate | Under 0.5% | Your emails are relevant and valuable to your subscribers. |
How Semrush Helps with Tracking: While your email tool tracks email performance, Semrush helps you understand why. If your CTR is low, maybe your email content isn’t hitting the mark. Go back to Semrush to research more relevant topics your audience is interested in!
Step 7: Refining and Growing Your Strategy
Email marketing isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. It’s about learning and improving.
Analyze Your Data: Look at your open and click rates. Which emails performed best? Why?
Experiment: Try different subject lines, different content types, and different calls to action.
Segment Your List: As your list grows, you can send more targeted emails to different groups of subscribers based on their interests or past behavior.
Keep Researching: Use Semrush regularly to stay on top of trends and audience needs.
Think of it like this:
1. Research (Semrush): Find out what people want.
2. Attract (Lead Magnet): Get them to join your list.
3. Engage (Email Tool): Send them valuable content.
4. Analyze (Email Tool + Semrush): See what worked and improve.
This cycle helps you build a stronger connection with your audience and achieve amazing results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I start email marketing with no money?
You can absolutely start for free! Many email marketing services like Mailchimp and HubSpot offer free plans for beginners with a limited number of subscribers and emails per month. You can also use Semrush’s free trial for your initial research.
How do I write subject lines people click?
To write subject lines people click, make them clear, intriguing, and relevant to the email’s content. Use personalization (like their name), ask questions, hint at a benefit, or create a sense of urgency. Keep them short and to the point. Semrush can help you find topics people are searching for, which makes your subject lines more relevant.
How often should I email my list?
There’s no single perfect answer, but consistency is key. For most beginners, once a week or once every two weeks is a good starting point. The most important thing is to send emails that provide value. Don’t email just to email; make sure each message has a purpose.
How do I know if my email is working?
You know your email is working by looking at your email marketing platform’s stats. Key metrics are your open rate (are people opening it?) and your click-through rate (are they clicking your links?). If these numbers are good and you’re seeing engagement (like replies or sales), your email is likely working well!
How do I stop my emails from going to spam?
To avoid the spam folder, ensure you have permission to email people (they must opt-in). Keep your emails relevant to what subscribers expect. Avoid spam trigger words in your subject lines. Make sure your email content is valuable and not overly promotional. Also, ensure your email sending platform is set up correctly.
What if I don’t have anything to promote?
That’s perfectly fine! Email marketing isn’t always about selling. You can share helpful tips, industry news, behind-the-scenes content, customer success stories, or interesting articles. The goal is to build a relationship and provide value, which naturally leads to trust and future sales. Semrush research can help you find non-promotional topics your audience loves.
Is Semrush really necessary for email marketing?
Semrush isn’t strictly necessary to send emails, but it’s a powerful tool that makes your email marketing amazingly effective. It helps you understand your audience deeply, find winning content ideas, and stay ahead of trends. For beginners aiming for “amazing results,” Semrush is a game-changer for research.
You’ve Got This!
See? Getting started with email marketing and using tools like Semrush doesn’t have to be scary. It’s all about understanding your audience, offering value, and building genuine connections.
You’ve learned how to research what people are looking for with Semrush, how to build a list, choose the right tools, and write emails that get noticed. You even know how to check if your emails are hitting the mark!
Remember, every email is a chance to connect. Start small, be consistent, and most importantly, be yourself. Your audience will love hearing from you.
Go ahead, take that first step. Your email marketing journey is just beginning, and the results you can achieve are truly amazing! Keep learning, keep experimenting, and most importantly, keep connecting. Happy emailing!