We are officially 1 WEEK AWAY from Taylor Swift’s new album drop! I have “accidentally” booked my hair appointment for that morning, so I get 4 hours of uninterrupted listening time there and back. EEKK!! I’m so excited!

(and DON’T JUDGE ME! Yes I drive 2 hours one way to see my hairstylist. She’s the only one in the state I trust)

Anyway, I digress.

As I’ve already covered in a previous issue, Taylor is notoriously good at capturing and owning her audience, whether it’s a stadium full of 70,000 people or in her Instagram stories.

Fans (myself included) love her countdowns, live for her Easter eggs, and literally takes days off work to celebrate album drops. There’s no doubt that Taylor Swift will be studied for years and decades to come.

But what do you do when you’re not running a billion dollar empire and have endless marketing resources at your finger tips? You get uber creative and savvy with the tools you do have right in the palm of your hand!

Today, I’m walking you through five different ways you capture emails and turn your rented social media audience into an owned community of subscribers.

Let’s go!

– jen 🧡

5 Shameless Ways to Snag Emails from Social

(and Actually OWN Your Audience)

If you’re not using social media to build your email list, WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?! 

I’ll tell you what you’re doing: You’re gambling with your business’s future.

Social platforms can (and often do) change the rules overnight, but your email list is untouchable. On social media, your audience is rented, and you could lose them all tomorrow.

But, when you funnel these followers into an email list, you own them. You also get a direct line of communication to them, bypassing every social media algorithm.

So, here’s how to make sure your audience isn’t just passing through – they’re yours to reach, whenever you want.

1. Freebies They Actually Want

Do lead magnets still work? Yes. Should you be thinking about your own lead magnet? Also yes. Why? Because people love free things. It’s really that simple.

If you want emails, you need to give something that makes people stop scrolling and type in their info. Think about the pain points your audience faces daily. What shortcut, template, or insider resource would make their life easier? That’s your lead magnet.

But the difference between a lead magnet that collects dust and one that explodes your list is specificity and relevance. A generic checklist won’t cut it, but “30 Social Post Prompts for Service-Based Businesses” or “5 DM Scripts That Actually Get Replies” will.

Promote this everywhere – your link in bio, Stories, pinned posts, and even in the comments when it makes sense.

2. Giveaways That Attract the Right People

Now, this one is a little more challenging because you’re always going to run into the deal-chasers. This is why your giveaways should be more thoughtful and savvy.

The goal here isn’t just to get a flood of random emails – it’s to attract people who actually want what you offer. That means your giveaway prize should be tightly aligned with your services or expertise.

The secret sauce? Make email entry mandatory but keep the process frictionless. Use a simple landing page or form, and be clear about what people get and why it matters.

3. Make Your Email List the VIP Room

People love feeling like insiders. Your email list should be the place where your audience gets first dibs, exclusive content, or the kind of real talk you don’t share on your Instagram feed. Let your audience know – loudly – that if they want the good stuff, it’s happening in their inbox, not on your grid.

This isn’t about withholding value on social, but about rewarding your most loyal followers. Share behind-the-scenes, early access to offers, or even a raw, unfiltered take on industry trends.

Make it clear that your email list is where the most valuable conversations happen, and the people who show up are the people you want in your community.

4. Use Stories, Polls & DMs as Your Secret Lead Gen Weapon

Instagram’s interactive features aren’t just for boosting engagement – they’re a goldmine for qualifying leads. Use polls, quizzes, and question boxes to directly ask your audience what they want or what they struggle with. The people who respond are raising their hands – they’re interested, and that’s your signal to invite them to your list.

Just remember: don’t overthink the follow-up. If someone votes “yes” on wanting your free resource, send them a DM with a genuine message and your opt-in link. This approach feels personal and gets way higher conversion than a generic “link in bio” shout.

5. Make Your Sign-Up Link Impossible to Miss

This sounds basic, but so many people bury their opt-in link and wonder why nobody joins. Your sign-up link should be everywhere – bio, Story highlights, pinned posts, even in your regular content. And don’t just say “Join my newsletter.” Tell them exactly what they get and why it matters.

The key is to make your CTA direct, benefit-driven, and impossible to ignore. If your audience only glances at your profile for five seconds, they should know exactly where to click and what’s in it for them.

The bottom line…

Social media is just the handshake. Your email list is the real relationship. Put these strategies to work and you’ll build an audience you actually own – and that’s how you future-proof your business, no matter what the algorithm does next.