Email sign up forms (aka web forms or opt-in forms) are one of the most powerful tools you can use to continually grow your email list with engaged subscribers. We recently shared everything you’d want to know about sign up forms and how to grow your list using them. In today’s post, we’ve scoured the Internet for examples of effective email sign up forms from business-to-consumer, business-to-business and nonprofits to inspire you.

As we collected examples, we noted a few takeaways:

1. Make it Obvious

Don’t make people search for your form. If they want to subscribe to your newsletter or email list, make it super simple. On many sites, we had to hunt to find what we were looking for. Not many people take the effort to do this, so place your form, or a link to it, in a prominent place on your website or blog. Off the Grid makes it extremely easy to find their sign up form by placing it front and center at the top of every page of their website.

Conduct a homepage takeover test once in a while, in which the sign up form is the first thing that appears on your sight. J. Crew does this, as does Gap, Inc.

2. Include: What’s in it for Me?

In many of the examples below, you’ll note they share the benefit of subscribing, ex: Receive special fares, be the first to know about special sales, find out about events first, etc. Include a brief statement about what the subscriber will get such as special offers, news, promotions or sneak previews.

3. Only Ask for What You Need

You’ll notice that most examples of sign up forms in this post only ask for an email address, or perhaps an email address and a first name. We were surprised to see Tory Burch ask for 10 pieces of information. In most cases you should only ask for what you need, as the more fields you add, the less likely someone is to fill it out.

Ready to see some real-life examples from B2B, B2C and nonprofits? Scroll, enjoy and be inspired.

B2C Examples 

Virgin America

Cottonseed Oil

Alternative Apparel

Emerson Fry

Taylor Stitch

 Tory Burch

J. Crew

Gap

B.R. Cohn Winery

Cliche Noe

Off the Grid

Heartland Brewery

B2B Examples

VerticalResponse VR Buzz newsletter

Dasheroo

TRUSTe

Copyblogger

Deluxe Blog

Email on Acid

Nonprofit Examples

JustGive.org

Marine Mammal Center

National Down Syndrome Society

Humane Society of the United States

RED

The Nature Conservancy

United Way

Do you plan to add an email sign up form to your site or make any changes to the one you have?

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