Email List Growth Strategies That Actually Work for Recipe Creators

Your email list isn't just another marketing channel. It's your most valuable asset. 

But how do you build a list that actually converts and creates loyal subscribers who stick around?

We tapped email marketing strategist Allea Grummert to share what's working right now for recipe creators (and some of the biggest mistakes she sees). 

As the owner of Duett, host of the Happy Subscribers podcast, and the go-to email expert for Food Blogger Pro, Allea has helped dozens of food bloggers transform their scattered subscribers into engaged communities.

The results? Some creators are adding thousands of new subscribers monthly using these exact strategies. Here’s what’s working in 2025.

1. The simple opt-in form

Sometimes the simplest approach works best. Having a general opt-in form that promotes your regular newsletter content as the incentive itself can be surprisingly effective.

"The simplicity of it — and the new visitor's desire to stay connected to you — make it an easy 'yes' for signing up to your list," Allea explains.

Real results: One of Allea’s clients sees a 15.5% conversion rate from her sitewide header opt-in (with double opt-in enabled).

You can also embed similar forms throughout your site so there are multiple opportunities for your site visitors to subscribe. Something like this:

2. Strategic popups

While many creators worry about annoying their visitors with popups, when done thoughtfully, they can be highly effective. The key is offering something genuinely valuable that matches what your visitors are looking for.

"A specific lead magnet or content upgrade that aligns with the content someone is already consuming can convert incredibly well," Allea notes.

Popular popup strategies for recipe creators include:

• Recipe collections: Like Lexi's Clean Kitchen's "eBook of delicious and hearty soup recipes" (shown above)

• Simple newsletter signups: As seen on Grilled Cheese Social with their straightforward "Don't Miss a Recipe!" popup

• Niche-specific content: Like Food by Maria's health-focused signup that promises recipes for "a longer, more vibrant life"

Though popup conversion rates typically hover around 3-4%, they can capture visitors who might otherwise never make it to your subscription page.

Pro tip: "Make sure your popup form is mobile-friendly and doesn't appear immediately when someone lands on your page," Allea advises. "Give visitors a chance to engage with your content first."

3. Turning Instagram followers into subscribers

Bringing your Instagram followers to your email list should be a key part of your strategy.

"Integrating your list growth strategy with Instagram — using a tool like Grocers List — is imperative for bringing your interested followers over to your email list!"

With Grocers List, there are tons of ways to turn followers into subscribers. 

Nisha Vora (@rainbowplantlife) regularly posts stories like these. 

When her followers reply with the specific keyword, they’ll get a DM, then email like this:

What works so well with this strategy is the fact that you collect email addresses without your audience ever having to leave the DM (something that sets Grocers List apart!).

Nisha has also teased out sharing behind-the-scenes content of her filming a new recipe, then encourages her followers to subscribe to her email list to be the first to get the new recipe.

You can run this exact same playbook with your static posts and reels, too:

And want to know something wild? Molly Thompson (@whatmollymade) gained 15k new subscribers so far this year running this exact playbook using Grocers List.

1. She puts together an ebook with some of her top recipes (Ex: Easy Healthy Recipes)

2. She posts a reel promoting the ebook (like this one)

She uses the Comment for Recipe and Save to Email features on Grocers List to send followers to a Kit landing page to capture new signups

You can do this for any collection of recipes your audience loves! Molly has also done this for her best holiday cookies (and here’s the landing page for signups).

Mary Smith (@maryswholelife) runs the same playbook here with her Top 10 GF High Protein Recipes:

Tons of creators are seeing massive list growth using Grocers List. Create your free account today!

The Most Common List Growth Mistakes

Before you invest hours creating new lead magnets or tweaking your popup forms, make sure you're not sabotaging your own growth. These are the mistakes Allea sees over and over. And they could be costing you hundreds of potential subscribers every month. 

Making Assumptions

Allea has seen so many creators assume their forms aren't converting without checking the actual data. 

But to do that, you have to have data to actually compare it to.

According to Kit, the average opt-in conversion rate is 4% — but rates vary widely based on form type:

Because they’re seen by so many people, pop-ups like this one from Toni Okamoto at at Plant-Based on a Budget) convert around 3%:

But a landing page sent via a DM on Instagram can convert as high as 80% (like this one Brittany Mullins used for her Healthy Habits Challenge):

What’s very important, though, is that you measure, track and compare your rates with YOUR rates, for your audience. Use Allea’s free Goals and Growth Tracker to start measuring your form conversion rates.

And remember. You won’t know what people will respond to until you try. So create the opt-ins, make them public and share them far and wide. It’s not until you track the data over a long period of time that you’ll know what’s working. 

Focusing on Growth at All Costs

Even forms with high conversion rates aren't valuable if they attract the wrong subscribers.

To determine if your form attracts long-term subscribers:

1. Find how many people originally signed up through that specific opt-in

2. Figure out how many are still on your list after 30+ days

3. Divide current subscribers by total original subscribers for the specific opt-in you’re calculating to get your retention rate

What Exactly is a Good Retention Rate?

The short answer: it depends. But I know what you’re really looking for is something to compare to. 

• Brittany Mullins (Eating Bird Food) has an average of a 92.4% retention rate for her free High-Protein Meal Plan opt-in. And 98% of her subscribers stay subscribed when they’re required to confirm with a double opt-in required, whereas 90% stay subscribed without one.

• Lee Funke (Fit Foodie Finds) has a general newsletter opt-in on her home page and on her sitewide footer — which requires a subscriber to confirm their email in order to subscribe — and she retains 72.5% of those subscribers long-term.

Keep in mind that performance will totally differ depending on the type of form (and whether you require a double opt-in or not). 

The higher your retention rate, the better. Don’t just assume your highest-converting forms are bringing in the highest quality subscribers. Do the legwork to figure out if they’re in it for the long haul. And if they’re not, it’s probably time to reassess. 

Test out different offers and over time you’ll learn what lands best with your audience. Then you can double and triple down on that.

Forgetting to Keep Them Engaged

Getting their email address is just the beginning. You can’t just assume your subscribers are going to remember who you are or why they originally signed up to be on your email list. You have to constantly be building trust and reminding them why they’re there and the value they get.

To do that, you need to have:

1. A solid welcome sequence that introduces subscribers to your brand and builds anticipation for future content

2. Regular, valuable emails that nurture your relationship while driving traffic to your website

Without this, you’re going to lose them. So figure out what resonates with your audience and double down on that content to engage with them regularly. Bonus points if you can get them to expect your emails on a specific day! The more you can build a habit around your communication, the more likely they are to stick around.

Your Email List is Your Most Valuable Asset

Growing your email list isn't just about collecting addresses. It's about building relationships with people who genuinely want your recipes in their inbox. 

Remember: your email list is the one marketing channel you fully own. When social algorithms change or search traffic dips, your email subscribers remain your direct line to an audience that's already raised their hand to hear from you.

Start by implementing just one strategy from this guide (maybe give Grocers List a try!). Track your results using Allea's Goals & Growth Tracker, make adjustments based on what your specific audience responds to, and stay consistent with your communication.

The most successful recipe creators in 2025 aren't just publishing great recipes. They're building thriving email communities that translate directly into site traffic, product sales, and sustainable businesses.