The general information in this article still applies to websites, but the instructions for how to add email forms to Thesis is outdated.
No matter what business you’re in, you need an email list.
And how do you get people on that list?
Email signup forms on your website.
The problem is where do you put them, and how do you get them there?
The 4 High-Converting Places for Email Signup Forms
Last week I wrote an article about high-converting places for email signup forms. It was a huge hit, but people kept saying the same thing:
“Great, but how do I build them into my website?”
Luckily, if you own Thesis, it’s easy. Just continue reading. If you don’t own Thesis, check it out now.
#1 Top of Sidebar
The top of your sidebar is one of the most visible places on your site. So, it makes sense to include an email sign-up form there.
To place your email sign-up form at the top of your sidebar, simply paste this code into your custom_functions.php file:
function sidebar_email() { ?>
PASTE YOUR EMAIL SIGN-UP FORM CODE HERE
<?php }
add_action('thesis_hook_before_sidebars' , 'sidebar_email');
For tips on increasing the conversion rate of your “top of sidebar” email sign-up form, check out these split testing results.
#2 After Single Post
If people read an entire article on your site, they often look for what they can do next.
Think about it. You just got people to read an entire article on your site. They’re feeling great about you and your content. What better time to ask for an email?
To place an email sign-up form after a single post, add this code in your custom_functions.php file:
function afterpost_email() {
if (is_single()) { ?>
PASTE YOUR EMAIL SIGN-UP FORM CODE HERE
<?php } }
add_action('thesis_hook_after_post' , 'afterpost_email');
#3 The Footer
Again, like with After Single Post, if people make it to your footer, they’re feeling good about you and your content. That’s why Footer email sign-up forms work so well.
To add one into your site, paste this code into your custom_functions.php file:
function footer_email() {
?>
<div class="footer-email">
<ul class="sidebar_list">
PASTE YOUR EMAIL SIGN-UP FORM CODE HERE
</ul>
</div>
<?php }
add_action('thesis_hook_footer' , 'footer_email');
For a better, more compelling footer, you can also add the three column “fat footer” to your Thesis site.
#4 The Feature Box
This is by far my favorite place to add email sign-up forms. Not only does it convert well, it also qualifies your visitors well.
If you’re looking for complex implementations of the Feature Box, you can read John Sexton’s in-depth summary, The Ultimate Guide to the Thesis Theme Feature Box.
However, if you’re looking for a quick solution, activate your Feature Box in the Thesis Options Panel. To activate, go to the WordPress Dashboard -> Thesis -> Design Options ->. When there, expand the Feature Box area on the far right column, choose full-width above content and sidebars, and select either sitewide or front page.
Then, simply paste this code into your custom_functions.php file:
function static_welcome_message() {
?>
<div id="welcome-message" class="format_text">
<h2>Hello! This is a large welcome headline.</h2>
<p>PASTE YOUR EMAIL SIGN-UP FORM CODE HERE</p>
</div>
<?php
}
add_action('thesis_hook_feature_box', 'static_welcome_message');
