Okay, okay, okay, I get it. You’re thinking, “Jess, are you really going to beat this dead horse again?” And yes, I am. I don’t want to add to the overwhelm of being a content creator and business owner. Creators are already being told they need Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, a website, a blog, Threads, SEO, probably a podcast. All you need now is enough free time to make a Reel and 14 Stories before breakfast.
There’s so much to do.
So when someone suggests that you need an email list too, it’s reasonable to wonder whether that’s true or if it’s just another thing to add to your content calendar. So that’s why I want to ask, do content creators REALLY need an email list in 2026?
The short answer is you don’t need one to BE a content creator or small business owner. But if you’re trying to turn content into a sustainable business, an email list becomes much more important.
Social Media Gives You an Audience. But You Don’t Control the Platform.
Social media is a really incredible asset that we all have access to. It can help give you a platform to build an audience like never before. You can build 50,000 followers on Instagram, but Instagram is the one that decides how your content gets distributed. The algorithm changes and fluctuates. So does reach. Accounts can be suspended, and platforms themselves can rise and fall.
But an email subscriber is different because they have intentionally given you permission to contact them outside the social feed.
And with that, you control your subscriber list and can generally take that list with you if you change email platforms. You can’t export your Instagram followers and take them to TikTok. With an email list, you can maintain a relationship with your audience beyond any platform changes.
And there will be changes.
An Email Subscriber Is Different From a Follower
Hitting the follow button on Instagram takes half a second. Handing over your email address is a slightly bigger commitment. Someone is essentially inviting you into their space. You have permission to send them information, and hopefully it’s information that they’re needing and wanting.
That’s extremely valuable.
The goal here is not necessarily to create the biggest possible email list. We’ve all been trained to think that the more subscribers and followers you have, the better it is. This is not always the case. (I break that down in THIS blog post.) It’s about building a list of people who genuinely care about what you create and what you have to say.
Email Gives Your Content Somewhere to GO
Driving traffic and encouraging your content to be searchable doesn’t matter if your audience has nowhere to go. Discovery of your brand should definitely lead somewhere. If someone finds your Pin on Pinterest, they should have the opportunity to read your blog and, from there, join your email list. When they find you through one of your Reels, naturally they might visit your profile, read your blog and then join your email list. Or they could even find you through Google. Three articles in and they are ready to subscribe!
But instead of hoping that your audience happens to encounter you again someday, an email list creates an opportunity to continue the relationship. Having searchable content helps people find you. Your email can give you a way to stay connected after they do.
Please Stop Saying Email Is Dead
The internet has been declaring that email is dead since it was invented, I swear. And guess what? It’s not. lol!
Email continues to remain an important marketing channel, and the financial case for this is strong. Litmus’s 2025 research found that 35% of surveyed marketing leaders reported returns between $10 and $36 for every $1 spent on email. Another 30% reported between $36 and $50! Newsletters were among the highest-ROI email types.
Statistics can be kind of boring, I get it. All this is to say, there are still a lot of content creators and small business owners who are making a lot of money inside their emails. It’s not too late for you, either.
Your Email List Doesn’t Need to Be Huge
Now, we’ve gotten this far and you might be wondering how long it’s going to take to create a giant email list that’s actually producing that kind of income. But you actually don’t need a huge list for this to be effective.
A smaller list filled with the right people can be far more valuable than a massive list of people who don’t care about what you’re selling. Would you rather have 25,000 subscribers who barely remember signing up or 1,000 people who regularly read your emails? A small, active list means more clicks and a community of people who genuinely care about what you’re creating.
Sign me up for that!
Audience quality matters more than impressive-looking numbers. Big numbers are fun, and if it’s authentic, then great! But it really doesn’t HAVE to be.
An Email List Can Actually Help You Make Money
We all want to make money with our businesses. That’s partially why you’ve read this far! And building an active email list can actually help you make money.
Using your email, you can promote digital products, services, affiliate links, memberships, courses, sponsorships, YouTube videos, blog posts and MORE. Now, it’s not going to magically make money simply because you collect addresses. The relationship is what matters.
Once you really foster a relationship with your audience, using email to organically sell your products, memberships or links is a no-brainer. Just because no one clicks at the start doesn’t mean they won’t! Keep going and keep tweaking it all.
This Is Why I Use Kit
Once I decided that I wanted to take my email list more seriously, I knew I needed an email platform that actually made sense for the kind of business I’m building. I’m a content creator and a blogger. I don’t need an overly complicated system that requires me to become an email marketing expert to send a newsletter. I need to be able to write an email, connect it to my content and offers, schedule it and move on with my day.
That’s why I started using Kit for The Daily Pour and my email marketing. Kit was built specifically with creators in mind, and that shows in the way the platform works. I can create landing pages and forms to grow my list, organize subscribers, schedule newsletters and set up automations without needing five different tools to make everything work together.
Yes, please.
One of the things I especially like about Kit is that my email list doesn’t have to exist separately from the rest of my content. Someone can find one of my blog posts through Google or Pinterest, subscribe to The Daily Pour and then continue hearing from me long after they leave my website. That’s EXACTLY what I want my content to do.
But probably the biggest reason I like Kit is simple: It was built for the kind of business I actually have.
I create content. I want people to find that content. And, I want some of those people to stick around. And eventually, some of them may buy something from me, click an affiliate link, watch my YouTube videos or simply continue reading my work. My email list gives all of those pieces somewhere to connect.
Affiliate disclosure: I’m a Kit affiliate, which means I may earn a commission if you sign up through my link, at no additional cost to you. I also personally use Kit for my own email marketing, so I’m recommending the platform I actually use to send these emails.
If you’re ready to start building your own email list, you can check out Kit HERE.
The Content Maven Takeaway
This is what I wish every content creator and business owner knew and would do. You should absolutely start your email list before you think you’re big enough. Don’t wait until you have 100K Instagram followers. If 47 people genuinely want to hear from you, start with 47 people! You are building the system that your future audience will eventually enter.
The best time to build an email list isn’t when you finally have a huge audience. It’s while you’re building one. You don’t need to abandon social media or suddenly become an “email marketing person.” You simply want to give the people who already enjoy your content another way to stay connected with you.
And if you’re serious about turning content creation into a business, I’d rather start building that relationship with 100 people now than realize five years from now that I built my entire audience somewhere I couldn’t take them with me.
Ready to Start Your Own Email List?
If you’ve been putting off starting an email list because you think your audience isn’t big enough yet, this is your sign to start with the audience you already have. You don’t need thousands of subscribers. You need somewhere for the people who already enjoy your content to stay connected with you.
I use Kit to run The Daily Pour and my email marketing. If you’re ready to start building your own list, you can check out Kit here and get 14 days for FREE.*
*Affiliate link. I may earn a commission if you sign up through my link at no additional cost to you.
FAQ: Email Lists for Content Creators
Do content creators really need an email list?
You don’t need an email list simply to be a content creator. However, if you want to build a business around your content, sell products or services, promote affiliate links or maintain a relationship with your audience outside social media, an email list can be incredibly valuable.
When should a content creator start an email list?
You can start an email list before you have a large following. Even if only a small number of people currently follow your work, building your list now gives your audience somewhere to stay connected as your business grows.
How big does an email list need to be to make money?
There isn’t a specific number of subscribers required before an email list can generate revenue. A smaller, engaged audience can click affiliate links, purchase products, book services or support your work. The quality of the relationship with your subscribers matters more than simply having an impressive subscriber count.
What should content creators send to their email list?
You can send new blog posts, helpful tips, personal updates, product recommendations, resources, videos, offers or other content your audience would genuinely want to receive. Your newsletter doesn’t have to become an entirely separate content machine. It can work alongside the content you’re already creating.
Is email marketing still worth it in 2026?
Email continues to be an established marketing channel for businesses and creators. Unlike relying entirely on a social media feed, an email list gives subscribers a direct way to receive your content and gives creators more control over how they communicate with their audience.
Is Kit good for content creators?
Kit is an email marketing platform designed with creators in mind. It includes tools for newsletters, forms, landing pages, subscriber organization and automations. I personally use Kit for The Daily Pour and my own email marketing.
