Why is it that all of a sudden, it seems like all creators are using ConvertKit(Kit)? Why are everyone asking for "leave your email" and "get a seven-day course for free"? At that time, I didn’t understand at all why I had to collect emails.
But later I discovered that the fans we thought of were actually rented from the platform. In this era dominated by algorithms, having a group of readers who are truly willing to receive your messages is more important than having a lot of likes.
Today, I’m sharing my experience using ConvertKit in its entirety, from the basic features and pricing plans to the common mistakes that tripped me up. I hope this complete illustrated guide to ConvertKit can help you avoid some detours and find your own private domain business model.
ConvertKit: The most popular email marketing tool for many creators
Today I want to share with you the email newsletter tool ConvertKit (now renamed Kit) that I have been using for a long time, including its core functions, advanced functions, and some practical tips!
What is ConvertKit?
ConvertKit It is an e-newsletter marketing platform designed specifically for creators. Nathan Barry Founded in 2013, it helps content creators or bloggers to further promote and profit.
If you want to learn from the video, you can watch this one first. [Newbie Guide] ConvertKit Tutorial | Practical usage experience, function introduction, pricing plan, experience of using it in conjunction with the community, and common mistakes that cause loss lists.
ConvertKit’s five core features
My favorite thing about using ConvertKit is its intuitive design. Let me share the functions I use most often!
Forms & Landing Pages Landing Pages)
These two are important tools for gathering subscribers!
First is the form. You can freely design a form that suits you and collect emails, names or other information you need.
ConvertKit also provides different presentation methods. For example, I will put an Inline subscription form in my blog articles, and use a pop-up window on the homepage to attract readers to subscribe.
Next is the landing page.
Let me first explain what a Landing Page is.
When you are shopping and see a store handing out flyers at the door that say "Join our VIP program and receive the latest discounts every week!", it looks a lot like the landing page of an e-newsletter!
It is actually just a web page, and its main purpose is super simple:
They want you to fill in your email and subscribe to their newsletter.
It's like saying "Hey! Leave your email and we'll send you good stuff regularly!"
Usually there are:
- An attractive headline (like “Subscribe and get a 7-day online yoga course for free!”)
- A simple form (just fill in the email)
- A prominent subscribe button
This feature is perfect for personal profiles, YouTube video descriptions, or IG profile links. I often use it as a page for sending out free emails to collect lists, and the effect is surprisingly good!
Electronic Newsletter Distribution System (Broadcasts)
It is a function that helps you send mass emails. You can use the mass email function to share the latest news with all subscribers at once, so that each week's stories can be sent to readers' mailboxes instantly.
Broadcasts can help you:
- Send the prepared content to all subscribed friends at once
- Allows you to choose the best time to send (like weekend mornings when everyone is most available)
- You can also see who opened your letter and who was most interested in which content.
Automatic sequence letters (Sequences)
Automatic sequence sounds difficult, right? To put it simply, when someone subscribes, the system will automatically send out the letters you prepared one by one in the order you set.
For example, you can use this feature to design a "7-day introductory course for new bloggers" so that new subscribers can receive emails day by day and learn at their own pace. There is one letter every day, and the content progresses from simple to complex, which will not make readers feel too stressed at all!
Snippets
Snippets is a super practical text snippet library! It allows you to store frequently used text content (such as self-introduction, contact information, product description, etc.) and insert it directly when you need it.
For example, when we write an email, we often need to include some fixed content, such as:
- Personal signature
- Social Media Links
- Digital product introduction copy
- Event Registration Information
Instead of retyping it every time, you can just make the content into Snippets in advance, and then insert it with just a click when writing an email. It's super convenient!
The function of Snippets not only saves time, but more importantly, it ensures that the content written each time is consistent and error-free. Especially when I’m rushing to send out my newsletter, this little tool really helps!
Visual Automations
Speaking of automation, this is my favorite feature that saves me a ton of time!
It can automatically perform specified actions based on the behavior of the subscriber. For example: when a subscriber clicks a specific link, completes a course, or purchases a product, the system will automatically trigger the next action you set.
For example, you can set up a welcome sequence: when a new reader subscribes, the system will automatically send a warm welcome letter, and then start sending relevant educational content based on the reader’s interests (categorized by tags).
And all of these are operated automatically. As long as someone registers -> they will receive an email immediately, you don’t have to do it manually! You can focus more on content creation.
Free vs Paid Features Comparison Chart
ConvertKit is actually free to use, but more advanced features require payment. I have also listed a comparison table of free and paid features for you:
| Function | Free Version | Paid version |
| Forms | ✅ Support | ✅ Support |
| Dedicated Landing Pages | ✅ Support | ✅ Support |
| Electronic Newsletter Distribution System (Broadcasts) | ✅ Support | ✅ Support |
| Snippets | ✅ Support | ✅ Support |
| Automatic sequence letters (Sequences) | ❌ Not available | ✅ Support |
| Visual Automations | ❌ Not available | ✅ Support |
How ConvertKit differs from other email marketing platforms
To be honest, I have used Beehiiv and ActiveCampaign before, but finally chose ConvertKit.
I personally find ConvertKit relatively easy to use. There are many templates, and it is easy to tag subscribers. It can also be easily integrated with my website, and I can choose how to present it!
However, if you have a recommended e-newsletter platform, you are welcome to share it!
Step by step guide: Kit complete tutorial from registration to operation
It’s easier to do than to say! Let me walk you through the steps to sign up and use ConvertKit!
1. Sign up for a ConvertKit account
Creating an account is super easy! Here I share the steps with you:
First come ConvertKit Official website, find the "Start Free trial" button in the upper right corner and click it.
Or click the button below and use it for free for 14 days through my link~
Fill in your basic information: name, email and password
There will be a few questions next. If you don’t understand English, you can right-click to translate directly!
Q1: Do you already use email tools?
Q2: How many fans/subscribers do you have?
Q3: What's your brand name?
-> This can be changed later, don't worry too much
Q4: What would you like to name Kit's exclusive domain?
-> This will be used in your subscription form and landing page
Q5: What kind of creator are you?
- If you are mainly an influencer, choose "Influencer"
- If it is other types of creation, just select "Something else"
Q6: What do you hope to achieve?
- Add to list
- Send Email
- Take a look
Finally, remember to receive the email for verification, and you’re done!
2. Basic settings: Complete your basic information
After entering the backend, it is recommended to adjust these basic settings first:
Step 1: Basic information settings
- Remember to set a professional sender name and put your logo or personal photo.
- Fill in the email address you want to send the mail to.
I would recommend setting up a professional corporate mailbox to give people a more professional feeling! (Like me, I use contact@tobiehuang.com)
Step 2: Email settings
This is very important. Edit the sender name you want to "present" and verify your mailbox.
- From Name Click the little pencil here to change your sender name. This is the name that readers will see when they receive the letter, so choose it carefully. XD
- If the Status is yellow and says "Pending", it means it has not been verified yet. Remember to check your mailbox to receive the verification email. After clicking the verification letter, it will turn green.
Step 3: Setting the domain for mailing
In order to make our letters more credible, we need to verify the domain we send the letters from.
- Click “Add a Verified Sending Domain” and add your domain
- Kit will give you a series of values, including CNAME, TEXT, etc. At this time, you should go back to your domain provider and add these values!
The domain provider is the platform where you purchase the domain, such as Namecheap, GoDaddy...these are all. I won’t spend much time here explaining how to join. Anyone interested can watch this video:
Step 4: Time zone setting for mailing
Remember to select "(GMT+08:00) Taipei" if you are in Taiwan, so that the sending time will be accurate.
You can also set fixed days to send emails, but when you use the serial email function mentioned above and select dates, it will override this setting.
3. Create a subscription form/sales page
After entering "Landing Pages & Forms", there are many templates for you to choose from:
- First go to the "Grow" menu, click "Landing Pages & Forms", here we use a subscription form as an example
- Choose the form type that's right for you:
- Inline: can be placed in the article
- Modal: A pop-up window that pops up
- Sticky Bar: Fixed at the top of the page
- Design your form:
- Write an attractive title
- Adjust the color scheme to match your brand
- Button text should be designed to make people want to click it
You can refer to one of my forms, which I put in one of the website articles~
Further reading:[Free download] Notion travel template: itinerary summary, total cost, travel arrangements and packing list are all included!
4. Send your first email
Getting ready to send out the first e-newsletter! Follow these steps:
- Click "Broadcasts" to get started:
- Find "Broadcasts" in the "Send" menu
- Click "+ New Broadcast" to start editing
- Writing content: The most important thing is content writing. Remember to make the structure clear and the content simple and easy to understand, so that readers don’t feel it is too advertising or too disgusting!
- Inspection before shipment:
- Remember to preview the effect first
- Send a test email to yourself to confirm
- Select the audience you want to receive
- Set the sending time
5. (Advanced version) Automated process settings
- Establishing new processes:
- Click “Automate” and select “Visual Automations”.
- Click "+ New Automation" to design an automation process from scratch.
For example, when a reader fills out your form or subscribes to a specific page, the system will automatically start the process you set. That way, ConvertKit will take good care of each new subscriber for you, even while you’re busy with other things!
When setting your triggers, you can base them on the behavior of your readers.
For example, I have set up a free Notion travel template. When someone clicks to receive it, ConvertKit will automatically send the file to him and add a welcome letter for me!
ConvertKit Advanced Features Revealed
In addition to the core functions mentioned above, ConvertKit also has more advanced functions, which I will share with you one by one!
A/B Testing Headlines: Finding the Most Engaging Content
When I first started writing emails, I was always guessing what kind of emails my readers would like.
Later I discovered that ConvertKit has an A/B testing feature for titles, which saved me from having to make decisions based on my gut feeling!
When doing A/B testing, it would look like this:
- Write two different titles
- ConvertKit will automatically send your emails to two groups of people (a small group, not all readers) and test which one is more attractive to click.
- After testing for a while, the title with the highest open rate will win, and ConvertKit will use that title as the main one in the future.
But please note here, I wanted to cancel the A/B test before, and wanted to directly select a certain title, so I turned off the A/B test directly, and as a result, he stopped sending emails! ! !
I had to re-send it, so embarrassing! ! Ha ha ha ha
Data analysis: Let the numbers speak
You can also use ConvertKit’s analytics to understand your readers’ preferences! Like it would tell me:
- How many people opened the email (Open Rate)
- How many people click on the link in the content (Click Rate)
- How many people unsubscribe?
This data allows me to continue to improve my content so my readers have better content to read!
Tag your subscribers: Show the right content to the right people
This feature is really useful! You can automatically categorize your readers based on their interests and behaviors, or the form they subscribed from, so you can deliver the most appropriate content. Through this classification, you will find:
- Readers are more likely to open letters
- The interaction rate has increased significantly
- Better content conversion
For example, if I set a rule, I will label anyone who downloads a file as "Downloaded File".
ConvertKit pricing plans in full
Next, I will share with you the various options of ConvertKit, an email platform, in the hope that it will help you find the option that suits you best.
Free plan: suitable for creators who are just starting out
When you first start running an e-newsletter, the free version is actually quite sufficient. If you just want to try out an e-newsletter, you don’t need to invest a lot of money right from the start.
The free version provides the following features:
- Up to 10,000 subscribers
- Basic subscription form creation
- Easy landing page building function
However, please note that the free version does have some limitations, such as the inability to use advanced features such as automatic sequence letters (Sequences) and automated processes (Visual Automations).
Creator Plan: Ideal for Steady Growth
When your subscriber base starts to grow and you need more advanced features, such as automated processes, you can try the Creator plan, which has a more complete feature set that can help you run your newsletter more effectively.
Key features include:
- Complete automatic sequence letter function
- Visual automation process setting
- Add a new team member to collaborate
- Basic data analysis tools
- Price: $25/month
Creator Pro plan: suitable for professional users with advanced needs
For creators who already have a stable income and want to take their newsletter business to a more professional level, the Creator Pro plan will be your best partner.
The features of this program are:
- In-depth subscriber data analysis
- Unlimited team member collaboration
- A/B testing function to help optimize content
- Price: $50/month
Price increases with number of subscribers
You can purchase the plan you want, but the more subscribers you have, the more expensive it will be:
(Here is the price difference for 1,000 vs 5,000 subscribers)
For more detailed price plans, please refer to ConvertKit Official Website.
How to choose the most suitable solution?
From my experience, choosing a suitable solution mainly depends on several aspects:
For those who are just starting out in this field, I sincerely recommend starting with the free plan. Starting this year, Kit’s free plan can accommodate 10,000 people, which is actually quite enough! Once you have mastered the platform and have more ideas about e-newsletter creation and feel the need for more automated features, it is not too late to upgrade to the Creator plan.
If you are already a successful creator or have large-scale business needs, it is recommended that you directly choose the Creator Pro plan. This not only allows you to use complete data analysis tools, but also makes your content creation more efficient through unlimited team collaboration functions.
I personally think that ConvertKit’s pricing plan is quite reasonable and can be adjusted gradually as the creators’ needs grow, without causing too much financial burden.
ConvertKit and social media in action
Finally, I would like to share with you my personal experience and teach you how to bring stable subscription growth to your newsletter.
Personal practical experience sharing: using Threads to direct traffic to e-newsletters
I’ve found Threads to be a really great platform where you can share tips and free resources that always bring in new subscribers. Here’s how I do it:
How to improve traffic diversion through Threads?
- Create highly attractive content: I will design practical content such as "free teaching resource downloads" and "story sharing" to make people interested in you and know that you can solve their practical problems.
- Interact with your readers: I spend a fixed time every day on Threads to interact with readers and slowly build up personal brand trust.
ConvertKit Automation Bonus
Automation really saves me a lot of time! Let me share my settings:
- Label Automation：When different readers download free resources, the system automatically tags them accordingly, so that they can be sent the content they are most interested in!
- Automatic sequence welcome letter: When a user subscribes to the newsletter, the system will automatically send a welcome letter to become a pen pal and start a series of tutorials or letters.
Common ConvertKit Mistakes
I also want to share with you the pitfalls I have encountered so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes!
Common mistake 1:The landing page or path to complete the subscription is not obvious
Attached is the jump thank you page I made to let everyone know, one! Certainly! want! go! letter! box! Received a letter hahahaha
Many creators ignore the design of landing page and jump.
Therefore, some potential subscribers may feel confused or unable to complete the subscription successfully when they jump.
Moreover, I have also enabled two-factor authentication (Double opt-in). You need to confirm in your mailbox once more for your subscription to be considered successful! At that time, I didn't make a good path, resulting in more than 1,000 people lying in my unconfirmed list~~
However, I found that quite a lot of newsletter authors do not have two-factor authentication enabled! But I would recommend turning on two-factor authentication, because there is a high chance that someone will enter the wrong email, and two-factor authentication allows subscribers to actively confirm, so they are more likely to be interested in future emails.
Although double opt-in may slow down your list, at least you can be sure that they are people who really want to subscribe to you!
Common mistake 2:After completing the registration for Convertkit, the page you are directed to is in English
The interface that ConvertKit jumps to after confirming the subscription is all in English, and some subscribers may not know whether their subscription is successful or not. Let me teach you some tips:
- If you have a website, create a page to notify them that they have successfully subscribed.
- If you don’t have a website, you can create one using Convertkit’s template. This is the page that will confirm your subscription is successful.
Here is my page for reference:
Why do I recommend ConvertKit for content creators?
After trying several tools, here’s why I finally chose ConvertKit as my newsletter partner! Here are the reasons:
3 Reasons Why I Love ConvertKit
Here are three quick reasons why I love ConvertKit:
Super intuitive interface
The interface design is intuitive, and even beginners can quickly get started through the templates.
Comprehensive features
From the most basic form design to advanced automated workflows, ConvertKit has handled it all for me. I can also save my brand's commonly used colors and select them later.
Powerful automation capabilities
This is truly my favorite feature! I can automatically tag subscribers based on their interests and behaviors, and then automatically send welcome letters or archives. I can save time to create more interesting content!
Three little troubles with ConvertKit
But to be honest, I also encountered some things that bothered me during use, and I want to share with you:
The layout sometimes goes off
When typing on ConvertKit, sometimes I just want to delete a word or an emoji, but once I modify it, it gets lost and I can't change it back, which is quite annoying. I now type them out in Google Doc or Notion and paste them in to avoid any problems. I think I have found a solution!
The more subscribers, the more expensive it is
If you want to use automation, be very careful about this! ConvertKit charges based on the number of subscribers, so the more followers you have, the higher the fee will be. But if you don't use the automation function, it's fine.
Taiwan has limited functions
This is the most disappointing part for me. product, earn, subscription I think it can be used to make paid e-newsletters or sell digital products.
As a result… these features are not available in Taiwan yet. (I also asked the official, and they said there is no clear release date yet, which is really sad.)
If you want to do paid email newsletters, you might want to consider something like Substack This kind of platform!
Who is ConvertKit for?
if you:
- Want to establish stable private domain traffic
- Looking for a newsletter tool designed specifically for content creators
- Want to improve efficiency through automation
Then ConvertKit is definitely for you!
But if you:
- Just send an email
- Currently limited budget
- Want to create a paid subscription newsletter
It is recommended that you consider other options first!
Global e-newsletter craze: Why is everyone rushing to collect subscribers?
I still remember when I first started blogging a few years ago, I always felt that “running an e-newsletter” seemed like a very distant thing. It wasn't until I actually used it in the past few months that I realized: Oh my God! Why didn't I start sooner? Hahaha
Subscriber List: Digital Assets in the New Era
In this age of information explosion, having your own subscriber list is like owning a real asset! These subscribers are like your loyal fans. They don’t just click “like” but are good friends who are truly willing to interact with you in depth.
Let me share a case: Someone has 5,000 followers on social media, but only 500 newsletter subscribers. but! When he launched a new course, only 20 people signed up in the community, but the e-newsletter brought in 150 students! Isn’t this difference too amazing?
Create once, profit repeatedly content strategy
What I love most about the newsletter is the automation feature! It's like an elf that helps you entertain guests, open 24 hours a day:
For example: You can set up each new subscriber to receive a series of automated welcome emails, from getting to know you, learning about your services, to finally receiving the offer. This set of content can be written once and can be repeatedly used to serve every new subscriber without worrying about missing any conversion opportunities.
The latest trend in 2025: the powerful combination of social media and e-newsletter
Today’s creative circle is no longer an era where you can fight alone!
What I find most effective is combining social media with emails. It’s incredibly powerful. You can:
- Share your daily work and practical tips on Instagram
- In-depth sharing of expertise and experience through e-newsletters
- Attract fans to subscribe to the newsletter through interesting social content
- Use high-quality e-newsletter content to turn fans into loyal customers
Why did I start to pay attention to private domain? Especially for e-newsletter business?
I still remember that the followers I worked so hard to accumulate on social media platforms last year were cut in half due to algorithm changes...
This incident made me realize deeply that on other people’s platforms, the fans are really not your own! This incident completely changed my thinking about content management. Social media platforms change at will, but we can only silently endure these changes. Can this way of operating really be sustained?
That’s why I plan to start building a private domain.
What is private domain?
Simply put, a private domain is like running a small world that belongs to you alone, where you don’t have to worry about the limitations of the platform’s algorithms and can establish the closest interactive relationship with your fans.
The most common private domains are:
- Line official account
- Line Community
- Facebook Group
- Discord Servers
Today I’m going to talk about e-newsletters, which is also a type of private domain.
Advantages of private domain traffic
Do you know why more and more creators are starting to make e-newsletters? Because it gives us a sense of control and intimacy.
In my experience, there are two main advantages to running an e-newsletter:
- Very real
E-newsletters can deliver appropriate content to each subscriber, making them feel that they are being cared for and have better trust in the creator.
- Departure from the algorithm
Compared to social platforms where we are constantly being manipulated by algorithms (?), e-newsletters provide creators with more control, allowing your fans to see your content, rather than having it hidden by algorithms, but actually lying in fans’ mailboxes.
About my ConvertKit private domain traffic management strategy
Finally, I want to share with you that I started running an e-newsletter in September. In December, I was lucky to have 2,200 readers join me. I also want to share my practical experience and observations over this period of time~
In fact, many creators now choose a platform that suits them best, which may be a blog, short video, or like me, sharing on Threads. The point is not how powerful the platform is, but to find the best way to show your true self.
In this process, many people will use "list magnets" to build their own subscriber lists. What is a list magnet? Simply put, it means providing some free but practical content, such as: organized notes, practical toolkits, or a free course. Although this content is free, it is valuable to subscribers.
I do the same thing myself.
Every time I write an article or post an update, I hope to give you some room for thought. It may be just a small discovery at work, or a small touch of emotion in life. In my opinion, it is enough to touch one person's heart and bring about a little change.
Because everyone who is willing to subscribe to you is willing to leave an email address because they trust you, and this trust is really precious, so I treat every e-newsletter as a letter to a friend, sharing my stories and experiences in the most authentic way.
If you also want to start your own e-newsletter, my advice is: don’t rush to sell things, share your experience in a relaxed and natural way first. Just like chatting with a friend, be sincere and enjoy the process of interacting with readers.
Finally, I hope these sharings are helpful to you.
Let us create our own space in this world dominated by algorithms. If you are interested in my content, please subscribe to my newsletter. I will share some short stories every Tuesday. I look forward to becoming your pen pal!
*A small reminder for interest disclosure: some of the links in the article are profit-sharing links! This means that if you purchase through these links, I will receive a little bit of rewards, which can be regarded as a support for my creation! The price remains the same for you, and the extra sponsorship is given to me by the platform. Thank you for your support, which allows me to continue to create more interesting content♥
