[FAQ]

G’day all,

I’ve been working on building my email list and have managed to acquire around 1,000 subscribers, which I’m quite pleased about!

Now I’m wondering, what’s something like this worth? Not necessarily because I want to sell the list itself (I know that’s generally a bit dodgy and not great practice), but more to understand its value as an asset for my efforts.

What are the main things that would make a list of this size more or less valuable? Is it all about engagement, the niche it’s in, or something else? Are there any rough benchmarks people use, or ways to estimate its potential value in 2025?

Keen to hear any thoughts or experiences you lot have had with valuing or monetising your email lists.

[Jeff Bullas]

Good onya for building that list – 1000 subscribers is a solid start! You’re right to think of it as an asset. As for a straight dollar figure, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as its worth depends heavily on a few key things. And spot on about not selling the list itself – that’s usually bad form and can get you in hot water with anti-spam laws. The real value is in what it can do for your business.

Here’s what makes a list valuable:

Engagement Rates: This is a big one, mate. If a good chunk of your subscribers regularly open your emails and click on your links (high open and click-through rates, or CTR), that list is gold. An engaged list means people are actually interested in what you’ve got to say.
Niche & Audience: A list in a profitable niche (like finance, specific software users, high-end hobbies) or with a clearly defined, sought-after audience (e.g., small business owners in a particular industry) can be worth more. It’s easier to offer relevant products or services.
Lead Quality & How You Got ‘Em: Subscribers who willingly opted in because they like your stuff are far more valuable than a list scraped together from random sources. Quality over sheer quantity any day.
Monetisation Track Record: If you’ve already had success selling things to this list – your own products, affiliate offers, services – that shows proven value. Being able to point to actual revenue generated is a clear indicator of worth.
List Health: A clean list with low bounce rates (meaning your emails are actually getting delivered) and few unsubscribes is crucial. You need to be reaching real, interested people.

Rough Benchmarks (Take with a Grain of Salt): You might hear figures tossed around like “$1 per subscriber per month.” Honestly, that’s a very old, very general saying and can be wildly off. Some lists might generate heaps more, others far less. It really depends on the factors above. Don’t hang your hat on that number.

A better way to think about it is Average Revenue Per Subscriber (ARPS) over a certain period. If you made, say, $500 from email marketing in a year from your 1000 subscribers, your ARPS is $0.50 for that year. That’s a more concrete figure for your specific list.

Focus on Potential: The true worth of your 1000 subscribers lies in its ongoing potential to:

Drive traffic to your new content.
Launch your own products or services.
Promote affiliate products relevant to your audience.
Build a loyal community around your brand.

A quality, engaged email list is a massive asset, probably one of the best you can have as a content creator. Its value is best measured by the results it helps you achieve. Keep nurturing it!

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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