Updated November 2026.
You do not need a website to start email marketing. You need a way to collect addresses with permission, an email platform to send from, and something worth sending.
1. Use a hosted sign-up page
Most email platforms, including Mailchimp, Klaviyo and Omnisend, let you create a hosted sign-up form or landing page with its own link. Put that link anywhere you talk to customers.
2. Collect emails on social media
- Add the sign-up link to your Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn bio.
- Use a Facebook page "Sign up" button pointing to the form.
- Pin a post explaining what subscribers get.
3. Collect emails in person
At markets, events, a shop counter or on the job, use a QR code that opens the sign-up form, or a tablet. Always use a form so people opt in themselves.
4. Use your Google Business Profile and WhatsApp
Add the sign-up link to your Google Business Profile posts, and to a WhatsApp Business catalogue or auto-reply if customers message you there.
5. Give people a reason
A discount, a useful checklist, early access or a monthly tip sheet converts far better than "join our newsletter".
Stay on the right side of UK GDPR and PECR
- Get clear opt-in consent; do not pre-tick boxes.
- Say what you will send and how often.
- Include an unsubscribe link in every email.
- Do not add people from business cards or contact lists without consent.
- Keep a record of when and how each person signed up.
The ICO publishes plain-English guidance on direct marketing by email at ico.org.uk; check it before your first send, as the rules were updated by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
What to send first
A short welcome email straight after sign-up, followed by a regular, predictable send. Consistency beats volume.
When a website helps
Without a site, you rely on platforms you do not control for every sign-up, and links in your emails have nowhere of yours to land. A simple site with a sign-up form on every page usually lifts sign-ups and makes results easier to track. See our email marketing service and small business websites.
Related: can you do SEO without a website?
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