How to Build Email Lists Using Brevo Forms & Popups

Building a strong email list is one of the most valuable long-term assets for any business. Whether you run a blog, an eCommerce brand, a service-based business, or a SaaS product, your email list allows you to nurture leads, maintain customer relationships, and drive predictable revenue.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) provides versatile forms and popup tools that make list building simple and efficient—even for beginners. But the real secret lies not in the tools, but in how strategically you use them.

In this expert guide, you’ll learn exactly how to build email lists using Brevo forms and popups—along with proven tips, frameworks, examples, and best practices used by professional digital marketers.

We’ll also reference related foundational guides where relevant, such as Brevo Explained: How It Works & Why Businesses Use It, How to Start Email Marketing with Brevo (Step-by-Step Tutorial), and How to Create Automated Email Sequences in Brevo, so you have a complete ecosystem of learning.

Let’s dive in.

Why Building an Email List Matters More Than Ever

Email remains one of the highest-ROI marketing channels, consistently delivering strong engagement and conversions across industries. It’s permission-based, personal, and algorithm-independent—meaning you own the audience you build.

A well-built list helps you:

• Build long-term customer relationships
• Reduce dependency on paid ads
• Promote offers without platform restrictions
• Deliver personalized content via segmentation
• Trigger automated journeys that scale your business

Brevo forms and popups are excellent for capturing emails at the source—right on your website or landing pages, where visitors are already showing intent.

How Brevo Forms & Popups Help You Build Email Lists

Brevo offers two core list-building tools:

1. Brevo Embedded Forms

These appear directly on your site—footer forms, sidebar forms, in-content forms, and landing page forms.

2. Brevo Popups (Brevo Conversations or Integrations)

These show up on triggers like exit-intent, scroll depth, or time delay.

Combined, they allow you to convert both cold visitors and engaged readers into email subscribers.

How to Create High-Converting Brevo Forms (Step-by-Step)

Step 1 — Plan What You’re Collecting (Before Opening the Tool)

Most marketers jump straight into designing a form. But conversion begins before the first field is added.

Ask: What information do you truly need at this stage?

Common early-stage fields:

• First name
• Email address

Middle-stage fields (for segmentation):

• Interest category
• Company size
• Service type

Late-stage fields (for lead qualification):

• Phone number
• Budget range

The fewer the fields, the higher the conversion rate. Start lean and collect more later via email automation. This principle fits perfectly with what you learn in How to Create Automated Email Sequences in Brevo, where segmentation is built gradually.

Step 2 — Create a Brevo Form

Navigate to the Form Builder

Inside Brevo:

Contacts → Forms → Create a Subscription Form

Brevo’s drag-and-drop builder lets you adjust elements, add fields, and customize design without code.

Add Only the Necessary Fields

Stick to essential fields. Multistep forms also help reduce friction.

Customize Form Design

Match your website branding using:

• Brand colors
• Rounded corners
• Minimalistic layout
• Clear contrast between text and background

Enable Double Opt-in (Recommended)

Double opt-in enhances:

• List quality
• Compliance
• Deliverability

This reduces spam traps and fake emails—critical for building a healthy sender reputation.

Step 3 — Embed the Form on Your Website

Once your form is ready, Brevo generates:

• HTML embed code, or
• A shareable URL

Place forms in conversion-friendly locations:

• Homepage hero section
• Blog sidebar
• Footer
• End of blog posts
• About page
• Contact page
• Resource library

Tip: Avoid hiding forms deep within pages—visibility increases sign-ups.

How to Create High-Converting Popups in Brevo

Although Brevo’s native popup tool is still evolving, you can create popups using:

• Brevo Conversations widget
• Third-party tools integrated via API or HTML (e.g., popup builders)
• Custom HTML popups connected to Brevo lists

Popups convert exceptionally well when done right.

Step 1 — Choose the Right Popup Trigger

Each trigger serves a different purpose:

• Exit-intent popup: Best for capturing abandoning visitors
• Scroll-triggered popup: Great for blog readers
• Time-delayed popup: Works well for homepage sessions
• Button-triggered popup: Ideal for content upgrades

Step 2 — Create a Strong Popup Offer

People don’t subscribe “just because.” They subscribe when you present value.

High-performing lead magnet ideas:

• Free guides / PDFs
• Templates & checklists
• Discount codes (eCommerce)
• Email mini-courses
• Access to exclusive content
• Newsletter with a unique benefit

Think beyond generic “Sign up for updates.” Instead, use clear value-driven messaging.

Copywriting That Increases Sign-ups (You Can Copy These Formulas)

Here are proven micro-copy formulas:

Formula 1 — The Value + Specific Benefit Headline

“Get weekly marketing strategies you can apply in under 10 minutes.”

Formula 2 — The Problem + Promise

“Struggling to grow your list? Get the frameworks that top email marketers use.”

Formula 3 — The Fear of Missing Out

“Join 5,000+ marketers getting exclusive content every week.”
(Use general audience phrases, not fake counts.)

Value-Added Section: The A.C.E. Framework for High-Converting Forms

Use this simple framework when building Brevo forms and popups:

A — Attract Attention

Your form must stand out visually, with:

• A compelling headline
• Clear contrast
• Clean design

C — Communicate Value

Explain why someone should subscribe.

Examples:

• “Get the exact email marketing setups used by professionals”
• “Download free templates and resources”

E — Eliminate Friction

Reduce barriers by:

• Asking for fewer fields
• Using strong CTA buttons
• Adding trust signals (e.g., “No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.”)

Apply A.C.E. to every form and popup, regardless of design style.

Checklist: Before You Publish Your Brevo Form or Popup

Use this professional pre-launch checklist:

• Headline communicates value
• Form fields are minimal
• CTA is clear and action-oriented
• Mobile responsiveness checked
• Double opt-in enabled
• GDPR/consent compliance included
• Tags or segmentation applied
• Thank-you message or redirect created
• Automation workflow set to deliver the lead magnet

This ensures your form is optimized for conversions and email deliverability.

Expert Insight: Why “List Quality” Matters More Than “List Size”

Many beginners obsess over how big their list becomes. Professionals focus instead on list quality, because:

• A cleaner list improves open rates
• Higher engagement boosts sender reputation
• Better reputation ensures emails land in the inbox, not spam
• Quality subscribers drive actual conversions

That’s why strategic forms and popups—placed thoughtfully, offering genuine value—attract the right kind of subscribers.

You can learn more about building this ecosystem in related guides like Brevo Explained: How It Works & Why Businesses Use It and How to Start Email Marketing with Brevo (Step-by-Step Tutorial).

How to Connect Your New Subscribers to Automations

Once subscribers join your list via forms or popups, your next step is to welcome and nurture them. A well-structured automation can:

• Deliver the promised lead magnet
• Introduce your brand
• Segment users
• Send helpful resources
• Move them further down the funnel

You can explore this in-depth in How to Create Automated Email Sequences in Brevo, which pairs perfectly with list building.

Conclusion

Building an email list using Brevo forms and popups isn’t just a technical task—it’s a strategic process. When you combine:

• Strong value-driven lead magnets,
• Clean and simple forms,
• Smart popup triggers,
• Good copywriting, and
• Optimized placement,

…you create a list-building engine that works continuously in the background.

With the right automation and nurturing sequences, your list becomes a long-term business asset—not just a collection of email addresses.

Implement the frameworks, steps, and checklists shared here, and you’ll see consistent growth in subscriber quality, engagement, and conversions.

FAQ Section

1. What is the best type of Brevo form for beginners?

An embedded subscription form placed in high-visibility areas (homepage, sidebar, footer) is the easiest and most reliable place to start.

2. Are popups still effective for email list growth?

Yes. When designed thoughtfully and triggered at the right time, popups remain one of the highest-converting list-building tools.

3. Should I use single opt-in or double opt-in in Brevo?

Double opt-in is recommended for maintaining list quality, reducing spam entries, and improving deliverability.

4. Where should I place my embedded Brevo forms?

Strategic placements include the homepage, blog posts, landing pages, and footer. High visibility = better conversion.

5. How many fields should my form have?

Keep it minimal—typically name and email. Additional fields should only be added when absolutely necessary for segmentation.

6. Can I connect Brevo popups to email automation?

Yes. Once a subscriber joins via a popup, you can trigger automations such as welcome emails or lead magnet delivery.

7. What kind of lead magnet converts best with Brevo forms?

Practical resources like templates, checklists, guides, mini-courses, or exclusive content usually convert the best.