So, you’ve got this idea. You want to start building a community, maybe sell some stuff, or just get your thoughts out there. And everyone keeps saying “the money is in the list.” They’re talking about email marketing.
But then you hit a wall. A big, expensive, time-sucking wall called “building a website.” You’re thinking, do I really need one? Can i do email marketing without a website?
The short answer? Yeah, you totally can. It’s 2025, and the rules have changed. A lot.
You don’t need to be a web developer or hire one to start connecting with people through email. The old way of thinking is that a website is the center of your universe. It’s not always true anymore.
Why We All Thought a Website Was a Must-Have
For a long time, the path was super clear. You’d build a website. Then you’d put a little sign-up box on it. People would visit your site, give you their email, and boom. You had an email list.
That was the standard model. It was considered to be the only real professional way to do it.
Your website was your digital storefront, your blog, your everything. It made sense that it was also the place where you collected emails. And don’t get me wrong, that system still works great for a lot of people. It is a good system.
But it’s not the only system. The internet is a different place now. It’s much more spread out. People find you on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, maybe even in person. You need to be able to meet them where they are.
The Modern Ways to Do Email Marketing Without a Website in 2025
So if you don’t have a website, where do you send people to sign up? This is the main question, right? You need a destination. The thing is that this destination doesn’t have to be a full-blown website with multiple pages and a blog. It can be something much simpler.
Landing Pages are Your Best Friend
A landing page is basically a single, simple webpage. That’s it. Its whole job is to do one thing and one thing only. In this case, get someone to sign up for your email list.
There’s no “About Us” page. No blog. No distractions. Just a headline, a little bit of text explaining why someone should sign up, and a box for their email address.
Most of the big email tools out there, like MailerLite, ConvertKit, or Mailchimp, they normally give you the ability to create these simple one-page sites. They host it for you and everything. You just pick a template, change the words and colors, and you get a link. That link is your new best friend. You can share it anywhere you want.
Using Social Media to Grab Emails
Your social media profiles are super powerful tools for this. You just need to direct people to the right place.
Think about your Instagram bio. That one link you get? That’s pure gold. Instead of linking to a complicated website people have to navigate, you link directly to your shiny new landing page.
You can use a link in your bio tool like Linktree or Beacons and have your top button be “Join my weekly newsletter!” It’s simple. It’s direct.
You can also make posts about it. Create a graphic that talks about the cool thing people get when they sign up. Tell them to click the link in your bio. On Facebook, you can make the main button on your page a “Sign Up” button that goes straight to your form.
In-Person and Direct Methods (The Old School Cool)
Don’t forget the real world. Sometimes the best way to get an email is just to ask for it.
Are you a maker who sells at local markets? Have a clipboard. Or, even better, have a QR code on your table that people can scan with their phones. That QR code can go straight to your landing page. Simple.
If you’re a coach or consultant, you could end a presentation with a slide that has the QR code. Or you can even just send the link directly to people you meet and connect with. It feels more personal sometimes, you know?
What You Absolutely Need (Even Without a Website)
Okay, so we’ve established you can skip the website part, for now. But there are a couple of things that are not optional. You absolutely need these pieces in place.
First, you need an email marketing tool. Something like MailerLite, Beehiiv, or Substack. Don’t just try to send mass emails from your Gmail account. It’s a bad idea. It’ll get you marked as spam, and it’s just not built for it. These tools handle the tech stuff, like deliverability and unsubscribe buttons.
Second, you need a really good reason for someone to give you their email address. People are protective of their inboxes. “Sign up for my newsletter” isn’t always enough.
You need to offer them something. A freebie. This is sometimes called a “lead magnet.” It could be a PDF guide, a checklist, a discount code, a free video workshop. Something that makes them go, “Oh, I want that.” This is probably the most important part of the whole setup.
The Downsides? Let’s Be Real for a Second
Doing email marketing without a website is not a perfect solution. It has some drawbacks, and it’s good to be aware of them.
For one, you don’t have a central “hub” for all your content. A place where people can go to see everything you’ve ever created. A landing page is just one page.
It can sometimes be perceived as less professional by certain audiences. If you’re trying to land big corporate clients, they might expect to see a full website. It sort of depends on your business.
Also, you miss out on search engine traffic. People won’t be able to find you by Googling topics related to what you do because you don’t have a blog or pages for Google to look at. Your growth will mostly come from social media and direct outreach.
But for many people starting out, these are tradeoffs they’re willing to make. The goal is to start. You can always build a full website later, once you’ve got some momentum.
—
Frequently Asked Questions about Email Marketing Without a Website
Can I do email marketing without a website for my small business?
Yes, absolutely. You can use a dedicated landing page created with an email marketing service to collect emails. Then use your social media accounts and in-person events to direct people to that landing page.
How do I collect email addresses without a website?
The main ways are through a landing page, a direct sign-up form link from your email provider, using a link-in-bio tool on your social media, or even in-person with a QR code or a simple sign-up sheet.
Is it professional to do email marketing without a website?
Generally, yes. For most creators, coaches, and small businesses in 2025, having a clean, professional landing page is perfectly acceptable. It shows you’re focused. Some very traditional industries might still expect a full site, though.
What’s the best free way to start email marketing with no website?
Find an email marketing tool with a good free plan, like MailerLite or ConvertKit. They let you build a free landing page and manage up to a certain number of subscribers. This is all you need to start for zero cost.
—
Key Takeaways
You do not need a full, multi-page website to start email marketing.
A simple landing page is your most powerful tool. Most email marketing companies let you build one for free.
Use your social media bios and posts to send people directly to your landing page link.
You must have an email marketing service (don’t use Gmail) and a good reason for people to sign up (a freebie).
This approach is fast and cheap, but the downside is you won’t get any traffic from search engines.
You can always build a full website later on, after you’ve started building your list. The key is to just start.
