After you've chosen your email marketing service and started growing your list, it's time to think about what kind of email updates you can send your marketplace users. Here are five ways to utilize your mailing list in order to increase brand identity and drive value to your customers.

1. Share content

The beauty of creating great content is that it's always available to be consumed. Even though you might have a great social media distribution strategy, there's a good chance that not everyone is going to see it in their Twitter or Facebook feeds.

This is where your email list comes in. First off, your users want to hear from you. Why else would they have subscribed to your mailing list? When you become a master of segmenting your subscribers, you'll know exactly what kinds of content they want to receive.

Try sending your audience a recent blog, video, infographic, or case study that you published. Make sure it is in line with their particular interests. Distributing targeted content will also help boost your open and click through rates, which are metrics directly linked to your users' engagement.

2. Share EXCLUSIVE Content

Sharing existing content is helpful with stretching out its lifespan and getting it in front of new people. Take that a step further! By creating exclusive content for your email list is a great way to keep them opening your emails.

You'll form an engaged list who will know they're getting special content not available to the masses. You'll also be able to promote your mailing list by telling visitors they should sign up to get access to content they can't find anywhere else.

3. Provide Marketplace Updates

Sending your marketplace users occasional updates about improved features or new integrations is a great way to make them feel included.

As a marketplace owner, you're always testing what works and what needs to be improved on. When things change, keep your customers in the loop.

4. Distribute Coupons and Special Offers

No matter what product or service your marketplace platform provides, your mailing list is a great way to generate buzz around your offering and stimulate transactions. Having carefully segmented lists and purchase analytics can help you distribute offers that users want to see.

Try giving people a nudge to make their first purchase with a discount code. You might also try reminding people of their previous purchase and get them to make another transaction around a similar product or service.

5. Promote Events and Launches

Notifying your email list of upcoming events is a great way of turning an electronic community into a physical one. Getting users together to interact not only gets them excited about your brand but also about each other.

Allowing users to connect around your brand is a great way to build a shared identity and keep people engaged with other emails you send. It also helps you meet your customers in person where you can ask for their feedback face to face. When your marketplace platform users feel the love, they'll become your biggest promoters.

What approaches do you take with your mailing list? Let us know in the comments below.