How to Collect Submissions on Your Ghost Blog

If you’re running a Ghost blog, chances are you want to connect with your readers on a deeper level. One of the most effective ways to do this is by collecting submissions. Whether you’re asking for feedback, encouraging guest posts, or building your email list, enabling submissions can take your blog from static to interactive. The best part? Ghost makes it easy to start collecting submissions using native functionality or with the help of third-party tools.

This guide will walk you through the methods for collecting submissions on Ghost, with step-by-step instructions and best practices to keep everything organized. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear strategy to engage your audience meaningfully while growing your blog’s community.

Why Collecting Submissions is Important for Your Ghost Blog

Collecting submissions transforms your blog from a one-way content pipeline into an interactive platform. Here’s why it matters:

• Community Engagement: Submissions encourage your readers to participate, fostering loyalty and connection.
• Content Strategy: User feedback or guest contributions can provide fresh content ideas and save you time.
• Growth Opportunities: Whether it’s email subscriptions or product inquiries, submissions provide valuable data for scaling your blog or business.

For Ghost bloggers, implementing submissions doesn’t just increase engagement; it creates opportunities for content creators, developers, and brands to connect with their audience in a measurable way.

Now, let’s explore how to do it.

Methods of Collecting Submissions on a Ghost Blog

There are two main ways to collect submissions in Ghost:

1. Using Ghost’s Native Functionality.
2. Integrating Third-Party Tools.

Both methods are beginner-friendly yet powerful enough to meet the needs of advanced users.

Using Ghost’s Native Functionality

Ghost comes with built-in features that allow you to collect certain types of submissions, including membership subscriptions and email signups. Here’s how to leverage these features:

1. Membership Subscriptions

Ghost’s membership feature allows readers to sign up as subscribers or members of your blog. This is a great starting point for collecting email addresses and building an audience database.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Head to your Ghost Admin Dashboard.
2. Go to the “Settings” tab, then click “Membership”.
3. Toggle on “Enable Memberships”.
4. Customize subscription tiers (if applicable) to encourage signups. For example:

• • • Free tier for access to your newsletter.
    • Paid tier for exclusive content or perks.

5. Add a sign-up form to your pages by editing the site theme or using Ghost’s editor.

2. Email Subscriptions

If you’re already sending newsletters via Ghost, you’re likely collecting email submissions seamlessly.

How to Set it Up:

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.
2. Click “Email Newsletter” under “Settings”.
3. Craft a welcome email to encourage users to subscribe.
4. Add an email capture form or button to your site.

Pro Tip: Use Ghost’s CSV export functionality to download your subscriber list and segment it for targeted campaigns.

Using Third-Party Integrations

Want to collect more than just email addresses? Third-party tools provide flexibility, allowing you to create customized forms for feedback, file uploads, guest posts, and more.

Here are some popular tools you can integrate with your Ghost blog:

1. Formspree

Formspree is a lightweight and easy-to-use option for setting up submission forms on Ghost. It’s ideal for collecting feedback, contact inquiries, or even guest post applications.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Go to Formspree’s website and create an account.
2. Set up a new form and customize fields (e.g., name, email, message).
3. Formspree will provide an HTML form code snippet. Copy this code.
4. Open your Ghost theme editor and paste the snippet into the desired location (e.g., a contact page).
5. Test the form by submitting a sample entry.

2. Google Forms

Google Forms is perfect for bloggers who need detailed input such as survey responses.

How to Embed a Google Form:

1. Create a form at Google Forms.
2. Click “Send” and select “Embed Code”.
3. Copy the code snippet provided.
4. Head to your Ghost blog, use the HTML block in your post editor, and paste the embed code.

3. Zapier

Zapier connects Ghost with over 5,000 apps, automating your workflow. For instance, when someone fills out a form, you can automatically send the data to a Google Sheet or your CRM system.

How to Use Zapier for Submissions:

1. Sign up at Zapier.
2. Create a new Zap with “Webhook” (ideal for form submissions).
3. Connect your Ghost account.
4. Set up an action, like saving submission details to a spreadsheet or sending you an email notification.

Best Practices for Managing and Organizing Submissions

The real challenge starts once the submissions roll in. Here’s how to stay on top of them:

1. Categorize Submissions

Whether you’re collecting feedback, applications, or emails, create clear categories to keep everything organized. For instance:

• Feedback and Survey Responses
• Guest Post Submissions
• Subscriber Emails

2. Use Tags or Labels

If your submission tool allows tagging, use it to label and track submission types. For example, add a tag for “Collaboration Inquiry” or “Feature Request.”

3. Maintain Data Privacy

Always respect privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA. Be transparent about how you’ll use the data you collect and provide users with opt-out options.

4. Respond Promptly

Acknowledge submissions in real-time wherever possible. Setting up an automated thank-you email is a quick win.

5. Regularly Export Data

Ghost allows you to export subscriber information as a CSV file. Use this to back up data and analyze trends over time.

By adopting these practices, you’ll optimize not just submission collection but also relationship building with your readers or clients.

Collect Submissions and Build Your Ghost Blog Community Today

Collecting submissions isn’t just about gathering data; it’s about building relationships and fostering meaningful engagement with your audience. Whether you choose native Ghost functionality to keep things contained or expand your reach with third-party tools, there’s a method that fits your blog’s goals and style.