Also, there is a neat service called Reference. Com which will archive your mailing list. People can thus find your mailing list through their archive. The bottom line is that you have to put some effort into getting the word out to other fans. But it's also important to think in terms of building a community of fellow fans.
Fans like to congregate with people of similar interests and tastes.
But the more unique your resources are, the easier it will be for you to stand out from the crowd of newcomers. In the long run you'll find a few dozen good online friends who will help you promote your sites by telling other people about them. Be warm, welcoming, and stay above the riff-raff when you elect to run your own discussion forum. I recently found an interesting board dedicated to a new actress in a popular series. She very early on posted a message the fans on the board and gave them a great thrill.