5 REASONS WHY A BLOG IS BETTER THAN AN EMAIL NEWSLETTER…
…And 3 Reasons Why It's Not.
Blogs are getting a lot of press right now. Can you replace your email newsletter or even your Web site with a blog?
Five reasons why you may want to make the switch to a blog…
- Email Filters Can't Stop Blogs. Blogs are primarily viewed through a Web page or newsreader. Therefore email filters are a non-issue.
- Blogs Are Forever. Since your blogs are posted to the Web, they are immediately available and remain live until you take them down (or stop paying for hosting). Email newsletters-on the other hand-are gone once they're sent. Sure, the content from an email newsletter can (and should) be archived on your Web site…but it's an additional step.
- Search Engines Love Blogs. Like Homer Simpson at the all-you-can-eat buffet, search engines just can't get enough. It's probably all that fresh content covered with a delicious sauce of hyperlinks that keeps them coming back for more. Mmmmmm…blogs.
In any case, I've seen blog posts rocket to the first page-even the number one spot-within a day or two of being posted.
Want to take advantage of a hot topic or a current news story? Keep your blog up-to-date to keep the search engines checking back regularly.
- Anyone Can Blog. All you need is some free or nearly free software and a Web connection. You can set up a blog in 15 minutes. Who needs a Web developer when you can update your site with viciously fresh content?
- Blogs Can Be Syndicated Through RSS. RSS most popularly stands for Real Simple Syndication. Visitors can “subscribe” to your blog and get regular updates delivered to their desktop, their newsreader, or to their personal homepage at Yahoo or MSN. Alternatively, other Web sites might syndicate your content to help populate their own Web site.
You blog, RSS helps deliver your message…for free.
And three reasons why you may want to stick with your email newsletter…
- A Lot More People “Get” Email Than Blogs. Sure, “blog” was the number one “looked-up” word last year, and yes, there's some incredible buzz about business blogs right now.
However, there's a reason why “blog” is so often looked up…most people have no idea what one is! Few people own a newsreader: a program that manages dozens or even hundreds of blogs. Even fewer understand RSS or how to find new blogs when they come out.
- Email Marketing is Easier to Measure. Email marketing has a head start. “Subscriber base,” “opens,” and “click-through rates” are all easily measurable and agreed upon. With blogs you have some people visiting your Web site, others receiving your feed through a newsreader, and still others getting updates emailed to them. Getting an exact readership count is difficult, if not impossible…and perhaps even irrelevant.
- Email Marketing and Business Blogs Work Best Together. As with all marketing, the more sticks you have in the fire, the more likely your marshmallows will get toasted. Or burnt, if you're one of those people.
Publishing a business blog is no reason to give up on your email newsletter. The bottom line is they are two great ways of delivering fresh content, establishing yourself as an expert, and communicating with your customers.
Interested in starting a business blog but don't know where to begin? Please contact us!
–Rich Brooks
President, flyte new media