Newsletter?

[Cierra]

Do you have a newsletter for your site? How often is it published? What's included in it?

My forum has a weekly newsletter that I create with Google Docs. I thought of using a newsletter making software but simple is better in my opinion. 😛

 

[Reverse Flash]

I don't send out newsletters. Too much work. 😛 I did send out some mass mail one time just to notify users of a new domain name, but that's it.

 

[Geoffrey]

For a focused/niche site, I can see a newsletter being useful where you can include forum/site news plus news from your niche. For just your average forum, I don't see there being much need for one. Send bulk/mass emails, sure, but calling that a newsletter seems exaggerated.

 

[Joshua Farrell]

I have been wanting to do newsletters for my forum, but I have yet to figure out what to include in it, and how often to send it out.

I generally love newsletters, because it gives users updates on what is going on, and anything else that might help continue to perk their wanting to be on the forum.

 

[Geoffrey]

I have been wanting to do newsletters for my forum, but I have yet to figure out what to include in it, and how often to send it out.

Spotlights (of members, of topics, even of single posts) could be a nice feature to include.

 

[Mikaya]

Newsletters on the site/forum I'm involved with are not really needed, as all updates/important announcements are posted on the main site or forum for everyone's attention.

 

[Migi]

My forum has a weekly newsletter that I create with Google Docs. I thought of using a newsletter making software but simple is better in my opinion. 😛

I just realized I was rather confused about this. How did you exactly use it? I thought by newsletter it's actually sending mass emails to all members but making it to look tidier and more interesting as a newsletter.

Newsletters on the site/forum I'm involved with are not really needed, as all updates/important announcements are posted on the main site or forum for everyone's attention.

I guess it depends on the kind of the forum. When my forum about Japanese singer was still around, I think I sent newsletter once every month to give summary about new things at the forum, especially related to the singer. That seemed to help bringing some old members back for a while. Or for those who haven't been visiting for a while.

 

[Cierra]

My forum has a weekly newsletter that I create with Google Docs. I thought of using a newsletter making software but simple is better in my opinion. 😛

I just realized I was rather confused about this. How did you exactly use it? I thought by newsletter it's actually sending mass emails to all members but making it to look tidier and more interesting as a newsletter.

I create the newsletter in Google Docs, and I then send it via mass email and PM. I can't embed it so I send the link and a short message only. I also have a newsletter sub-forum where they are posted every week also. Here's an example: Newsletter.

 

[Geoffrey]

My forum has a weekly newsletter that I create with Google Docs. I thought of using a newsletter making software but simple is better in my opinion. 😛

I just realized I was rather confused about this. How did you exactly use it? I thought by newsletter it's actually sending mass emails to all members but making it to look tidier and more interesting as a newsletter.

I create the newsletter in Google Docs, and I then send it via mass email and PM. I can't embed it so I send the link and a short message only. I also have a newsletter sub-forum where they are posted every week also. Here's an example: Newsletter.

You may not want to give anyone with the link access to edit (just view). Not that anyone would do anything malicious, but accidents happen and you could lose a newsletter really easily that way without even realizing it.

 

[Cierra]

My forum has a weekly newsletter that I create with Google Docs. I thought of using a newsletter making software but simple is better in my opinion. 😛

I just realized I was rather confused about this. How did you exactly use it? I thought by newsletter it's actually sending mass emails to all members but making it to look tidier and more interesting as a newsletter.

I create the newsletter in Google Docs, and I then send it via mass email and PM. I can't embed it so I send the link and a short message only. I also have a newsletter sub-forum where they are posted every week also. Here's an example: Newsletter.

You may not want to give anyone with the link access to edit (just view). Not that anyone would do anything malicious, but accidents happen and you could lose a newsletter really easily that way without even realizing it.

Oops. Fixed the link to read only. Someone did edit a few things also. Thanks for letting me know. :great:

 

[John]

That's a interesting idea. I think it would almost annoy members, though. However, annoying members might benefit you, because they'd want to come back and turn the notifications off. And when they did that, they might see something interesting.

 

[kaizax]

Newsletter is an important way to promote your site, I have gain 15% traffic every month by sending newsletter frequently. However, remember: Do not spam customer inbox. If you spam by sending to much email, they will report your email, you will not gain anything, and your email will be in blacklist of email-address. In this way, your email will be easily transfered to spam box

 

[Migi]

That's a interesting idea. I think it would almost annoy members, though. However, annoying members might benefit you, because they'd want to come back and turn the notifications off. And when they did that, they might see something interesting.

The website will be lucky if that happens. Unless he/she goes to mark sender as spam so all e-mails henceforth will be marked as spams and deleted periodically. XD

Newsletter is an important way to promote your site, I have gain 15% traffic every month by sending newsletter frequently. However, remember: Do not spam customer inbox. If you spam by sending to much email, they will report your email, you will not gain anything, and your email will be in blacklist of email-address. In this way, your email will be easily transfered to spam box

Is there any minimal time period in sending e-mails to avoid being marked as spam? Since sometimes even from registration, e-mail from the board can end up at spam box which sometimes becomes problem where members don't receive activation e-mail.

 

[Ash]

Newsletters are useful for websites or forums that are large. I don't really see the point of a newsletter for small forums that are general discussion niches. No one is going to bother reading them plus they will probably end up in the spam box

 

[Scorpio]

Yes, when I was administrator on a site, I published a monthly newsletter in a subforum in announcements.

I believe a newsletter has to be done perfectly, it can't be long and boring but it has to be enticing and interesting, I think having a newsletter ensures you aren't clogging up making announcements about every little change you make to your site.

 

[MasterA]

I don't have newsletters on my forum but I do send out mass emails when there is a large update. I think a regular newsletter isn't needed because there are announcements on the forum but a mass email every so often will be useful.

 

[Allenafaith]

My forum doesn't have a newsletter because I want to wait until mine is a little more active. I really don't have anything to include into one since my forum is basically dead.