Newsletters

[Battou]

Well, I really don't want to use them because a good number of people find them irritating but it's come to a point where I'm going to have to give it a try.

Any hints and tips for the configuration of a good solid news letter that is informative to users who have not visited in some time but not irritating to those who are up to speed with the site?

Now I know a summery of resent changes, like forum sections and site amendments is in order but what do I need to not come off as spamful in appearance.

 

[Brack]

Make it as friendly as you can.

You don't want to make the newsletter look like an automated email.

 

[Nebulous]

I cant stand when forums send out newsletters (or mass emails) saying
"Our activity is down! Please come post! Where are you guys??!?!"
and they send these out every couple days...
But then again the email I use to sign up with forums is my "spam email" as in I dont care if it gets spammed.... I dont even read the emails in there, unless Im looking for an activation email.

 

[Bluezone777]

I don't really read my e-mail either. I just use it mostly for activating an account.

 

[AnAccount]

That was one of the only things I liked about being on Zetaboards. If you sent out a mass email, today, let's say, you wouldn't be able to send out another one for five days. Neat at times but annoying at other times. I don't have mass email at ProPHPBB which is probably a good thing, otherwise I'd probably send out hundreds in an hour.

Anyway, back on topic. I would say just be as friendly and as informative as you can about your situation.

 

[Fergal]

Even a brief email with updates on latest news, can serve as a good reminder that your forum exists and bring people back to visit it.

You could also include links to the most recently discussed hot topics. If the topics are hot they are interesting to your members and might stimulate people to click the link and check out the topic, and hence your forum, again.

 

[Battou]

I cant stand when forums send out newsletters (or mass emails) saying
"Our activity is down! Please come post! Where are you guys??!?!"
and they send these out every couple days...
But then again the email I use to sign up with forums is my "spam email" as in I dont care if it gets spammed.... I dont even read the emails in there, unless Im looking for an activation email.

I don't mind them as long as the volume is kept reasonable. It is for that reason that I have no intention of doing more than one (Per site) a year and I have no qualms telling the webmaster that either. Too many is counter productive, and yeah, I know there are some out there that'll tell me one is too many but...still. You are absolutely right, activity is down. With 1242 from 287 registered users after two years and some change, having only one person who checks the forum with any frequency tells me that drastic measures are in order.

Make it as friendly as you can.

You don't want to make the newsletter look like an automated email.

Even a brief email with updates on latest news, can serve as a good reminder that your forum exists and bring people back to visit it.

You could also include links to the most recently discussed hot topics. If the topics are hot they are interesting to your members and might stimulate people to click the link and check out the topic, and hence your forum, again.

...And this is why I (Personally) never wanted to compose them, I have a tendancy to sound a little mechanical.....It seems that when I try to make something like this friendly it ends up tackey and cheesey.

But any-who, I'll keep that in mind.