Got a website? Making a newsletter drives traffic!
There are hundreds of millions of websites on the net. This fact makes it obvious why it takes some exceptional marketing skills to get your share of attention. Whether you've got a product, service or simply a personal web page, one outstanding advertising vehicle is an e-newsletter. Whoa, you say - how do I do that? What do I put in the newsletter? Why should I do that? Let's look at each question in turn.
Making a newsletter for your website is really not all that difficult. There are many tutorials out there which will show you the ropes on the technical points. Go to Google and enter "online newsletter tutorial" or "ezine tutorial". You'll find many excellent resources in just the first couple of pages of results. There are just a few formatting considerations if you're making a newsletter in a text-only format. If you want to get fancy, make a newsletter that's also available in an HTML format, with fancy graphics and lots of color. Whether you opt for text-only or both text and HTML formats depends on what you're promoting. Service oriented websites often find that making a text newsletter serves the needs of its customers best, as information is the main draw. A site selling fancy candles or garden plants will want to make a newsletter available in HTML, as a visual sells that product best.
So, now for the contents: when making a newsletter, plan your content first. Make your newsletter components and categories consistent with each issue. Again, it depends on what you're selling or promoting.
When marketing a service, categorize the major components of your service. This allows you to hit on each aspect of interest to your customer. For example, let's say your business installs window treatments. Your categories might consist of latest product introductions, feature pieces on window treatment solutions, this month's promotions and links to home decorating sites featuring pics to spark the imagination of your customers.
Making a newsletter for your personal webpage can put you ahead of the competition. One category might consist of blog type entries in which you detail what's happening this month in your life. For example, you're a student and aspiring photographer. Let your subscribers know about a new technique or a recent accolade. Invite your reader's to contribute their own - make it a forum of sorts. Other categories include links to photo contests, message boards and online learning venues.
Now for the why: when you make a newsletter available to your readers, it brings your website to their attention on a regular basis. They won't forget you. With newsletter content that's interesting and useful, you gain repeat traffic and click-throughs that can create some passive income when your reader makes a purchase. A reader who finds your newsletter worthy of passing on to a friend brings you exposure you might never have gained had you not made the effort to make a newsletter. To your success!
