How to Turn Your Blog into an Email Newsletter
While creating a blog can be a terrific way to engage readers, it can also act as a springboard to something more than that. Using basic free software to turn a blog into an email newsletter, a blog owner has the potential to reach people outside his immediate readership. For example, creating an engaging newsletter gives readers the chance to share the newsletter with others in their circle of similar interests.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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Find the RSS information for your blog by going to the "Account" section of the blog. There will be a section for users wanting to engage in RSS feeds. RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and this feature notifies readers whenever new data to a site posts. In the same way, the RSS feed sends new data to an email newsletter. The RSS button is usually orange and consists of a dot and two curves radiating outwards. The RSS information contains the URL address of your blog feed. The RSS feature allows the newsletter template to accumulate your blog into an email format.
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Subscribe to a service automatically converting your blog material into an email newsletter. Some of the services include Nourish and Google FeedBurner. The service asks for the RSS information for your blog, including its URL address.
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Create a "hook" for readers -- provide reasons for them to sign up. Assign a title or name to the newsletter to give it more credibility. Tell readers what you'll deliver when they subscribe. If the newsletter deals with small business issues, update information frequently and include best practices tips or breaking news from SBA.gov regarding grants and financing for small businesses. Providing a "hook" means delivering more than readers expect so they'll keep reading. All of your newsletter updates need to clearly answer your readers' biggest question: What's in it for me?
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Encourage visitors to provide an email address in order to receive the email newsletter. Doing this makes it an "opt in" action, giving the recipient control over receiving the newsletter. Create an area on the site explaining the benefits of receiving the email newsletter, emphasizing that while many people might not understand how to use an RSS feed on their computer, everyone knows how to receive an email newsletter.
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Set up an "unsubscribe" option for the newsletter. Each service has an area, usually found in the "Settings" area of the service, allowing for an email address to be provided which will automatically stop sending the email newsletter. This is done in order to make sure that the email newsletter is not considered spam.
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Create interesting and engaging content. While it is easy to turn a blog into an email newsletter by using RSS feeds, the difficult part is keeping people subscribed to the newsletter. Providing useful information on a regular basis keeps readers interested and they will be more apt to continue reading the newsletter.
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