Net2Vic: Resolving the Design & Content Challenge: Automated and Curated Newsletters
We are constantly being told by marketing specialists that publishing a newsletter to one's clients, sponsors or prospects is a key part of a well-conceived marketing plan in the social media age -- provided it is well designed, and contains compelling content. However, for most, this is usually easier said than done. Email marketing platforms, such as Constant Contact, Mad Mimi, and others, have made it easier to produce well-designed, single-page newsletters, but the problem of generating good content remained. Few of us have the writing skills or resources to consistently produce good, original content that would interest our clients and prospects. In this talk, Jonathan Stoppi will share two great options for nonprofits to produce good looking newsletters with original content, with minimum outlay of time, effort, or cost: • automated newsletters based on blog posts, and • curated newsletters, using a mixture of original content and linked content from related sites. He will show examples from newsletters that he has set up and maintains for both nonprofits and commercial clients, as well as two of his own newsletters.
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (19)
Similar to Net2Vic: Resolving the Design & Content Challenge: Automated and Curated Newsletters
Similar to Net2Vic: Resolving the Design & Content Challenge: Automated and Curated Newsletters (20)
More from NetSquared Victoria
More from NetSquared Victoria (9)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Net2Vic: Resolving the Design & Content Challenge: Automated and Curated Newsletters
- 1. QUALUMInformation Design Making newsletters —without sacrificing your main work in the process
- 2. QUALUMInformation Design Design makes all the difference
- 8. QUALUMInformation Design List growth >100% in 3.5 years 261 529
- 11. QUALUMInformation Design Open & click rates Open rate: 2x industry average (Religious Org.s) Click rate: 8x industry average
- 13. QUALUMInformation Design Megalithic Portal News An example of using one’s own website as a source for a curated newsletter
- 15. QUALUMInformation Design Curating options • Curated.co • RefreshBox • Paper.li • Scoop.it • Goodbits • FlashIssue • Storify • Upcontent
- 16. QUALUMInformation Design Curated.co • [+] Pros: • Bookmarkets • Attractive, clean • [-] Cons: • One column only • Images always full width (resolution issues) • Manual image add • Landing page design constraints • Expensive ★ ★ ★
- 17. QUALUMInformation Design RefreshBox • [+] Pros: • Newsletters directory • Bookmarklet (Chrome only) • [-] Cons: • Manual text, URL & text entry • Full URLs shown—could be long • No Markdown formatting • No images! ★ ★
- 18. QUALUMInformation Design Paper.li• [+] Pros: • Prof. newspaper-like appearance • Automated sections • It finds sources for you • Choose from 8 languages • Integrate with FB, Twitter • Embed in website • Auto-promotion • Inexpensive (ƒ $9/month) • [-] Cons: • Based on keywords only ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- 19. QUALUMInformation Design Goodbits.io• [+] Pros: • Handsome results • User interface • Bookmarklet • Built-in sourcing • Landing page • Integrate with MailChimp • Good support • Free trial • [-] Cons: • $25/month ★ ★ ★ ★
- 20. QUALUMInformation Design Scoop.it • [+] Pros: • Prof. newspaper-like • Source suggestions • Email notifications • Integrate with everything • Export to MailChimp • [-] • Good features only in expensive plans ($67+/month) ★ ★ ★
- 21. QUALUMInformation Design FlashIssue • [+] Pros: • User interface • Goodlooking results • Pull quotes • Flexible design • Pay as you go • [-] • Easy clipping: Chrome only • Pay as you go ★ ★ ★
- 22. QUALUMInformation Design Upcontent • [+] Pros: • Find sources • Good for conversations • [-] Cons: • Not for newsletters ★ ★ ★
- 25. QUALUMInformation Design Decision flowchart (3) The United States of newsletters
- 26. QUALUMInformation Design To curate or not to curate
- 29. QUALUMInformation Design Which email marketer? Features MailChimp Benchmark Vertical Response Free Plan ✔ (≤ 2000) ✔ (≤ 2000) ✔ (≤ 1000) General user interface ✔ ✔ ✔ Sidebar ✔ x x Paragraph styles ✔ x x Image wrapping ✔ ✔ ✔ Schedule & forget ✔ ✔ x Google Analytics ✔ ✔ x Integration with other services ✔ x x
- 30. QUALUMInformation Design Creating in MailChimp Click here to add new generic item—then edit Replace images
Editor's Notes
- So you have the idea of creating a newsletter, you need to address four issues: purpose, content, design, and “Other” considerations. (BTW, this colour scheme pertains throughout the diagram, and any diamond shape here refers to a decision factor, or criterion). With regard to content, you need to ask yourself, what is the source, and what extent of content do you provide in the newsletter: all in, or just teasers.
- Basically, if the content is primarily yours, you will be using an email marketing service—but first of all, you must establish your own blog. If most of your content is from other websites, or your primary purpose is to inform, you should use a Curated service. This may also use material from your blog.
- Whichever shortlist you make, draw up a list of the vital features, and compare them. This should tell you which one suits you. In the case of my nonprofit clients, it was MailChimp.
- Basically, if the content is primarily yours, you will be using an email marketing service—but first of all, you must establish your own blog. If most of your content is from other websites, or your primary purpose is to inform, you should use a Curated service. This may also use material from your blog.