Having an ezine, or online newsletter is a good way for website owners to expand their reach with email marketing. However, the major catch is that just like a website, an ezine has to be promoted.
Without subscribers, having an ezine is not going to do a website much good.
Implement SEO Techniques
Many website owners make the mistake of not having a page on the site dedicated to the ezine. By not doing so, one is missing out on a great SEO opportunity.
By having a separate page, one can target that page to draw in traffic based upon areas in the niche that users are likely to be searching for.
For example, a Plant and Gardening website might create a dedicated page for the newsletter and title it Free Gardening Articles. The website owner could then use a SEO friendly URL structure like /plant-gardening-ezine, and insert relevant meta tags.
In addition to the adding the sign up box, the website owner would want to include the next step and that is sample content.
Give Away Sample Content
Before people give away their information such as their name and email address, they want to know what they are getting out of the deal. This is where sample content comes in.
It not only helps with search engine optimization, but it also gives the user an incentive to subscribe. If they see content that is engaging and informative, they are much more likely to subscribe than if all they see is a sign up box.
E-commerce websites may feel that they don't have any sample content but this is not true. Coupon codes, shopping tips, and niche specific information can all be included in an ezine for an e-commerce site; and thus included on a sample content page.
Have a Privacy Policy
People are reluctant to give out their email address if they feel there is a possibility that they will be put on a spam list; so it's important to have a privacy policy that is easy to understand, and highly visible on the site.
It also helps to have a general privacy statement under the subscription boxes with a link to the full privacy policy.
Have a Sign Up Box on All Site Pages
Don't just limit the subscription box to the home page. Sign up boxes, or a link to the subscription page, should be included on every page of the website.
In order to get more subscribers, the fact that a site has an ezine should not be hidden.
For more information on online newsletters and ezines please see How to Start an Ezine and Making Money With Ezines.
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