Mapping The Web

More and more companies are replacing traditional e-newsletters with blogs. Both can be used to inform customers (and potential customers) of product updates, contests, special offers, sales, and much more. However, the benefits of a blog far outweigh the benefits of a newsletter. Don’t get wrong - I’m not saying blogs are a complete alternative to newsletters, but the possibility is worth exploring. In fact, some companies may profit from a hybrid of both. An exception to this is e-commerce companies, who can derive a lot of value from e-mail. But for the majority of companies, a blog is a much better way to go as we will see…

So, why are blogs better than newsletters?

1. Interactivity - E-mail lacks interactivity and discussion. Blogs form a powerful, 2-way conversation due to the advent of comments. 

2. Passiveness - E-mail can be invasive. Often people don’t want to be bombarded with unwanted messages. This not only creates frustration, but also wastes time.

3. Cost - Blogs are much more cost effective than newsletters. The latter requires ongoing payments to an e-mail service provider. The former simply requires man hours.

4.. Technical Knowledge - More technical knowledge is needed to publish a newsletter, including HTML and templating. Blogging barely requires word-processing skills.

5. Time - An effective newsletter takes a lot more time, effort, and planning to dispatch than a blog post.

6. Delivery - Newsletters are subject to e-mail and SPAM filters. This may prevent important information from ever reaching the intended receiver. RSS feeds are always delivered. 

7. Search Engines - Blog posts drive search traffic and bait back-links.*

8. Subscription - Ironically, people can still subscribe to blogs via e-mail! MappingTheWeb has this feature in the right sidebar.

* / Some newsletters include a link to a permanent copy online (which may include comments). I acknowledge that this contradicts my #7, but at this stage, such a tool can be classified as a blog. /

Blogs are an important form of “permission marketing” - a concept that has long been touted by Seth Godin. Newsletters follow these principles as well, but blogging take them to the next level. The benefits and advantages are clear. The ability to add a feed and access it at your leisure is a powerful thing. If this means saying goodbye to blasted e-mails and a cluttered inbox, then bring it on. Perhaps, blogs are to CDs, as newsletters are to tapes… Ya follow me?

What is your take on newsletters? Do you think blogs will replace them? Is there room in the world for both?