Listbuilding Question

24 replies
Should the content I send out to my list be on the actual emails, OR should I send my subscribers a link that takes them to my site, where the content is at?

I have seen expert marketers do it both ways. I know the advantage of the latter is you are better able to track what they do, and provide a better presentation with graphics and video.
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  • Profile picture of the author Val Wilson
    Either way works, as long as your content is good. I usually do a combination of both.
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    • Profile picture of the author laurarussell49
      Originally Posted by Val Wilson View Post

      Either way works, as long as your content is good. I usually do a combination of both.

      YEah, I agree. Content is one big factor . Quality content for sure
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      • Profile picture of the author joelafoust
        I agree with Steve B. You want to send a link in the email. However, at the same time, you have to consider what your promoting. If there are several steps that need to be taken once the person is at the site, you can give an overview of what they should do once they get to the site - so they're not totally lost. Just an example, but you could combine important information along with the link instead of just a hard offer.
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      • Profile picture of the author bostoncitymass
        Add a summary of the post and a link to it. Don't give away all the information of the post because the person will have no need to click through. Make the summary in the email sound like it's something they need

        Such as:

        "Hey Guys,
        Just added a new post on keyword research. Anyone that has been doing online marketing for more than half a day knows the importance of keyword research. It's the foundation to any marketing campaign, and can be the deciding factor between making some cash and not putting a single nickel in your pocket.

        The post will give you some tips on how to find the best keywords, how to determine if there is alot of competition for those keywords, and how to know if those keywords will convert visitors into buyers.

        You can find the post here www.yoursite.com"

        You need to give them something that will make them want to click through. And phrase it in a way that will let them know that if they visit it will sole a problem or answer a question for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author thekaver
    i always put it in the email.

    Reason being the info you want them to see is in front of them already which if wrote correct will catch there attention.

    With having to click through they have to go through the effort of clicking beofre the read!

    so in my eyes i feel i far better chance of your content getting read if it in the actual email.

    thanks

    TheKaver
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      I have a different take. I don't agree that content belongs in emails.

      Emails are a very poor content management system. If the reader isn't interested or doesn't have time to read what you're writing then and there, your content is going to be ignored.

      Use your site as the base for your content.

      Use emails to announce your content.

      Emails are a great way to advertise the content on your web site. Send a "teaser" or a short snippet of your content in your email. Make it a tantalizing tidbit that makes the reader want more.

      Give him/her a link, not just to your home page, but right to the article or content you want him to read.

      By having your content on your web site, it can be archived and referred to later. It can help your site rankings for your keywords placed in the content. And it is available down the road for new prospects that won't get your current emails.

      Email content is lost the minute an email is deleted and has no long-term benefit like content placed on your site.

      Good luck,
      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
        Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

        I have a different take. I don't agree that content belongs in emails.

        Emails are a very poor content management system. If the reader isn't interested or doesn't have time to read what you're writing then and there, your content is going to be ignored.

        Use your site as the base for your content.

        Use emails to announce your content.

        Emails are a great way to advertise the content on your web site. Send a "teaser" or a short snippet of your content in your email. Make it a tantalizing tidbit that makes the reader want more.

        Give him/her a link, not just to your home page, but right to the article or content you want him to read.

        By having your content on your web site, it can be archived and referred to later. It can help your site rankings for your keywords placed in the content. And it is available down the road for new prospects that won't get your current emails.

        Email content is lost the minute an email is deleted and has no long-term benefit like content placed on your site.

        Good luck,
        Steve
        Wow, very nicely put Steve, thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by thekaver View Post

      With having to click through they have to go through the effort of clicking beofre the read!
      I certainly hope so.

      That's part of what I want to get them used to doing.

      I want to make sure they have a link to click on in each email I send them, if possible, so that when I do promote something, they'll be used to clicking on my links to "find something valuable".
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesPenn
    I'd say put the content on your website - preferably a blog. There are lots of advantages to this:

    1. Clicking a link in the emails you send becomes a habit for your subscribers and increases the chances they will click links to products you recommend.

    2. Publishing the content on a blog or website means it can be found by search engines which will increase your organic traffic.

    3. You can have ads around your content if you want to profit from banners, Adsense or affiliate offers.

    4. You can have social media sharing buttons which increases your reach.

    5. If, like I often do, you write a 3,000 word + article for your subscribers, then putting it in an email will likely means it ends up in the spam folder since I'm sure there is one aspect that the spam filters take offence with.

    Short to the point emails that simply get readers to click through to read your content work wonders for me.

    James
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  • Profile picture of the author thekaver
    I suppose what it is you want to get across to the reader!

    but as same time they no harm in doing both!
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  • Profile picture of the author TopKat22
    If short information, include it in the email, otherwise say a bit about it in the email and have a link to it elsewhere.

    From my experience, people on my lists hate long emails. Make sure the most important part is above the fold meaning they can read it without scrolling down, some people never read the rest of the email.

    Good luck.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dennisknows
      This is what I do..

      Using Aweber, I setup a RSS Broadcast. I then use a nice template they provide and setup my broadcasts to look presentable. I create a separate list for this.

      I next, set it up where when someone signs up, They're automatically added to my RSS broadcasts and they even receive an email letting them know that I know the restraints of today, trying to handle life and gain knowledge from many different sites; how I've taken the courtesy to add them to my special list where they'll get my blog posts in email form.

      They look just like the blog posts with pics and all and even gives them the option to comment and/or share via facebook and/or twitter, all from their email.

      I think it's great to put the content right in front of them. We want a less work on them as possible.

      It's enough getting them to open an email now days. LOL.. I would hate to have them click the link to go to my site and read the post, then they realize they have a facebook tab open. They go to close it and get distracted. i do this all the time.

      Bit of advise.. Pay attention to what you do and what you like. If a particular marketer you're following does something and you like it, think about incorporating their methods into your marketing.

      Best of luck
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      "May the optimism of your tomorrow fuel your drive for today"
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      • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
        Originally Posted by Dennisknows View Post

        This is what I do..

        Using Aweber, I setup a RSS Broadcast. I then use a nice template they provide and setup my broadcasts to look presentable. I create a separate list for this.

        I next, set it up where when someone signs up, They're automatically added to my RSS broadcasts and they even receive an email letting them know that I know the restraints of today, trying to handle life and gain knowledge from many different sites; how I've taken the courtesy to add them to my special list where they'll get my blog posts in email form.

        They look just like the blog posts with pics and all and even gives them the option to comment and/or share via facebook and/or twitter, all from their email.

        I think it's great to put the content right in front of them. We want a less work on them as possible.

        It's enough getting them to open an email now days. LOL.. I would hate to have them click the link to go to my site and read the post, then they realize they have a facebook tab open. They go to close it and get distracted. i do this all the time.

        Bit of advise.. Pay attention to what you do and what you like. If a particular marketer you're following does something and you like it, think about incorporating their methods into your marketing.

        Best of luck
        Yes, that's what I worry about when I lead them to my blog - they don't all click through (although the vast majority of them do).

        As some have mentioned, it's best to do some testing to see what works best in your niche.

        I've seen for example, Ben Hart and Dr Mercola lead people to their site to view their content, while Paul Myers and Matt Furey both have most of their content on emails.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dennisknows
      Originally Posted by TopKat22 View Post

      If short information, include it in the email, otherwise say a bit about it in the email and have a link to it elsewhere.

      From my experience, people on my lists hate long emails. Make sure the most important part is above the fold meaning they can read it without scrolling down, some people never read the rest of the email.

      Good luck.
      Great point TopKatt22. I've learned to put a lot of what my post is about in a juicy introduction.

      This is followed by bullet points.. Gotta have your content ready for those skimmers.. LOL..
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      "May the optimism of your tomorrow fuel your drive for today"
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  • Profile picture of the author Osman_M
    I think it may be best to try both approaches with your list and take it from there. Perhaps your list would respond better when being directed to a blog which houses the information you want to present or maybe they just want the information in the email.

    Tracking is king so try both approaches, track and make changes as needed.
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  • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
    Although I do a lot of email marketing, I think putting the content on your site is probably the best way to do. Here's why: 1) You'll get people clicking through the page they land on and reading more stuff. 2) That impresses Google, because it decreases your bounce rate. 3) It increases the chances these visitors buy something you didn't send them at that moment in that email. And, 4) you get the SEO benefit of having the content open and available on the web.
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  • Profile picture of the author BabyMama
    I personally like to put the basics in the email and make it personal. I hate to get emails that are just copied and pasted direct from the sales page.

    I then add in a couple of links to the thing I am promoting or links to an article.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert H Cwik
    I think that posting the "intro" to the content if it is a longer post is a better way than trying to stuff the whole post into e-mail. Apart from that, you most probably have the social buttons on your blog, and if people do appreciate your post they will share it with their friends along the social networks or bookmarking sites. I doubt that they wold FWD an e-mail. This way you extend your reach.

    The Aweber RSS method suggested by Dennisknows might also be an interesting option. I'm going to have a look at it anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmandaT
    I normally have a small bit of information, maybe a paragraph or so, that leads into the link.

    I want them to get used to clicking my links. This starts by getting them clicking links to my blog entries and going "hey, this is good." They need to start seeing that if they click your links they will find value on the other side.
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    1) both ways work.

    2) if you are serious marketer you will test things till you are blue in the face.

    So just do this. Normally the idea you have that think will work, doesn't and the idea you do not think will work, works insanely well...beyond all believe, that is why you must test all these things and see what works the best. Then try to outdo that.

    As marketers we must test and measure constantly...otherwise playing this game is a waist of your time and effort.
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  • Profile picture of the author marcuslim
    I think if the email is of a more personal nature where you are telling a story of yourself, then having it in the email is ok. But an analogy I've heard is the difference between getting sms and a phone call. The sms is the email. The actual conversation happens on the phone (website).
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  • Profile picture of the author gavinC
    I would recommend you put the content on the email,, with a link to your blog if the blog post is not very long.

    If it is very long, just summarize what itis about in the email with a link to the blog post.

    Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author World Marketing
    I would do a little bit of both...It won't make or break your list building business...Do some testing to see what works better.
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  • Profile picture of the author shireen
    Hi:

    Shireen here :-)

    Both will work.

    The best way to do this is try it out & measure the results.

    Hope it helps :-)
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