Once upon a time there were websites….
There was a time that Web sites were Websites and Blogs were Blogs. With the revolution of social media, it’s harder to tell which is which!
So I asked the expert, Paul Chaney, author of the upcoming book, “DIGITAL HANDSHAKE” to explain just what the differences are. Paul points out that the blog format allows for more participation and interactivity where websites are generally more static and function as a resource destination but aren’t designed to encourage much participation.
He says that using a blog can help us AQUIRE customers, while email helps RETAIN the customer by building a relationship bridge.
If you are wondering just how to build that bridge, here’s a couple of ideas he shared with me to maximize both your email and your blog:
1) Build Lists: Incorporate a newsletter subscription form in your traditional and electronic newsletters. This invites the customer at their option to get more information from you.
2) Use your email messages to encourage response from recipients to build blog content – this provides that “bridge” we spoke of earlier –Invite guests to submit questions or suggestions and posts to your blog. This puts in place another opportunity to nurture and reinforce the relationship through conversation.
3) Re-purpose previous email reports – If you’ve been sending tips and resources for sometime thru previous e-zines, your blog will give you another opportunity to revive and repurpose those valuable tidbits of information again.
4) Use blog content for your email newsletters – This is especially effective when you are able to quote real responses from real people instead of just “pushing” information thru the medium. It’s all about conversations and blogs allow for that interaction from multiple participants. Remember it’s not about you anymore; it’s about the community!
5) Use your blog to fill the gaps between your monthly e-zines. Newsletters are usually published monthly –about 12 times a year – but what about the time in between, especially if there is a top of mind question or national development? Your blog offers a platform for your subscribers to “hear” from you –especially if they subscribe to your RSS feeds. With regular postings, customers can be touched many times with information they have requested…making you a valuable resource!
You can see how having a static website does not serve the new demands for the participation and interaction demanded by today’s consumer. But if you are wondering how to tie your blogs to your email, there are some programs to help you.
Paul says at this writing, that the only company that integrates both blogs and emails into a single platform is iContact.
If you are comfortable with exploring and implementing a blog email platform, check out applications like FeedBlitz, Zookoda, or Feedburner. These applications take your blog posts and turn them into emails which can be scheduled daily, weekly or monthly.
The days of visiting your website to secure information are going away! People want real time information and interaction. As blogging continues to grow, it is critical that you develop a blog strategy that partners with your email to keep pace with how customers and clients prefer to be informed.
Terri Murphy