I have been getting a lot of feedback about the email notification feature here at ClickNewz lately. Thank you for that - feedback is always welcomed and very much appreciated 😉 .
In addition to the emails I've been reading from current subscribers, I decided to do a casual poll via Twitter to ask people what they expected and wanted out of blog email notification...
The answers I recieved on Twitter varied dramatically - and I'll share those with you in a second. But the main thing I am hearing from regular readers is that they want current 'newz', and that they would prefer timely notifications instead of a weekly archive of past entries.
It has been set up so that an email goes out every 5th blog post here at ClickNewz, sending a summary email to those who are subscribed. This is handled automatically by the Blog Broadcast feature in Aweber.
At every 5th post, the updates have been going out 1-3x per week. The problem being that 'current newz' is sometimes reaching your Inbox several days later, which is the source of the feedback I've been receiving lately.
Starting today, and until further notice, Aweber will send out an email notifying you of each new post here at ClickNewz - the same day it is published. I'm not sure yet if it should send a notification for every post, or do a daily batch in case there are multiple posts per day. We'll have to work out the kinks.
I need your feedback...
I'm counting on you to let me know your preferences. If you find the frequency is not to your liking, let me know. Obviously I am not going to be able to please everyone all the time, but I will do my best to find a happy medium.
Update: After much feedback (thank you!) and some technical workarounds, I have come up with a solution that should suit everyone 😀 . The default notification will go out once a week, on Monday mornings (around 8am EST) and you'll have an option to subscribe to ClickNewz! Daily - which will send out an email each day at 11:30am EST.
Best,
P.S. I promised you I would share some of the responses from my Twitter poll - you'll find those below. Feel free to leave your own comments as well...
A: if it's just once a day, I'd like to get it immediately, in case I needed something to read in order to procrastinate.
-charlestonpchlp
I prefer to get one post per week. If it came every day it would fill up my inbox and I would end up deleting them. -michelle schoen
I'd luv 2 b informed of comments n stay in constant touch with my visitors. A quick reply to a comment=visitors loyalty -Shri
I prefer immediate notification of a new blog post, even if it is daily. I use emails to keep up more than RSS feed -DianaWalker
I love daily emails from the blog of choice. -Vera Raposo
Yes, I want immediate notifications of new posts - that's why I subscribed to email updates. ;^) -John Dilbeck
Yes I would. I know with yours, I have already read them by the time I get the notification, thought about unsub for that reason -StacieBennett
no, too many and eventually I'll unsubscribe or push them to spam -ShannonRenee
I'd rather get the email notification daily, with any and all posts for that day in one email only. -Darla Dixon
What about you?...
About Lynn Terry
Hey Lynn,
I actually love your email notifications as they are. Coming with the 5 options is always great. Maybe other people feel differently. I think too many emails will distract me too much- just my 2 cents.
In fact when i build my website i will do email like you have done it- so much more effective than all the time a new email.
Not having it all the time builds anticipation for the next one.
Once a week most definitely.
By the way Lynn- are you going to post the most recent webinars in the elite forum?
I haven't been able to go to the Tuesday webinars lately and would really like to listen to them.
Thanks,
Eren
Hi Lynn! I would love to get your posts as you make them - staying current with you keeps my learning curve moving! Please send them out as you post - I prefer postings by email rather than the feed also because I do read the emails when they arrive. I don't always make time to go to the reader to catch up with everything!
For those of you readers that do not participate in Lynn's weekly Q&A sessions on Tuesday, please consider joining - great info is shared by Lynn and the other participants. I always learn something (at least one new thing) at every session!
Thanks for being so generous Lynn!
Yours in networking,
Carol Deckert
Networking Coach
RUN Lancaster
http://www.runlancaster.com
Since I was one of those with feedback, I'll tell my story...it may or may not help lol.
At one time I too did a mailing of EVERY post and my comment jumped to a really good comment to post ratio, with no complaints...dropping dramatically when I went to group post emails once per week.
Keeping in mind tho, my list was considerably smaller then yours I'm sure, so if there was a few that minded, they didn't say anything.
Hi Lynn,
Many times when I get your email "updates" I will have already read several of the posts, but I kind of like not getting daily emails. I have you as a link on my "dashboard" so I make it a regular practice to check your blog throughout the week.
I'm subscribed to various lists and some email me every day and it's a lot of work to open each one just to see if it's something of interest to me. Unfortunately the subject lines are generally geared to get you to open the email, not to really give you an idea of what the email is about. I find that I ignore many of them because of the whole ad/banner-blindness thing. While I always enjoy reading what you have to say, I don't necessarily check every day.
I'm more of an order a "sunday paper" than the weekly paper...get my fix for the week, rather than being overloaded all week. Admittedly though, if I don't get around to reading it as often as it comes, I end up just throwing it away and ultimately unsubscribing.
Bottom Line: As long as it's only once a day...not once a post. I suppose this would be a gentle reminder. However if it comes more often than that, I'm afraid it will be a turnoff.
Carrie
Ok, I meant as opposed to the "daily paper". Sheesh. I try to edit before I submit. Sorry about that.
Hey Lynn,
I have always enjoyed your update featuring 5 consolidated blog posts. Facing this dilemma myself, I can completely relate to the challenge of keeping all the news that fits (in that update) "current."
I would prefer to be updated with each new post. There have been a few times where I'm excited to read or you have a special deal going and by the time I get notification it's over or it's old news. When I signed up I assumed I'd be getting daily notifications and was very surprised when I didn't.
Great feedback so far - Thank you!
Aweber presented a little work-around that will allow me to set up a choice, so that each subscriber can choose between daily updates or weekly updates. It may take a little work, but I believe I can set that up and hopefully get everyone on the notification schedule they prefer.
I'll keep you posted on that!
Best,
Lynn Terry
p.s. For those of you that are wondering, Carol & Eren are referring to my Free Weekly Webinar. And yes Eren, all of the archives are currently available in the private forum for Elite Members, except yesterdays event which is going up today 😉
Next question - If you requested a weekly email with the most recent posts, what day of the week would you prefer to receive it? Friday (end of the week) or Monday morning - or ?
oh Lynn,
Yay! I hadn't seen the recent webinars!
Thanks for those! Great --gonna go listen to them right now;-)
Eren
How about setting up two different lists and giving them the option? Maybe lead with daily or weekly, but then in the confirmation email state "If you'd like to receive notifications , don't confirm this email but click here instead".
Don't know exactly how that would work, but I see the daily notifications being both a good thing and a bad thing. With another list of mine I had complaints that there was "too much mail" even being sent out only once a week. I can imagine you'd get tons if it was daily (and I'm sure you know how quick people are to cry spam these days, regardless of the fact they've signed up themselves).
Just a few thoughts!
Sorry just now read all the comments and saw you ARE working on a choice! Good job Lynn!
Yes - I think it would be best to make the main list weekly - perhaps sent out on Thursday morning or Monday morning (?). And in the email itself, as well as the confirmation email, I can give them the choice to switch to (or add) daily notifications...
(thinking cap is on - still welcoming feedback!) 😀
Good idea, Lynn!
I was thinking "wouldn't it be nice if..."
Should have know AWeber would have an option and you the solution and be on down the road --! 🙂
RE: a preferred day to receive email update: Tues/Thursday
Thanks for being such a trail blazer!
Once a day with all posts for the day would be a good fit for me! 😉
Helps when you have "time/date sensitive" posts.
Rick Wilson aka CorpRebel 8)
I agree with Rick... one e-mail for all posts of the day.
I have a couple of email notifications set up on other blogs that arrive each day - and I find that I enjoy getting a daily reminder that has the post name so then I can decide if I'm interested in reading.
I also have my own blog set up to send out after 5 posts - but sometimes this may be 1-1/2 weeks between notifications and I've been wondering if this is too long. I think I may change to daily and see how it goes
Lynn,
You once said that you often write all your posts for the week all at once. If so, could you email a "What's Coming This Week" Monday edition and a "Weekly Recap" on Friday?
You couldn't give links in the "what's coming" email, but it would give people a heads up. Then if you have something time-sensitive, you could send an extra email to get everyone's attention?
Just some ideas. Not trying to make more work for you, Lynn. LOL
Deb
Great ideas, and thank you - keep them coming 😉
For now, I am working on switching to two lists: one weekly, one daily - so everyone can choose (or sub to both even). Will keep you posted!
Hi Lynn,
I subscribe to both RSS and emails for different blogs. I prefer a daily posting of topics, so that I can keep up within a day or so of what you have posted.
As much as I like the archived digest, it does come after the fact, sometimes.
Thanks for asking,
Lael Johnson
Creativity coach, writer and beader
HI Lyn, I use bloglines so I can look whenever I like , bloglines always letsme know when there is a new post on the blog. I prefer this to emails.
The email notification issue is officially resolved! Thank you so much for taking the time to post your thoughts & preferences - that was incredibly helpful in determining the best route.
You will now receive an archive of recent posts once a week, on Monday morning around 8am EST. When you subscribe, you'll also find an option to get 'ClickNewz! Daily', which will send notifications daily at 11:30am EST.
If you are already subscribed, you can get daily updates by sending a blank email to clicknewzdaily-AT-aweber.com
-Lynn Terry
Hmm, thanks Lynn. I don't like to be emailed everyday so I would subscribe to the weekly edition, at least for now (I know that options are always open for me) 😉
Arindam
Thank you - by default you will only receive the weekly email when you subscribe using the form in the right sidebar. Once you subscribe there you will be given the option for daily updates. If you are already subscribed, you wont receive the daily updates unless you specifically request them.
Good idea Lynn, it makes sure both sides of the equation are happy. I myself personally like to read them as they come so I will definitely be doing so.
Strange - the email notification that was supposed to go out at 11:30am daily was sent out by Aweber around 9:30 last night. Not sure why... looking into it.
Thanks Lynn, very useful post.
Hmm, thanks Lynn. I don’t like to be emailed everyday so I would subscribe to the weekly edition, at least for now (I know that options are always open for me)
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