Newsletters—the Swiss Army Knife of Engagement

Death and taxes notwithstanding, newsletters and press releases are core elements of every marketing enterprise since the modern era of public relations began over a hundred years ago.

And once again newsletters are in the spotlight, or at least the footlights, as an old made new again viable medium to be utilized in the never-ending task of B2B and B2C marketing.

Google cast a fresh eye on the tried and found to be true tradition of newsletters as a vehicle for delivering searchable content. It should be mentioned that just because a newsletter, or any form of online content, attracts Google’s eye, that doesn’t automatically qualify it as engaging enough to attract and hold a reader’s attention.

Blog posts also get a fresh lease on life as Google widens the net for sussing out content wherever it can be found. It’s newsletters, though, that offer marketeers fresh opportunities to attract attention and win converts, according to this post over on Top Rank’s blog — assuming there’s quality content at the end of the filtered rainbow.

Subjective Content is Key to Success

Success at publishing a branded newsletter rides different roads. Creating quality content is at the heart of every successful newsletter. You might cobble together a technically satisfactory newsletter, one that Google would say qualifies as ranking for content, but publishing an engaging pub requires artistic – copywriting, art direction, photography, illustration – input to register on a crowded playing field.

I’ve mentioned newsletter publishing’s usefulness from several perspectives, including the range of output options from HTML page to PDF to eDoc to email, and the amazing versatility of an enhanced PDF newsletter.

The best outcomes are achieved when quality content is offered to a motivated to engage base using best practices production and delivery methods. Skimp in any area, and don’t be surprised if underwhelming best describes the outcome.