Posted by John Vinson

Discussing the evolution of the internet, I believe all of us could really ‘wax poetic’ on Dylan’s ‘Times They Are A Changin’. While many marketers are scratching their heads over how to embrace social media, this could be the opportunity you need to face it head on. Just be sure you know what you’re doing. I think for those who’ve made a living in the world of email, specifically newsletters, adapting to social media has hit them hardest.

If you were to take the core of the make up which makes newsletters what they are and compared them to social media it would be night and day. Newsletters involve a large amount of content bound to a single email, and rely on trust for people to click on them. Social Media is a bit more sporadic, where content is flying in various locations at once. So, how do you make these two concepts work together for your benefit? First, it starts with the content…

1. Valid Content = Interest in Social Media: It’s funny that what should already be a concern for your newsletter is what will help bring success to your social media campaign. When engaging with users on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter the same rules are constant. Post information that people want to click on. This sounds simple enough, but there are a couple of points to remember when devising your content.

First, think of how your content will catch on virally. There’s tons of white noise out there in the social media world. So much is just repeated information and the same ideas are coming from an assortment of places. Therefore, you should be on the look out for content that’s unique and is easily defined as your own. Finding an audience who embraces your content could lead to a higher volume of subscribers.

Finally, your content should have a focus. Newsletters have always been about providing information to people who relate to them. Animal rights activists don’t want a newsletter concerning hunting, as an example. So remember, the content you’re focusing on with your newsletter is exactly what you want to bring to your social media campaign.

2. Engage, Engage, Engage: So many social media campaigns I’ve seen are just complete wastes of time. You’ll receive a newsletter, or even visit a site, and it will state “Follow Us on Twitter” or whatever site you like to use. You follow these sites and there’s little to no engagement at all. Sure, there might be some content but social media is about personal experiences. Simply posting content from your newsletter and a link will do nothing for you in the long run.

Get out there, search for users and actively bring them to you. Having an attitude of involvement is the key for linking your social media success to your newsletter. If you’re niche is the automotive industry, then find all the interested parties you can muster. Before you know it, your audience will be waiting to see what content you can provide.

3. Seek Subscriber Opportunities Anywhere and Everywhere: Every person that is involved in your social media campaign is a potential subscriber to your newsletter. Treat them like so. Anytime you can provide a means to sign up to your newsletter do so – without it coming off like spam of course. Finding that balance between actively recruiting potential subscribers and spamming is a fine line. It all starts with trust though.

Social Media is a patient man’s game. When you first start, you’re more than likely going to feel overwhelmed. Just stay patient and develop a trust with your users. The difference between an open email newsletter and a delete/’This is Spam’ button push is trust. This is where social media can be to your greatest benefit. Developing a trustful relationship with a newsletter can be a hard thing to do. However, if you put yourself out there and really show your users what you and your newsletter is about, you have the potential to see your open rates go through the roof.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 8:30 am and is filed under Content, Newsletters, Tips, Tools. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About the Author: John is a staff writer for WebProNews.