Websites that existed prior to the age of social media shared content through the use of newsletters that were e-mailed to listed subscribers. Although social media channels made it easier to share content, a lot of websites have been slow in integrating this technology into their legacy systems. The importance of using social media cannot be understated. Millions of people around the world have accounts on various social networks. However, it should be noted that the popularity of using social media websites to share content has not made the distribution of newsletters obsolete. Both avenues should be used together in building a brand’s visibility online. E-mailing newsletters is still a good way to get in touch with fans of social media while social media can be used to garner additional subscribers for newsletters.
3 ways to integrate social media into e-mail
- Include social media buttons on the newsletter: If you are sending a newsletter that includes several different articles, make sure that it includes links that allow subscribers to directly access the actual articles. For each article link, there should also be a share button for major social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to allow readers or subscribers to post the content on their timelines or profiles.
- Encourage people to share: At times, people get used to seeing social media buttons that they overlook using them. Bloggers and publishers may need to remind the subscribers that these buttons exist. There are many ways to encourage the reader to share the content. One of the common ways is inviting them to forward the e-mail. Some choose to use more descriptive words or use humor to garner the reader’s attention and get the reader to act. You may need to send a separate e-mail simply encouraging people to share the content or to follow your brand on various social media websites. Another option is to provide some form of incentive to get them to share content such as offering a discount or vouchers.
- Encourage followers to subscribe to the newsletter: Connect your existing fans and followers to your newsletter. You can design a subscription form on Facebook or even promote the newsletter on your existing blog. Another way is to simply include a link to the signup form.
5 benefits of integration
- Provides options: Not all people like to use e-mail. There are also people who do not feel comfortable in using social media. Using both avenues of communication allows subscribers to choose a medium which they are most comfortable in using.
- Broadens brand awareness: Share the load of sharing your content to a wider audience by encouraging your social media followers to sign up for a newsletter. Alternatively, you can ask or convince your e-mail subscribers to share the content on their social media networks.
- Increases number of subscribers and followers: Using both types of marketing strategies together can help boost your website’s total number of subscribers. You can use your newsletters to gain more followers on social media websites. At the same time, you can get more people to subscribe to your newsletters by encouraging your social media followers to sign up or share your content.
- Entices readers to access the content: Unlike the actual blog post, e-mails and social media websites only feature a snippet, a preview or a short summary of what is contained in the post. Other than saving space, the length and proper choice of words can help attract attention and interest, encouraging the reader to click on the link and read the actual post or see the content posted on the website or blog.
- Develops a community: People like to follow personalities or brands that they trust. Over the years, brands are seeing the importance of building and developing a community. A brand community becomes an outlet where in both sides can communicate and interact with one another. If you are in the business of selling products or services, developing and maintaining a community will help you understand what products or services work well with customers. Having a brand community encourages people to leave reviews or comments. Use your e-mail to invite your subscribers to become part of your social media community. You can also use the community to inform the public about breaking news and updates.
Bethany Wesch writes about blogging, branding and online marketing. She writes for QuantumLinx, a leading company in Sydney for search engine optimization and Internet marketing.