by: Terri Seymour
Getting so many emails as I do about ezine publishing, I thought maybe an article covering the most asked questions would be useful to some of you who are thinking about or just starting your own ezine.
What is an Ezine?
An ezine is simply an electronic newsletter or magazine mailed periodically to a list of opt-in subscribers. Opt-in means that these subscribers have signed-up for or requested to receive your ezine.
A good ezine will contain lots of useful information and resources for the subscribers.
Who Do I Send My Ezine To?
You obtain a list of subscribers by advertising and promoting your ezine in several ways.
Announcement lists - Follow guidelines for posting and get some fr~e exposure!
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ListPOP
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnnounceYourGroup
Writing Articles - Definitely something you want to get into. Very powerful method of fr~e promotion!
Ad swaps - Running other publishers' ads in exchange for them running yours is a great way to get a lot of fr~e ezine advertising, plus you get to make new friends as well! ;-)
http://www28.brinkster.com/bluesite/swap.htm
Sigtag - Always add a sigtag to your email with your subscribe link and an attention grabbing headline about your ezine. Very effective!
Discussion Lists - Similar to announcement lists, but get involved in the discussions as often as possible.
mailto:digital-women-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
mailto:hbjchat-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Message Boards - Similar to discussion groups. Establish yourself as an expert who is there to help.
http://www.mcpromotions.com/webbbs/webbbsconfig.pl?#156
Joint Ventures - Exchange thank you page ads with other publishers, participate in group pop under windows, swap publisher ads in your welcome letters to your subscribers. Be creative with joint ventures to dramatically increase your subscriber list!
How Do I Mail My Ezine?
There are several ways you can mail out your ezine.
Autoresponder - A favorite of many publishers because you are able to send out several follow-ups.
http://www.getresponse.com/index/47152
Email Server - When you are first starting using your email server is an easy and inexpensive way to mail our your newsletter.
Mailing List Manager - After your list grows, I recommend you purchase an easy and effective mailing list manager.
http://hop.clickbank.net/?webcentral/lightning
Web Host - When you buy your domain, you also get a mailserver from which you can send out your ezine. Your subscribe address would be something like:
mailto:newsletter-subscribe@myowndomain.com
Yahoo and Topica, etc - Fr~e mailing list managers like these are a good way to get started on a tight budget. I used Yahoogroups way back when they were onelist? and then egroups. I never had any major problems with them, but eventually wanted to take control of my own list.
What Do I Put in My Ezine?
Lots of good resources, helpful information, a little fun, motivational stories, original or guest articles, product or affiliate program reviews, freebies, etc. You must also add your personality to your ezine. That is what makes your ezine special! Write an editorial so your readers can get to know you and can interact with you. Let your ideas flow and make your ezine interesting and unique!
Why Should I Publish an Ezine?
Publishing an ezine is important to your business because it enables you to keep in contact with the people who are interested in your website, your product and you. You can build a solid foundation of trust and respect on which to base your business success!
Answering all questions in detail is quite impossible in one article, but I hope I have covered some of the main points that you might be curious about. If I have not answered a question you may have, feel fr~e to contact me anytime. Thank you.