Should you send your blog posts to your email list?
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If I had a quarter for every time someone asked me -- should I send my blog posts to my email list -- well, I'd probably be writing this post from a tropical island.
Let me avoid any disappointment and get straight to the answer -- it depends.
I know, I know. People hate that answer. But the truth is that it does depend on several factors, and it comes down to a few specific factors. Let's look at when it might make perfect sense to send the email, when it's probably best to skip it, and the cases where it will be a judgment call on your part.
When to send your blog post to your email list
There are a few scenarios where I support sending your full blog to your email list.
When the blog post is SO good that you can't possibly imagine someone not having access to the information.
Achieving blogging magic isn't going to happen with every post, but every once in a while, the magic happens, and the post must be shared everywhere. So go ahead, email the full blog post to your list, and tell them you couldn't possibly risk the chance they wouldn't see it.
When the blog post is a subtle pitch and can help you raise money or make the sale
You don't need to optimize every blog post for sales, but blogs can be an excellent sales funnel tool. So, when you do write a post that has a clear call-to-action asking your reader to make a gift or make a purchase, it never hurts to send that post to your email list, as well.
I recommend adding a little note to the top of your post explaining why you're sending it, and for businesses, offering a special incentive to your readers never hurts. For example, if the blog post is promoting your new course, provide your email readers an exclusive promo code to use. This gesture reinforces the value of being on your email list and helps the reader understand why you sent the message.
When you're desperate for email content
I do not recommend this often, but let's face it - sometimes it can be challenging to cultivate your email list with relevant, actionable content every week. If you're feeling a dose of writer's block, short on time, or need to change things up a bit, sending your latest three blog post snippets with a link to read each of them might be a perfect way to spruce up your reader's inbox.
Side note: if this is you, be sure to look at the end of this post for more information on my email/blog prompts workbook inside the Nonprofit Marketing Bundle!
When not to send your blog post to your email list
When the blog isn't relevant to your entire list
If your blog post isn't relevant to your entire email list and won't provide value to everyone who receives it, it's best to skip the email. Instead, those who need the post will find it through your SEO efforts or by sharing it on social media.
When there is no clear call to action
Yes, technically, every blog should have a call to action, but often, your call to action might be an invitation to join your email list. So, it makes zero sense to send that full post to your existing email list.
If you really want to send it anyway, be sure to tweak the CTA and rephrase it to encourage readers to forward it to a friend who's not on the list.
Creative ways to promote your blog to your email list
If you're not sending the full blog post to your email readers, there are still plenty of creative ways to promote your blog via email content.
Include blog snippets at the end of each email you send -- give a short one-two sentence summary about the post with a link to read the full post.
Ask for feedback -- mention your latest blog post in the email, link to the post, and ask your email readers to visit the blog and leave a comment.
Encourage sharing -- dedicate an email once a quarter to telling your readers how they can help your cause or business. Inside that email, give them a few of your top blog post links to share with friends or family.
Do a blog post roundup -- MailerLite, my preferred email platform, has an excellent feature where you can automatically include a specific number of blog posts links and thumbnails in your emails. Even if you're using a different platform, you can offer a top five blog posts of the month by analytics or "the most loved blog post this week" kind of feature.
Where do you land on this question? Do you email all of your posts to your list? I'd love to hear what strategies are working for you!
Before I go, if you're struggling with finding creative ideas for blog posts, my Blogging Workbook and Prompts for a Year download is one of the best-sellers in my template shop!
It includes:
An eight-page workbook to help walk you through the blogging process
52 prompts to help you decide what to post about
20 Subject line ideas to use when you email your post link to your people
Metrics that matter - how to understand which metrics to monitor and measure
The Blogging Working and Prompts for a Year is now inside the Nonprofit Marketing Bundle so you get tons of value in one product!
Until next time,
Andrea
One Nine Design is a digital marketing company helping small businesses and nonprofits learn how to use their website and email list to grow their reach and make a bigger impact!
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