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Email newsletters: content, format and presentation guidelines

Overview

  • Benefits and problems
  • Aims and target audience
  • Layout and content
  • Format and size
  • Other suggestions to keep in mind
  • Questions?

Benefits of email newsletter

  • Informative and keep people up-to-date
  • Convenient, delivered right to you
  • Timely
  • Fast delivery
  • Not paper based

Problems with email newsletters

  • Too frequent - give people a chance to miss you
  • Irrelevant content - ditch the fluff
  • Formatting issues
  • I didn't request this - subscribe?
  • Quality - not a quick fix

Aims and target audience

Business and user goals

  • Are the aims of your email newsletter clearly defined?
  • Who is your target audience and what do they want?
  • Balance between business aims and wants of the end user

Aims and target audience (cont)

For example, Monash Memo

  • Aim to keep staff informed of the latest news and events around Monash
  • Target audience is all ALL staff
  • Staff want event info, news from faculties, news on uni achievements and initiatives
  • A business goal for 2006 might be to help boost the profile of our overseas centres in London and Prato.

Layout and content

Scannable layout is paramount

  • 2004 study by Jakob Nielsen on email newsletters found that 57% were scanned for information
  • 2006 study b Jakob Nielsen has reinforced this view and found that the average time allocated to an email newsletter after opening it was just 51 seconds.
  • This length of time indicates that readers are skimming the layout for the bits and pieces that interest them.

Layout and content (cont)

Improving scannability

  • Use meaningful headings and sub-headings
  • Use descriptive link text
  • Use bulleted lists
  • Inverted pyramid style of writing

Layout and content (cont)

Layout and content: good use of sub-headings ie Professional Development and Events. Link text isn't very descriptive, what does 'opportunity knocks twice' actually mean for your audience? Perhaps 'Commence your studies mid-year at Monash' would be more effective. The size of the link text is also inconsistent and some of the actual content doesn't provide enough information ie what is the date of the Patch Theatre Company performance, where in Bourke st is the Monash Law Chambers?

Layout and content (cont)

Layout and content: good use of clear and descriptive sub-headings to break up the information. Link text is also descriptive and follows standard link conventions ie blue underline and adequate spacing. Also, good use of colour and size to demonstrate variation between different elements, looks professional yet no images.

Layout and content (cont)

Content

  • Research shows that subscribers expect up-to-date and relevant information
  • Use images for value and make sure they are optimised for the web
  • Use story headings as links to full story
  • Think carefully about subject line

Layout and content (cont)

Content: research indicates that people like timely information in email newsletters. This is a good example with the second story 'Six of Monash's best' being held the same evening as the email was distributed and the open day story 'Monash opens its doors' refers to an event which happened in the recent past.

Format and size

HTML versus plain text

User preferences according to same 2004 Nielsen Norman group study:

  • 43% had no preference
  • 19% preferred text
  • 28% preferred html

Format and size (cont)

HTML format:

  • More dynamic look and feel
  • More flexible layout
  • Potentially large file size
  • Some users have html turned off

Format and size (cont)

HTML versus plain text: this html newsletter is quite busy visually but does offer a dynamic look and feel. It is a larger file size at 35kb and could prove slow to open for those with a dial up internet connection.

Format and size (cont)

Plain text

  • Smaller file size
  • Quick download
  • Lesser chance of virus?
  • Easy and quick access for users with slower internet connection

Format and size (cont)

Wotif.com - plain text email newsletter

HTML versus plain text: this plain text newsletter is 12kb and opens immediately in your inbox. Despite being plain text the format is very consistent and easy to use. The website it links through to is more visually appealing.

Format and size (cont)

Which format should I choose?

  • Consider your audience – what kind of access do they have
  • Offer a choice
  • Keep files to less than 30kb if possible

Other things to keep in mind

Impact of spam

  • Users have a lower tolerance when sorting email.
  • Spam filters are becoming more common so avoid words such as 'update', 'latest' or 'info' in the subject line.

Email clients

  • Test your email newsletter in a variety of email programs to reduce formatting problems.

Other things to keep in mind

Quality

  • Check check check your email newsletter before sending it out.

Consistent mail outs

  • If possible, maintain consistent mail outs ie same time and regularity

Summary

  • Know your audience and have clear aims
  • Aim for quick download
  • Make the layout scannable using headings and subheadings
  • Make headings the links to full version
  • Use descriptive link text
  • Allow people to unsubscribe
  • Go through a quality assurance process for each edition to minimise errors

References

Questions

  • Thanks for coming - don't forget to fill out Scott's attendance list
  • Contact me if further queries about your email newsletter:
    kris.larsen@adm.monash.edu.au
    extn 32248.