Here’s a way to look at it: think of the good, old sturdy e-mail newsletter as packaged RSS...newsletters as more packaged editorial, RSS as more stream of consciousness and hence choice. Also, with RSS readers integrated into e-mail clients, this probably has some ring of truth to it. You don’t have to agree with this, but the fact is, e-mail newsletters still have it. There’s Daily Candy, Flavorpill and now VSL (from IAC)...so why should NYT be left behind? It has started Urbanite, an e-mail newsletter offering the “latest information on what to do, see, eat, drink and buy in New York City - from art exhibits and shopping - to dining out and nightlife”. Melena Ryzik, a Brooklyn journalist who has covered culture and style in the city since 2001, will write Urbanite. And whether you like it or not, this is an ad vehicle first and foremost, for NYT. That’s on the consumer side.
On the B2B side of things, here’s a very good and detailed story from Btobonline....."It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” as the story says. “Our data tell us that the users who click through from our newsletters are some of our most valuable users,” said Jeff DeBalko, chief Internet officer of Reed Business Information. An interesting and much-needed development: don’t go for the biggest list...go for quality. For example, Prism Business Media, rather than building out its lists, has started to cull them, while simultaneously drilling down to find out more about the overall value of regular readers.
Here’s another good way to look at it: “People don’t use the unsubscribe feature anymore,” said Stephen Howard-Sarin, VP at CNet Networks Business. “We have thresholds set up so that we automatically stop sending e-mails to people who have stopped voting for our content by clicking. If they aren’t getting value, neither are we and neither are our advertisers. Besides, we make sure our click-through rates are based on a group of people who really want us.”