While I was doing a speaking engagement earlier this week, someone in the audience asked what the difference is between a blog and a newsletter. It was a great question, and one I was happy to answer since it's easy to assume everyone knows the difference.
Clearly, not everyone does. And that's OK! For those who weren't there, below is a recap.
What is a blog?
Blogs are short web articles (like what you're reading right now) you post on your website to share ideas, best practices, industry trends, fun topics, etc. in an informal or conversational tone. A blog is similar to a journal or diary entry and tackles a specific topic with each post. An example would be a fitness pro sharing 5-10 tips on how to lose weight, or a roofing company writing advice about what to do after a big hail storm.
Blogs are an integral part of your website because they create value-added content visible to anyone who visits your site while also attracting new visitors from search engines and when you post the blog to social media. It's a smart way to engage with people. A few benefits include:
* Driving traffic to your site
* Converting visitors into customers
* Setting you up as the authority on your craft
* Building relationships with clients
What is a newsletter?
Unlike blogs, newsletters are not visible to everyone. They are a private communication either sent to people on your email list or given to customers as a hard copy document when they visit your storefront.
Newsletters contain various snippets of information (almost like a small newspaper geared to the business) on everything from company news and updates to personal updates on employees and their families, educational topics, special offers, coupons, etc.
You can send a newsletter to anyone, but it's mostly for customers or people you've had some contact with in the past. Many companies send them out quarterly, once a month, or at the end of the year. A few benefits include:
* Staying in touch with customers and contacts
* Providing gentle reminders to customers
* Setting you up as the authority on your craft
* Fostering deeper relationships
Do you need both a blog and a newsletter?
It's a powerful combination to consider. Blogs help you engage with people who likely aren't already doing business with you and are searching for specific services or topics on the web, whereas newsletters allow you to foster relationships with those who already are loyal customers or contacts. To me, that sounds like the best of both worlds.
Thanks for reading!
STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This, LLC, a writing and editing services company located in Denton, TX. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.