Blog or E-Newsletter…Which is Better?

There are certain things that are just better together… peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, bread and butter. I could go on but this list is making me hungry.

And if you’re now thinking of things that go together, my guess is you didn’t say blog and newsletter.

People often ask which one they should choose for their content marketing. That’s like picking peanut butter or jelly.

Blog vs. Newsletter…What’s the Difference?

Let’s start with blogs.

A blog is where you keep articles that you write. It lives on your website and it is there for whoever wants to read it.

Writing blog posts gives you a way to share your expertise and reach new people.

You should look at each post as a place for readers to learn something. Each post should stand on its own, but it can (and should) link to other posts and resources. Your blog is meant to be a conversation-starter and should allow comments.

Having a blog on your website is a great way to add new, fresh content to your site, which search engines love.

You are also building a content library where you are sharing your expertise and answering questions potential customers or clients may have…giving them a reason to choose to do business with you.

Blog posts are also very shareable. You can share your posts on social media which directs people back to your website.

Now let’s talk about e-newsletters. Quite simply, these are emails.

You are sending your newsletter directly to people who have raised their hand saying they want to hear from you by subscribing to your list.

You are still sharing valuable, helpful content and positioning yourself as an expert, but you can add a personal touch too.

If you are using an email service for delivery (which you should be) you can address your recipients by name. You can also include a personal note at the beginning of your newsletter with a handwritten signature. These friendly touches help small businesses and professional service providers connect with people.

Your newsletter gives you a consistent way to stay in touch with prospects and customers. It helps you build relationships and positions you as the best choice when someone needs your products or services.

Newsletters are also a great way to send exclusive offers or time-sensitive information to your subscribers.

Mechanically, a blog and a newsletter are different, but they aren’t necessarily different in content.

The content you share can be the same or similar between these two communication vehicles. If you write an article for your blog, you can also send it as an email to your list.

Your newsletter can simply be an article, or it can have additional information not included on your blog such as a special, limited time offer or special event.

You can also repurpose past content. For example, if you wrote a blog post a few months ago that is relevant to a current promotion or other happening in your business that you want to promote in your newsletter; you don’t need to recreate the wheel. Use your past blog content in your newsletter issue.

So Are You Seeing a Trend Here?

My advice is that you do both a blog and an e-newsletter. They are a perfect combination (just like peanut butter and jelly).

Here’s why…

Newsletters land in people’s inboxes so they are much more likely to read it rather than searching out or finding your blog post.

However, once the newsletter is sent, it evaporates. It eventually gets deleted.

But if you post that same content on your blog, it lives forever. You are archiving it.

Plus as I mentioned earlier, blog posts give your site new content which Google wants to see. It also provides a place to link back to for social media, other websites and within your own site. Linking lets people share and talk about your content.

So posting articles on your website and sending them to your list in an e-newsletter gives you the best of both worlds. You are reaching more prospects and clients. You are creating more opportunities to share your expertise and demonstrate your value. You’re buttering your bread.

A big key to success with blogs and e-newsletters is consistency. You need to publish on a regular schedule.

If you’re too busy to write your content and stay on a consistent schedule, I can help. Contact me here.

Are you using both a blog and newsletter? If not, which are using and what’s keeping you from using both?