Update: Please Help Me Define the Future of this Newsletter

Last week I asked for your opinions in shaping the future format of this newsletter. I am trying to solve problems created by spam filters. I cannot measure the size of the problem with precision, but it appears that roughly 30% of the Plus Edition newsletters sent via e-mail never reach the intended addressees. I continue to send the Plus Edition to each subscriber via e-mail every week, but I have also been experimenting with alternative delivery methods for those who cannot receive e-mail versions.

Last week I set up an online survey and asked for newsletter readers to "vote" for their preferred method of newsletter delivery. The survey asked Plus Edition subscribers to choose one of three statements:

• I prefer to read the daily version on the Web. • I prefer to read the daily version in an RSS newsreader. • I prefer to read it once a week in e-mail, even though I realize that some issues may be deleted by spam filters before I see them.

In addition, Standard Edition subscribers were asked to choose one of two statements:

• I prefer to read the free Standard Edition daily version on the Web. • I prefer to read the free Standard Edition daily version in an RSS newsreader.

Now that the voting period is over, I must say there were no surprises. With more than a thousand votes cast, the Plus Edition subscribers strongly indicated that they want to read the newsletter once a week in e-mail, even though some issues may be deleted by spam filters. The Standard Edition subscribers indicated (by a 3 ½-to1 margin) that they prefer to read the newsletter on the Web site. In other words, the majority prefer that the delivery methods remain exactly the same as the always have been.

You can see the survey at http://www.eogn.com/home/poll.htm. Click on VIEW STATS to see the results of the survey.

As a result of the survey responses, I have decided to produce the following newsletter versions:

1. The Plus Edition will continue to be sent via e-mail every week to each Plus Edition subscriber. In other words, it continues in exactly the same manner as always.

2. Standard Edition subscribers who ask for an e-mail notice will receive a short e-mail every week. That message will list the titles of new articles posted within the past week and will contain links to those articles. In other words, it continues in exactly the same manner as always.

3. I will also continue to publish the new RSS (or blog) version for the minority that wishes to use RSS newsreaders. This third version will not replace the previous versions. As always, Plus Edition articles will be accessible with a password that I issue to subscribers on request.

Comments

[jeanne moody]

Please take into consideration what works best for you.

Thanks,

Jeanne

[Michael Keelean]

I think you may have not asked the right question for the plus edition. You should have had the choice of:

I prefer to read the WEEKLY version on the Web from an email link.

The stessing of daily implies if you do not read it daily you will miss something when you do read it on the web

[Dick Eastman]

---> The stessing of daily implies if you do not read it daily you will miss something when you do read it on the web

Absolutely not true. All the "daily" information stays here for months. You can stop by once every day or once every week or even once every month or... You won't miss anything.

To see what I mean, scroll down the menus on the left of the page you are looking at right now until you see ARCHIVES. Click on any month shown there. You will see every article ever posted on this RSS newsfeed version since I started it in early June (unless I deliberately erase the article which I rarely do).

Since there is no need to stop by daily or weekly, I couldn't ask that as a question on the survey.

- Dick Eastman

[Sherry]

I never saw the survey - running one like this should be for more than just one week! I really think this website is hard to navigate. How about a newsletter with hyperlinks directly to each article on the webpage?

This comments box isn't formatted correctly either, because as I was typing a comment, off to the right, my cursor kept going over the links and I couldn't see what I was typing.

[Dick Eastman]

---> How about a newsletter with hyperlinks directly to each article on the webpage?

You have that right now in 2 or 3 versions. Ther are hyperlinks to all the latest articles at http://blog.eogn.com. In addition, there ALL the articles are available if you scroll down the left side of the page you are looking at right now to the ARCHIVES section. Click on JULY to see all of July's articles, etc.

---> This comments box isn't formatted correctly either, because as I was typing a comment, off to the right, my cursor kept going over the links and I couldn't see what I was typing.

I have never seen that. I use the following Web browsers: Internet Explorer and Opera and FireFox on Windows, Mozilla on Linux and Safari on Macintosh. All displayed properly on my systems. What Web browser are you using? Does anyone else reading this have the same problem?

- Dick Eastman

[Sue Eggett]

I don't know how else to reach you. You need a support link.

I paid for one 3-month subscription last spring and did not receive any plus editions. Finally I paid for another 3-month subscription July 7 and only received a month's worth until I stopped getting it. An email was sent to me telling me it was time to renew.

I like getting your newsletter but feel I'm not getting what I am paying for.

[Dick Eastman]

---> I don't know how else to reach you. You need a support link.

I have one: support@eogn.com. I believe that e-mail address is in every e-mail newsletter that is sent and is in lots of other places. If you find it needs to be listed someplace else, please let me know where and I'll make sure it gets added. The goal is to make it visible everywhere it is needed.

As to your subscription problem: send an e-mail to support@eogn.com and we will check it out. We (right now there's two of us) try to answer all e-mails sent to that address within 24 hours.

Thank you.

- Dick Eastman

[Barbara McCarthy]

I am one of your AOL Plus Subscribers, however, I no longer bother to read the AOL version which comes through without any problems. I usually read it directly through Internet Explorer. Also, I am enjoying the daily blog version very much and hope that you will continue to provide it as well.

Thank you for all that you do on behalf of genealogists everywhere. We are very grateful.

[Barbara Rice]

I much preferred a newsletter to a blog.
As a substitute for having the newsletter sent directly to me (AOL permitting) I preferred going to your site and making a copy of the letter to read off line. I miss it.
I do NOT have a reader - but voted for that since there was no available option listed to receive an entire letter rather than pieces ... Very few of the introductions induce me to chase down the remainder of the various articles... Perhaps that is also the fault of AOL.

[Dick Eastman]

---> I never saw the survey - running one like this should be for more than just one week!

Actually, it has been ruunning now for almost two weeks and is still running. I'll probably shut it down after a month or so.

- Dick Eastman

[Dick Eastman]

---> I preferred going to your site and making a copy of the letter to read off line.

That is still available in several; different methods:

1. The Plus Edition subscribers receive exactly that in e-mail: one week's newsletter in one long list. It is easily copied-and-pasted.

2. Plus Edition and Standard Edition readers alike can view that by going to the upper left corner on the page you are looking at right now and clicking on READ THESE PAGES IN A TYPICAL BLOG NEWSREADER. There you will see each newsletter in one long list. It is easily copied-and-pasted.

3. Plus Edition and Standard Edition readers alike can view that by going to the menus on the left of the page you are looking at right now and scrolling down to the ARCHIVES section. Then click on AUGUST see see all the August issues (so far) or the July issues or June issues, all in one long list. It is easily copied-and-pasted.

4. Plus Edition and Standard Edition readers alike can view that by using an RSS newsreader made by a third party. There are many free ones to choose from and all vary in details. However, several will display all the articles in one long list.

One of the major options of the new format is that it provides you with many options so that you may choose what works best for you.

- Dick Eastman

[Trish Lewis]

I never saw the survey. I am a PLUS subscriber and don't get the newsletter any more. I'm not sure why I don't...

[Dick Eastman]

---> I am a PLUS subscriber and don't get the newsletter any more. I'm not sure why I don't...

99% of the time that is because a spam filter in your Internet provider's mail server is blocking the newsletters. The same is true for newsletters produced by Ancestry.com, CNN, Consumer Reports, the New York Times, Disney Corporation and many more organizations.

That is the primary reason why I produce this newsletter online on this Web site as well as in e-mail. You can always read it in a Web browser or in an RSS newsreader.

I cannot see your name or e-mail address so I cannot send you instructions on how to read the Plus Edition on the Web site. (A user ID and password is required.) Send an e-mail to support@eogn.com and we will reply with all the information you need to read the Plus Edition newsletter online in your Web browser.

Thank you.

- Dick Eastman

[Cherryl Montgomery]

I'm a plus subscriber who has had trouble receiving the newsletter in the past. Once I added the newsletter's email address in my address book, I no longer have any problems receiving the newsletter. I preferr getting my newsletter by email once a week, than read it daily. I like my news all at one time, however I do go on the Blog site for extras.

[marcy]

I object to you deleting some words from my paid newsletter because some people may not receive it because of their spam filters. I do not use spam filters and I want to read every word you wrote.

[Dick Eastman]

I have to delete words from the Plus Editions sent by e-mail. Otherwise, many paid subscribers will never receive it. Here are some of the phrases that can never be used in e-mail newsletters:

money back gurantee
pay by credit card
no risk
young teens
no exercise
be amazed
your income
call now
Nigeria
subject to credit approval
the word "FREE" in all caps
the word "GUARANTEE" in all caps

In addition, e-mail newsletters should never contain any sentences in all capital letters, never use any background in an HTML email that isn’t white, and should never have more than one exclamation mark in a row (avoid anything like "free!!!")

If any e-mail newsletter contains any of the above, many of the newsletters will never reach the subscribers who paid for it. Those words can be used on a Web site, like this one, or in RSS newsfeeds but never in e-mail as the spam filters will delete the entire newsletter.

I use a commercial service to test every week's newsletter before it is sent. I send the newsletter to that service first, a minute or so later I receive an e-mail back showing any words or phrases that need to be removed or reworded. Some weeks I have to re-word two or three different articles before the newsletter passes "the test."

For more information, look at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=spam+phrases+to+avoid+in+email

- Dick Eastman

[Sherry]

Again, I'm really frustrated trying to read the newsletter in this format. I saw an article in the email that I was interested in and just gave up scrolling up and down to try to find it.

Besides having hyperlinks for each topic in the email itself, it would be better to have a hyperlinked index at the beginning of each "issue" on the web and the articles on separate pages. The way it's set up now, it's just way too long to scroll around in. The long narrow columns are hard to read - the site needs a wider main column with smaller menuing on the side - just busy and distracting.

I wonder how many of your readers use a screen reader and how a screen reader copes with the websit?

Think I'm going to unsubscribe from the email. No sense to keep getting the email if I can't find the articles mentioned that I want to read!

[Dick Eastman]

From your description, I am assuming that you read the Standard Edition, not the Plus Edition. They are different in how they work.

If you read the messages above this one, you will note that most people asked to not have to click on hyperlinks. They want to be able to scroll up and down the entire newsletter all at once, the exact opposite of what you are suggesting. That makes things interesting!

Actually, it can be done either way. You can use hyperlinks to get to articles or you can scroll up and down one long page. Either way works. That is one of teh advantages of this format, the user can select from 3 or 4 different methods of reading the articles.

Plus Edition subscribers also get direct hyperlinks in their e-mail newsletters that point directly to each article. That is not in the Standard Edition e-mail notices, however.

- Dick Eastman

[MaryJane Cohoon]

As a subscriber to the Plus Edition, I have been very satisfied with how you have been doing it. I have a very good spam catcher, but have never missed an issue of your newsletter. Therefore, I hope to keep on getting it by weekly e-mail as usual. Also, I do like the direct hyperlinks in the articles.

[Chat]

I’d be interested in an updated GoogleAnalytics chart (may be two with about six weeks coverage), just to see if the effect did wear off after a while and also, did others link to your new name with the same link-text (allinurl:…). I hope you will publish a follow up.