Re: [epub] Special AOL Editions

["Lisa Schmeckpeper" <lrsmarke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: "Lisa Schmeckpeper" <lrsmarke@lrsmarketing.com>



>From: Bruce Dries <bvdries@vitamindiscount.com>
>
>I'm interested that you send out a separate zine for the
AOL subscribers. I've never
>used AOL, but I understand that they can see a hot link if
the HTML is around it. How
>many publishers send out an AOL-version of their zine?
Those who don't, have you
>received any complaints about it?

Hi Bruce,

We started sending out a special AOL edition of Website
Success Monthly about 5-6 months ago. Since that time the
rate of unsubscribes from AOL users has dropped dramatically
to almost non existent.

Our monthly ezine is usually on the longer side which meant
our AOL users would always receive the issue as an
attachment. That alone was causing some people to
unsubscribe. To combat that problem we send our AOL Edition
out as two seperate mailings. That way neither mailing is
over the approximate 20K limit set by AOL.

We also convert all links in our AOL edition so that they
are hot for the AOL subbies. This seems to have worked out
well since complaints and unsubs have dropped and we have
even seen a few "thank you for treating us special" emails.

It only takes me about 15-20 minutes to divide the issue
into two and format the links and another 10 minutes to send
out the special issue.

I lucked out in that I have a great programmer who was able
to custom make me a script to automate all my subs & unsubs
to my regular WSM list and automatically put the AOL
addresses on their own list. That makes it very easy come
publishing time to just select the AOL group and send them
their special copies. If you aren't running your own list
in-house I'm not sure how many.... if any of the publishing
houses let you divide your list that way.

Since we started dividing our list this way I've noticed
that AOL subbies make up about 10% of our total subscriber
count. Even though that is a low ratio I still find it worth
it cater to them specially. Our advertisers have commented
that they like it too. When they place an ad in other ezines
that don't format their links specially for AOL users they
miss out on a lot of clicks because the links aren't hot.

I would filter your AOL address into a database and see how
many you have. You could then judge whether it would be
worth the extra effort for you. You may also try just asking
your AOL subbies in your next issue if they would like a
special edition just for them. You may be surprised at their
positive response :-)

I wish you success,

Lisa Schmeckpeper
LRS Marketing, "The Internet Marketing Specialists"
www.lrsmarketing.com or design@lrsmarketing.com

Free subscription to Website Success Monthly ezine,
100% Original content makes the difference!
Visit http://www.websitesuccessmonthly.com


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