Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#91

Post by argiopetech » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:29 PM UTC

lancesells wrote: post #82

michalu wrote: post #80

My company sends a newsletter once a month. We're selling roasted coffee. This single day account for 20-30% of our monthly revenue. In fact email is our single best performing channel. Hope this info helps. EDIT: I should also add that we're combining every newsletter with some "offer" e.g. we make a new blend or roast couple of bags of some coffee we don't typically stock. We're also keeping it very personal - it's…

Sounds like you should switch to sending two a month.

Not in the coffee business, but I doubt those who like coffee enough to receive a coffee newsletter need to purchase twice a month. It's very likely that doubling the touch points with consumers would lead to ad fatigue.

This said, it's possible that once a month isn't the right interval. 3 weeks or 5 might be better. Analysis would need to be done.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#92

Post by vlod » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:29 PM UTC

mitchellst wrote: post #72

dr_kiszonka wrote: post #24

Tangent: do web push notifications work? A lot of websites ask if I want to be notified via a web push, which I personally find very annoying and have never tried it. But perhaps people (consumers/users and sellers/creators) find them useful? Bonus question: are you subscribed to any web push notifications? Which ones and why do you like web push vs. a newsletter or RSS?

A data point: Amazon has Amazon Smile, where 0.5% of your purchase price will be donated to a charity of your choice. You use it on web by going to smile.Amazon.com. On the app, though, you can enable it… but only if you enable pushes to your phone. So Amazon has determined that they work well enough to be worth half a percent of e-commerce revenue.

I realize this may be a pain for some, but doing a force quit on the amazon app (once you're done) will stop the notifications.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#93

Post by sharemywin » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:31 PM UTC

Even if you use it to let people know about new articles. I don't see why it wouldn't be a win.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#94

Post by rubenbe » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:32 PM UTC

For a small sports club: yes.

We announce events there, so it has added value for the end user.

Main reason to do so: social media platforms (read: instagram and certainly facebook) burry your posts if you don't pay up for "promotion".

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#95

Post by mgkimsal » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:36 PM UTC

StevePerkins wrote: post #90

lancesells wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like you should switch to sending two a month.

I assume that returns are diminishing, and turn negative past a certain point. If a company that I'm interested in sends me an email once per month, then I generally don't mind it. I might even appreciate it. Send it every two weeks, and you're training me to tune out and usually click the "Delete" button without looking at the content. Send it weekly, and you've irritated me enough to have the motivation to unsubscr…

Agreed, but depends on the content. For things like this, I'm assuming they can tell what people who do buy actually buy, and we might assume it's enough coffee for a few weeks or so.

I do get some newsletters weekly and do not mind at all, because the info is new/fresh/useful. For 'buy some stuff', unless I'm buying every week (which I don't beyond food) likely less is more.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#96

Post by mbesto » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:37 PM UTC

StevePerkins wrote: post #90

lancesells wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like you should switch to sending two a month.

I assume that returns are diminishing, and turn negative past a certain point. If a company that I'm interested in sends me an email once per month, then I generally don't mind it. I might even appreciate it. Send it every two weeks, and you're training me to tune out and usually click the "Delete" button without looking at the content. Send it weekly, and you've irritated me enough to have the motivation to unsubscr…

> I assume that returns are diminishing, and turn negative past a certain point.

Which is why you should test it.

Jan '22 -> once a month

Feb '22 -> twice a month

Mar '22 -> thrice a month

Jan '23 -> once a month

Feb '23 -> twice a month

Mar '23 -> thrice a month

Compare and contrast for both unsubscribe rate and conversion.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#97

Post by jimbost » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:38 PM UTC

It's also not just about the newsletter; it also unlocks abandoned cart/checkout emails, low inventory for recently viewed, back in stock emails, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#98

Post by bsedlm » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:39 PM UTC

lancesells wrote: post #82

michalu wrote: post #80

My company sends a newsletter once a month. We're selling roasted coffee. This single day account for 20-30% of our monthly revenue. In fact email is our single best performing channel. Hope this info helps. EDIT: I should also add that we're combining every newsletter with some "offer" e.g. we make a new blend or roast couple of bags of some coffee we don't typically stock. We're also keeping it very personal - it's…

Sounds like you should switch to sending two a month.

sounds like you want more better faster for less cheaper and quicker.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#99

Post by jacobobryant » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:42 PM UTC

mbesto wrote: post #96

StevePerkins wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume that returns are diminishing, and turn negative past a certain point. If a company that I'm interested in sends me an email once per month, then I generally don't mind it. I might even appreciate it. Send it every two weeks, and you're training me to tune out and usually click the "Delete" button without looking at the content. Send it weekly, and you've irritated me enough to have the motivation to unsubscr…

> I assume that returns are diminishing, and turn negative past a certain point. Which is why you should test it. Jan '22 -> once a month Feb '22 -> twice a month Mar '22 -> thrice a month Jan '23 -> once a month Feb '23 -> twice a month Mar '23 -> thrice a month Compare and contrast for both unsubscribe rate and conversion.

Probably better to use a split test. Segment the list into two segments (via random assignment). Send one segment two emails per month, send the other one per month. Compare the segments.

Re: Ask HN: Do newsletters work? Why do websites push them so much?

#100

Post by nicbou » Mon, Aug 01, 2022, 2:44 PM UTC

SoftTalker wrote: post #74

mooreds wrote: post #10

A number of reasons: * Because other platforms own you, but you own your newsletter. * Not everyone opens a newsletter, but everyone checks their email. So if they don't open the newsletter, at least they see something from you. * It's near zero cost. I don't like it when sites push their newsletter constantly, but I do like educational content pushed to where I often am (my inbox).

> everyone checks their email Citation needed. Absolutely not the case in my experience. And while I check my email, I delete 80% of it unread, based on the subject line/sender only.

You should start unsubscribing and setting some filters, for your own good.