Which plugin should I use to create a WordPress newsletter?
The WordPress newsletter is popular, and for good reason: WordPress is the leader in blogging and offers numerous extensions (plugins), including the ability to manage and automate your newsletter mailings. Need a step-by-step guide to emailing? Let's get started!
Using WordPress to communicate
Keep a blog
To be visible, both to your network and in terms of search engine optimization, your company needs to communicate. The best way to do this, for most activities, is with a blog. Here, you can publish regular articles about your business and your sector.
Newsletter support
Feeding your blog is all very well. But it's a shame not to get a newsletter out of it. Some people even feel that it's missing the point. Your network may have missed out on a certain amount of recently published content: the newsletter is an opportunity to give them a summary.
WordPress as a tool
WordPress is the most widely used blogging tool. Free of charge, it is the most advanced CMS (Content Management System) solution in this field. That's why it's so common to associate a WordPress blog with it, even when you have a Prestashop site for e-commerce, for example.
Opening a WordPress blog
WordPress is easy to use. It offers rich layout possibilities, without the need to delve into the code or have any technical knowledge. There are two versions of WordPress:
- WordPress.com: which lets you host your site on WordPress servers.
- WordPress.org: which requires you to host your site yourself or with a hosting company.
WordPress Plugin
The self-hosted version of WordPress is recommended for professional use. It gives you greater control over your data storage. What's more, it gives you access to a library of extensions (plugins), which, on WordPress.com, are only available on a premium basis.
How to make good newsletters?
What is a good newsletter?
A successful newsletter is :
- relevant content: write about subjects that interest your readers ;
- a beautiful design: the visual aspect plays a major role: layout, fonts, colors, the overall look must be carefully considered;
- an appropriate frequency: when do you send out newsletters? If the answer is "when I have the time", there's still time to change... A crucial point in sending newsletters is regularity.
Making your newsletters
It's hard to apply these three rules to your newsletters... Unless you equip yourself with a suitable tool. Numerous emailing software programs exist, offering both attractive templates and advanced settings to automate your mailings.
Centralize your communications
You can manage your newsletters from a separate, stand-alone tool. However, insofar as the newsletter is a medium directly linked to the published content of your blog, it's more practical, and even wiser, to manage everything in the same place.
Install a WordPress newsletter plugin
This is why various mailing tools offer an extension compatible with your WordPress site. These are available on the dashboard. Simply click on : Extensions, then Add, then search for and install the plugin of your choice.
Emailing plugins
Among the mailing software available as a WordPress newsletter extension, the best known is Mailchimp. However, it's only available in English, which may put some people off. Mailpoet (formerly Wysija) is also a great success. It's free up to 2000 recipients. And it's available in French. There's also Sarbacane and Aweber.
Features of emailing plugins
Contact management
With an emailing tool, your communication management can go further than just sending newsletters. For your mailing lists, this is a real plus. Internet users can subscribe to your newsletter directly on the site. On your side, the mailing list is continuously updated automatically.
Mailing automation
With the autoresponder feature found in emailing tools, you write response e-mails, which are then automatically sent out at your chosen intervals. You can decide to send a new subscriber a welcome e-mail right away, or in two days' time, or send them specific content in a week's time, etc.
Registration pop-ups
When you open a site, or after a few minutes' browsing, a pop-up window often appears. This feature is also available with a mailing tool installed on your site. It can be used to highlight content or to invite your readers to subscribe to your mailing list.
The subscription confirmation procedure
Specialized tools also include the option of sending your new contacts a subscription confirmation to validate the process. This is a good way for you to qualify your contact base, while being sure that all e-mails collected are valid.
Reporting
Action means results. Taking action is good. Acting with full knowledge of the facts is even better. That's why it's essential to evaluate the success of your communication actions.
What's the subscription curve? The number of unsubscribes? Open rates? Clicks? Bounces? These are all indicators that e-marketing software can help you analyze in detail, with a view to continuously optimizing your approach.
WordPress, a formidable blogging tool, offers a range of extensions dedicated to creating, distributing and optimizing your newsletter mailings. Combined with your website, these are powerful levers for orchestrating the various stages of your customer relations.
Article translated from French