How come there is no Email Forum

[hannamyluv]

I was just wondering is all. Email is such an important part of marketing a website these days, whether through a newsletter or a sales email. And with CAN-SPAM being such a hot topic, one that's sure to go on, it would be nice to have one.

Is there a reason? I was just wondering.

[Brett_Tabke]

Why risk it?

[hannamyluv]

The forum or the email?

Email done correctly is a great marketing tool. Lots of people use it, and done correctly it's not that risky.

The reason I asked was I have seen several threads over the past few weeks about various aspects of email marketing, except they were scattered to the four winds on WW. It seems like there are enough people interested to warrent an email forum. A forum might also help people keep their email marketing out of the risky realm. ;-)

[mosley700]

Email isn't a marketing tool.

[ThomasB]

Email isn't a marketing tool.

What about Email-Newsletters?

[hannamyluv]

I've been using it as a marketing tool for three years now. As a matter of fact, according to the 2 dozen legitimate opt-in emails I get in my inbox a day (scoping out the compitition), it is a big part of people's online marketing.

It's advertising, it's outreach to users, it's a part of online marketing as much as PPC, SEO and usability.

I mean, lots of people here use email marketing for different reasons. Some just do a nice, non-sales newsletter that reminds people about their site once a week. Some do a hard sell email that lets customers know about special products or special deals on their site. Some do a hybrid, newsletter with advertising.

I bet at least a 1/4 of the internet people on here have some sort of interest in email marketing. Many already do it, and some would do it if they knew how.

Half of those who want to do email are terrified of being accused of spam. The other half just don't know how to set up a good list and how to manage their list and emails.

Of the people that do email marketing, some of them are probably unwittingly sending spam.

And I am sure that their are spammers on the site to, but I know for a fact that their are lots of SEO spammers who frequent here too. ;-)

An email marketing forum would be a benifit.

Just look in the last week or so how many threads are out there about aspects of email marketing (and these are only in the forums I visit).

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I bet there would be a lot more if people knew where to post questions. You could make it more inclusive. Maybe problems with email, preventing spam, how to use various email programs (I saw a few of those too, but didn't put them on the list as they are not about email marketing)

[pendanticist]

( http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17300016 ) This article in InformationWeek, written by Fred Langa, says roughly four-in-ten e-mails do not reach the intended recipient.

[Brett_Tabke]

the spam issue is so messy, I just don't think we can risk it.

[edit_g]

Email isn't a marketing tool.

He he... That's funny.

I think there should be one (I think we've talked about it before though). I think there is a clear difference between legitimate email and spam.

[engine]

>I think there is a clear difference between legitimate email and spam.

That's where there is a problem: One person's e-mail marketing is another person's spam. ;)

[whoisgregg]

I agree with mosley700... email is not a marketing tool.

The saddest thing about spam is that it threatens one of the greatest tools of interpersonal communication from achieving it's full reach.

Many people are first drawn to the internet not because of web sites, but because of email... The less relevant users mailboxes become, the less relevant they may consider the entire world wide web. :(

[iamlost]

I agree with both hannamyluv and Brett_Tabke:

• There should be an eMail Forum because it is an integral part of a web site. It is a complex subject and its discussion would be of inestimable benefit to many including myself. It is ludicrous that the primary method of internet communication should not be included in the web's foremost discussion forum.
  
• The liability concerns (especially in a country as litigious as the USA) would certainly require pre-moderation with several moderators, perhaps with legal training. The actual and potential costs to WebmasterWorld unfortunately outweigh the benefits to community members. I wish it were otherwise but it isn't.
  

On the side issue of whether eMail is or is not a marketing tool/method/device: eMail is a method of communication (as are face to face speech, telephone, mail, radio, newspapers, etc.) and as such can be used to propulgate advertisements.

Not all communication is marketing but all marketing is communication.

[ritualcoffee]

Instead of taking the risk on an email forum here - is there anyway webmasterworld can partner with an email marketing forum? That way the information is available but another site is liable?

[Brett_Tabke]

It isn't the liability - it is the mess that it brings. Imagine the crowd it would draw. There would be 95% great folks, and then that 5% of "others" that would posion the whole well.

[MatthewHSE]

Imagine the crowd it would draw. There would be 95% great folks, and then that 5% of "others" that would posion the whole well.

Maybe I'm dense, but how would an e-mail forum attract any more "others" than, say, some of the SEO forums?

Personally, I see little need for an e-mail forum. I just can't see it covering anything that's not already covered elsewhere here.

[sem4u]

Maybe I'm dense, but how would an e-mail forum attract any more "others" than, say, some of the SEO forums?

Some of the other forums have developed quite a problem with spammers. At least on here spammers are dealt with quickly (more moderators for a start). I think Brett just wants to avoid encouraging spam by not opening up an e-mail forum.

[mfishy]

Unfortunately Brett is correct. Although email marketing is obviously hugely important to nearly all large ecom corporations in some form or another, the forums turn into utter spam for services - at least everyone I have ever seen.

[Brett_Tabke]

by-and-large, the actual "spam" community has zero ethics to begin with. That alone would bring in 5-10 hard core spammers. That in turn would bring: a) spam to members, b) spam to the forums, c) legal problems, d) problem posts, e) c&d's.

(psst: guys, trust my 25 years experience in the biz on this one - we don't want an email forum).