There is plenty to like about blogging. It’s cost effective, straightforward enough to grasp at just about any experience level, and plays extremely well with others. These days, you mostly hear about blogging being combined with social media. There’s a lot of potential there, but since that pairing has been covered to death, let’s focus on the benefits of integrating your efforts in the blogosphere with email marketing.
Blogging and email marketing are really the perfect match when you think about it. Why? Because the same people who read your posts are the same people you can be interacting with via email, where those existing relationships can be enhanced.
I’m going to share with you a simple formula for making this team a successful one. These tips are sure to work if you follow them to the letter. Here goes:
Convert Blog Readers to Email Subscribers 
If you are already pretty good at blogging, then this part should be a synch. You’ve built up a following of people who actively seek out your content, so all you have to do now is get them on your email list. There are actually a few ways to do this, including:
Offering email subscribers exclusive content. Your blog readers are prime candidates for your email list. However, most of them, though loyal to a certain degree, will want something in return. This is where you proposition them with the offering of a free ebook, free white paper, or free invitation to your next webinar. If it’s something they value, your email subscriptions will soar.
Interacting with other bloggers. Networking with fellow bloggers is the key to blogging success. It can go a long way in helping you build your email list as well. This is a powerful way to create exposure, showcase your expertise, and reel in traffic. Keep your efforts focused to the right audience, and this proven method can work extremely well.
Posting regularly. Blogging is one of those deals where you can initially start off with tons of steam, but quickly wear yourself out to the point where you stop posting. If growing your email list is the goal, this is something you cannot afford to do. While posting regularly can sometimes make for a grueling ordeal, it will create the visibility and opportunities needed to grow your list.
Use Email to Maintain Blog Traffic
Combining blogging and email marketing isn’t just about building a bigger mailing list. It’s also about maintaining what you got. Luckily for you, email is one of the best tools you can pick up to drive traffic. By simply highlighting your premier blog content in your emails — complete with strong calls-to-action, (e.g. click to read full article) you can make sure readers keep coming back to your posts after they have subscribed to the list.
This tactic is effective for two reasons:
1. Email is a preferred information channel. Numerous studies indicate that email is the channel people prefer to receive marketing content and other information through.
2. Time is scare and attention spans are short. As silly as it may seem, some people feel like they just don’t have the time to swing by to see if you updated your blog. Bring the updates to them in an attractive email, and swinging by becomes as simple as clicking a link.
Post and Send On a Regular Basis
Your efforts to successfully integrate blogging with email marketing will fail if you are not posting and sending with consistency. Fail to keep your blog content updated, and readers will no longer have a reason to come around. Fail to send emails on a regular basis, then there is no reason to be on your list. I strongly suggest creating a posting and sending schedule for your blog and email campaigns respectively, and committing yourself to them.
As long as you have the audience and content, blogging frequency is fairly easy to manage. Email frequency, on the other hand is another story. You may want to consider allowing email subscribers to sign-up for a weekly digest that summarizes all your posts from the week in a single message. This way, they are less likely to get overwhelmed and burnt out.
Two Channels are Better Than One
You don’t have to be restricted to blogging or email marketing. You can combine them both in one highly effective package. When you engage your audience across multiple channels, your message has a better chance of making the impact you need it to make.