Recently I wrote about the “Middle Ground�? between email lists and message boards- and how I think that the most valuable/usable community platforms in the future will draw from the most powerful aspects of each. With this post, I’m focusing on an under-appreciated tool that can be used to bridge the gap between the message board and email list: The email digest.
First- a definition: An email digest is an email that contains a compilation of messages posted to a discussion/forum/community for a defined period of time. By subscribing to receive a digest from a community, you’d get a single email that contains all the messages posted in the last 24 hours, for instance.
The Digest in Practice: An Example Use Case (The examples below apply to internal or business-related communities more than to hobbyist or social communities.)
Lets say you’re about to start a new online community and you’re considering how to keep the group of novice Web users involved in ongoing discussion. You like the idea of using email to push information out to members regularly, but you don’t want to give members email overdose.
Also, you know the community needs a “place�?, so you’re using a message board system that will archive all the messages and help members manage the information. The problem is that you don’t think your members will proactively subscribe to receive email from the group or check the web site for new messages- they need a way to be aware of new posts by default.
You’re in the middle ground- you need a message board that pushes out the discussions in email as an automatic part of the experience.
Here’s a solution to consider.
Think about implying email subscriptions to your message board- as if it were an email list. In this case, you would subscribe new members to receive updates about recent messages and they would use links in the email to reply using the message board. Tell members that they will receive email as initial part of membership and will always have the option unsubscribe. Implying email puts the value the community produces in the user’s inbox.
Instead of individual emails, think about using the digest as the primary subscription option. This provides members a “daily dose�? of the most recent messages without dealing with multiple individual emails. The digest provides an all-in-one resource for browsing and linking to various discussions on the message board.
By implying email digests to your message board, you provide a resource for pushing out information without requiring members to be proactive. This helps you benefit from the middle ground between email lists and message boards in the early stages of the community's development- when value is questioned most.
This also raises awareness in the group and keeps members involved on an ongoing basis without being overwhelmed by individual emails. I’ve personally used this method in starting multiple online communities and seen overwhelmingly positive results. If you’d like more information please contact me.
Coming Soon: A Better Digest Design