E-Newsletters Brief

From DoWire Wiki

Title: E-Mail Newsletters

Short Description: Using site-wide and speciality e-mail newsletters to promote e-democracy activities

Type: Online Feature

Summary: (One paragraph)

Regularly produced e-mail newsletters provide a cost-effective communication channel to reach interested citizens and stakeholders. E-mail opt-in strategies are required along with editorial resposibilities and deadlines assigned. A whole site newsletter on a local government web site can that might contain more service related updates of interest to a broader audience can be leveraged to introduce new e-democracy content and features to site users.

Project Rationale and Objectives:

What can you use the Feature/Policy/Software/Technique for?

• Build awareness of e-democracy content and features
• Notify regular site users about time-sensitive information related to the decision-making process or e-consultations
• Cost effectively leverage past site visits into an ongoing relationship

Why use it? (Compared to other options)

• Cost effectively reach interested citizens and stakeholders at a fraction the cost of postal services
• Complements media or other forms of outreach and can be used to generate early "tell a friend" buzz
• Diversify existing e-newsletter content

Benefits - Describe the top benefits for each group

• All Users:
• Citizens:
• Councillors:
• Local Administration:
• Others (list special audiences):

Limitations and Cautions

• Building opt-in e-mail newsletter subcribers can take time and often requires recruitment goals across the organization
• Editorial responsibilities must be assigned, lack of deadlines often result in large periods with inconsistent communication
• E-mail easily lost in the mail boxes of often spam flooded inboxes
• Data protection and e-mail use issues - must state clear privacy policy on how e-mail address will be used, who has access to it, and ensure ease of unsubscription

Successes - Successful Implementations

Three key examples, no more than two from a single country

• Example 1 Title:
  • Link:
  • Describe usage and results (150 words max):
  • Contact Information: (Optional) - For potential expansion into full project case study, share contact information and/or links to further detailed information and analysis.

• Example 2 Title:
  • Link:
  • Describe usage and results (150 words max):
  • Contact Information: (Optional)

• Example 3 Title:
  • Link:
  • Describe usage and results (150 words max):
  • Contact Information: (Optional)

Further Information

Top Related "How to" Online Resources

From broader Internet community, not just government

• Title - Link

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Single Unique Keyword (no spaces):

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