How to Drive Traffic to a SharePoint Site with a Newsletter

Join us to discover How to Drive Traffic to a SharePoint Site with a Newsletter.

If you're managing a SharePoint site, you know how important it is to ensure that your team members or organization members are actively engaging with the content you publish.
However, getting everyone on board and actively visiting your SharePoint site can be a challenge, especially when they're used to receiving updates through more traditional means like email.

But don't worry, we've got you covered. Today, we're going to explore a strategic method to seamlessly transition your audience from email updates to engaging with your SharePoint site regularly. And the secret weapon for this transition? A well-crafted newsletter!

The Role of Newsletters in Driving Traffic
Newsletters have been a staple in internal and external communications for a long time. They provide a concise, digestible summary of important updates, news, and announcements directly to the inboxes of your audience.

Here’s why newsletters are effective:

Familiarity: Many people are accustomed to receiving and reading emails. Using a newsletter to communicate important updates leverages this habit.
Convenience: Newsletters offer a one-stop summary of updates, which is convenient for busy team members.

Direct Traffic: By including links to your SharePoint site within the newsletter, you can direct readers straight to your SharePoint content.
Tracking Engagement: Newsletters allow you to track engagement metrics, such as open rates and click-through rates, giving you insights into how your audience interacts with your communications.
Crafting an Effective Newsletter

Let's break down the steps to create an effective newsletter that not only informs but also drives traffic to your SharePoint site.

Step 1: Define Your Objectives
Before creating your newsletter, it's essential to define what you want to achieve. Your objectives could include:

Increasing awareness of your SharePoint site.
Encouraging regular visits to the site.
Promoting specific content or features on the SharePoint site.
Gathering feedback and fostering community engagement.
Clear objectives will guide the content and structure of your newsletter.

Step 2: Understand Your Audience
Understanding your audience is crucial. Consider the following:

What are their interests and needs?
What kind of content do they find valuable?
How frequently do they prefer to receive updates?
Conduct surveys or gather feedback to get a better understanding of your audience's preferences. This will help you tailor your newsletter content to meet their needs and interests.

Step 3: Plan Your Content
Now that you have your objectives and understand your audience, it’s time to plan your content. Your newsletter should include:

A Catchy Subject Line: This is the first thing your audience will see. Make it compelling and relevant.
An Engaging Introduction: Start with a warm greeting and a brief overview of what the newsletter will cover.
Key Highlights: Summarize the most important updates or news items. Include eye-catching headlines and brief descriptions.
Links to Detailed Content: For each highlight, include a link that directs readers to the full content on your SharePoint site.
Consistent Layout: Use a consistent layout for each newsletter to create a sense of familiarity.
Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure your newsletter is easy to read on mobile devices.
Readable Fonts: Use easy-to-read fonts and maintain a clear hierarchy with headings, subheadings, and body text.
White Space: Use white space effectively to avoid clutter and make the content more digestible.

Step 5: Schedule and Send
Decide on the frequency of your newsletter. Whether it's weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, consistency is key. Use an email marketing platform to schedule and send your newsletters. Ensure you test your email on different devices and email clients to make sure it displays correctly.

Encouraging Engagement with SharePoint
Once your audience receives the newsletter, the goal is to get them to engage with your SharePoint site. Here are some strategies to encourage this engagement:

Highlight the Benefits of SharePoint
Remind your audience of the benefits of using SharePoint. Whether it's accessing important documents, collaborating with colleagues, or staying updated with the latest news, emphasize how SharePoint can make their work life easier and more efficient.

Promote New and Exclusive Content
People are more likely to visit your SharePoint site if they know there's new and exclusive content waiting for them. Highlight new articles, reports, or resources that are only available on SharePoint. Create a sense of exclusivity and urgency by emphasizing that certain content is only accessible through the SharePoint site.

[Richard-qbqh]

Hey, when using the news digest feature or the newsletter template - is there a limit to the amount of emails you can send to the audience. For example I have anything up to 18, 000 colleagues in my audience, setup in various Office 365 email subgroups. Would the "post and send" option send to all of these or are there limits withing SharePoint that mean I can only send to so many people at one time?

Thanks