Most email marketing vendors (i.e.: Constant Contact) offer a message archival service, but for an additional fee. To avoid the additional fee, there are two ways you can manually “archive” that content, making it available to a larger audience.

Manual Archive Options

1. Use the “View Online” link:
   Some vendors offer a link your subscribers can click to view the message in a web browser. (Look for something like “Having trouble viewing this email? Click here.” at the top or bottom of your campaign messages.) You can simply create a link to this location on your web site or blog so visitors can read old messages.
2. Re-purpose the message content:
   Rather then linking to the content, you can publish it to your web site using any old content management system, or even easier, your blog software.

Getting the Message Content into your Blog

1. Using your email campaign software, send yourself a copy of the message you’ll be “archiving.”
2. In your email program, get the HTML source code for this message.
   • In Outlook 2007, double click the message title to open it in a new window.
   • In the ribbon tool bar, select Other Actions > View Source. This will open the code powering the message in a new Notepad window.
   • In the new Notepad window, select everything (press ctrl-A), and copy it to your clipboard (ctrl-C).
3. Open your blog admin software and create a new post.
   • In WordPress, click the “HTML” tab to the right side of the post’s content area. (This will change the content editor from “Visual” to code view.)
4. Paste the code into the post content area (ctrl-V).
5. Use the blog software’s “Visual” or “HTML” editor to make any needed changes.
6. Make any additional post setting selections and publish the message as a normal blog post.

Notes:
- You might consider adding a blog category called “Newsletters” or something similar, to best organize these types of posts.

We recommend Arial, Courier New, Georgia, Times New Roman, Trebuchet MS and Verdana for easy readability.

Three reasons to use includes:

1. To save time and effort.
If a global or design element needs to be changed, it need only be changed in the include file, rather than on each and every page.

2. To make file editing easier.
When a file is opened for editing, you will see a minimal amount of code, making text easier to find and page edits easier to make.

3. To prevent unintentional errors.
Since the global page elements are stored separately from the files routinely edited, the chance of an unintentional deletion or damage to a vital piece of code is decreased.

Splitting up a page to use includes:

Global web site styles are utilized in a similar way using cascading stylesheet (CSS) technology. All style data is stored in an external file, generally called something like “style.css”. Include technology is also commonly used in conjunction with javascript.

The home page must entice users into visiting other parts of the site. You can do this with clever wording or by featuring a special promotion, the next event on the company calendar, the newest satisfied customer, etc.

The home page should appeal to users who have and who have not visited before. It serves as both a landing and exit page. It should provide easy navigation for your site and be easy to find later on. It should also contain basic contact information (or links to more in-depth contact information).

Parts of a Home Page
The purpose of the Netdrafter home page, for example, is only to direct users to different parts of the site. We do that in the multiple ways labeled in yellow and red below.

View Netdrafter Home Page Live Online

Netdrafter and Full Circle Communications know that effective writing isn’t created by mistake. There are certain ways that web content should be crafted to resonate with your both user and search engine audiences.

Read the article “Web Writing Re-Visited” then return to Netdrafter for “Writing for the Web” content and search engine optimization tips.

Did you know it takes a user 20% longer to read text on a computer screen than on a piece of paper? Anyone know someone who prints out web pages just to read or better understand the content? It is simply harder on the eyes to read on-screen text and therefore, content needs to be quick, clean and to the point.

Web Writing and The Inverted Pyramid

Remember the typical term paper format? You start off with a thesis statement. Then comes a myriad of supporting details and finally, the conclusion. Well, flip that model upside down and you get the “Inverted Pyramid” method, typically used on the web. Impatient web site visitors want the conclusion first. They also scan page content, rather than reading word for word. If they don’t get the information they are looking for within the first or second paragraph, they move onto the next resource and away from your web site. You can keep visitors on your web site longer by providing them easy access to the information they seek.

Web Writing Tips:

• Tailor the content to your audience
• Be clear and concise
• Use plain English
• Use short sentences and paragraphs
• Use headlines to break up long paragraphs
• Use bold or italics to draw attention to important concepts
• Don’t underline text (underlining is reserved for links)
• Don’t indent paragraphs
• Start every page with a unique and explanatory headline
• Limit pages to one or two screens in length
• Put the most important and keyword dense information at the top of the page
• Copy should have a sales spin and include a “call to action”

Common Web Writing Mistakes:

• Repurposing your print copy on your web site
• Not understanding your target market
• Writing your own web content (Your mom may love it, but will it relate to your customers?)
• Using overly detailed copy (You probably understand it, but will anyone else?)
• Misusing search engine optimization techniques
• Hiding text either in the code, or by using white text on a white background, for example (This is not an effective SEO technique.)
• Writing too much for search engines – there needs to be a complementary balance (Heavy SEO writing will alienate your visitors.)

Need a review of your content or help writing it? Head on over to our Content Development page or contact us!

We also offer custom Content Development training. Find out more on our Speaking and Training page.

If you are writing about a company or product, you can use a logo or product image under what’s called the “Fair Use Doctrine“. Fair Use says that you can use limited portions of a work for commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports. Just how much is considered “fair” depends on a number of circumstances however.

Since Fair Use is so subjective, we recommend obtaining permission before using works by others on your web site.

Sample Copyright Permission Letter
Feel free to use our sample permission letter (Microsoft Word format) as a starting point for your correspondence with a copyright holder.

Permission Letter Tips
1. Send your letter in writing, complete with a self-addressed and stamped envelope. (Make it easy for them to grant your request.)
2. Send two copies of your letter – one for them to sign and keep and one to send back to you.
3. Explain exactly how you intend to use their work. (Supply a link to the specific page where their item will appear or show an example of the type of posting if possible.)
4. Describe how the use of their material is mutually beneficial (such as by driving traffic to their web site, for example.)

Some usage requests can be made from the owner’s web site. Freddie Mac, for example, provides an online form for logo use permission requests. A number of organizations have published logo usage terms and requirements on their own web sites. Generally, they will supply you with official copies of their logo so that you won’t try to modify them, which would generally constitute a violation of their usage terms. Check company web sites for online request forms or file availability before sending a permission request letter.

For an excellent 3 part article about online copyright, copyright infringement, and content theft, check out Web Site Content Theft by Janice Byer for About.com.

Questions about online copyright? Contact us for the answers!

** Please Note: Netdrafter does not administer or track copyright permission for customers. We assume that you have the necessary permissions to use any content you provide to us for web development purposes.