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Why do people still use email as a way of subscribing to content? There are many better and more efficient ways to solve this problem rather than having your s

Why do people still use email as a way of subscribing to content? There are many better and more efficient ways to solve this problem rather than having your subscription mail go straight to junk mail.

googlryas 4y ago
Are there methods with similar reach as email though?
- Operative0198 4y ago
  If reach is your top priority then social media platforms beat email no contest.
- pjot 4y ago
  Would a blog via physical mail work? I wonder if content would be more substantive or intentional.
ramphastidae 4y ago
What are the many and better ways? Social media certainly isn't one of them. Subscription email also shouldn't go to junkmail unless you're doing something very wrong.
- Operative0198 4y ago
  Social media profile notifications. Web push notifications. Good ol trusty RSS...
  - celsoazevedo 4y ago
    > Social media profile notifications Requires you to create an account on that specific platform, plus we have a few examples (eg: Facebook, YouTube) where the platform might decide to not notify everyone if the content isn't "worthy". Edit: And since timelines now are curated by some algorithm, you can't trust it to show you all new content. > Web push notifications Abused by many to send you crap, not always easy to keep everything working when moving to another device. It's disabled on my browser. > Good ol trusty RSS I like RSS. And this blog offers a feed: https://www.bigfeels.club/public-articles?format=rss https://www.bigfeels.club/public-articles?format=rss Email... maybe not trendy, but it works okay.
    - Operative0198 4y ago
      > Requires you to create an account on that specific platform, plus we have a few examples (eg: Facebook, YouTube) where the platform might decide to not notify everyone if the content isn't "worthy". Precisely. One downside is you have to have an account on the platform to receive notifications but this can be overlooked by the fact that SM platforms have X10/0 reach (potential) comparatively. Besides the type of person who wants to engage audiences via email subscriptions isn't necessarily eager to post unsavory content. > Edit: And since timelines now are curated by some algorithm, you can't trust it to show you all new content. No. The point is to receive alerts for new content. No sorting is done for this list as far as am aware of. > Abused by many to send you crap, not always easy to keep everything working when moving to another device. It's disabled on my browser. I think if we are being fair, we can say email has been abused far more (famous Nigerian prince) than push notifications maybe ever will. > I like RSS. And this blog offers a feed Yes. But none of this is immediately clear from the article nor from the main page. I honestly wouldn't know there's an RSS feed if you hadn't posted it.
1123581321 4y ago
It looks like it's on SquareSpace. Their email delivery is usually fine. Most people aren't set up for RSS or necessarily want to interact on a social network.
escapedmoose 4y ago
I prefer email because it’s all in one place and easy to ignore. Then I’ll have a nice leisurely weekend morning reading through my inbox. Never noticed an issue with junk mail. But I’m curious, what would you recommend as a better alternative?
Nextgrid 4y ago
Not many of them have the spamming potential that email has. The real purpose behind all these bullshit newsletters is to "build an audience" and be able to "engage" it later with spam or maybe even sell the entire list to other spammers.
SoftTalker 4y ago
It's simple, and almost everyone already has it and understands how to use it. Other "efficient ways" involve the user learning something new or setting up a new app and just have a lot more friction.
jsz0 4y ago
There is some value in consuming a mix of both push and pull content. In the modern world we've gone way overboard on only consuming what we want exactly when we want it it. News letters are more like a magazine or newspaper subscription where you're choosing to have content randomly pushed at you to broaden your horizons. Also as a content creator it enables you to write differently for a smaller but way more engaged audience. It's like the difference between having a private conversation with a large group of friends versus getting on your soap box on the street corner.

googlryas 4y ago

Are there methods with similar reach as email though?

Operative0198 4y ago
If reach is your top priority then social media platforms beat email no contest.
pjot 4y ago
Would a blog via physical mail work? I wonder if content would be more substantive or intentional.

ramphastidae 4y ago

What are the many and better ways? Social media certainly isn't one of them. Subscription email also shouldn't go to junkmail unless you're doing something very wrong.

Operative0198 4y ago
Social media profile notifications. Web push notifications. Good ol trusty RSS...
- celsoazevedo 4y ago
  > Social media profile notifications Requires you to create an account on that specific platform, plus we have a few examples (eg: Facebook, YouTube) where the platform might decide to not notify everyone if the content isn't "worthy". Edit: And since timelines now are curated by some algorithm, you can't trust it to show you all new content. > Web push notifications Abused by many to send you crap, not always easy to keep everything working when moving to another device. It's disabled on my browser. > Good ol trusty RSS I like RSS. And this blog offers a feed: https://www.bigfeels.club/public-articles?format=rss https://www.bigfeels.club/public-articles?format=rss Email... maybe not trendy, but it works okay.
  - Operative0198 4y ago
    > Requires you to create an account on that specific platform, plus we have a few examples (eg: Facebook, YouTube) where the platform might decide to not notify everyone if the content isn't "worthy". Precisely. One downside is you have to have an account on the platform to receive notifications but this can be overlooked by the fact that SM platforms have X10/0 reach (potential) comparatively. Besides the type of person who wants to engage audiences via email subscriptions isn't necessarily eager to post unsavory content. > Edit: And since timelines now are curated by some algorithm, you can't trust it to show you all new content. No. The point is to receive alerts for new content. No sorting is done for this list as far as am aware of. > Abused by many to send you crap, not always easy to keep everything working when moving to another device. It's disabled on my browser. I think if we are being fair, we can say email has been abused far more (famous Nigerian prince) than push notifications maybe ever will. > I like RSS. And this blog offers a feed Yes. But none of this is immediately clear from the article nor from the main page. I honestly wouldn't know there's an RSS feed if you hadn't posted it.

1123581321 4y ago

It looks like it's on SquareSpace. Their email delivery is usually fine. Most people aren't set up for RSS or necessarily want to interact on a social network.

escapedmoose 4y ago

I prefer email because it’s all in one place and easy to ignore. Then I’ll have a nice leisurely weekend morning reading through my inbox. Never noticed an issue with junk mail. But I’m curious, what would you recommend as a better alternative?

Nextgrid 4y ago

Not many of them have the spamming potential that email has. The real purpose behind all these bullshit newsletters is to "build an audience" and be able to "engage" it later with spam or maybe even sell the entire list to other spammers.

SoftTalker 4y ago

It's simple, and almost everyone already has it and understands how to use it. Other "efficient ways" involve the user learning something new or setting up a new app and just have a lot more friction.

jsz0 4y ago

There is some value in consuming a mix of both push and pull content. In the modern world we've gone way overboard on only consuming what we want exactly when we want it it. News letters are more like a magazine or newspaper subscription where you're choosing to have content randomly pushed at you to broaden your horizons. Also as a content creator it enables you to write differently for a smaller but way more engaged audience. It's like the difference between having a private conversation with a large group of friends versus getting on your soap box on the street corner.