Lesoir.be is one of the most read websites in French-speaking Belgium. A few weeks ago, the newspaper's site underwent a facelift. It was therefore interesting to take a look at the way the newspaper uses e-mail marketing.
In this analysis, we will limit ourselves to the newsletter main "Midi Express which is sent daily to subscribers.
Today, we will analyze the registration process to the newsletter. In a second articleour analysis will focus on the newsletter itself.
Why analyze enrollment methods?
It may not be obvious to everyone, but there is more to email marketing than what you receive in your mailbox. Without an email database, it is obviously difficult to start an effective email marketing program. That's why it's important to take care of this first contact with the Internet user that is subscription to a newsletter.
A form directly on the home page
A registration form is available on the homepage. It is very easily identifiable. Interestingly, when you click in the input area, the form is extended to ask if you want to subscribe to the flash news (pre-checked option) or to the partner offers (unchecked option).
Bad point on the other hand, when entering the email address, the background color of the field becomes light gray while the font color is white. This is very not very readableThis is especially true since the text inside the form field is centered, which is unusual. The call-to-action of the button is however very clear and efficient.
After validationA very simple confirmation message replaces the form, again, it is effective.
A page dedicated to registration
In addition to this form on the home page, there is also a special page exclusively to the subscription to the newsletter of the site Lesoir.be.
This page is accessible via links in the header and footer of each page of the site.
This page also includes a unsubscription form to the various email communications of the journal. It is interesting to have placed this part here. Indeed, often sites tend to make this kind of form the least accessible possible. Here, Le Soir plays the simplicity card and does not risk to frustrate unnecessarily the user who seeks to unsubscribe.
To return to the registration, we find roughly the form present on the homepage. With a little more detail in the explanation of the different types of email communicationsbut also the possibility of not subscribing to the Midi Express newsletter. Only the e-mail is required.
Once again the text of the form field is centered, which is not usual.
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At the form validation registration, the same page is reloaded with only one confirmation message in addition.
It is a shame not to try togo further with the user. By proposing for example to create a login/password to be able to comment the articles of the site and to take advantage of it to try to know at least Subscriber's last name, first name and gender.
In addition, if a person has taken the step tosubscribe to the newsletterIf you are interested in subscribing to the PDF version of the journal, you may be interested in doing so.
Contests, another way to get subscribers
Le Soir also uses a proven method to collect subscribers to its newsletter, theorganization of competitions in partnership with other brands.
Where it gets interesting is that the quality of the information collected will certainly be much more important, as the form is much more complete.
A welcome email, a double optin ...
Maybe you have to be patient, but no email from request for registration confirmationnor any welcome email has been sent. That's a shame. Welcome programs are a must for any email marketing campaign.
It is important to send an email of this type to explain to your subscriber how you received their email address (perhaps they did not register their email address themselves), what type of communication you will be sending them, how often and also how they can unsubscribe if they have changed their mind.
The must to have a totally healthy database is also to ask for a confirmation of the registration by inviting the subscriber to click on a link (double optin).
What should be improved?
- The background color and text alignment of the email address field on the home page form
- Improve the page of confirmation of registration of the newsletter to try to find out more about the Internet user.
- Use the forum registration form Evening to collect optins.
- Organize a Welcome" program
Conclusion
If there are things to improve (such as sending a Welcome Mail), the registration process for the Soir newsletter is very good! It is especially simple and efficient, which is essential not to put off Internet users.
In the second part of the analysis, we will move on to the newsletter itself.
