Abstract
An e-zine is defined as an online version of a magazine most often offered to the audience of an existing Web site. E-zines should strive to follow the conventions of traditional magazines, being delivered to a subscriber base on a regular timetable and offering multiple articles per issue. Advertising should be minimal, and only those persons who sign up should receive the e-zine. Where an e-zine will differ from a traditional magazine is in its relationship with the Web site that offers it. Each issue should work in tandem with its Web site. The e-zine should not only offer new information, but should also act as a reminder to the reader to visit the parent Web site by offering links to recently updated pages and new information. E-zines are almost exclusively delivered to a subscriber base through e-mail. Therefore, the e-zine publisher must test content against e-mail spam filters to assure delivery.
Key Terms in this Chapter
E-Zine: This is a shortened, Internet title for an online magazine. It is generally an e-mail offering multiple articles on a single topic area delivered to a subscriber base. Often an e-zine is offered by a Web site as a method of subdividing its audience into smaller, more topic-specific groups in order to offer both targeted content and advertising. Where an e-zine differs from a newsletter is its adherence to traditional magazine conventions.
Subscriber Base: A subscriber base in terms of an e-zine is a smaller portion of a Web site’s existing audience. e-zines are mainly offered to a Web site’s audience through a subscriber page. Interested persons can visit the page and provide an e-mail address in order to receive the Web site’s e-zine. Larger Web sites will often offer multiple e-zines covering different topics. The purpose is to further subdivide the Web site audience in order to be able to better target information and advertising.
Newsletter: Newsletters are information delivered via e-mail much like e-zines. Generally, what sets an e-zine apart from a newsletter is a more formal adherence to magazine conventions and a more regulated schedule of delivery. However, there are no set rules to exactly what defines a newsletter and an e-zine. To many, the terms are interchangeable.
Convention: A convention is a generally accepted idea of how something should be presented. In terms of an e-zine, conventions created through traditional magazines are followed. Those conventions include, but are not limited to, offering the e-zine on a regular basis either weekly or monthly, multiple articles per issue, targeted advertising, and a subscriber base.
Newsletter: Newsletters are information delivered via e-mail much like e-zines. Generally, what sets an e-zine apart from a newsletter is a more formal adherence to magazine conventions and a more regulated schedule of delivery. However, there are no set rules to exactly what defines a newsletter and an e-zine. To many, the terms are interchangeable.
Spam: This is any unwanted e-mail. The term comes from a Monty Python sketch where “spam” is repeated well over 200 times.
Spam Filter: This is a piece of software that “reads” incoming e-mail looking for spam trigger words. Spam filters often allow users to set levels of protection. A higher setting means the user wants less spam but it also means the spam filter becomes very sensitive to any spam trigger often deleting wanted e-mail. Lower settings allow more e-mail to get through forcing the filter to only eliminate blatant spam e-mails.
Spam Trigger: Many Internet service providers and e-mail clients offer software intended to stop an unwanted e-mail before it reaches the user’s mailbox. A “spam trigger” is a word, phrase, or character that suggests an e-mail may be spam thus triggering the anti-spam software.
Spam Filter: This is a piece of software that “reads” incoming e-mail looking for spam trigger words. Spam filters often allow users to set levels of protection. A higher setting means the user wants less spam but it also means the spam filter becomes very sensitive to any spam trigger often deleting wanted e-mail. Lower settings allow more e-mail to get through forcing the filter to only eliminate blatant spam e-mails.
Spam: This is any unwanted e-mail. The term comes from a Monty Python sketch where “spam” is repeated well over 200 times.
Convention: A convention is a generally accepted idea of how something should be presented. In terms of an e-zine, conventions created through traditional magazines are followed. Those conventions include, but are not limited to, offering the e-zine on a regular basis either weekly or monthly, multiple articles per issue, targeted advertising, and a subscriber base.
Spam Trigger: Many Internet service providers and e-mail clients offer software intended to stop an unwanted e-mail before it reaches the user’s mailbox. A “spam trigger” is a word, phrase, or character that suggests an e-mail may be spam thus triggering the anti-spam software.
E-Zine: This is a shortened, Internet title for an online magazine. It is generally an e-mail offering multiple articles on a single topic area delivered to a subscriber base. Often an e-zine is offered by a Web site as a method of subdividing its audience into smaller, more topic-specific groups in order to offer both targeted content and advertising. Where an e-zine differs from a newsletter is its adherence to traditional magazine conventions.
Subscriber Base: A subscriber base in terms of an e-zine is a smaller portion of a Web site’s existing audience. e-zines are mainly offered to a Web site’s audience through a subscriber page. Interested persons can visit the page and provide an e-mail address in order to receive the Web site’s e-zine. Larger Web sites will often offer multiple e-zines covering different topics. The purpose is to further subdivide the Web site audience in order to be able to better target information and advertising.