There are numerous online marketing strategies in use today and while some may be gone tomorrow there are others that will endure. The most effective strategies however will be those that focus on building relationships. What we are looking at here today is a comparison of two such strategies, marketing with blogs versus email, and how they differ but yet also reflect similarities!

Here's a side by side comparison between these 2 tactics that focus upon building relationships which is what makes them such effective strategies!

a) Similarities

Following are 3 objective both these strategies need to accomplish in order for them to even work!

Develop Loyalty

This is the primary focus of both these approaches to build trust and loyalty! It should be considered a privilege people are allowing you to make contact through email or are returning to your platform! In either case the primary focus is on building relationships first and foremost.

No 'Formal' Sales Copy

What makes email and marketing with blogs such effective strategies is neither uses an 'in your face' approach. Both of these strategies rely upon repeated and casual contact over a period of time and one sure way to terminate that possibility is to 'bludgeon' folks with boring and transparent sales copy.

The Need to Be Engaging

The blog content and/or any messages you are emailing should always contain useful and interesting information. In this way you are better able to engage readers increasing the chances they will return to your site or open your next message. If what is presented serves little or no purpose most people will either unsubscribe from the list or not return to the site plain and simple!

b) Differences

Here is where these 2 promotional tactics tend to part ways in terms of any similarities they may display!

Control of Contact

Emailing puts you in control of any contacts being made as to if and when and is left up to the discretion of the marketer. Marketing with blogs however is more reliant upon people returning to the site to view messages or content thereby taking control out of the hands of the blogger!

Frequency of Contact

Frequent updates with quality information are expected on a blog whereas email messages sent are once again at the complete discretion of the email marketer. It would seem here that more of a commitment and effort is invested by a blogger whereas an emailing campaign could take days or even weeks off at a time!

Content Intensity

Blogs are expected to offer useful quality information that serves some type of meaningful purpose. Now this could be to humor, inform or educate others but the content usually has some depth! Email messages are brief, lacking depth and are suppose to be this way. Who the heck is going to read a lengthy email in the first place? Here too it would seem marketing with blogs requires more effort and commitment!

For the most part the online marketing strategies you will find most effective for growing your business normally focus on building relationships. Our comparison above of two such effective strategies discuss marketing with blogs as oppose to promoting through email. Even though both rely upon developing a loyal following there are subtle differences in their approaches which may or may not fit your needs or preferences. In either case both have proven to be highly effective strategies to use as a way to build a long term following while developing a solid business foundation as well!