More than 500 years after Gutenberg unveiled the printing press and helped spread the written word by establishing a new medium for freely distributing information, the Internet has quickly put the future of print in jeopardy. As print readership and circulation levels continue to decrease, and ad pages dwindle, publishers have learned to embrace the Web for content distribution. However, despite the rapid increase in online readership, publishers continue to struggle with effective ways to monetize their online content.

Selling ad space in email newsletters is proving to be the bright spot of the acquisition market — especially in the media/news industry. The Magazine Publishers of America stated that in the first quarter of 2008, email was a central driver behind 70 million unique consumer visits to online magazine sites.

To provide a comprehensive resource for publishers and marketers, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the release of Email Monetization Strategies, the next step in the IAB’s ongoing efforts to establish a solid foundation of guidance and tools for the email marketplace. It provides publishers, agencies and marketers with recommendations and best practices for the successful execution of email marketing campaigns.

The recommendations outlined in this document offer best practices and advice for:
Advertisers
o Leveraging email newsletters to reach a valuable audience
o Using the email channel to test offers and promotions
o Driving sales and site registration through stand alone email advertising
o Criteria for choosing a email publisher
o Emerging trend of video in email campaigns

Publishers
o Revenue opportunities through sponsorship and ad units in email newsletters
o Pricing models for email monetization
o Inventory management
o Data collection
o Developing a video email campaign

“The email channel offers a unique opportunity to reach consumers with relevant, differentiated and personalized content and messaging,” said Sherrill Mane, SVP, Industry Services, IAB. “Email Monetization Strategies provides an in-depth assessment and guide to maximizing the success of email marketing.”

“Email is one of the most effective direct and brand marketing mediums,” said Sean O’Neal, Chief Revenue Officer, Datran Media, and co-chair of the IAB’s Email Committee. “These best practices provide the latest information and strategies to marketers and publishers so that they can maximize their email communications with their customers.”