Content Directive: Tuesday, 4/14

 @ Everyone -

 As mentioned, email is more important now than ever: It has accounted for 46% of network traffic over the past 3 weeks, making it our #1 source of traffic acquisition. However, network email traffic was down 29% last week vs. the week before. We have to turn that around if we're going to be successful. The good news is that this is a very doable task.

 Here's what we all should be doing to grow email traffic now:
  • A|B|C test every email’s subject line. (See documentation for MailChimp and Emarsys).
  • Focus heavily on artist-driven content (livestreams) in subject lines and content blocks. (National livestreams make this EASY. For example, we all can put Billie Eilish and Lady Gaga in a subject line this week!)
  • Focus more on relevant local cultural content: Chicago's piece on their favorite Mayor Lightfoot memes has the most traffic from email of any network page this month.
  • Focus more on food and booze: Our audience loves to eat and drink. We can't forget why they started coming to us in the first place!
  • Make sure our charity / 'how to help...' content doesn’t get too big a piece of the pie (~20% max). It's important to help our communities, but we also need to keep traffic up. Everything in balance.
 Remember that our audience has always come to us for good times -- for shows to see, booze to drink, food to eat. That's no different now. We just have to be sensitive about how to best fulfill that mission around each of our cities' dynamic environments.

 With all of this in mind, I thought it would be helpful to share an example of what a really great email looks like during the current era, and why it was successful.

 Let me draw your attention to Nashville's email from last Friday, their most-clicked email of the week. The subject line was "Quarantine & Cocktails | John Prine Charities | Disclosure Lunch Party!".

 Here's what we like about this email:
  • The subject line features multiple artists AND booze.
  • There are two content blocks dedicated to livestreams: one to top picks (as recommended in this directive) and one to a sponsored event. (It's important that we keep focused on our brand during this era: we help people do awesome stuff and connect with their local communities [from home].)
  • There's a booze-focused editorial piece featured prominently (see relevant directives here and here).
  • There's a well-executed Daily DoGood content piece (as per this directive), but the DoGood content doesn't overwhelm the email: It's kept to one content block.
  • Do615 leveraged the Featured Event ad space to promote an internal content piece (we made you assets so you can do the same!).
 Every city is different, so please reach out if anything recommended in these emails feels out of touch with what's going on in your market. I'd love to help adapt!

 Thanks everyone! ps - Has everyone shared Kristin's blog post from last week? Here's some sample copy from DoStuff and myself for inspiration!
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