Broadcast email is a targeted form of "push technology"--the message originator delivers content on a customized basis to (eager, interested) recipients. Being efficient technology, it has become ever more popular. People like broadcast email if it is a genuine convenience to them, not a burden. The following etiquette will help assure that your broadcasts are.
| Bcc |
All broadcasts should be sent to recipients using bcc. Putting email handles openly on the list is bad etiquette and poor strategy for several reasons:
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Big attach- ments |
Email ISPs vary in speed. Large attachments when sent unsolicited to a slow-speed recipient can tie up the recipient's modem and frustrate him or her. Unless you know all recipients have fast ISPs, seek to control attachment size (e.g. 150kb or less). If you have a mega-attachment, send an email offering the attachment and warning recipients it will be a large file. Those who want can ask. |
| Links to URLs | Similarly, if there are relevant attachments available on someone's Web site (e.g. Recap's), the broadcast email can list the URL, ready-to-click, so users can hop to it then and there, download it if they want to, or just read it at the target Web site. |
| Sender signature | Senders should always enable both direct recipients and forwardees can find you: to ask a question, to request being put on the direct list, or to ask to be removed. |
| Wanted, not spam | You should broadcast only to people you genuinely think are interested in receiving the broadcast. Usually I add people to such lists only after receiving an affirmation that they want to be included. Sometimes (e.g. Web Updates) I will put people on a list because I really think that they would be interested...but I use this with discretion. |
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Occasion- oriented |
Broadcast email should be sent occasionally, only when events warrant. Infrequent high-fiber content is welcome; daily affirmations are a nuisance. |
| Message discipline | A broadcast email group should be assembled to be tightly homogenous. Thus all emails to that broadcast group should cover the same topic. If you have multiple topics on which you wish to discourse (travel, movies, and affordable housing, to pick three entirely at random), have multiple groups. |
| Copy yourself | It's common to use broadcast to advise recipients when you are changing email addresses from one ISP to another. When doing so, originate from your old handle and openly copy your new email address. This enables recipients simply to click on the cc line to capture your new email; they save the (mis)typing. |