Email lists

Creating an email list allows a newsletter to be sent to a group electronically, cutting down on time, printing and postage. An email list is maintained on the internet rather than an individual's computer, so that it is accessible from anywhere. Members of the list are usually able to add themselves to an email list (subscribe) or take themselves off (unsubscribe). Because the list is on the internet, it is easy for the newsletter to be run by a small team of editors and for editorial control to rotate and for the list to be used from different locations. Modern email list systems can receive messages in plain text format, or HyperText Markup Language (HTML) the format which allows images and text formatting for web pages.

Pros

• Large-scale distribution possible for minimal cost

Cons

• HTML emails are not always rendered properly by a recipient's email program
• High volume lists can be a source of overload

Beware

• Spam filters may block emails from lists
• Setting your email to 'auto-reply' when subscribed to an email list

It is recommended that anyone wishing to communicate through an email list takes the following steps:

• send the message in plain text
• include a prominent and early link to a web page where the richer format can be seen. An example of this is Sefton CVS who provide a monthly newsletter on funding information.

Further reading: ICT Hub's knowledgebase, Wikipedia