This poll is about issue 884 of the RV Travel Newsletter, published February 16, 2019.
As we were getting close to our deadline today (Friday), we realized this was perhaps the biggest issue we have ever published. It seems every week we add new features. Is it getting too much for you?
We love sharing articles, opinions, news, funny stuff and other information with you every week. Our entire staff, most of us anyway, are information junkies and news hounds. We get all excited when we come upon a news item to report. Or, maybe we’re just sitting around and an idea for a story jumps into our head and we can’t sit down fast enough to write it.
But, really, is it just getting to be too much for you to take in one giant cyber gulp? Years ago we broke the newsletter into two parts — posting the Saturday edition as we always had, but we added a mid-week edition as well. Should we do that again?
Please answer this poll as best you can — select two responses if you wish — and please leave a comment. We really do want your input on this, as we’re not sure what’s best. Many thanks!
I feel its about the right size. You cover enough different things that I can choose the ones that are relevant to the rving that my wife & I do.
Thanks for the good work . Shon
Different strokes for different folks. I get to choose the articles that fit our RV life style. No need to shorten it for me. Richard
I don’t think you should shorten it – there’s always, in any newsletter, a topic or two that doesn’t interest me at that moment, and I’ll skip over it and go on to something else. Sometimes I remember that something was said about so-and-so weeks down the line, and I’ll go back and find it. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to sit and read it, and that’s okay. The information will still be there tomorrow. I don’t feel I have to read it all in one sitting anyway :).
As much as I like the new format (feels much airier and open than before), I would agree that it could be tightened up.
As far as content being to long, I have no problem with content getting a bit much at times.
As some other readers commented, it’s the constant ads to “check this out on Amazon” or direct ads for “Harvest Hosts” and others in the main body of the newsletter. The Daily Laugh is followed by two lines of “Amazon referrals”, followed by another paragraph to become a member. Well, I think you get the idea that there are way too many “advertorials” and other sales references embedded.
On the right hand side is seems like there is a column just for the purpose of advertising. Scrolling down a couple of pages, it becomes empty space. Why not put ALL advertising related material there and put content only in the main body of the page.
Looking at the “Daily Tips Newsletter”, my very first screen does not show me one bit of news yet. The screen is filled with the top header (RVtravel logo on left and then two thirds of empty space) and the navigation bar. There is redundancy in the Newsletter header (RV Daily Tips Newsletter in small and large print) as well as the date twice. That is followed by “Welcome to another fabulous edition of RV Travels Daily Tips newsletter” paragraph, immediately followed by referring to Amazon. Now we finally get to the first meat of the newsletter, Quick Tips. Following the poll, there are SEVEN references to go to Amazon, “Leave with a Laugh” has two Amazon references, immediately followed by a paragraph to convince people to become “voluntary members”. Well, I guess I’ve said enough. And please don’t get rid of the “back-to-the-top” button. That is a great addition.
Please don’t get me wrong with my criticism, the service and unbiased information you provide is outstanding and that is exactly the reason why I became a paying member and will continue to do so.
I think the size doesn’t make any difference. Like other magazines that I read, I leave it on my iPad and read it all week long. I enjoy all of the articles that interest me and just skip over ones that don’t interest me, i.e. cooking and boondocking. My wife enjoys the cooking and no the technical articles. Leave it as is or even expand it it if you want. You all do a great job.
I look forward to reading Saturday’s newsletter but typically get half way through and want to get on with other things. I think I enjoy the daily tips more than the newsletter.
I understand that due to the number of people contributing money to help support you have been able to add a lot of features more rapidly which is a goof thing. However, if you didn’t take up so much space soliciting more donations it could be shorter. I really get tired of being hounded for donations.
The more the merrier! It’s a great service and hopefully your subscriptions are going up. My opinion, but if there’s content one doesn’t like just don’t read it. Thanks for the great work..I tell many about it.
I like it just the way it is. If anything please add more news articles. I don’t always sit and read the entire newsletter at once, but do come back to it during the week to finish. Thank you for such a great source of information.
The volume of information is overwhelmingly helpful, but it does take a long time to scroll. Maybe consider more headlines and shorter summaries and also maybe divide into fewer topical sections so if feels more organized and readers can better scan the newsletter to click on topics/stories that interest them.
This one may have been a little longer than usual. However, with the passing of Malia it was due it’s space. I also like the videos that you have included and have shared a few with others. People can always scroll by something that they don’t want to read/watch. You all are doing a great job and I appreciate you.
The longer the better. Great to read with my coffee and to relax on Sunday morning.
Keep up the great work and thank you for the Hard time you give the RV manufactures.
Maybe it will help them get their act together.
It seems like the same things are there from week to week…. which is ok… I just scroll past the “stay at winery” or “stay on private property”… “plan your stay at… wherever…” I know you need to generate revenue… It seems a little impersonal compared to news letters of the past.
I have read your newsletter for several years. I love it… have learned so much. Thank you so much.
I don’t always read it. But I do always enjoy it.
I think your news letters are GREAT! It is much more then about right. I look forward to your news letter each day. I want to thank you and your staff for all the love and passion you put into each issue.
It’s not too long. If there’s valuable information you want to share with RV’ers, then by all means go for it. Where’s it say you must read in one sitting?? I typically pick up the publication several times a week to read. Maybe some people can’t sit still long enough, not our problem, it’s theirs.
Job well done.
It seems that I’m presented with the SAME information MORE than once a week (which is a waste of my time). I guess the same information is included in different newsletters?
Thanks for writing, John. If you’ve subscribed to the RSS feed, that sends you an email each day with links to the articles which have been published in the previous 24 hours at RVtravel.com. Those articles, plus more features, are what are then published in Saturday’s RV Travel Newsletter. So, you can either unsubscribe from the RSS feed and not receive the daily notifications of the items published in the previous 24 hours, and see it all “new” on Saturday, or you can read the articles as they’re published and then skip those in Saturday’s newsletter which you have already read. We don’t want to waste your time — we just want to give you options so you can read what you want, when you want. Have a good evening. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
There is no law that says it all has to be read in one sitting.
I like the newsletter as is. Having links to longer stories or topics of specific interests is a great way as I can save the links to review later as needed. Great work to you and your staff. Keep up the great work