Throwing a holiday cocktail party and need some help with mixed drinks?
You don’t have to plop yourself in front of the television for the latest lifestyle show. Your computer will do just fine—that is, if you have subscribed to FoodNetwork.com’s weekly newsletter. Its name can be misleading. It’s about food–and more.
The Food Network Newsletter, which began shipping in 1999, initially promoted the cable station’s content. It is now read by 2.5 million people, and features weekly updates on contests, recipes, food ideas and TV highlights.
“It’s an inspirational newsletter,” says Marie Fazzari, director, FoodNetwork.com. “We also promote our upcoming TV specials and since Food Network is under the Scripps Network umbrella, we use it to promote content and sweeps from other networks.”
Subscriber perks include the opportunity to receive advance notice to Emeril live ticket lotteries. And for those home chefs who dream of a show of their own, subscribers have been able to compete for their own food network series, The Next Food Network Star.
“We’re also introducing our readers to new editorial features,” says Fazzari. “For example, our Thanksgiving package will have cooking and servicing tips, ideas for size, stuffing, and deserts. We also have a health package and summer desert package.”
Twelve Days of Cookies
A spin off from the e-newsletter is the 12 Days of Cookies e-zine, which was first released on its own in December 2003. Whereas on the first day of Christmas your true love may be giving you a partridge in a pear tree, the ginger spice cookie recipe will taste much better. And that’s just for starters. The recipes continue for 12 straight days with photographs and cook notes, meeting the needs of sweet teeth everywhere. On the whole, people want easy recipes with variations, Fazzari says. That’s why the newsletter features a three-in-one sugar cookie this year.
The seasonal newsletter has an audience of 1.5 million. Although subscribers are mostly network viewers, some readers are gleaned from Food Network on-air spots and sister-station on-air spots.
“It’s one of the most anticipated newsletters of the year,” says Fazzari. “People write in and we hear that they’re planning their holiday baking around the newsletter and using it as an opportunity to share the baking experience with their children.”
There are also ties between the newsletter and the network via a holiday cookie contest. The winning subscriber and their cookie recipe are not only featured in the 12 Days newsletter, they appear on an hour-long holiday cookie TV special.
“We don’t currently run on-air spots for the weekly newsletter,” says Fazzari. “We periodically create promotions across our Web site to encourage sign-ups.”
Subscribers can also sign up on any page of the Food Network site by clicking on the newsletter button. Also, anyone entering sweepstakes is asked if they would like to receive the newsletters.
‘’We’ve consistently seen growth so that’s an indication of being successful,” says Fazzari. And after each newsletter the network sees a bump in Web Site traffic averaging 25% to 30%. Fazzari says that the open and clickthrough rates are above industry standards for both newsletters.
An editorial group pulls together the newsletter from multiple sources including TV shows and current trends. For example, if asparagus is in season, it’s a good time to put it in the newsletter.
Lyris handles delivery of the newsletters.
The biggest challenge to be keeping the the e-zines “fresh,” Fazzari adds. “We want to make food fun and interesting. And we want to give people useful and relevant information,” he says.
And the future? Fazzari is always exploring options to start more niche newsletters and expand.
“Above all, if we start anything new we want to make sure that we’re bringing value to our users with information that they need and want,” she says.
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