Katie_H

Hello everybody---happy Wednesday.

We've been thinking here about adding another newsletter to our offerings; we currently send out a weekly Fodor's Newsletter every Thursday.

My question: if we were to offer a Community newsletter---a newsletter that pointed to great trip reports, lively travel discussions, and new user reviews---would you be likely to sign up for it? I envision a newsletter that will quickly "catch-up" users who maybe don't check in everyday. I'd also like a chance to highlight community happenings---for instance a GTG alert/mini report.

What's the barometer of interest from folks here?

If interested, would you be most likely to sign up for a newsletter that you received monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly?

I'm thinking that bi-weekly might be the best. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

zlaor

I'm in.

One of the highlight of these forums for me is the trip reports.

tekwriter

Sure, I'd sign up to receive it - no cost, no problem!

ElendilPickle

Sounds like a good idea, Katie.

Lee Ann

FainaAgain

Ummm... how easy will it be to unsubscribe or to switch forums? When I go to Europe, I want to read the news there. When I go to Asia, I want their newsletter...

mmouse52

It sounds interesting. I vote for bi weekly

PhotoDad

A bi-weekly newsletter arriving Saturday morning would be great.

Folders for topics such as trip reports, lodging, meals, and kid stuff could make it real valuable too.

Dan
www.familyroadtrippers.blogspot.com

cmcfong

Katie, I think your excitement and interest in the forums is wonderful and I appreciate it. Frankly, I don't need a newsletter, I am here constantly. Just a quick view of highlights when I open the home page is enough for me. I think it would be great if all trip reports were posted not only on the appropriate forum but in a separate forum as well. I love to read them even those for places I have no intention of going...they might make me rethink!
Thanks again for all your interest in keeping this a lively place.

canyonjane

I like the idea of the newsletters very much! Thank you, Jane

Katie_H

Thanks for the comments and suggestions everybody.

cmcfong-- We're actually investigating now a way to elevate, highlight, and celebrate the trip reports. We realize how much work goes into them and how quickly they seem to "disappear" to folks that have just put in so much time sharing their experience. We have a couple of ideas in the works--thanks for letting us know that you really like trip reports.

The newsletter would really be a quick mailing of fun threads in different categories and community news. It would be dissimilar from our current newsletter in that the links would not lead to any "stories"---they would just lead directly into the forums (the actual thread). I see it as a little "digest" of sorts.

I realize that there's a desire for location specific information; and I think we will have that available in the future for you to sign up for (alerts, etc.) but I think that will largely depend on an upgraded forum complete with tagging and the like.

This would be more of a quick snapshot of what's new in the entire community. For those that spend the majority of their time in one forum, I think it might be a nice way to see what else is going on in the other forums. For instance, if there's a great tip thread in one forum---you wouldn't really know about it unless you saw it.

If we did do a newsletter for the Community, we would be sure to make it easy to unsubscribe with a link at the bottom.

I am a big optimist generally---but I wouldn't be asking for your suggestions on things like a newsletter or forum improvements or search upgrade if we weren't at a point here to really implement your suggestions. So that's really where my enthusiasm comes from.

I appreciate your feedback as always.

GP

I am in.

dwooddon

With my "trust but verify" personality, I'd sign up initially but would unsign pretty quickly if I did not find it useful. Thanks for all your hard work.

1JAR

I'd like a newsletter..I was wondering if there is anyway to developt a travel contest info link site..I can't afford to travel much but would enter travel contests...
for example Alaska Airlines has a 75000 mile contest right now...

Katie_H

IJAR---
We do not do contests often hear though I know we've kicked the idea around. Your idea sounds interesting--- do you imagine it as a clearinghouse of sorts of contests from travel companies and airlines? Contests, when talked about here, are typically connected to the books or the Forums specifically.