The beginnings of ezines date back to the mid 1980s. In the earliest versions of this marketing tool the ezine was basically a cyber form of an actual print magazine delivered through the use of email. Some ezines featured one article and contact information while some supplied a full compliment of articles on a single subject or thematic element.

There would come a time in the 1990's when ezine publishers began to see that email recipients were less interested in the use of email for the delivery of ezines. At that time many ezine publishers elected to make their work available in an online platform with interactive features that were unavailable in print form. This new direction brought about a resurgence in the popularity of ezines.

Polls could be taken and trivia questions could be answered with immediate results. Little by little ezines began to use email-marketing techniques to let others know of the online ezine instead of using email as the full distribution system. Today there are relatively few ezines that are available in an exclusive email distribution format. Many of the ezines distributed by email contain only a teaser format with links to the full online ezine. It is this concept that many email marketing experts will use to lead customers to the originating site.

Many ezines today have the look and feel of a fully developed magazine with a variety of pages and link options. The design is attractive and can be a unique element in site design and traffic building.

However, there is a sizable group of former ezine supporters that are migrating to the use of social media in general and blogging in particular as either an extension of or a replacement for ezines. Blogging has the ability to capture both existing and new consumers and often exists as both an extension of an existing site and yet accessible through a secondary blogger site. Real Simple Syndication (RSS) can capture your new posts and alert subscribers to the new content feed.

Many business owners enjoy the more interactive possibilities in blogging and view this new marketing device as a new step in the progression of interaction with consumers. The process of developing a blog may be less time intensive than an ezine with the added potential of improved feedback and a more defined pattern for the capture of new content through RSS.

The truth is ezines may well be a continuing part of online marketing, but may be infused with linkable side trips to content rich sites that expand on the information provided. These ezines may likely be infused with blogging as a secondary information source blending both a more formal (ezine) marketing approach with something less formal (blogging).

Because of the instant connectivity associated with the Internet we will likely see solid marketing ideas continue to morph, blend and become obsolete as great minds view the present and rethink the future.

“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.” – Author Unknown