Blog-to-Email Options: FeedBlitz vs. FeedBurner

As mentioned in my previous post "Bloglet Signs Off", those bloggers who used Bloglet are in need of a new provider. Although there are a number of different services, including AWeber (which we currently use because we also use other services of theirs) and Zookoda, two that we're examining closely are FeedBlitz and FeedBurner.

With help from Réal, who does most of our blog setup work, here's a comparison:

FeedBlitz vs. FeedBurner Email

Both services include access to the subscriber database, HTML and text emails, and send new posts once daily.

FeedBlitz offers a free version, a pro version for $4.95/feed/mo, and a "turbo" version for $9.99/feed/mo. The free version sends a FeedBlitz branded email with your new posts, the pro version enables you to customize the look and feel of the emails being sent and allows list imports. (Oddly, the Turbo version doesn't allow custom branding but does allow more frequent delivery.) They currently offer a more robust set of options and tools than FeedBurner. FeedBlitz would be the best option for users that are looking for a custom branded solution immediately.

FeedBurner currently only offers a free service (a premium one is coming), but the email is more professional looking than FeedBlitz's [free version], is well-integrated with the rest of their services, allows list imports at no charge, and is very minimally branded. They are also delivered 'from' you, a perk that is only available in the pro version of FeedBlitz. FeedBurner Email is a better option for users that do not require a custom look for their blog mail now, but may in the future.

If you are looking for a custom-branded email feed of your blog posts flyte can help. Contact us today!

Rich Brooks
Business Blog Consulting

Tags: Bloglet | FeedBlitz | FeedBurner |  AWeber | Zookoda |

Comments

[Phil]

Thanks for the mention! Just to point out that FeedBlitz (a) allows subscriber imports at no charge, (b) automates the bloglet conversion process, and (c) now has a blog-based autoresponder service as well, something no other pure blog to mail service has.

FeedBlitz also has comprehensive real-time email subscriber tracking (including open tracking, sent tracking, subscriber changes, clickthroughs etc) and is available to anyone with a feed, not just FeedBurner (we also report metrics to FeedBurner too, so there's no real difference between our metric reporting and theirs - it's just as integrated).

My 2c, but then I'm biased...

Phil
Founder
FeedBlitz

[Stephen Hopson]

Seems that Feedblitz has been having a lot of problems lately with email distribution to subscribers, notifying them of new posts in my blogger.

I've put in several new posts and my subscribers are not getting emails in a timely manner (sometimes not at all).

I've written emails and at first they responded, were helpful, but lately I haven't heard from anyone with my pleas for help in resolving this.

I am considering switching over to Feedburner but do not know how to do it.

Please advise.

Stephen Hopson

[Analyst]

Same problem, poor service considering switching to feedburner, suddenly seeing the chicklet count go down by 300 in 2 days without any subscriber signing off. Any reasons. Regards

[Catherine Scholz]

I am currently testing FeedBlitz with 2 of my blogs. First of all, as far as I am aware, there is not a way to import contacts with Feedburner and that is primarily why I am using FeedBlitz. I have a client who wants to turn his blog into their primary e-newsletter delivery vehicle and I think it makes sense for small organizations trying to streamline their content delivery process.

So far FeedBlitz has been responsive by phone with issues - but I find the admin area to be cumbersome and somewhat confusing. There are so many items in the navbars - a bit overwhelming.

And the email formatting process, though more configurable than Feedburner, is less than ideal. I was hoping that I could incoporate the CSS from the theme of the blog somehow, but haven't seen a way to do that. The idea is to make the process as easy as possible for the publisher (blog owner).

Any hints or ideas are much appreciated.

-CScholz, Web Weaver
http://catswebweave.com