Google friend connect hase release a newsletter gadget wich allow you to send e-mails to your blog followers and mail subscribers that had use the friend connect form to subscribe to your blog.
Unlike the feedburner newsletter wich send only new post publish in your blog to your mail subscriber, the Google friend connect newsletter will not be part of your blog. It’s why there’s a text editor where you can write your message, add pictures, link and others staff to the newsletter.
I have realize that it’s very difficult to find a free method to offer an e-book to download after email subscription, so, I’ve come with this one where you only need to use Feedburner, Gmail and a place to host your e-book.
1. Host the e-book somewhere and copy the link location
2. Create a new Gmail account for the e-book (like: e-bookofmyblog@gmail.com) and activate the automatic response. (See “Settings”, at top right).
In the automatic message, write a simple text where you give the link for downloading the e-book.
For example:
Thank you for registering
Like promise, here is the link to download my eBook:
http://hostingsite.com/myblog-ebook.pdf
See you next on my blog.
3. In the Feed burner account of your blog, change the confirmation message and give to conditions for completing e-mail subscription, like this:
A. Click the link below to confirm your subscription
B. Send an email to e-bookofmyblog@gmail.com with the title “E-book” and you will receive the e-book in the following minute.
The problem here is that the reader can avoid the first step and just complete the second. But, if the aim is to have a large email list, it’s not really a problem because you’ll have the e-mails of all the e-book downloaders in your Gmail account and can use them to send newsletter with Google friends connect (free) or another service.
4. Just bellow or after the e-mail subscription form of your blog, inform readers that they will receive an e-book after email subscription.
There are many advantages with this method: You don’t have to pay to accomplish it and you have no limitation of number of subscribers who will receive the e-book.