Find out why now is the time to ditch Listserv and discover the best Listserv alternatives availableWhen it comes to group email lists, Listserv was there right at the beginning.

The name “Listserv” became synonymous with group emailing lists, and became a catch-all term for email list software.

But the world and the internet have moved on. The things that made Listserv and email list software a “must-have” for organisations and businesses are no longer big news. If you’re still relying on old ways of managing group email lists, it’s time to find some alternatives.

Why you need a Listserv alternative

1. Spam filters hate Listserv

Do you want your group emails to end up in the Junk folder? Then go ahead and keep using Listserv.

Ever since email providers started tightening up on spam, anything that makes your message stand out as a bulk email (sent to a large group) is likely to get it sent straight to the trash. Some filters will even blacklist your email address just for being associated with Listserv. Do we have any stats to back this up?

2. Time-consuming

Managing a group email list through Listserv requires time and effort. You need to manually add contacts and regularly clean and maintain your lists. Segmenting lists in Listserv is a chore too.

But keeping your email list clean and well-managed is important these days, especially with GDPR legislation. You don’t want to fall foul of any privacy regulations which could lead to a ban, or getting your messages marked as spam which will seriously damage your brand image.

Why bother with all that wasted time and elbow-grease when alternative communication platforms make it so much easier and quicker?

3. Automation is what you need

...and Listserv doesn’t provide it. Most modern communication platforms allow you to schedule messages, posts and notifications. This means you can set it and forget it, saving you time and making sure you don’t miss a chance to communicate your message.

4. Just one communication channel

Relying on Listserv means you’re relying on just one, single communication channel.

That’s not good in today’s multi-channel society. These days, people are used to receiving information via push notifications, SMS messages, email, news feeds, social media shares, etc.

If you want to make sure your message gets heard, you need to look for a Listserv alternative.

5. Poor engagement

Group emails don’t get great levels of engagement. You’re lucky if you get an open-rate of 20%. That means 4 out of 5 people are potentially missing your messages if you just rely on Listserv.

It’s not surprising when you consider that the average person receives around 126 emails per day. Who has the time to read all those?

A better way to communicate - community platforms

When you communicate, you share a common language and when you’re in a community you share interests, values and shared passions. Communication and community have always been closely linked, and it’s no different in today’s hyper-connected world.

That is why community platforms have grown in popularity in recent years and are fast becoming the preferred way for businesses and organisations to communicate.

Community apps and platforms outperform listserv in a number of ways. Community platforms:

• Make group communication and collaboration quick and easy
• Engage members of the group more effectively
• Use multiple channels of communication including news feeds, private messaging and push notifications.
• Much easier to manage groups
• Provide built-in data monitoring and analysis tools.

A community platform like Disciple allows you to build a community app that is customised to your needs and that you can stamp your own mark on, including your branding and style.

Disciple is far more than just a communication tool. It also helps with productivity, boasting a number of tools such as scheduling tools, live streams, forums and a content or resource library.

Final words

If you’re still using Listserv to manage your group email lists, it’s time to find an alternative. There are plenty of communication tools out there that you can invest in, but if you want to spend your money wisely, community platforms offer the best ROI. Not only do you get efficient multi-channel communications, but you also get increased engagement and improved collaborative working.