Below are my top ten insights and confessions of what I have learned over the years:

1. Ads often get more click-throughs than editorial. Don't tell my editors, but it's absolutely true. In a B2B publication, ads are often as popular or more so than what comes between them. This is assuming the ads really have something to say or offer.

2. People like to know how much other people make. One of the most popular reviews this year was Ad Age's salary survey. Look for the most popular links of the year in our year-end issue to see what else people clicked on in Web Digest for Marketers.

3. People care less about me and more about themselves. When I moved my Publisher's Note feature to the bottom of Web Digest from the top where it originally appeared, the unsub rate went down by 50%... sniff.

4. What have I done for you lately? Each year, one new big thing seems to be necessary to keep the publication fresh. Two years ago we introduced Special Focus Issues, which are now the most popular issues. Last year we went HTML.

5. HTML gets higher click-throughs. I don't care what other self-proclaimed Internet marketing gurus say, or what discussion lists say, my experience has consistently shown that ads in HTML easily get twice as many click-throughs.

6. Don't charge for newsletters. Unless you have an extremely hot topic like Search Engine Marketing Secrets or employment information, or insider information that is must-have, forget about charging for an email newsletter. Charging money is a perfect excuse for people to turn you away in this harsh economic environment. There's just way too much free information out there anyway. People will take for "nothing" something that is only half as good as something that is really hot but costs real money. You'll spend too much money on the marketing necessary to try and convince them they need your superior content.

7. Put the money in editorial, not marketing. The best investment you can make is to invest in the core product and let people realize how good it is. Once they know this, they'll forward it to others who will subscribe in turn. Live long and propagate.

8. Show your face. The Internet is a pretty spooky place. Showing your face, rather than some slick graphic that costs thousands to produce, is a good bet. People like to know there's a human at the other end of the line.

9. Put the subscriber first. Even if the email newsletter is complimentary, first serve the subscriber, as though he/she was paying for your product. If you don't, your readership will sense you have other agendas and lose their loyalty.

10. Make your newsletter indispensable. If your newsletter becomes a must-read, other sites will point to you, which will increase your standing in search engine results and bring you even more traffic and subscribers... but you must first be such a solid resource that other sites can justify pointing to you as that industry resource. In fact, if you point to and feature Web Digest for Marketers on your company's page, I will not only thank you personally, I will also give you 60 days of free access to the archives of Web Digest for Marketers. Just send me an email showing me where the link is and I'll have someone in my office send you the password information. LC