As Chief Content Officer, Anthony Rebora oversees editorial content development across the organization. ASCD + ISTE produces an incredible amount of content, including books, blog articles, Educational Leadership magazine, quick reference guides, videos, and podcasts. But producing content is only half the battle.
To continue as a leader in their field, ASCD + ISTE needed to reach educators beyond their existing network. They also needed to diversify revenue streams amid changing membership models and a new media climate. These lofty goals required the right partner.
Grow audiences beyond existing membership
ASCD + ISTE began working with SmartBrief’s aggregated news service in 2003 to produce high-quality newsletters that grab audiences’ attention. Today, SmartBrief produces ASCD + ISTE’s main educator newsletter as well as specialty newsletters on leadership and global education.
Anthony, who started at ASCD in 2017, continues to choose SmartBrief because of the strength of their relationship with their team and the quality of their service. The newsletter service includes advertising, subscriptions, content aggregation and delivery.
With ASCD + ISTE’s guidance, SmartBrief selects news stories focused on important issues in education, which run alongside ASCD + ISTE-produced content, house ads promoting ASCD + ISTE products and services, and traditional paid advertising. Anthony collaborates regularly with the SmartBrief team to review and plan content. SmartBrief then aggregates the stories that matter most while incorporating ASCD + ISTE content and their newsletter ads, all of which generate an important source of revenue for the organization. SmartBrief also provides proven strategies and best practices to help grow ASCD + ISTE’s audiences.
SmartBrief delivered the audience growth and brand recognition ASCD + ISTE desired. Having expanded the association’s reach, ASCD + ISTE newsletters now reach a unique audience of over 200,000 education professionals, have a unique open rate of over 23%, average 7,000 clickthroughs per month. Newsletter reach and engagement also appeal to ASCD + ISTE’s external partners, such as grant funders.
The stories that SmartBrief selects supplement and bridge any gaps in ASCD + ISTE original content, solidifying the organization’s position as an authority in education. And knowing that SmartBrief is taking care of these newsletters allows Anthony to focus on creating valuable educational resources.
The SmartBrief team has been great collaborators, consistently demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness over the years. It’s among the reasons why Anthony recommends SmartBrief to associations with similar needs to ASCD + ISTE.
"If you have gaps in your content and want to create efficient ways of reaching your audience and diversifying your revenue streams, SmartBrief is a good method." - Anthony Rebora
"The biggest benefit has been brand recognition and growth. SmartBrief allowed us to reach a wider audience and associate our name with the topics we’re interested in."
"Delivering content that heightens conversations in the field, to a wide audience, with our brand on it, is important to us."
