Newsletters are exploding in popularity for good reason – they help creators build intensely loyal audiences and generate massive recurring revenue. This comprehensive 2800+ word guide will teach you step-by-step how to successfully launch your own money-making newsletter.
Why You Should Start a Newsletter Business Today
Let’s start with some motivation.
Here is why now is arguably the best time ever to start your own newsletter:
Newsletters are Growing Faster Than Ever
In August 2021 alone newsletter startup Substack raised $65 million dollars in funding at a $650 million dollar valuation. Newsletter platform Revue was acquired by Twitter.
Clearly big money is flowing into this space with no signs of slowing down.
Newsletters are absolutely exploding in popularity among both creators and consumers:
- Newsletter publishing platform Substack has over 1 million active subscribers.
- Email newsletter growth rate is over 100% year-over-year according to Trackmaven.
- There has been a 45% increase in paid newsletter subscriptions just in 2021.
People are demonstrably willing to pay for quality curated content and analysis. Take advantage of this momentum to launch your own publication now before space gets overly saturated.
Huge Revenue Potential
Let’s talk money.
Running a paid newsletter provides multiple income stream options. Top newsletters easily clear 6 figures per year and often 7.
According to data from Substack and Revue creators have earned over $11 million dollars collectively just from subscription revenue. And that number is growing exponentially.
Even smaller niche publications can pull in between $2,000-$5,000 per month fairly quickly. One of the appeals of the newsletter model is achieving profitability with a very modest readership compared to other content publishing formats.
You also own your audience and content completely versus platforms like YouTube or Instagram so do not need millions of followers or viewers to start making decent money.
You Are the Boss
Another major benefit to the newsletter model is you run everything yourself with full control and flexibility:
- Pick exactly what topics interest you most.
- Set your own schedule, publishing frequency and length.
- Completely own and control your subscriber lists and data.
- Work anywhere with an internet connection.
You have full autonomy over all creative decisions from content formats to visual branding to advertising partnerships.
Stepping Stones to a Successful, Profitable Newsletter
Convinced yet? If you want to start your own newsletter business, here is a step-by-step blueprint.
Select Your Niche
Research thoroughly before even starting your newsletter to identify profitable niches.
Consider niches like:
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High-Growth Industries: What sectors are expanding fastest? Examples include crypto, artificial intelligence, remote work/learning tech etc. Position yourself as an expert before niches become oversaturated.
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Underserved Audiences: Rather than covering overly broad topics, determine specific underserved audiences. Analyze online conversations in places like Reddit, Quora, Facebook Groups etc. to identify discussion topics and unresolved questions.
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Your Existing Interests and Experience: While not required, it certainly helps to select industries you already actively follow and participate in. Audiences may recognize your existing contributions. Just ensure there is still strong demand and limited expert media coverage.
I recommend creating a simple T-chart during research listing potential profitable niches on one side and available expert media coverage sources on the other. Identify gaps for potential opportunities.
You can combine mainstream topics with very specific angles as well e.g. an artificial intelligence newsletter focused on applications in agriculture.
Spend time browsing existing popular newsletters for inspiration avoiding direct competitors of course!
Define Your Target Subscriber Persona
In addition to niche, you need to determine exactly WHO your content will serve.
Create one or more reader “personas” including defining details like:
- Gender
- Location
- Age Range
- Occupation/Industry
- Income Level
- Specific Challenges/Goals
- Typical Daily Activities
- Where They Currently Get Industry Information
- Preferred Content Types/Formats
Flesh these personas out as fully as possible. These are who you will visualize actually opening and reading each email issue. They guide all decisions from writing style to length to tone and topics.
Refer back consistently to avoid straying by covering irrelevant topics or using language misaligned with their preferences.
Select Your Newsletter Publishing Platform
You need to determine the right software platform on which you will actually build, format and send your newsletter emails.
There are pros and cons to each option. Consider factors like:
- Available templates and customization options
- Email creation tools and capabilities
- Integrations with other software platforms
- Audience management and communication automation
- Available plans and pricing
- Key features like analytics, surveys, testing etc.
Here is a comparison of some top newsletter platform options:
| Platform | Pricing | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | – Free: Newsletter publishing – Paid: Advanced analytics starting at $5/month |
– Email creation/scheduling – Subscription management – Strong content focus |
Writers seeking the widest audience reach |
| Revue | – Free: Basic newsletter features – Paid: Unlimited subscriptions, premium branding etc. starting at $10/month |
– Built specifically for newsletters – Twitter integration |
Creators wanting seamless social promotion |
| Buttondown | – Free: Necessary email features – Paid: Unlimited sends, RSS-to-email etc. for $12/month. |
– Clean, elegant interface – Reliable deliverability |
Those focused on converting subscribers |
Most platforms offer free tiers but they limit volume. Expect to invest at least $10-20 per month once gain traction. Test options to determine the best fit before heavily investing in content.
Outline Structure and Possible Content Formats
Readers today crave variety when consuming media online. Determine which formats and sections provide that variability while cohesively tying back to your core niche.
Possible newsletter sections/formats to consider:
Overviews: Present key headlines from your niche over past week in scannable bullets
Longform Analysis: 2000+ word deep dives into topics/trends
Interviews: Q&As with industry thought leaders
Investigative Reports: Uncover interesting data or developments
Success Stories: Profile companies or leaders seeing big wins
How-tos: Actionable tips and guidance
Debates: Discuss two contrasting takes on a hot issue
Reviews: Evaluate important new products or media
Data Dives: Present key niche-related statistics and trends
Video Content: Recording analysis commentary to further personalize
Experiment with which sections resonate most based on metrics like open rates and click-throughs. doubled down on what works best.
Set Your Publication Schedule
Consistency equals profits. Establish your newsletter publishing schedule right away.
Aim to release issues on very consistent reliable intervals whether than be:
- Daily
- A few times per week
- Weekly
- Every other week
- Monthly
Take into account factors like available time, niche pace of change, typical online media publication rates and reader expectations.
I recommend starting with weekly then increasing frequency once establish processes. Special “breaking news” issues can supplement scheduled releases as major events occur.
Commit to releasing every issue on time without fail. This trains your readers that exciting new knowledge is coming on a precise schedule. They will start thirsting for each new edition.
Monetize Through Multiple Options
Let’s get to every creator’s favorite topic – making money!
Newsletters monetize through:
-
Paid Subscriptions: The most lucrative option. Set subscription rates for readers to access email issues behind a paywall. Price based on perceived value.
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Advertising: Sell banner/text ads in your emails and promotional shoutouts. Effective especially at larger scale.
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Affiliate Links: Ink affiliate deals and insert product links tied to earning commissions. Informational products or software solutions in your niche work particularly well.
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Sponsorships: Sell exclusive branding, content contributors or underwriting to brands who want exposure to your audience.
-
Own Products/Services: Release premium online courses, consulting packages etc.
I recommend pursuing a mixed model blending paid subscriptions along with advertising/affiliate packages and sponsored content to start. This diversifies cash flow while maximizing reach.
Run the occasional limited-time sale or discounted bundle across multiple monetized offerings to spur impulse purchases and boost overall customer lifetime value.
Set specific financial KPIs early on then track against projections to determine success optimizing future approaches.
Craft Compelling Content
Let’s shift to discussing the importance of creating irresistible content that hooks subscribers issue after issue.
Your subscribers are voluntarily giving you their inbox real estate because they expect and trust you to deliver information they genuinely value.
Ensure content stays laser focused on serving subscriber needs and interests vs self-serving messages they care little about. Obsess over consistently blowing away expectations with insights and analysis they cannot find elsewhere.
Optimizing subject lines is critical to improving open rates as it gives readers their very first impression previewing an issue. Tips for irresistible subject lines:
- Clearly summarize core topic/theme in excitement-inducing way
- Use emotional trigger words like “WARNING” or “ALERT”
- Ask interesting questions like “Will mRNA tech soon cure cancer?”
- Generate curiosity about exclusive info with phrases like “industry insiders reveal…”
There are no hard rules per say on ideal newsletter length however I recommend varying from short 400-500 word issues for fast updates to special 2000+ word deep dives on more complex topics.
This type of variability keeps engagement high. Readers can quickly scan breaking news type additions while also enjoying occasional meaty analyst they can really sink their teeth into.
In terms of presentation, ensure ample:
- Scannable formatting like short paragraphs, plenty of headers, bold/italics and bullets
- Helpful images supporting key points
- Effective info-graphics illustrating complex concepts or data
- Clear calls-to-action driving clicks/conversions
Finally, actively surveying readers provides invaluable insight into how they perceive value. Ask targeted questions through anonymous feedback forms to identify:
- Reasons they originally subscribed and factors that maintain loyalty long-term
- Most/least valuable newsletter sections
- Topics or angles they want covered more extensively
- Suggestions for overall improvements
Let data guide editorial decisions, not assumptions or ego. Readers vote with their time and money. Serve them faithfully and they will reward you for it.
Promote Smartly & Strategically
Even the very best content falls flat without aggressive promotion across a variety channels.
First ask current subscribers to share or forward your signup links to potentially interested colleagues. Satisfied readers become your biggest allies.
Post newsletter highlights natively on aligned social networks like Twitter, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn and Instagram. Include strong calls to sign up.
Look for relevant online communities like Reddit and Quora where you can provide helpful responses mentioning your publication. Ensure genuine value-add before any soft self-promotion.
Consider partnerships with non-competing but similarly aligned influencers and brands who can cross-promote your newsletter to their audiences. Coordinate this co-marketing for maximum mutual benefit.
Submit your newsletter to online databases of publications like Feedspot to get discovered by wider range of prospective subscribers.
Guest post articles on industry blogs showcasing your expertise while linking back to your newsletter at the end for interested readers.
Issue social media graphics for current subscribers to easily share previewing upcoming releases and topics to continue momentum and buzz.
Track acquisition channels to determine most fertile subscriber sourcing avenues worth doubling down on.
Continually Optimize operations
Treat your newsletter business like a true media organization, relentlessly analyzing data to make improvements.
Dig into metrics like:
- Open rates
- Click-through rates
- Bounce rates
- Unsubscribe rates
- Subscriber churn
- Email delivery success
- Sales revenue
Compare performance across factors like:
- Days/Times sent
- Subject lines
- Issue topics
- Sections/formats
- Calls to action
- Promotional channels
Look for patterns that identify winning combinations worth reinforcing and losing ones needing revamping.
A/B test changes to confirm statistical significance before rolling out more widely.
Never stand still — continually search for incremental optimizations around the edges that boost KPIs upward. Improvement compounds over time.
Ready to Take the Plunge?
You made it through! Hopefully this nearly 3000 word blueprint clearly outlined all key steps and considerations around researching, launching and monetizing a profitable newsletter business.
This is absolutely the right time to tap into surging demand for expert perspectives while carving out your own distinct niche community.
Stay intensely focused on delivering massive value to readers and the financial results will follow.
I wish you the best of luck building what could become a very lucrative subscription publication serving your chosen niche for many years to come!
Please drop any outstanding questions in comments below. I will help address them. Now get out there and start creating 🙂
