How to Build and Grow a Newsletter as a Business Model

[Andy Black]

I'd say it's easy to be in the top 10% with a local newsletter...

Dylan Redekop on LinkedIn: Are local newsletters good businesses? Short answer: YES Ryan Sneddon…

Are local newsletters good businesses? Short answer: YES Ryan Sneddon has been building Naptown Scoop for 3.5 years and now with sights on $1M in annual…

www.linkedin.com

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I'd say it's easy to be in the top 10% with a local newsletter...

I love, love this idea.

 

[Andy Black]

I love, love this idea.

There's an old podcast somewhere where Nathan Barry talks about a local Boise newsletter he started and is growing. I'll dig it out and link to it.

Follow the links in that LinkedIn post i shared above and you should be able to listen to the full podcast when it comes out. I subscribed to the Sparkloop podcast just now so I can listen to it.

I love the idea of localised newsletters/email lists, even if it's a big national newsletter and people are segmented by location (or maybe starts that way).

I also love the idea of doing a newsletter, website/directory, and social media accounts for my town of 22k and county of 220k.

Facebook pages would be great for local, and Twitter accounts are often used to keep locals up to date with local outages, weather reports, school closures, sporting fixtures/results, etc.

Also... I've mentioned this a few times in the forum for those getting started: They could go round local businesses with a camera round their neck saying they're going to add them to the local directory/newsletter. Record and edit videos and send them to the business so they can put them on their own social media accounts or website.

They could also create simple websites for free on the directory for those that don't have websites. I do this all the time for friends who want little websites. I create demarcocleaning.mycountyonline.co.uk and often run Google Ads for free for them.

I'm pretty sure you'd build your network of local business owners faster than joining the local chamber. And who wouldn't want to help a youngster who has initiative, and which business owner wouldn't think a youngester understand the online world better than them anyway?

I'll loop in @Lex DeVille in case he's still working on local Facebook groups etc.

 

[Andy Black]

Wait...

Beehiiv uses Sendgrid?

Tyler Denk on LinkedIn: Before we launched beehiiv in 2021 we had a meeting with SendGrid to help… | 19 comments

Before we launched beehiiv in 2021 we had a meeting with SendGrid to help setup our account. I told them one day we're going to be their largest account and… | 19 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

 

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[DoTheWork]

There's an old podcast somewhere where Nathan Barry talks about a local Boise newsletter he started and is growing. I'll dig it out and link to it.

Follow the links in that LinkedIn post i shared above and you should be able to listen to the full podcast when it comes out. I subscribed to the Sparkloop podcast just now so I can listen to it.

I love the idea of localised newsletters/email lists, even if it's a big national newsletter and people are segmented by location (or maybe starts that way).

I also love the idea of doing a newsletter, website/directory, and social media accounts for my town of 22k and county of 220k.

Facebook pages would be great for local, and Twitter accounts are often used to keep locals up to date with local outages, weather reports, school closures, sporting fixtures/results, etc.

Also... I've mentioned this a few times in the forum for those getting started: They could go round local businesses with a camera round their neck saying they're going to add them to the local directory/newsletter. Record and edit videos and send them to the business so they can put them on their own social media accounts or website.

They could also create simple websites for free on the directory for those that don't have websites. I do this all the time for friends who want little websites. I create demarcocleaning.mycountyonline.co.uk and often run Google Ads for free for them.

I'm pretty sure you'd build your network of local business owners faster than joining the local chamber. And who wouldn't want to help a youngster who has initiative, and which business owner wouldn't think a youngester understand the online world better than them anyway?

I'll loop in @Lex DeVille in case he's still working on local Facebook groups etc.

Andrew Wilkinson of Tiny started a local news publication called Capital Daily for his hometown. Can't remember if he's shared revenue numbers (he probably has) but it got very popular.

 

[random_username]

Wait...

Beehiiv uses Sendgrid?

Tyler Denk on LinkedIn: Before we launched beehiiv in 2021 we had a meeting with SendGrid to help… | 19 comments

Before we launched beehiiv in 2021 we had a meeting with SendGrid to help setup our account. I told them one day we're going to be their largest account and… | 19 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

Unless I'm missing something obvious, they are in a completely different class of product. Is there any reason why wouldn't they use Sendgrid? Sendgrid is in same category as Postmark, as a foundational part of tech process, beehiv is directed at marketers.

 

[Andy Black]

Unless I'm missing something obvious, they are in a completely different class of product. Is there any reason why wouldn't they use Sendgrid? Sendgrid is in same category as Postmark, as a foundational part of tech process, beehiv is directed at marketers.

We use Sendgrid for transactional emails and I've been looking at the likes of Beehiiv, ConvertKit, etc for marketing emails. Maybe we just use Sendgrid.

 

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[Andy Black]

There's an old podcast somewhere where Nathan Barry talks about a local Boise newsletter he started and is growing. I'll dig it out and link to it.

@MJ DeMarco ... I can't find the podcast I listened to a while back, but here's a write-up Nathan did on his blog:

How we grew a local newsletter to 10,000 subscribers

In December 2020 I was hanging out with my family at a cabin in the mountains brainstorming what a local newsletter for Boise could look like. I've been a fan of what Andrew Wilkinson has done with Capital Daily for Victoria, BC and

nathanbarry.com

 

[StrikingViper69]

@MJ DeMarco ... I can't find the podcast I listened to a while back, but here's a write-up Nathan did on his blog:

How we grew a local newsletter to 10,000 subscribers

In December 2020 I was hanging out with my family at a cabin in the mountains brainstorming what a local newsletter for Boise could look like. I've been a fan of what Andrew Wilkinson has done with Capital Daily for Victoria, BC and

nathanbarry.com

An impressive way to spend $62k. Looks like he’s burning cash with, as he said, “no clear path to profitability”.

 

[Andy Black]

An impressive way to spend $62k. Looks like he’s burning cash with, as he said, “no clear path to profitability”.

I think there's pretty clear paths to profitability. It's like a local newspaper so advertising is the first revenue stream that springs to mind.

He did say there's cheaper ways to grow that would have required more of his time. Given he's the founder of ConvertKit then it makes sense he pays other people to create the content and the Facebook campaigns.

 

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[StrikingViper69]

I think there's pretty clear paths to profitability. It's like a local newspaper so advertising is the first revenue stream that springs to mind.

He did say there's cheaper ways to grow that would have required more of his time. Given he's the founder of ConvertKit then it makes sense he pays other people to create the content and the Facebook campaigns.

Paths to revenue, not necessarily profitability. And the cheaper ways involved learning several skills which could take months to a year or two to master

Given how much he’s spending and how much it’s bringing in, it looks more like a hobby/charity project than a business

 

[Andy Black]

Paths to revenue, not necessarily profitability. And the cheaper ways involved learning several skills which could take months to a year or two to master

Given how much he’s spending and how much it’s bringing in, it looks more like a hobby/charity project than a business

A few posts up I link to a LinkedIn post where a guy is targeting $1m/year revenue for his 18k local newsletter.

 

[StrikingViper69]

A few posts up I link to a LinkedIn post where a guy is targeting $1m/year revenue for his 18k local newsletter.

Yeah that looked pretty impressive. What’s he doing differently to Nathan Barry?

 

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[Andy Black]

Yeah that looked pretty impressive. What’s he doing differently to Nathan Barry?

Nathan Barry's main business is ConvertKit. I guess he's partly doing the local newsletter as an itch he can't scratch, and partly as a case study for how ConvertKit can be used for local newsletters. If local newsletters became the next gold rush then he'd be well placed to sell shovels.

 

[StrikingViper69]

Nathan Barry's main business is ConvertKit. I guess he's partly doing the local newsletter as an itch he can't scratch, and partly as a case study for how ConvertKit can be used for local newsletters. If local newsletters became the next gold rush then he'd be well placed to sell shovels.

I was also thinking that’s the entire point of Nathan’s business experiment

 

[Andy Black]

That podcast is out. Not listened to it yet.

THE BLURB:

This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Ryan Sneddon of Naptown Scoop, a pioneering local newsletter dedicated to Annapolis, Maryland.

In less than four years, Ryan's grown Naptown Scoop to a full-fledged local media business with a small staff and a target annual revenue of $350k. He plans to grow to over $1M in revenue in the upcoming few years—all from a local newsletter with under 18k subscribers.

In this episode, Dylan & Ryan explore:

* The Genesis of Naptown Scoop: How Ryan's dissatisfaction with traditional employment pathways led him to create a local newsletter that now connects thousands.
* Overcoming Growth Challenges: Strategies and insights on expanding a local newsletter's reach and engagement, including the pivotal role of community involvement.
* Monetization Pathways: From direct advertising to innovative community events, Ryan shares how Naptown Scoop has turned local attention into a thriving business model.
* The Power of Local Influence: How owning a local newsletter opens unparalleled opportunities for business ventures, partnerships, and community impact.
* Future Visions: Ryan's ambitious plans for Naptown Scoop and advice for aspiring newsletter creators looking to make a difference in their communities.
* ...and much more, including Ryan's candid thoughts on the balance between being a local 'celebrity' and a committed newsletter operator.

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED
Naptown Scoop newsletter
The Life of Scoop newsletter
Ryan on LinkedIn
Ryan on Twitter
Dylan on Twitter/X
SparkLoop's Paid Recommendations — the game-changing way to instantly monetize your newsletter.
SparkLoop Partner Programs — grow your newsletter at 10x speed.
SparkLoop Affiliate Contest — recommend other newsletters to SparkLoop for a chance to win a FREE trip to Cancun!

LINK:

Send & Grow by SparkLoop - How to build a local newsletter business — with Ryan Sneddon of Naptown Scoop

Enjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE >> ================================== Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week...

podcasts.google.com

 

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[Andy Black]

Didn't know this. ConvertKit has a "Newsletter" option that allows up to 10k subs for free.

 

[DoTheWork]

Didn't know this. ConvertKit has a "Newsletter" option that allows up to 10k subs for free.
View attachment 55217

I saw that. It used to be 1,000. Pretty impressive. Haven't seen any other providers with such a great free plan.

Also great that they let you test out their automations and sequences in this plan instead of restricting it entirely. Seems like a great way for people to see the value in the automation and upgrade their plan.

Funny enough, I just downgraded by plan to free yesterday, but would've done that regardless of limit change.

 

[Andy Black]

Not sure what this is. Saving it here:

Sponsy | Sponsorship manager for newsletters

Spreadsheets don't scale, Sponsy does. Powerful slots overview and management, integrated CRM, split work across your team, build on top of our API and automate your workflow. Not only for newsletters. Also works for podcast, youtube and any other type of publication.

getsponsy.com

 

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[Andy Black]

Good tips about welcome emails:

Matt McGarry on LinkedIn: How To Write A Welcome Email

I've written welcome emails for 25+ newsletters. The truth is, a great one can turn a casual reader into a champion of your newsletter. Here's how to write…

www.linkedin.com

 

[Andy Black]

How cool. An agency dedicated to growing newsletters with paid ads:
betterletter.co

 

[Hermit]

Types of Newsletters

Here are some different types of newsletters:

• Curated newsletters. By far the most common type of a newsletter these days. The editor provides a weekly (or more frequent) roundup of news from the industry/niche, interesting articles to read, etc. This type of content is easy to produce since your job is to find, read, and filter the best resources for your subscribers. You don't have to be an expert and you don't have to write much except for a paragraph or two explaining why you decided to share it. Example: Midlife Health, Wealth, and Personal Growth | Further (in this case the editor expands more on the links he shares)
• Expert newsletters. Also a very common model. If you're an expert in something, you write for your newsletter as if you were to write for your blog or another platform. You can write your commentaries on the news, provide how-to articles, or report your own stories like journalists do. Example: Marketing Examples - The finest real world marketing examples
• Hybrid curated/expert. You share links to third-party articles/news and give your take on them. With this type, you don't have to be as knowledgeable about it as if you were the "proper" expert. Just enough knowledge to understand the industry may be sufficient. Example: The Publish Press
• Research newsletters. You share with your subscribers your own analysis of something. What's more important here than understanding everything about a certain topic is your ability to synthesize knowledge. This is a very popular choice for business newsletters. Example: Trends.vc — Discover new markets and ideas
• Opportunities newsletters. Usually in finance/business, you share with your readers new opportunities, such as new opportunities to invest money, new business models to explore, etc. This is similar to expert newsletters, only more focused on a specific theme (like a new business idea each week) and not general how-to advice. Example: Contrarian Thinking
• Student newsletters. You can become an expert in something by launching a newsletter in which you'll share how you're learning a given topic. Instead of pretending you know all the answers you're sharing your challenges, book notes, successes and mistakes, etc. Eventually you may transition from this type into a "proper" expert newsletter. Example:
• Discomfort Club (this is my new newsletter; instead of pretending I'm an expert I'm providing book notes and my thoughts as I learn about this topic).

This is gold.

 

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[Andy Black]

The New Website Builder ✨

Select, Style, Ship. No code required.

product.beehiiv.com

 

[Hermit]

Not yet that big of a concern for me to scale it fast as I still need to find my unique voice for this project but here are a few ideas:

• Promoting my newsletter a bit more often in the David Goggins subreddit where I'm active.
• Using Reddit Ads for bigger subreddits where I don't want to post but where an ad could work.
• Buying more ads in relevant newsletters.
• Sponsoring YouTube creators in my niche.
• Sponsoring podcasts in my niche.
• Play with SparkLoop — The #1 Referral Tool For Newsletters (referral marketing). At $99/month it doesn't make sense now but may be useful in the future.
• Google search should account for some traffic soon as my articles are very long and should be eventually found when people search for the books I cover.

I also just answered all Reddit posts I could find in the top results of Google where people ask for books similar to David Goggins's Can't Hurt Me and linked to my heavily upvoted post in r/davidgoggins. That post in turn leads to my website. Since I linked to this Reddit post and not directly to my website I hope my comments won't get removed and will drive some consistent traffic.

I think that the biggest challenge for newsletters is to get to 1,000 people. After that, word of mouth should help grow faster.

Any thoughts on using Quora to drive traffic? I used to be a heavy reddit user years ago and it was a cesspit even then, so I'm not too keen on getting my boots dirty there if I can avoid it.

 

[MTF]

Any thoughts on using Quora to drive traffic? I used to be a heavy reddit user years ago and it was a cesspit even then, so I'm not too keen on getting my boots dirty there if I can avoid it.

I used Quora heavily years ago, even had some posts reach over 1 million views... But inevitably, if you use it to drive traffic to your website, they'll remove your answers or ban your account. They don't like external links so it's too risky of a platform, at least for organic traffic. Quora Ads may be different.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Quora Ads may be different.

I think this format might be promising, the ads blend in really nicely and it gives you a chance to deliver value in the ad. Many times I find myself reading some of the ads, not knowing they are ads. The key is, if the ad delivers value as a response, it likely will generate a click.