1. 🔍 Problem
Advertising affects incentives.
Advertising affects incentives.
2. 💡 Solution
Write for your readers. Not advertisers.
Write for your readers. Not advertisers.
3. 🏁 Paid Newsletters
🔘 Stratechery (@stratechery)
🔘 Sinocism (@sinocism)
🔘 Off The Chain (@APompliano)
🔘 Fintech Today (@fintechtoday_)
🔘 HEATED (@emorwee)
🔘 Stratechery (@stratechery)
🔘 Sinocism (@sinocism)
🔘 Off The Chain (@APompliano)
🔘 Fintech Today (@fintechtoday_)
🔘 HEATED (@emorwee)
4. 🏁 Paid Newsletters (con't)
🔘 SHERO (@girlsreallyrule)
🔘 Explorers Club (@craigmod)
🔘 GrowthList (@KintuLabs)
🔘 Power Plays (@linzsports)
🔘 Scott’s Cheap Flights (@scottsflights)
🔘 SHERO (@girlsreallyrule)
🔘 Explorers Club (@craigmod)
🔘 GrowthList (@KintuLabs)
🔘 Power Plays (@linzsports)
🔘 Scott’s Cheap Flights (@scottsflights)
5. 🏁 Platforms
⚪ Substack (@SubstackInc)
⚪ Patreon (@Patreon)
⚪ Pico (@tryPico)
⚪ Revue (@revue)
⚪ Memberful (@memberful)
⚪ Buttondown (@buttondown)
⚪ Campaignzee (@campaignzee)
⚪ Substack (@SubstackInc)
⚪ Patreon (@Patreon)
⚪ Pico (@tryPico)
⚪ Revue (@revue)
⚪ Memberful (@memberful)
⚪ Buttondown (@buttondown)
⚪ Campaignzee (@campaignzee)
6. 🔮 Predictions
✨ New types of newsletters will be created. Need an example? Flow State sends you music every weekday.
flowstate.substack.com
✨ New types of newsletters will be created. Need an example? Flow State sends you music every weekday.
flowstate.substack.com
7. 🔮 Predictions (con't)
✨ Substack will help writers extract more value (and commissions) from their audience.
Their incentives are aligned.
✨ Substack will help writers extract more value (and commissions) from their audience.
Their incentives are aligned.
8. 🔮 Predictions (con't)
✨ It will be hard to cancel writers.
Paid newsletters make you accountable to your audience. Not sponsors or their stakeholders.
dictionary.com/e/people-getti…
✨ It will be hard to cancel writers.
Paid newsletters make you accountable to your audience. Not sponsors or their stakeholders.
dictionary.com/e/people-getti…
9. 🔮 Predictions (con't)
✨ More writers will hold events.
• @theSamParr held a small meetup at his Airbnb with subscribers
• @fintechtoday_ hosts virtual events
✨ More writers will hold events.
• @theSamParr held a small meetup at his Airbnb with subscribers
• @fintechtoday_ hosts virtual events
11. 🔮 Predictions (con't)
✨ Most writers will add products to their offering.
Paid content is a simple way to monetize. But this leaves money on the table.
✨ Most writers will add products to their offering.
Paid content is a simple way to monetize. But this leaves money on the table.
12. 🔮 Predictions (con't)
✨ We will see more newsletter bundles.
Bundling newsletters can lead to more revenue and lower reader acquisition costs.
Check out 'Bundle Magic' by @nbashaw
divinations.substack.com/p/bundle-magic
✨ We will see more newsletter bundles.
Bundling newsletters can lead to more revenue and lower reader acquisition costs.
Check out 'Bundle Magic' by @nbashaw
divinations.substack.com/p/bundle-magic
13. ☁️ Opportunties
🔵 Build a community on top of your newsletter. Use your platform to connect people.
@csallen, @levelsio and @jackbutcher used this content-to-community playbook.
🔵 Build a community on top of your newsletter. Use your platform to connect people.
@csallen, @levelsio and @jackbutcher used this content-to-community playbook.
14. ☁️ Opportunties (con't)
🔵 Reach 1,000 free subscribers then monetize.
@hamishmckenzie estimates a 10% free-to-paid conversion rate if you have:
1. At least 1,000 subscribers
2. At least a 50% open rate
3. Good feedback from your readers
listennotes.com/podcasts/becom…
🔵 Reach 1,000 free subscribers then monetize.
@hamishmckenzie estimates a 10% free-to-paid conversion rate if you have:
1. At least 1,000 subscribers
2. At least a 50% open rate
3. Good feedback from your readers
listennotes.com/podcasts/becom…
15. ☁️ Opportunties (con't)
🔵 Start a podcast.
You’ll reach a new audience that prefers to listen.
trends.vc/trends-0002-po…
🔵 Start a podcast.
You’ll reach a new audience that prefers to listen.
trends.vc/trends-0002-po…
16. ☁️ Opportunties (con't)
🔵 Build a SaaS for your audience.
1. Jane Portman (@uibreakfast) has @userlist
2. Paul Jarvis (@pjrvs) has @usefathom
3. Justin Jackson (@mijustin) has @TransistorFM
Audience-first works.
🔵 Build a SaaS for your audience.
1. Jane Portman (@uibreakfast) has @userlist
2. Paul Jarvis (@pjrvs) has @usefathom
3. Justin Jackson (@mijustin) has @TransistorFM
Audience-first works.
17. ☁️ Opportunties (con't)
🔵 Use your newsletter as a funnel for
• books
• courses
• events
• consulting
🔵 Use your newsletter as a funnel for
• books
• courses
• events
• consulting
18. 😠 Haters
“Reader acquisition costs is a made up term.”
Everything is made up. Stay woke.
“Reader acquisition costs is a made up term.”
Everything is made up. Stay woke.
19. 🔗 Links
How Newsletters Make Money for Writers
Hamish McKenzie (@hamishmckenzie) drops tactical knowledge bombs.
Find out why he recommends charging general audiences $5+/mo and professional audiences $10+/mo. Interview with @BryanJCollins
listennotes.com/podcasts/becom…
How Newsletters Make Money for Writers
Hamish McKenzie (@hamishmckenzie) drops tactical knowledge bombs.
Find out why he recommends charging general audiences $5+/mo and professional audiences $10+/mo. Interview with @BryanJCollins
listennotes.com/podcasts/becom…
20. 🔗 Links (con't)
How to Build a Six-Figure Newsletter Without Anyone Knowing
Glen Allsopp (@ViperChill) shares the stories of several six-figure newsletters.
Great writing. High signal-noise ratio.
gaps.com/six-figure-new…
How to Build a Six-Figure Newsletter Without Anyone Knowing
Glen Allsopp (@ViperChill) shares the stories of several six-figure newsletters.
Great writing. High signal-noise ratio.
gaps.com/six-figure-new…
21. 🔗 Links (con't)
This indie newsletter generated over 10,000 paying subscribers
Robert Cottrell (@robertcottrell) founded @TheBrowser. He shares what he has learned so far. Interview w/ @simonowens
listennotes.com/podcasts/the-b…
This indie newsletter generated over 10,000 paying subscribers
Robert Cottrell (@robertcottrell) founded @TheBrowser. He shares what he has learned so far. Interview w/ @simonowens
listennotes.com/podcasts/the-b…
22. 🔗 Links (con't)
1 Company, 1 Employee: Tearing Down Stratechery’s Pricing
Patrick Campbell (@Patticus), founder of @ProfitWell, explains why Stratechery is priced too low. With data from 1,411 current, former and prospective customers.
priceintelligently.com/blog/strateche…
1 Company, 1 Employee: Tearing Down Stratechery’s Pricing
Patrick Campbell (@Patticus), founder of @ProfitWell, explains why Stratechery is priced too low. With data from 1,411 current, former and prospective customers.
priceintelligently.com/blog/strateche…
23. 🔗 Links (con't)
How My Newsletter for Developers Generates Subscription Revenue
Adam Roberts (@Adam__Roberts) shares how he went from ads to subscriptions.
indiehackers.com/interview/how-…
How My Newsletter for Developers Generates Subscription Revenue
Adam Roberts (@Adam__Roberts) shares how he went from ads to subscriptions.
indiehackers.com/interview/how-…
If you're interested in trends such as
🍳 Cloud Kitchens
🎙️ Podcast Memberships
🏠 Co-Living
💸 ISAs
🥾 Bootstrap Funds
🧱 No-Code
🏋️ Remote Fitness
🌐 Virtual Meetups
🦄 Startup Studios
💌 Paid Newsletters
Check out ⬇️
trends.vc
🍳 Cloud Kitchens
🎙️ Podcast Memberships
🏠 Co-Living
💸 ISAs
🥾 Bootstrap Funds
🧱 No-Code
🏋️ Remote Fitness
🌐 Virtual Meetups
🦄 Startup Studios
💌 Paid Newsletters
Check out ⬇️
trends.vc
