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31 Comments

How to market a newsletter?

Lean Code Weekly is a weekly curation newsletter than I started in May this year. So far my subscriber list is mostly friends and acquaintances, which I know is the first stage of newsletter growth. I don't have the content available outside the emails, and I'm curious how to effectively market it outside of personal social networks?

Even when I tweet or post on LinkedIn about it, it's mostly "this newsletter is going out to 33 subscribers" - I can't think of a natural way to share this on reddit or hackernews for example. Once the subscriber base is larger then I think large subscriber number is notable enough to share, but any other thoughts and ideas?

  1. 6

    You could start by building an audience on Twitter. It's the only social media left with good organic reach. But don't post link to your issues: tweet interesting and engaging content instead. Study what profiles are doing well in you niche and come up with a similar strategy.

    1. 1

      LinkedIn also has good organic.

      I agree tho, and use Twitter Threads, it will boost your posts

    2. 1

      I have an audience on Twitter already but should probably post about the newsletter more, thanks!

      1. 2

        I meant a dedicated profile for your newsletter 🙂

  2. 3

    ask your current subs what they'd like to see. make them super-happy. this creates a virtuous cycle. it's almost too simple that people forget to just ask.

    :)

    every once in a while i ask my 19k+ newsletter folks what they'd like... i'm never without ideas... and they then expand the audience outward.

    1. 3

      Things are a bit different when you have just a handful of susbcribers. You can shout from the rooftops and ask questions in every issue. But nobody replies. Nothing seems to make a difference until you reach a critical mass.

      I guess having tens of thousand subscribers helps a bit with engagement.

      1. 3

        no, this is not true at all. i literally started this way from the beginning.

        https://www.indiehackers.com/post/dont-miss-an-opportunity-to-deeply-engage-with-new-email-subscribers-and-community-members-290bdfe4fa

        even now, every sub i engage with directly.

        1. 3

          Thanks. Right now I have about 50 subscribers and I have been emailing each new subscriber for the latest dozen or so. Still radio silence. Will keep trying.

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            yikes... makes you wonder why they sub’d...?!?

      2. 2

        Agree with @8bit - this is not true at all.

        One of the nicest things about a newsletter is that people always email you to tell you their thoughts on an article you wrote or shared.

        I think easily half of my newsletter issues (right from the beginning) have received 1 or more emails or messages from friends and subscribers wanting to engage in further conversation or to just tell me they liked something.

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          I'm really glad you're getting so much engagement, not all newsletters are so lucky.

    2. 2

      Great idea! How do you ask your newsletter folks what they'd like to see? Right now I send a weekly newsletter (it includes a request for feedback in the footer) - a one-off email outside of the normal cadence? Or something else?

        1. 2

          Thanks I will read the article :D

  3. 2

    Have you tried repurposing your content and distribute it on other channels? Other than that, content collaboration with other people in your domain might help too.

    I'm running a bi-weekly newsletter, keen to hear your feedback too! @kschmidtdev

    1. 1

      I haven't tried that yet, thanks for the idea!

  4. 2

    Newsletter directories, twitter, SEO blogs. Check out this podcast episode on how to go from 0 to 10,000 subscribers https://newslettercrew.com/podcast/episode-5-0-to-10000-subscribers-and-monetization-with-andrew-kamphey-of-influence-weekly/

    1. 1

      Thank you! I'll listen to it ✅

  5. 2

    Hey - I was having similar growth issues with my newsletter One Week Startup. I found Facebook Groups focused on digital nomads, side-hustles and freelancing to be great growth channels. All you need to do is create a spreadsheet of all of these groups, join them and everytime you send a new edition, go through and post the latest newsletter to each one. It takes about 30-45 minutes depending on how many groups you have but I usually picked up around 50 subs doing it. Very worth it!

    1. 1

      Very interesting, so you post the contents of the newsletter to the group?

      1. 2

        I use Substack so I just post a link to the latest issue to the group

        1. 1

          Ah great makes sense, thank you!

  6. 2

    I would create a tool for web dev and put a banner.

    If you want to I can link to you from my newsletter. It goes to devs and designers.

    But it should the 25th... is a Tuesday.

    1. 1

      Interesting idea, thank you!

  7. 2

    Right now I don't yet have a real strategy. But I'm submitting my newsletter to as many newsletter directories as I can.

  8. 2

    I forgot to add that I've received public praise from existing subscribers in the form of comments on my social media posts about the newsletter, but not sure how to broadcast that further to potential future subscribers..

    1. 2

      what about adding those testimonials on the landing page?

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