Best Practices for Creating Newsletter Content

Why do some newsletters get 50% open rates… while others get ignored? I studied 100+ top-performing newsletters, and found 6 things they all do differently: 1. Crystal-clear positioning Readers don’t subscribe because they like you. They subscribe because you help them solve a specific problem. Examples: • Lenny’s Newsletter: Product management career advice for PMs, by PMs • The Generalist: Tech and investment insights for senior tech & investing professionals Clear positioning = higher open rates, stronger loyalty, and better monetization. 2. Killer subject lines High-performing ones tend to be: • Curiosity-driven: “The weird growth hack most creators miss” • Benefit-focused: “5 frameworks to double your freelance rates” • Personal: “I lost $10K building my first product” • Timely: “New LinkedIn algorithm changes (June 2024)” ❌ "Your daily business update..." ✅ "Apple just killed an entire industry..." Pro tip: Write 5–7 subject lines. Pick the strongest. Never settle for your first draft. 3. Strong hooks You have 3 seconds to convince readers they made the right choice opening your email. The best newsletter hooks: • Speak to a specific pain point • Make a bold, unexpected claim • Start with a mini-story • Ask a thought-provoking question Example from Justin Welsh: "We live in a world that's obsessed with certificates, diplomas, and structured learning. The kind of learning that's neatly packaged into college degrees or training programs. But what if the traditional ways that we've approached learning and education, especially in business, are flawed? 4. Use a simple structure This 5-part structure keeps things fast + focused: • What's the main problem readers face? • What's the common (but flawed) fix? • Why doesn't it work? • What's a better solution? • What's one action they can take today? I write newsletters in 45 minutes using this. Without it? 3+ hours staring at a blank screen. 5. Scannable formatting People don’t read, they skim. Make it easy: • Short paragraphs • Subheaders that tell a story • Bullet points • Bold key takeaways 6. They edit ruthlessly After writing: • Cut 20% of the words • Ensure the writing follows the what-why-how structure (what it is? why it’s important? how it can help the reader?) • Read it aloud to catch awkward phrasing • Read on a different device when editing (laptop → phone) 3 common mistakes to avoid: 1. The "Me, Me, Me" Newsletter Successful newsletters focus relentlessly on the reader's problems, not the writer's wins. Every issue should answer "What's in it for me?" 2. Breaking News (Instead of Breaking It Down) Focus on the “so what?”, not the headline. How does this news apply to your readers? What should they do about it? 3. Publishing Without Purpose Every issue should educate, inspire, or persuade. If it doesn’t, rework it.

We started a biweekly newsletter 1.5 years ago to diversify beyond LinkedIn. Our approach: built an actual media format that front-loads value instead of directly pitching the service. So far we have 5k subs and a 50% open rate. How it works: Most of our organic content goes right here on LinkedIn. It’s still the best channel for reaching an audience. But like all social media, it’s a rented audience. We depend on the platform/algorithm, which we don’t control. If our account gets disabled or our reach drops, we risk losing our main acquisitions channel. That’s one reason we encourage our LinkedIn readers to subscribe to our Content Founder newsletter. The Content Founder is our owned audience. We know who it reaches, independent of any algorithm. It’s a great way to diversify risk in the attention economy. More importantly - LinkedIn has a 3,000 character limit. We can offer much more value when we expand the format. We grew our initial audience by publishing lead magnets on LinkedIn: • Notion templates • content founder breakdowns • an educational email course We gave those away for free to anyone who shared their email. More recently, we’ve been publishing newsletter previews as posts on LinkedIn to drive new signups. Each newsletter issue follows the same structure: 1. Personal intro 2. Anchor topic - a tactical breakdown with actionable advice 3. Coffee inspo - short updates + random stuff (favorite deodorant, cool book, etc.) 4. Content Founder spotlight - someone who built a personal brand led business 5. Highlight a song we love + link to our Spotify playlist We pick anchor topics at the start of the month from LinkedIn posts that performed well. We repurpose them into a newsletter with all the info we couldn’t fit into 3,000 characters. That’s how we maintain the 2 newsletter/month cadence. PS. in this video, I explain our newsletter strategy and talk about a new format we’ve been testing. Check it out :)

How to build trust with your Supporters and access their Networks In the whirlwind of building a business, momentum is fueled by more than product launches or sales milestones it’s driven by people. These are the champions of your vision: early adopters, advisors, network connections, former colleagues, fellow alumni spread around the world. They’re the ones who can open doors, troubleshoot obstacles, or make a key introduction at the perfect moment, but only if they know what you’re working on. But how is this best achieved? This is a challenge we have all face but the answer is simple, write a regular, personal newsletter focused on highlighting your Progress, Challenges and those key Asks. The structure should be clear, consistent and brief. Here's what I suggest. 1. 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 This sets the tone and personalises this communication. This is no company newsletter. 2. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬 People want to share in your victories and feel your forward momentum. Pick the most exciting developments: 🎉 New clients or strategic partnerships 🚀 Feature launches or product improvements 📈 Growth milestones (revenue, user base, etc.) 🤝 Key hires or team expansions 3. 𝐋𝐚𝐲 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 Senior professionals and investors value transparency. Share critical metrics to give a clear picture of where you stand. Being upfront about your key numbers builds credibility and helps everyone understand your trajectory. 4. 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 No journey is without bumps. Candidly discuss what’s stalling and how you’re tackling it. Vulnerability doesn’t undercut your strength; it invites problem-solvers to lend their expertise. 5. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐤: 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 This is where support takes shape. Remember your network wants to help. 🎯 Introductions to key decision-makers 👥 Referrals to identify new hires 📣 Invitation to feedback on product road map 6. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 Keep your supporters aligned with your vision by sharing upcoming plans: 🛠️ Forthcoming features or releases 🌍 Scheduled events 💼 Fundraising goals or timelines 7. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 Include links which your supporters can share - Open positions - Press mentions or customer success stories - Your pitch deck (if relevant) These make it effortless for readers to take action or share your news. Whether you’re in Scotland or anywhere across the globe, community is the engine of progress. Regular (no more than monthly) updates turn that philosophy into action: they inform, inspire, and galvanize. The key is consistency, clarity and honesty in all your communication but remember this newsletter will hopefully be shared so don't include any confidential information. Let your supporters help you build.

"I read your newsletter.” “Oh yeah? What do you think?” “I like it. It’s… pretty random though.” …Huh. Was that a compliment? A critique? I’ve been turning that line over in my head for a few weeks now. Because they’re not wrong, the Newsletter isn’t always neat or narrowly focused. Some weeks it’s about marketing strategy. Some weeks it’s brand storytelling. Sometimes it’s a reflection on burnout, leadership, or just the weirdness of trying to build things online. That’s the point. Growth, like creativity, rarely follows a linear path. Neither does this newsletter. It is random. But it’s not aimless. So this week I wrote about the core beliefs that shaped my newsletter into what it is: 1)Small experiments > big assumptions Growth rarely comes from grand plans. It comes from testing, tweaking, and doing the work in public. The newsletter is one big experiment and that’s the fun of it. 2)Thinking out loud is underrated Writing helps clarify ideas. Sharing those ideas helps pressure-test them. This is a place for working things out, not just broadcasting things that are already done. 3)Curiosity is a growth skill The best growth marketers aren’t the ones who “know everything.” They’re the ones who keep asking better questions. This newsletter is built around that mindset. 4)Momentum beats motivation I don’t always feel inspired. But I do feel responsible to keep showing up. And once I start writing, things usually click. This is a practice, not a performance. 5)You’re allowed to evolve Some weeks I write about paid ads. Some weeks it’s brand building, founder marketing, or community. It changes because I change. So do you. That’s normal. 6)Connection > distribution I’d rather have 5,000 readers who get it than 50,000 who skim it. The Growth Note isn’t content for the algorithm. It’s for people doing real work. 7)The boring stuff matters Growth is often unsexy. Better onboarding. Faster load times. Cleaner copy. I love shining a light on the work that actually drives compounding results. 8)Takes aren’t helpful without context There are enough LinkedIn hot takes. I’m more interested in why something worked, when it didn’t, and what it looked like in the real world. 9)This is a long game I’m not trying to go viral. I’m trying to build trust. I hope this newsletter becomes something people look forward to, not just a flash in their inbox. 10)Growth isn’t just a job, it’s a lens It’s how we solve problems. How we think about leverage. How we get a little more efficient, a little more creative, a little more impactful. That’s what this is all about. So yeah it’s a little random. But it’s intentional. It’s honest. And it’s mine.

Academics: if your research lives only in journal PDFs… you’re leaving impact on the table. A LinkedIn newsletter turns your expertise into a series people can subscribe to (and actually get notified about). Because when someone subscribes, LinkedIn can show them updates in-feed, and, depending on their settings, send notifications and an email when you publish. And importantly: anyone can discover, read, and share your newsletter, while members can subscribe. It works well for me. Here’s the play: 1. Pick ONE “research theme” Not your whole department. One theme you can own for 6–12 months. Example: "Decarbonisation by Prof Hanak”. 2. Turn papers into episodes Each issue = one idea. The goal isn’t to impress reviewers. It’s to help smart non-specialists apply your thinking. 3. Use the 3-line promise Hook (one line). What they’ll learn (one line). Who it’s for (one line). (Then earn the click.) 4. Write like a human Start with the problem you’re solving. Then the insight. Then the “so what”. Add the citation/link at the end for those who want the full method. 5. Make it scannable Short lines. White space. Simple headings. Your newsletter is read by busy people between meetings (and on phones). 6. Close with an invitation End with a question, or a P.S. that tells people what to do next. Example: “P.S. Want the template I use to turn a paper into a newsletter issue?” Keep a publishing rhythm you can sustain Monthly is better than weekly-that-dies-in-3-weeks. Consistency builds trust (and subscribers). If you’re an academic: what would your newsletter be called—and what’s issue number 1? #science #research #scientist #researcher #publishing #professor #phd #postdoc #postgraduate #leadership #impact

Thought leadership content is a powerful way for professional services firms to showcase expertise, build trust, and position themselves as industry authorities. By providing valuable insights and addressing client concerns, you can create content that truly resonates. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Address Key Client Questions Focus on the issues that matter most to your audience. What challenges do they face? What questions do they frequently ask? Examples: “How Does the No-Fault Divorce Law Affect Me?” “Preparing for an Employment Tribunal: Essential Steps.” “What Every Small Business Owner Should Know About Tax Planning.” Tip: Use tools like Google Trends or FAQs from client interactions to identify relevant topics. 2️⃣ Provide Unique Insights Go beyond surface-level information by offering actionable advice and perspectives based on your expertise. Include anonymised case studies or client examples to demonstrate real-world applications. Explain the implications of legal changes and how clients should respond. Example: Instead of just summarising a new regulation, outline practical steps clients can take to adapt. 3️⃣ Diversify Your Formats Using different content formats helps reach a broader audience and keeps your messaging fresh. Examples: Blog posts: Dive into specific legal topics. Webinars: Host discussions on trending issues. Infographics: Visual guides for complex processes. Whitepapers: Comprehensive resources for in-depth exploration. Tip: Test different formats to see what engages your audience most effectively. 4️⃣ Prioritise Clarity and Accessibility Professional content doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and client-focused. Use clear language and avoid jargon. Clients value understanding over technical terms. Organise content with subheadings, bullet points, and visuals to make it easy to navigate. Tip: Write as if explaining to someone unfamiliar with the topic. 5️⃣ Promote Strategically Great content is only effective if it reaches your audience. Distribute it across key channels to maximise visibility. Share posts on LinkedIn, newsletters, and your website. Encourage your team to amplify the reach by sharing on their profiles. Repurpose content into smaller pieces for social media, like turning a blog into multiple LinkedIn posts. Example: Use a blog on workplace rights to create short LinkedIn tips for employees. 6️⃣ Track and Optimise Results Monitor how your content performs and use the data to refine your strategy. Metrics to Track: Page views, time on site, shares, and conversions. Tip: Identify successful topics and formats, then double down on what works best. Thought leadership isn’t just about sharing knowledge—it’s about providing value and clarity to your audience. By focusing on your clients’ needs and delivering actionable content, your firm can strengthen trust, establish authority, and inspire confidence. 💬 What topics do you think would resonate most with your clients?

I write newsletters for the CEO of a $100M company. Here’re 3 uncommon hacks I use to *always* nail their voice: 1/ Style Guide One of the first things I do when I start working with a client: I ask if they have an internal document describing their writing style & voice. Now, if they don’t have one (most people don’t), here’s what I do: I ask them for 3-5 pieces of content they’ve written themselves & are very proud of. Then, I use my proprietary AI prompts to analyze their writing & create a style guide for them. By creating this asset upfront, I save myself dozens of hours worth of future edits. And I make sure my clients are always excited to read the emails we’re creating. 2/ Transcripts 90% of the newsletter content I write for this client actually comes from their YouTube channel. And not just the topics - but even the “words.” The way I think about it is: Every YouTube video they’ve created is a “pre-approved” piece of content. So whenever I’m working on an email, I always get the transcript of the video I sourced the topic from. Then, I use that as my outline - and try to make the least amount of tweaks possible (from a “voice” perspective). That way, I can minimize the risk of “deviating” from their voice even more. (You can also use this technique if your client has a podcast, by the way.) 3/ Claude Projects Last year I started creating a dedicated Claude project for each client I work with. And it’s been ridiculously helpful. Inside each project, I upload: • The style guide I mentioned earlier • A PDF of my client’s LinkedIn profile • A PDF version of all their landing pages • A prompt with any additional context needed • As many “approved” writing samples as possible And by feeding all this data to the AI model upfront, the quality of the output increases 100x. Basically, it’s like having a writing assistant who not only knows everything about my client… But also knows exactly how to write in their voice. Needless to say, I use these projects to streamline almost every part of the writing process: • Coming up with topics • Outlining the newsletters • Extracting content from transcripts • Brainstorming subject line & PS variations And it’s 1 of the big reasons I can work with this client while also having so many other things going on. And that’s it! Found this helpful? Let me know below which hack was your favorite.

If I had to build my 60,000+ subscriber newsletter again from scratch today Here’s the 6 things I’d do ⬇️ Story time: starting my newsletter I went against a lot of best practices and yet I grew to 60,000 subscribers and over $180k in sponsor revenue in year 2. Sharing my tips below… ➡️ 1. The 50 Subject Line test Most newsletters fail because they pick a topic they *should* talk about and not something they are passionate about talking about. If you can’t write the newsletter for a year, you won’t see significant money. Sit down and write 50 subject lines about all the things you’d want to write about. Then categorize them and figure out who would benefit from those. ➡️ 2. Th 10 person survey I’d next find 10 people who fit that description and ask if you could send the first few newsletters to them for feedback. This gets you into the rhythm of producing while ensuring your format resonates. ➡️ 3. The 6 month test Once you’ve received feedback, I’d commit to a 6 month test of one format. Most newsletters fail because they simply can’t stay consistent. Sponsors and subscribers are looking for stability. Build the muscle of showing up. ➡️ 4. The 90/10 sales rule Most of you are starting a newsletter as a sales vehicle to your products…. And that’s OK but I’m starting to see newsletters that don’t add any value. They just sell. Focus on 90% value. 10% sales. This increases your referrals because no one refers commercials but they do refer documentaries. ➡️ 5. Network effects There are two network effects I’d focus on right from the beginning: - who do I know that reaches my audience on social? - who do I know that reaches my audience via email? Find 5 people in both cohorts who is just a few steps ahead of you and ask for a shoutout in exchange for a dedicated promotion of their product when you hit 10,000 subscribers. Here’s a sample script to steal: Hey ______! I love your content about X helping Y achieve Z. 6 months ago I started a newsletter helping those same people solve the following pain points: - pain point - pain point - pain point I’m now confident in the format, value and feedback I’ve received and looking to partner with a few people to help cross promote each other’s content. I know I’m a few steps behind you so I’d do a promo now and then again when I hit 10k as part of my 10k celebration! Here’s the copy for the promotion so you can see what (newsletter) is all about: Insert Promo copy Let me know what you think! Appreciate you, Name ➡️ 6. Inject yourself Many newsletters miss the opportunity to build emotional connection with their audience. Ways to build connection: - images - life updates - stories Those are the 6 things I’d do if I was starting my newsletter again today from scratch before I ever touched paid marketing. Let me know what you think!

Most B2B newsletters get archived or ignored. There’s a key that almost every company overlooks. When I was in-house at ActiveCampaign, the newsletter was my most important project. Makes sense, right? At the time, we were an email marketing company without a best-in-class newsletter. Now I run my own newsletter to 13,000 readers. The biggest growth lever for me (without a huge brand behind me) was to stop treating it like a content checkbox and started treating it like a relationship loop. It's one of 4 loops I use with clients (content IP, discovery loop, virality loop, relationship loop). Discovery gets you found. Virality gets you shared. But the relationship loop builds the trust that shortens sales cycles and makes you their favorite. Lots to read on the image, so here’s the 5 most important: 1. Sound like a work friend - Under no circumstance are you allowed to use corporate content voice. 2. Zero-click value. All the value, right in the email. 3. Feels scarce - Info they can’t get anywhere else. Hype/promote it elsewhere, but all the value is in the email. 4. Unique premise - Unlike every other newsletter about X, only we Y. 5. No excuse - There’s a few newsletters I never skip because I know I’m going to get value. Some bc I know I’ll get value in <30 seconds. Others because they’re longform and will make me better/smarter. Different, but don’t give your audience an excuse to skip it. Most company newsletters fail at layer 1. They get polished into oblivion by too many stakeholders until they sound like... nothing. 3 blogs in a trenchcoat, more or less. The best ones make the reader wonder how this newsletter is still free. That's what builds pipeline over time. Relationships. ⚡️ PS - Don't let your newsletter become a checkbox. "We should have one." Cool. Why? To create a ___________.

Not sending a newsletter? You should be. It's your number one buyer enablement tool --> IF you do it right. I get dozens of newsletters a week. Most of them are instantly deleted. Because they are doing the opposite of what your newsletter actually should do. What ends up in the trash (or unsubscribe): "Our Q4 wins and what's coming in 2025!" "Case study roundup: 3 brands we helped this month" "Meet our new strategist and check out our latest blog posts" What buyers actually want to know: "How do I know if we need outside help?" "What questions should I be asking agencies?" "How do I build internal support for this project?" "What should I expect this process to cost?" Your newsletter should enable buying decisions, not announce your capabilities. Buyer-enabled newsletter content: → "5 signs your rebrand project will fail (and how to prevent it)" → "What to expect in your first 90 days working with an agency" → "The questions your CEO will ask about this project (and how to answer them)" → "Why most rebrands take 6 months longer than planned" The goal isn't to generate immediate leads. The goal is to make prospects feel confident about moving forward when they're ready. Your newsletter isn't marketing. It's pre-sales support for people who aren't ready to buy yet. That's a buyer enablement content strategy in action.