We know firsthand how hard it can be to manage, run, grow, and monetize a newsletter operation. That's why we decided to help other publishers avoid the pitfalls we ran into and get the most out of their newsletters. At Letterhead, we help other publishers master email newsletters, and our tools are trusted by the publishers of over 2,000+ newsletters like Patch, Salon, Tiny News Collective, Techstars, McClatchy, and Snopes.

But let's face it – the environment for publishers is challenging and getting tougher. Ad spending has declined for the last six months and is projected to decrease even further in 2023. And 74% of digital ad spend goes to the big three platform companies. In this climate, first-party data has never been more critical. Publishers need to own their audience directly and control the contact information. Building trust-based, long-term engagement is how publishers get secure revenue and lifetime value. Email is the best channel for this, with a 40:1 ROI as a marketing and engagement channel.

Unfortunately, most publishers are leaving value on the table with their email lists. 90% of publishers say the email channel is vital to the future of their business, but only 22% say their increasing investments are paying off. Publishers have some of the lowest-rated emails according to consumers. It's time to flip the script and get more out of your newsletters. We've put together this comprehensive guide that digs into the key strategies publishers should use to take their operations to the next stage. For now, here's a glimpse into the four strategies to help you do just that:

As a publisher, it's important to understand your audience and their behavior on your website clearly. One way to do this is by tracking reader activity, and one of the most effective ways is by using email addresses.