6 reasons to start your own newsletter
Go all-in on the topics you care about, escape social media algorithms and earn money for your writing
Newsletters are the word on everyone’s lips (Opens in a new window) in the media business right now. Wondering if it’s time to make the leap yourself? Here are 6 good reasons why you should start your own newsletter.
1. Dive into your niche
Always had a hobby that didn’t quite gel with your regular job? Or maybe you wanted to investigate an issue that keeps you up at night? A newsletter is a great place to do just that. Your newsletter is your dedicated space to chase after whatever takes your fancy.
One great thing about newsletters is that the more personal you make yours, the more of a dedicated audience you’re likely to find. So don’t be afraid to go all-in on the topics that make you tick – with newsletters, the more specific, the better.
2. Develop stronger relationships with your community
One thing many newsletter writers say they find refreshing about the medium is the number of thoughtful, personal responses they receive from their readers. Contrary to hasty social media comments that can often prove divisive, newsletters foster a greater sense of intimacy by staying in the privacy of readers’ inboxes, while still offering them the chance to reply, if they wish.
If your readers are invested in your project, they might even offer their own stories to weave into the project, or ideas for where to head next. If you enjoy collaborating with others and want to build a community around your project, this is a great reason to make use of the intimacy newsletters have to offer.
3. Reclaim control over your reach
If you already have experience publishing online then you’ll know just how frustrating it is to be dependent on social media algorithms for reaching your audience – and that the result is often reaching only a very small fraction of your total follower count.
The simplicity of newsletters means that if a reader has chosen to subscribe to your newsletter, you are very likely to reach their inbox.
As well as giving you more control over your reach, newsletters also hand power back to readers, who can filter newsletters in their own inbox, or unsubscribe if they’re no longer interested. This ensures that they actually get to see the content they want to see and you can depend on reaching the people on your subscriber list.
4. Quality over quantity
Another aspect of social media algorithms is how they prioritise quality over quantity. The publishers who produce the most content and the most click-baity content are rewarded with more reach.
If you prefer a medium where quality is prioritised over quantity, newsletters are the place for you. As a newsletter writer, you can afford to write just occasionally and still expect to reach the same number of subscribers. Newsletters allow you to choose a publishing frequency that works for you.
5. Care for your readers’ brains
Trying to keep up with the social media grind has been damaging to our attention spans, readers and publishers alike.
The slower pace of newsletters, along with the cleaner visual experience of an inbox and the ability to read newsletters just one at a time, rather than competing with a bunch of other content, all make for a much more enjoyable reading experience.
If you’re keen on respecting your readers’ attention spans, newsletters offer a more relaxing experience.
6. Be your own boss
Newsletters are very easy to start on a whim and see where they go. But if you’re interested in writing professionally, you also have the opportunity to monetise your newsletter.
A number of high-profile journalists recently left established publishing houses like Buzzfeed, New York Magazine and the New Statesman to start their own newsletters and now earn a good living directly from their subscribers. Newsletter writers make certain content available to paying subscribers only, in exchange for a dependable monthly income.
It’s no accident that newsletters are the next big thing (Opens in a new window) for writers looking to shirk off the uncertainty of newsroom job losses and unstable freelance income in exchange for more stability via their dedicated readers. Newsletters have become a dependable way to make a living in the media business.
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Newsletters allow you to go all-in on the topics you love and the chance to make your own luck. Start your free newsletter on Steady today (Opens in a new window).
