Newsletter sponsorships: do’s and don’ts

530 emails were sent out every second by creators in 2021, according to Convertkit. Creators aren’t spamming their community, they just realise the potential that comes with landing in an inbox. And if you have an email list too, you might be on your way to unlocking this potential.

Newsletter sponsorships are a great way to build a revenue stream as a creator. But before you start signing those deals, consider these do’s and don'ts

Do’s

Build a highly-engaged list first

Brands are more interested in how engaged your audience is, compared to how many inboxes your email will sit in. They know emails that remain unopened will do nothing for them. There are many ways to create a more engaged list:

• Make content that’s relevant to your audience
• Consider the newsletter design
• Don’t overwhelm your recipients by flooding their inbox, consider frequency
• Remove cold subscribers

Be selective about which brands you work with

Consider if a brand is relevant to your audience and, and the type of things you usually write about. You build your newsletter with your audience in mind, and they come to you for a reason. If a brand isn’t aligned with your newsletter, you might affect the strong reputation you’ve build for authenticity.

Ask a brand what their goals are

Asking a brand what they want to achieve from a collaboration shows you mean business. It show’s you want to cater to the brand, and give them as much as possible. This means you’re more likely to make more money, but it also ensures a successful partnership which could extend beyond a one-off transaction.  

Select the type of ad

There’s two types of ads you can offer brands: sponsored ads, which are usually more prominent and exclusive, or classified ads which are more brief. If there’s a brand you’d love to work with, but who doesn’t have the budget for a sponsored ad, a classified ad might be a better fit.

We cover both types of ads in more detail in our comprehensive guide. 

Focus on the subject

69% of people classify emails as spam based on the subject line alone. No one likes spam, so those emails probably end up in the bin without being opened.

Your open rate is a defining metric for brands to work with you (and continue working with you), so don’t make it an afterthought. Use tools like CoSchedule to test your subject line before sending, and create enough curiosity without being too clickbait that your audience can’t help but click open. When you’ve got a good open rate, watch as the doors start to open too.

Don’ts

Undersell

Impostor syndrome is real amongst creators, but don’t let it steal from you. Know your worth, and price your newsletter ads accordingly. If you need a gentle nudge, we put together a newsletter pricing guide, which includes what other creators charge brands.

Run ads just because you can

Whether you know it or not, you’re running a creator business. Every decision should be strategic and intentional. Just because you’ve been approached by brands, or built an engaged email list, it doesn’t mean you have to run newsletter ads. Ask yourself how newsletter sponsorships fit in with your creator business goals first.

Unlock the potential of your newsletter

Email lists are often considered more valuable than large audiences on social media platforms. If you’ve built one, you’re holding a lot of power for monetizaton. But, you know what they say: with power comes great responsibility.

Is your newsletter sponsored? Let us know over on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn!