Matt and Ryan Talk Newsletter Strategy, Legacy Media, Newsletter-First Creators, and More
whatshot 15 snips
Nov 24, 2023
Matt and Ryan discuss the shift towards newsletters in the media landscape, covering challenges faced by traditional media companies, the potential of newsletters for creators, and the importance of valuable content. They emphasize the importance of building, growing, and monetizing newsletters, as well as deep conversations and strategies. The podcast addresses challenges in the media industry and the role of newsletters in media, highlighting the growing importance of owned audience channels. The hosts also explore the effectiveness of SMS strategies for newsletters, the innovative approach of Smart Nonsense, and the potential of a meme roundup newsletter. They discuss the benefits of newsletters and owned audiences, including revenue generation and attracting partners.
31:10
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Traffic From Platforms Is Shrinking
Social and Google referral traffic to major news sites has collapsed, reducing reliable discovery channels.
Owning audiences via newsletters and other direct channels becomes crucial as platforms funnel views away.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Prioritize Multiple Owned Channels
Build owned channels (newsletter, podcast, community, SMS) instead of relying solely on social or search.
Use multiple owned audiences to retain access and diversify reach, not just email alone.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Design Newsletters For Reading, Not Just Links
Move beyond link-roundup emails and design an in-email reading experience users want to open daily.
Align newsletter format with retention and direct monetization instead of purely driving site clicks.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In this episode, Matt and Ryan discuss the growing shift towards newsletters in the media landscape. They delve into the challenges faced by traditional media companies, emphasizing how newsletters offer an owned audience and help drive revenue and encourage engagement. They also explore the potential of newsletters for creators, including entertainment-based creators and e-commerce brands. Additionally, they touch on topics such as nurturing email lists, unlocking revenue streams, and the need for valuable content.
Key Topics Covered:
Importance of Building, Growing, and Monetizing Newsletters: The podcast focuses on teaching how to build, grow, and monetize newsletters and features discussions with newsletter operators, creators, and media founders.
Emphasis on Deep Conversations and Strategies: the importance of sharing insightful discussions that go beyond typical interviews, aiming to dive deeper into newsletter operations, growth tactics, and strategies.
Challenges in the Media Industry: The podcast addresses challenges faced by large media companies due to decreasing social media traffic and the shift toward owned audience channels via newsletters, podcasts, and other platforms. This leads to a comparison between traditional media companies and the evolving strategies of newer media startups.
Role of Newsletters in Media: The discussion emphasizes the growing importance of newsletters within media companies. The hosts suggest that starting a media company today requires a strong focus on newsletters, highlighting the primary role of newsletters in driving consistent growth, owning the audience, and retaining reader engagement.
Impact on Creators and Trends: The episode explores the trend of creators leveraging newsletters to build owned audiences and discusses the potential benefits of transitioning from social platforms to newsletters. The potential for creators to develop newsletter-first strategies is highlighted, focusing on the ability to own and monetize audiences independently.
Opportunities for Entertainment-Based Creators: The conversation touches upon the potential for entertainment-based creators, such as YouTubers or Twitch streamers, to leverage newsletters for engaging with their audiences. Ideas discussed include sharing behind-the-scenes content, announcing upcoming content, curating content, and utilizing newsletters for giveaways and promotions.
Role of Tailwind in Newsletter Creation: The podcast extends to discuss the role of Tailwind, an agency specializing in creating and nurturing newsletters for companies and brands. The conversation highlights the value of newsletters as a revenue and marketing channel and potential opportunities for cross promotions, sponsorships, and new revenue streams.
Episode topics & Timestamps:
(00:26) Introduction and Overview
(2:21) Challenges for Big Media Companies
(3:01) Decline in Social Media Traffic
(11:09) Media Companies And Newsletter Strategy
(11:40) Newsletter First Approach
(12:38) Importance of having an owned audience
(18:40) Strategies for Entertainment Creators
(28:00) Tailwind Newsletter Services
(30:00) Upcoming Discussion Topics
Want more content like this?
Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Newsletter Operator