The Peel with Turner Novak The Business of Newsletters with Kendall Baker, “The Sports Newsletter Guy”
Aug 10, 2023
Kendall Baker leads Yahoo’s sports newsletter business and previously launched the daily newsletter Sports Internet, sold to Axios. He discusses the evolution of sports newsletters and how they foster deeper connections with readers compared to traditional media. Baker shares insights on writing engaging content, the importance of experimenting in the newsletter space, and why he spent $0 on growth. They also touch on the growing interest in U.S. soccer, underrated athletes, and how trends like fantasy sports will shape the future of sports media.
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Newsletter Business Evolution
- Newsletters evolved as businesses around 2013, beginning with smart, focused daily digests like The Skimm.
- They offered efficient, habitual news consumption that many media companies later adopted as primary business models.
Use Voice and Interaction
- Add a distinct voice to your daily newsletter to create habit and loyalty.
- Reply to readers' emails to deepen connection and grow engagement.
Keep Newsletters Short
- Keep newsletters short and delete unnecessary words relentlessly.
- Readers prefer quick, concise content they can consume on mobile efficiently.