Greg interviews Dru Riley, founder of Trends.vc, a newsletter and community for founders interested in new business ideas and markets. They talk about growing newsletter subscribers, opportunities for 'faceless' YouTube channels built using AI, systemizing companies, and more.
Co-registration is a strategy used by newsletters to monetize their subscriber base and earn commissions through performance marketing or sales funnel building.
Engaged subscribers are crucial for successful newsletters, and metrics such as click-through rates and replies provide a more accurate measure of subscriber engagement.
Faceless YouTube channels offer opportunities for niche content creation, leveraging algorithms for discoverability and building strong audience connections.
Deep dives
Monetizing newsletters through co-registration
Co-registration is a strategy used by newsletters to earn money by referring subscribers to other newsletters. For every referral, the referring newsletter earns a commission. This allows them to monetize their subscriber base and potentially generate revenue through performance marketing or sales funnel building. The key advantage of co-registration is that the referring newsletter only pays for engaged subscribers, defined by specific criteria such as open rates or link clicks.
The importance of engaged subscribers
Engaged subscribers are crucial for successful newsletters. While open rates can be a metric used to gauge engagement, it's important to consider other factors as well, such as click-through rates and replies from subscribers. These metrics provide a more accurate measure of subscriber engagement and indicate whether the newsletter's content is resonating with its audience. Unsubscribes should not be a cause for concern, as it is natural for subscribers to lose interest or have different preferences over time. Focusing on building a loyal and engaged subscriber base is more valuable than just aiming for a high number of subscribers.
Exploring faceless YouTube channels
Faceless YouTube channels, where the content is created without a talking face or even using avatars or animations, offer opportunities for niche content creation. These channels, focusing on specialized topics and using different presentation styles, have the potential to attract a dedicated audience. The advantage of faceless channels is that they eliminate the risk of relying on a key person and provide the opportunity to cover multiple topics and build systems. Faceless YouTube channels can leverage the power of algorithms for discoverability and cultivate strong connections with their audience.
Leveraging AI tools and custom GPT
AI tools and custom GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) models offer opportunities for innovation. Custom GPTs can be used to analyze and generate content, while other AI tools can enhance operations and execution. These tools provide advanced capabilities, such as voice cloning and language translation, which can be leveraged for content creation and expanding into different languages and markets. While these tools may have limitations, they present valuable opportunities for businesses willing to experiment and utilize them strategically.
Focus on permissionless innovation and specialization
The current landscape enables permissionless innovation, allowing individuals and small groups to leverage technology and platforms without requiring extensive resources or approval. Specialization in niche markets is flourishing, with businesses catering to specific interests and needs. These trends, along with opportunities in no-code software, productized services, and counter positioning, demonstrate the potential for individuals and small businesses to thrive in an increasingly leveraged and specialized environment.
Greg interviews Dru Riley, founder of Trends.vc, a newsletter and community for founders interested in new business ideas and markets.
They talk about growing newsletter subscribers, opportunities for "faceless" YouTube channels built using AI, systemizing companies, and more.
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LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE: Production Team: https://PodFlow.com
Dru Riley: • Company site: https://trends.vc • Personal site: https://druriley.com • X: https://twitter.com/DruRly • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drurly/
TIMESTAMPS:
00:45 - Dru introduces Trends.vc
02:00 - Newsletter co-registration
04:45 - Newsletter metrics
07:15 - Jumping on new media formats
9:08 - "Faceless" YouTube channels
16:15 - Examples of faceless channels
17:50 - Non-obvious ad sponsorship opportunities
23:00 - Custom GPTs
28:17 - Productizing execution
33:20 - Picking ideas to pursue
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