Local Newsletter Insider

Jacob Espinoza, creator of What’s Happening Salem, discusses how he built a successful local media presence through Instagram, newsletters, and podcasts. He shares tactics for growing an audience, like engaging short-form videos and local memes. Jacob emphasizes the blend of entertainment and education in content creation. He also reveals innovative monetization strategies, such as creating authentic promotional content and hosting local events to foster community connections. His insights are valuable for anyone looking to grow their local brand.

Frey Chu, an online directory builder and SEO expert, shares insights on transforming niche directories into streams of passive income. He explains the art of data scraping, optimizing for Google, and various monetization strategies like sponsored listings. Frey discusses how local media, particularly newsletters, can leverage directories to enhance advertiser engagement. The conversation dives into the importance of SEO and social media, and how directories can serve as valuable lead generation tools, opening doors to new business opportunities.

Geoff Matthews of North Shore Now joins TJ Larkin to unpack the real story behind launching a successful newsletter in a small geographic niche. Geoff candidly shares the challenges of selling local ads, testing paid subscriber models, and staying motivated despite uncertain ROI. With refreshing honesty, he outlines what worked, what flopped, and why feedback from his community keeps him going.From curating events across 100+ websites to running giveaways and launching merchandise, Geoff’s grassroots approach to content and engagement offers tons of lessons for creators in any market. He also breaks down his ad strategy evolution, from failed cold emails to drastically improving performance with expert help.Whether you're building your first audience or thinking about monetizing a niche project, this conversation is loaded with valuable insight. Want to connect with Geoff? Head to https://snowballclub.com/ to learn more about his private founder community.#NewsletterBusiness#LocalMarketing#EmailMarketingTips#ContentStrategy#DigitalEntrepreneur#NorthShoreNow#CommunityBuilding#MetaAds#MonetizingContent#VancouverBusiness

In this episode, TJ Larkin interviews Justin Gordon, the creator of two high-impact newsletters: Just Go Grind and LA Grind. Justin shares how his journey began with a podcast back in 2018, eventually transitioning into newsletters focused on startup founders, investors, and the LA tech scene. He walks us through how he built up an audience of over 20,000 for Just Go Grind and used his unique positioning and risk tolerance to go full-time as a creator.We dive into the strategy behind LA Grind, a hybrid local newsletter tailored to LA’s startup and VC community. Justin reveals how segmentation, events, and a deep understanding of his audience drive growth and monetization. He also touches on paid ads, social media, and how he maintains high open rates while cleaning his list regularly.Key takeaways include how to test newsletter concepts efficiently, monetize through sponsorships, and use events as an in-person moat against AI disruption. If you're building a newsletter or local media business, this episode is packed with actionable insights.👉 Connect with Justin at https://justgogrind.com and https://thelagrind.com. For serendipity calls and event access, check the top of each newsletter edition.#NewsletterMarketing#StartupCommunity#JustinGordon#JustGoGrind#LAGrind#FounderEvents#B2BMarketing#NewsletterGrowth#LocalNewsletters#VCandStartups

In this episode, TJ Larkin chats with Matt Deal, the creator of Eating Baltimore, a growing local newsletter focused on food, events, and community in the Baltimore area. With a background in financial newsletters and wine club marketing, Matt shares how he transitioned into building a hyperlocal media product from scratch.Matt dives deep into his strategies for acquiring subscribers—like using Facebook ads, giveaways, and leveraging Beehive. He explains how he built a restaurant directory using Replit for only $6, sourced thousands of listings with Outscraper, and is now using SEO and backlink campaigns to drive traffic and monetization.Listeners will gain actionable insights into building in public, testing content strategies, using local sentiment to drive engagement, and creatively pursuing revenue with limited resources. Matt’s transparency about subscriber growth, ad performance, and experimentation provides inspiration for anyone looking to build a local media brand.Guest Info: Website: https://eatingbaltimore.com Twitter: https://x.com/realMattDiehl#LocalNewsletters#NewsletterGrowth#EatingBaltimore#IndieMedia#NewsletterMarketing#Replit#DigitalMonetization#BuildInPublic#LocalSEO#BootstrapStartup

TJ welcomes Alec Kremins, Beehive's Partnership Manager and founder of the JLM Scoop, a local Jerusalem newsletter with nearly 6,000 subscribers. Alec shares his journey of starting the newsletter while onboarding at Beehive, how he validated the idea in a new city, and why local newsletters can open doors—even beyond revenue. From sponsor negotiations to delegation and audience building, this episode is packed with real-world tactics.Alec offers deep insight into his monetization strategy, explaining how he secures sponsors like a real estate firm, manages a lean operation with freelance help, and focuses on sustainable growth. He also reflects on the limits of local newsletter revenue when treated as a side hustle and explains why ownership and strategic partnerships are crucial.Tune in for ideas on expanding into lead gen, launching agency services, testing audience segmentation for monetization, and even using newsletters to support local matchmaking and events.Reach Alec at:🔗 Website: beehive.com/partners💬 LinkedIn: Alec Kremins🐦 Twitter/X: @AlecKrem#LocalNewsletter#NewsletterGrowth#BeehiveNewsletters#MonetizeYourNewsletter#EmailMarketing#JerusalemStartups#SideHustleSuccess#ContentMarketing#NewsletterTips#DigitalEntrepreneur

Struggling with newsletter revenue? Discover how to transform your audience into profit with face-to-face AI workshops. Dive into innovative strategies that enhance reader engagement, like unique local content and partnership opportunities. Learn efficient ways to teach ChatGPT basics while building relationships that pave the way for future business. Plus, get tips on designing eye-catching marketing materials using AI. It's all about starting small and leveraging the trust you've earned!

John Apolinar, the founder of the Scottsdale Scoop newsletter, shares insights on growing local media through Instagram DMs and Chamber of Commerce networking. He reveals his tailored DM approach for targeting high-ticket businesses, emphasizing authentic relationship-building at events. John discusses the advantages of exclusive advertising deals and suggests launching a podcast to attract sponsors. He also highlights the importance of subscriber milestones and follow-ups to enhance sales, while stressing that human connections are essential for breaking local news.

In this episode, TJ Larkin is joined once again by Landon from Wichita Life—a returning guest and a pioneer in the local newsletter space. They dive deep into the operational side of running a successful local media business, including ad placement strategies, pricing models, and campaign management using simple tools like Google Sheets.Landon shares his evolution from an Instagram account to a full-fledged media brand with 30,000 email subscribers and multiple recurring sponsors like the City of Wichita. He breaks down how he sells primary, secondary, and baseline ads, how he prices them, and how he juggles ad slots across four weekly newsletters.He also details the process of launching a job board using Niceboard and how it contributes passive income while requiring minimal overhead. Plus, they talk event strategy—from annual meetups to innovative concepts like "Pitch a Friend" dating events—all aimed at increasing community engagement and brand visibility.Contact Landon / Wichita Life:Website: wichitalifeict.comJob Board: jobs.wichitalifeict.comInstagram: @wichitalifeict#NewsletterBusiness#LocalMedia#WichitaLife#CreatorEconomy#EmailMarketing#DigitalAds#JobBoard#CommunityEvents#MediaMonetization#ContentCreation

Kyle Scott, a local media veteran and entrepreneur known for founding Crossing Broad and the Buying Sandlot newsletter, shares insights on transforming passion into profit. He discusses how a humble beach-town newsletter grew to 17,000 subscribers, emphasizing the importance of owning your audience. Scott highlights strategies like savvy social media marketing, diversifying income sources, and the role of AI in content creation. He also underscores the value of community engagement and the benefits of in-person connections for authentic storytelling.