Launch an Email Newsletter

Why Email Newsletters?

Email newsletters are one of the most direct ways to build and own an audience. Unlike social media where algorithms control who sees your content, every subscriber receives your newsletter directly. You own the relationship.

For digital nomads, newsletters are ideal. Write from anywhere, publish on your schedule, and build an asset that grows more valuable over time.

How Newsletter Businesses Work

The Basic Model

1. Choose a topic you can write about consistently
2. Publish regularly (daily, weekly, or monthly)
3. Grow subscribers through content and promotion
4. Monetize through ads, subscriptions, or products

Monetization Paths

Method	When It Works	Typical Revenue
Sponsorships	1,000+ subscribers	$25-100+ per 1K subs per issue
Paid subscriptions	Engaged niche audience	$5-20/month per subscriber
Affiliate links	Product recommendations	Varies by niche
Own products	Established authority	Unlimited potential

Finding Your Newsletter Topic

Good Newsletter Topics

Topics that work well:

• Curated content (save readers time)
• Niche expertise (specific knowledge)
• Industry insights (exclusive info)
• Entertainment (personality-driven)
• Educational (teach skills)

Questions to Ask

• Can I write about this weekly for years?
• Is there an audience willing to pay or that advertisers want?
• What unique perspective do I bring?
• Is this specific enough to stand out?

Examples by Type

Type	Example
Curation	Weekly tech news summary
Expertise	Investment analysis for beginners
Industry	Restaurant industry insights
Entertainment	Absurd observations
Education	Writing improvement tips

Newsletter Platforms

Beginner-Friendly

Substack

• Free to start
• Built-in paid subscriptions
• Discovery features
• Takes 10% of paid subs

Beehiiv

• Free tier available
• Better economics
• More customization
• Growing platform

Advanced Options

ConvertKit

• Powerful automation
• Landing pages
• Paid subscriptions
• Creator-focused

Ghost

• Full control
• Self-hosted option
• Professional features
• Memberships built-in

Growing Your Subscriber List

Organic Growth

Content-driven:

• Social media presence
• Cross-promotions with other newsletters
• Guest posts on blogs
• Podcast appearances
• SEO-optimized archive

Word of mouth:

• Referral programs
• Shareable content
• Community building

Paid Growth

• Newsletter ad networks (Sparkloop, etc.)
• Social media ads
• Podcast sponsorships
• Cross-promotions (paid)

Growth Expectations

Timeframe	Realistic Subscribers
3 months	100-500
6 months	500-2,000
12 months	1,000-5,000
24 months	5,000-20,000+

These vary wildly based on niche, effort, and existing audience.

Creating Consistent Content

Finding Your Format

• Curated links - 5-10 items with commentary
• Single essay - One deep topic
• Mixed format - Essay + links + updates
• Q&A - Reader questions
• Interview - Conversations with experts

Sustainable Schedule

Pick a frequency you can maintain:

• Daily - Hard but high engagement
• Weekly - Most common, sustainable
• Bi-weekly - More depth, less pressure
• Monthly - Deep dives only

Consistency matters more than frequency.

Writing Workflow

Create a system using Notion or similar:

1. Ongoing idea capture
2. Research and reading time
3. Drafting window
4. Editing pass
5. Scheduling and publishing

Monetization Details

Sponsorships

How it works:

• Companies pay to reach your audience
• Typically per issue or monthly
• Rates based on subscriber count and engagement

Finding sponsors:

• Ad networks (Paved, Swapstack)
• Direct outreach to relevant companies
• Inbound as you grow

Rates:

• Small newsletters: $50-200 per sponsor slot
• Medium (5-10K): $200-1,000
• Large (50K+): $1,000-10,000+

Paid Subscriptions

Models:

• Free newsletter + paid premium content
• Paywalled entirely
• Free sample issues, paid full access

Pricing:

• Most charge $5-15/month or $50-100/year
• Annual discounts increase retention

Conversion rates:

• Typical: 2-5% of free subscribers convert
• High engagement niches: 5-10%+

Supporting Products

Many newsletter creators also sell:

• Courses and guides via Gumroad
• Consulting services
• Community access via Patreon
• Books and ebooks

Working as a Nomad

Newsletter Advantages

• Write from anywhere
• Flexible schedule
• Async with subscribers
• No video or production needs
• Just laptop and internet

Challenges

• Maintaining consistency while traveling
• Time zone coordination for sponsors
• Internet for sending (usually fine)

Tips

• Batch write when stationary
• Build buffer of scheduled issues
• Use scheduling features
• Have guest issues as backup

Common Mistakes

Starting Too Broad

"Business news" competes with everything. "AI for small retail businesses" has a clear audience.

Inconsistent Publishing

Subscribers forget you. Pick a sustainable pace and stick to it.

Monetizing Too Early

Build trust first. Rushing sponsorships before you have engaged audience hurts long-term growth.

Ignoring Analytics

Open rates, click rates, and growth patterns tell you what works. Pay attention.

Who Should Start a Newsletter?

This works if you:

• Have consistent expertise or perspective to share
• Enjoy writing regularly
• Can commit to a publishing schedule
• Want to build an audience you own
• Are patient about monetization

It's not right if you:

• Need immediate income
• Dislike writing
• Can't commit to regular publishing
• Want purely passive income
• Prefer creating video or audio content

The Bottom Line

Email newsletters are one of the best ways for writers to build sustainable income. You own your audience, control your content, and create an asset that grows over time.

The challenge is patience. Building a substantial subscriber base takes months or years. But each issue compounds—growing your reputation, your list, and your opportunities.

Start with consistency. Focus on value. The monetization follows the audience.