New Media

By Matt McGarry and Kolby HatchBusiness Entrepreneurship

New Media episodes

December 20, 2023 How Trends.co Grew To 15k+ Customers, Converting Free Subscribers To Paid, Email Marketing, Influencer Marketing, and More
In this podcast, Matt and Ryan provide valuable insights into various topics related to effectively running newsletters, membership programs, and courses. They discuss the challenges of monetizing your newsletter and explore various marketing channels while giving actionable strategies aimed at helping you succeed in the newsletter industry.
Episode topics & Timestamps
(1:22) Selling memberships and courses as monetization strategies and success stories of membership models
(02:12) Insights on growth for Trend.co and using free newsletter lists to convert into memberships/courses
(03:09) Tactics in converting newsletter subscriptions to paid memberships and he process of subscriber acquisition and conversion
(4:30) Utilizing gated website content for subscriber engagement
(05:31) The importance of targeted messaging in newsletters
(6:23) Diving into email marketing tactics and Free newsletter strategies for driving revenue
(09:54) Using various marketing channels for selling Trend.co subscriptions
(10:54) Comparing YouTube and Instagram influencer marketing effectiveness
(11:40) Discussing the best channels for membership growth and strategies for selecting influencers based on CPM and demographics

(15:52) Industry benchmarks for influencer marketing CPMs and the potential of underpriced attention in marketing

(20:49) Organizing newsletter sponsorships as an emerging service
(21:38) The ease of using Beehive's ad marketplace for newsletter ads
(23:26) Exploring alternative social networks and newsletters like Rumble and Passionfruit
(25:31) Organic growth advantages of Substack's recommendation engine
(27:12) Concerns about Substack's long-term viability
(30:46) Predicting the future challenges Substack might face
(31:37) Discussing the limitations of Substack as a platform for newsletter growth
Links Mentioned:

https://tailwindstudio.co/
https://www.newsletteroperator.com/

35 min
November 24, 2023Matt and Ryan Talk Newsletter Strategy, Legacy Media, Newsletter-First Creators, and More
Episode Description:
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
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
32 min
November 20, 2023Are We In a Newsletter Bubble?
Episode Description:
In this episode, Matt and Ryan discuss the current state of newsletters and delve into the debate of whether there is a newsletter bubble. They address the concerns about the saturation of newsletters and the need to stand out in a competitive market. The discussion also focuses on the changing landscape of newsletter monetization, particularly the shift from CPM-based pricing to a cost-per-click model. They emphasize the importance of building an engaged and valuable audience and explore the potential for acquiring newsletters as a growth strategy.
Episode key topics and timestamps:
Introduction and Podcast Overview
(00:26) Purpose of the podcast, discussing newsletter building, growth, and monetization
Discussion on the Newsletter Bubble
(00:43 - 00:06:26) Debate on the existence of a newsletter bubble and address common concerns
(06:27 - 00:17:40) Analysis of the monetization challenges and evolving advertising models
Acquisition and Transfer of Newsletters
(19:00 - 00:25:00) Importance of acquiring and merging newsletters to expand audience and grow lists
(25:01 - 00:28:11) Process and strategies for successfully transferring subscribers and maintaining engagement
Newsletters as a Growth Strategy
(28:12 - 30:14) Highlighting the value of newsletters as marketing funnels and effective communication channels

Want more content like this?

Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
32 min
November 17, 2023John Elder - How To Start, Grow, and Monetize a Micro-Niche Newsletter, B2B Newsletter Advice, How To Use Engagement Groups, and More
In this episode of the Newsletter Operator Podcast, Jon Elder, the founder of Black Label Advisor, shares his journey from commercial construction to building a successful consultancy in the Amazon space. He started a side gig by launching his first brand on Amazon, which eventually led to the creation of the newsletter "Amazon Insiders." The newsletter focuses on the niche community of Amazon sellers and has seen rapid growth to over 15,000 subscribers.
Key Topics Covered:
Background and Entrepreneurial Journey: Jon Elder shares his transition from the commercial construction industry to creating a consultancy for Amazon sellers and the establishment of the "Amazon Insiders" newsletter. He emphasizes the need for transparent consulting within the market and how the newsletter became a potential second revenue stream for his business.
Micro-Niche and Newsletter Growth: Jon Elder explains the concept of a micro-niche, the revenue size, and the passion required for success. He discusses the launching of Amazon Insiders and the strategies he used to grow his newsletter, including reaching out to contacts, conducting newsletter swaps, utilizing tools like SparkLoop and Twitter ads, and making strategic newsletter acquisitions.
Monetization Strategy: Amazon Insiders primarily focuses on sponsorships, with 85% of revenue generated from sponsorships. Jon Elder provides insight into how he approaches finding sponsors, packaging ad deals, and pricing, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships with sponsors and promoting consistency in ads for better returns on investment.
Growth Plans and Advice: Jon Elder discusses his future growth plans, which include increasing content production on Twitter, potential newsletter acquisitions, and reactivating Twitter ads. Additionally, he offers advice to those starting a niche B2B newsletter, emphasizing the importance of finding a unique voice, seeking partnerships, and not being hesitant to ask for support.

Episode topics & Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction to Newsletter Operator Podcast
(00:30) Introduction of Jon Elder, founder of Black Label Advisor
(01:00) Jon's Background and Entrepreneurial Journey
(2:00) Launching Amazon Insiders Newsletter
(3:00) Defining Micro Niche
(5:00) Choosing a Newsletter Topic
(6:00) Growth Strategies and Subscriber Acquisition
(7:00) The Role of SparkLoop in Subscriber Growth
(11:00)Additional Growth Channels such as Twitter
(16:00) The Use of a Mastermind Group for Engagement
(19:00) Monetization through Newsletter Sponsorships
(28:00) Approach to Identifying and Reaching Out to Sponsors
(33:00) Pricing and Packaging of Newsletter Ads
(33:00)Strategies for Achieving Growth Goals
(41:00) Advice for those Starting a Niche B2B Newsletter

Want more content like this?

Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
44 min
November 10, 2023How Kieran Drew Achieved "Digital Freedom" and Grew His Business From $0-$500k in 18 Months, Insights From a $180k+ Course Launch, Copywriting Tips, Storytelling Frameworks, and More
Kieran Drew is a writer and entrepreneur who shares writing strategies to help grow your online business.

Follow Kieran Drew on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Join Kieran's free newsletter "Digital Freedom" here.

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Want more content like this?

Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
50 min
October 24, 2023Jay Clouse - How To Build an Audience From Scratch, Understanding Discovery and Relationship Platforms, Email Vs Newsletters, How To Build a Paid Community, Vertical Integration For Creators, and More
Jay Clouse is the founder of Creator Science, a media company that helps people succeed as professional content creators.

Follow Jay on Twitter and LinkedIn and join his free newsletter.

Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
47 min
October 13, 2023Michael Houck - Growing a Newsletter For Founders To 80,000+ Subscribers In 10 Months, How To Boost Your Social Growth With Engagement, How To Monetize a Newsletter From Day 1, and More
Over 80,000 founders read Houck's Newsletter to learn how to build, grow, and raise capital for their startups.

Follow Michael Houck on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Join the Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
45 min
August 25, 2023Emanuel Cinca - How To Build a $1.5M Newsletter, Lessons From Buying a Newsletter, His #1 Growth Source, How To Get Sponsors Results, How To Clean Your Email List, and More
Emanuel Cinca is the founder of StackedMarketer, a marketing newsletter with over 50,000 subscribers.

Follow Emanuel on Twitter: @emanuelcinca

Join the Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
1 hr 6 min
August 18, 2023Ryan Sneddon - How To Build a 6-Figure Local Newsletter Business and Become The Most Popular Person In Your Town, Advice on Starting a Newsletter From Scratch, and How To Grow With a Referral Program
Ryan Sneddon is the founder of Naptown Scoop, a local newsletter covering Annapolis, Maryland.

Follow Ryan Sneddon on Twitter: @lifeof_scoop

Join the Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
50 min
August 11, 2023Ethan Brooks - Behind-The-Scenes Look At Creating Content and Community For The Hustle, Trends, and Hampton
Ethan Brooks leads community and content for Hampton and was previously a senior writer at The Hustle and Trends.co

Follow Ethan on Twitter: @damn_ethan

Join the Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com
Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter
Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.
47 min

About New Media

From the publisher's feed

New Media is a podcast for founders and creators building independent media businesses. We explore how to grow and monetize audiences without depending on algorithms, advertising, and…