Oh, I could make that clearer, couldn't I? What I mean is that your newsletter is set up properly and in a compelling way for your readers. This ecosystem, in my perspective, includes your first impressions (bio, publication description, about page, home page, welcome email, etc.) and making sure they interconnect with what you publish week over week. When that ecosystem is set up well, the work then is to make sure you're spreading the word and building awareness around your newsletter so more people have a chance to discover you and sign up.
Hi Amanda… Q about “Using Data Meaningful:” I find myself checking two stats for my twice a month newsletter: 1) views per article and 2) open rate. Open rate is fairly consistent at 55% - 60%. Views per article could vary quite a bit, bc there’s usually a 4-star reader who opens it 50 or more times. I reached out to one who recently opened an essay 150 times (the essay was revisiting an interview I did 2 years ago with one of the reader’s h.s. classmates from the 1960s, who passed away recently). The reader said she reminisced with her old friends about her via email, sharing the substack. I would have thought that would have led to a lot of new subs, but it didn’t. I don’t think a lot of her 76 yr-old former classmates are big substack users. I know that demo is on Substack, but just a smaller community… Anyway… I guess the point is, I tend to focus on open rate, and haven’t figured out how to maximize the use of my 4-star readers who tend to open essays 15 or more per essay. Have you written anything about that yet? If so, this would be of high value.
I appreciate the invitation to think more intentionally about what my readers appreciate about my writing and how they engage with it. While I have not polled them yet, I might (especially after reading your guidance on this next month!)
I'm returning to the question of what's sustainable for me. For over two years I published weekly which was really good for holding myself accountable. Then I started shifting the content focus and lost momentum, but gave myself grace. I've restarted the engine with a new enthusiasm for really getting clear on my why-- why are my topics so important me, as well as why I think they should matter to my readers. I'm excited to uncover these answers and gain a new segment of readers.
Hey Amanda - Just curious what "be sure your ecosystem is set up" means relative to data.
Oh, I could make that clearer, couldn't I? What I mean is that your newsletter is set up properly and in a compelling way for your readers. This ecosystem, in my perspective, includes your first impressions (bio, publication description, about page, home page, welcome email, etc.) and making sure they interconnect with what you publish week over week. When that ecosystem is set up well, the work then is to make sure you're spreading the word and building awareness around your newsletter so more people have a chance to discover you and sign up.
Appreciate your clear approach and guidance, Amanda. TY
Hi Amanda… Q about “Using Data Meaningful:” I find myself checking two stats for my twice a month newsletter: 1) views per article and 2) open rate. Open rate is fairly consistent at 55% - 60%. Views per article could vary quite a bit, bc there’s usually a 4-star reader who opens it 50 or more times. I reached out to one who recently opened an essay 150 times (the essay was revisiting an interview I did 2 years ago with one of the reader’s h.s. classmates from the 1960s, who passed away recently). The reader said she reminisced with her old friends about her via email, sharing the substack. I would have thought that would have led to a lot of new subs, but it didn’t. I don’t think a lot of her 76 yr-old former classmates are big substack users. I know that demo is on Substack, but just a smaller community… Anyway… I guess the point is, I tend to focus on open rate, and haven’t figured out how to maximize the use of my 4-star readers who tend to open essays 15 or more per essay. Have you written anything about that yet? If so, this would be of high value.
I appreciate the invitation to think more intentionally about what my readers appreciate about my writing and how they engage with it. While I have not polled them yet, I might (especially after reading your guidance on this next month!)
I'm returning to the question of what's sustainable for me. For over two years I published weekly which was really good for holding myself accountable. Then I started shifting the content focus and lost momentum, but gave myself grace. I've restarted the engine with a new enthusiasm for really getting clear on my why-- why are my topics so important me, as well as why I think they should matter to my readers. I'm excited to uncover these answers and gain a new segment of readers.