#115 — How to improve your email newsletters


This week you're in for a treat with tons of stories, advice and free tools about email newsletters. Plus: How to deal with trolls and what makes fake news feel true? Enjoy your weekly curated articles!

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💯 Top picks

17 non-negotiable things your email newsletter needs right now

Really useful, actionable tips for better newslettering from Ann Handley.

"If your newsletter feels like you’re writing with a taser aimed at your sensitive nibs… you’re doing it wrong."

💸 Business models

‘The second wave’: Publishers see the value of providing education through newsletter courses

"As publishers look for pockets of audience engagement wherever they can find them, limited-run educational newsletters are a gambit gaining some traction."

When one door closes, another opens

In a newsletter from NewStart, we learn how Amy Duncan, who previously worked for Gannett as a vice president, launched a local news site that has attracted more than 1,200 digital subscribers in under 2 years.

Premium tier subscriptions for local news: Ad-free and beyond

"People are paying for ad-free website access, and engaging well with other exclusive features"

Why betting on eCommerce is a good idea for publishers

"eCommerce continues to expand rapidly. It rose by 54% in the UK in July and accounted for 28% of sales, according to a recent GroupM report."

Context > Cadence

"You need to think strategically and empathetically when deciding how often to email your customers."

✍️ Modern journalism

What makes fake news feel true when it isn’t? For one thing, hearing it over and over again

NiemanLab take a look at a new collection of articles about fake news and misinformation by ainer Greifeneder, Mariela Jaffe, Eryn Newman, and Norbert Schwarz. "The book, published by Routledge, is available as a free download or online read (and here it is on Kindle), and it includes a lot of research on why and how people believe false information."

Predominance of toxic comments can damage publishers’ credibility: How to identify and deal with trolls effectively

"Trolls can ruin the way consumers relate to a brand. A 2019 study found that almost 50% of the people would remove themselves from a situation where they have experienced incivility."

💻 Technology

[Free tool] Find your email's Spam Assassin score

This handy tool from Taxi For Email allows you to check your emails before you send them for any words, images or code snippets that might impact your spam score. You can use it as much as you like, for free!

[Free tool] Bulletproof email buttons

Use this quick button builder by Campaign Monitor to grab some code to embed buttons in your emails. Here's one now:

More resources

🤷 WTF?

New study: Has ad blocking peaked?

"Despite the majority still having a negative attitude towards online ads, fewer people are annoyed with the ads they are exposed to. At the same time, fewer people are using ad blockers."

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