#121 — Making money on YouTube
Your weekly curated publishing news this week includes a breakdown of how the top tech channel on YouTube makes money, tips for running newsletters of any kind, and find out how a publisher has reduced their churn rate to 1%.
Enjoy, feel free share with your friends, and see you next week!
💯 Top picks
How does Linus make money?
Ever wondered how YouTube stars make money? Linus Tech Tips, one of the largest and most successful tech channels on YouTube recently posted a video illustrating their revenue sources. It's a really good example of how modern-day publishers are diversifying revenue streams.
💸 Business models
How I run a revenue-generating newsletter without burning out
Umar Hansa, creator of Dev Tips, discusses how running a newsletter on the side is possible in an IndieHackers interview.
“There is not a country on Earth where this model is not working”: Digital subscriptions are helping publishers build a stronger future
It's not just about the big players going from strength-to-strength. Independent, regional, new and specialist brands have also registered impressive growth.
Your monthly guide to sending better newsletters
Get all of the latest news, ideas and stories about sending great emails in one place in this month's issue of Not a Newsletter [Google Docs].
[Podcast] The state of bundles in 2020
Ben Thompson (Stratechery) and James Allworth (Harvard Business Review) chat about the state of bundles in 2020 on the Exponent podcast.
✍️ Modern journalism
This local news publisher has the lowest churn rate in the industry!
"A churn rate of 1% means that you expect your customers to be around for 100 months, which is over eight years, which is phenomenal" — Ed Malthouse, Research Director, Spiegel Research Center
What books by journalists are you reading?
Some reading recommendations from Kristen Hare: "though each book came out just before the pandemic, for me, they offer something necessary right now — a reminder of the real change local journalism creates."
💻 Technology
Open Sourced: The hidden consequences of tech
"Recode’s new multi platform journalism project explains and exposes the hidden consequences of tech — the good, the bad, and the complicated."
Publishers are using Reddit to brand build and drive awareness
"Reddit has both baffled and bemused publishers over the years, but growing evidence shows that the two parties are working together more closely."
Data visualisation made easy
Flourish allows you to create data visualisations for better storytelling without needing to code or install anything — with free (public) plans, as well as personal and business plans.
🤷 WTF?
The news site was bogus. Facebook still let it build a real audience.
"In early August, the Globe Independent launched a website filled with news stories plagiarized from NBC News, the Washington Post, and other outlets."
