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👋 Hey!
This week's all about looking sharp and landing in the right inbox. Beehiiv just dropped a full Media Library with AI image gen, Substack's giving creators homepage control, and BIMI adoption is exploding. Plus, we're dissecting how 65Nation built a 100K-subscriber daily newsletter for Baby Boomers, and showing you how to dodge Gmail's dreaded clipping cutoff.
Ready to level up? Let's dive in! 👇
😂 Meme of the Week
🔥 This Week's Hot Takes
Beehiiv launches Media Library with AI image generation. Centralize all your assets across publications, edit visuals on the fly, and generate new images without leaving the platform.
Substack adds publication design, recipe embeds, and livestream scheduling. Creators now get homepage customization, SEO-friendly recipe formatting, and RSVP-driven livestreams: easier discovery, richer engagement, and simpler event promotion.
Mailchimp launches site tracking pixel and expanded integrations. The new omnichannel dashboard plus SMS expansion across Europe signals Mailchimp's push toward unified customer data. If you're selling products alongside your newsletter, these AI-powered content tools could streamline your entire funnel.
Buttondown merges “pause” into “cancel“ for simpler billing. Creators can cancel without losing archives or subscriber lists and reactivate when ready, less billing confusion for you and your paying readers.
BIMI records doubled across the top 10M domains. More senders are displaying verified logos in inboxes, set up BIMI alongside DMARC to boost brand trust and deliverability before your competitors do.
Marketers are shifting budgets to verified newsletter ads. Paid channels keep getting pricier, so advertisers want measurable, premium newsletter placements. Focus on transparent metrics and CPC projections to win bigger sponsorship deals.
CAN-SPAM allows PO boxes in your newsletter footer. Worried about your home address? A PO box or PMB works fine legally. Enforcement targets mass spammers, not indie creators following opt-out rules.
💡 Growth Hack of the Week
Trim your emails to dodge Gmail clipping
How: Check your draft's HTML size before sending (inspect source or use your platform's pre-flight tool). Send test emails and open them in Gmail web + mobile to spot where clipping kicks in. Move your unsubscribe link and critical CTAs above that line. If you're over the limit, trim content, add a "Read the rest" web link, or break the piece into a multi-part series.
Why: Gmail clips emails at ~102KB of HTML. Clipping hides your footer, unsubscribe link, and bottom CTAs, leading to more spam complaints and worse deliverability.
Expected Result: Keep your unsubscribe link visible to 100% of in-inbox Gmail opens, cut spam report risk, and stop losing clicks buried below the fold.
Pro Tip: Prefer lean HTML templates. Some platforms add heavy markup that eats your 102KB budget fast. Re-test every issue before hitting send.
Spotlight: 65Nation
What Works:
Massive niche: targets Baby Boomers and adults 65+, a demographic of 11,400 Americans turning 65 daily.
Crystal-clear positioning: "Daily lifestyle news. No politics." That one-line promise eliminates noise and builds instant trust. Readers know exactly what they'll get every weekday at 6 AM Eastern.
100,000+ subscribers and growing, powered by an ad-supported free model: no paywalls, no premium tiers. Sponsors get a highly engaged, high-purchasing-power audience.
Curated daily sections (Lifestyle, Senior Tips, Nostalgia, Wellness, Finance, Travel, Food, Fun Stuff) create a habit loop and give advertisers multiple native placement options.
Built on Beehiiv, using multiple platforms for growth and monetization, proof that you can scale a niche newsletter with the right platform stack.
Founder insight: Sandy Goldman started 65Nation after realizing millions of people hit 65 every year with no dedicated newsletter speaking to them. The lesson? Find a massive underserved audience, commit to a clear editorial promise, and deliver daily.
Try this: Identify a large demographic that's overlooked by existing newsletters. Craft a no-compromise content promise (like "no politics"), pick a consistent send time, and go daily if your niche supports it. Volume + consistency = habit.
🛠️ Tool of the Week
Best Newsletter Tools: the curated directory every newsletter creator needs
Why You'll Love It: 335+ vetted tools and resources across categories like Email Service Providers, Monetization, Deliverability, Growth, Analytics, Writing, and Design, all organized and searchable in one place. Stop Googling "best email tool for newsletters" and start browsing a directory built specifically for newsletter operators. It also features a curated newsletter discovery section so you can study what top creators are doing.
Best For: Newsletter creators at any stage who want to discover new tools, compare platforms, and find deals without digging through scattered blog posts and Reddit threads.
🧪 A/B Test of the Week
Result: MailerLite ran two separate A/B tests on their own newsletter: one with a GIF at the top, another with a cover image. In both cases, the version that opened with plain text (no image or GIF above the fold) had significantly higher click rates than the visual-first version.
Why it works: Bright images and animated GIFs can distract readers from scrolling to your CTA. Slower-loading graphics also lose impatient mobile readers before they reach your content.
Takeaway: Try stripping the hero image from your next issue and leading with text instead. If your clicks go up, your readers care more about your words than your visuals, and that's a good problem to have.
Don't keep us a secret: Share HeyNews with a fellow newsletter nerd.
🔗 Quick Links
Questions? Just write a comment below. I read all the comments and respond to them.
Thanks for reading,
Eren Daskesen
BEFORE YOU GO
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