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👋 Hey!
This week's packed with platform power moves, Buttondown just dropped updates that'll change how you manage subscribers, Campaign Monitor wants to be your website builder too, and Substack is embedding prediction markets into posts. Plus, we're diving into why local events newsletters are a goldmine.
Ready to level up? Let's dive in! 👇
😂 Meme of the Week
🔥 This Week's Hot Takes
Substack adds native Polymarket prediction market embeds. Substack CEO Chris Best announced that creators can now embed real-time prediction market data in posts and Notes, with in-editor search. One in five top Substack publishers already use the feature.
Buttondown now lets you sort and filter subscribers by open and click rates. Instantly spot your most engaged readers, target them for surveys or referral asks, and clean up inactive subscribers, all without exporting a CSV.
Buttondown makes reply tracking automatic for all sending domains. Subscriber replies now forward straight to your inbox with zero setup. Less configuration, fewer missed reader conversations.
Campaign Monitor launches a built-in website builder. Build a conversion-optimized site, embed signup forms, and manage your list, all from one dashboard. No more juggling multiple tools for your newsletter's online presence.
The Spectator hits 198-year sales record after moving subscriptions in-house. Their secret? A custom platform called CoEditor that slashed churn. Proof that owning your tech stack pays dividends.
💡 Growth Hack of the Week
Turn Complex Topics Into Memes (Yes, Really)
A Colombian outlet called Economía para la Pipol grew to 200,000 followers by explaining tax policy through humor and memes. Here's how to swipe this for your newsletter:
How:
Identify your driest, most "important but boring" topic.
Create a meme format that simplifies the core insight.
Post on social with a hook like "POV: You finally understand [topic]".
CTA to your newsletter for the full breakdown.
Why: Memes lower the barrier to engagement. People share jokes. They don't share 2,000-word explainers, but they will subscribe for them after laughing.
Expected Result: 15-30% higher social engagement, plus warmer newsletter signups who already trust you to make hard things easy.
Pro Tip: Use the meme as your email header image. Subscribers who came from social will feel instantly at home.
🤝 Deal of the Week
beehiiv: The all-in-one platform for serious newsletter creators
What the deal is: 14-day free trial + 20% off for 3 months on any paid plan. beehiiv gives you built-in Automations, a Referral Program, Website Builder, and monetization tools; all under one roof. We run HeyNews on beehiiv, and most of our clients do too. Get started risk-free and save from day one.
Who should take the deal: Newsletter creators ready to level up from free tools, and operators who want growth, monetization, and automation without stitching together five different platforms.
Spotlight: Cheapskate London (61,000+ subscribers)
What Works:
Tight editorial curation, only two handpicked free events per weekday, keeps the signal high and readers trusting every recommendation.
Referral program with weekly giveaways drives organic growth at zero cost.
Meta ads with a low cost-per-acquisition (under $1 per subscriber) fuel scalable paid growth.
Paid membership (Cheapskate Club) at £5/month auto-enters members into all giveaways.
Creator Quote: "People really like that it feels like there's a real human touch to it, because we're not part of a big media company."
🛠️ Tool of the Week
Mailmeteor Spam Checker: a free tool that catches spam triggers before your emails hit junk
Why You'll Love It: Paste your draft, get an instant score. It flags the exact words that trip spam filters, sorted by type (urgency, shady language, overpromises, unnatural phrasing). You fix the flagged words and send with confidence. Free to use, no sign-up needed, built by the Mailmeteor team (6M+ users on their Gmail mail merge tool).
Best For: Newsletter creators tired of watching open rates dip because emails keep landing in spam. If you've ever wondered, "Why did that issue tank?", this is where you start.
🧪 A/B Test of the Week
Inspiration: Simon Harper of All About Email ran a "Curiosity Corner" poll for 5 months to boost clicks, learn about his audience, and improve content, all things inbox providers love to see.
Result: Only 1.92% of subscribers responded on average, but those respondents represented his most loyal, engaged readers. The poll also generated click signals that help with deliverability.
Takeaway: A simple weekly poll won't get massive response rates, but it creates consistent engagement signals and reveals your superfan segment. Test it for 8–12 weeks before deciding whether to keep, tweak, or cut it.
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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