📧 Even small lists can win big bucks!

👋 Hey!

Ready to supercharge your newsletter this week? We've got platform tips, brilliant automation shortcuts, and real creator wins that'll make you rethink your entire strategy. From PDF-to-newsletter magic to serious monetization playbooks, ready to elevate your game?

Let's dive in! 👇

You can earn $100–$2,000+ per month from just 1,000 subscribers. Quality beats quantity, high engagement rates unlock better ad CPMs and premium subscription revenue, proving small lists can still drive serious income.

90% of newsletter creators now tailor content to subscriber demographics. HubSpot's 2025 survey of 400+ creators reveals personalization isn't optional anymore. Those who don't personalize are 66% more likely to earn under $100/month. Word-of-mouth remains the #1 growth strategy at 42%.

Kit Commerce rolls out 5 crucial upgrades for creators. These new features simplify digital sales and boost conversions, helping newsletter operators earn more, especially during peak seasons like Black Friday.

FT and MIT Tech Review partner on joint AI newsletter. Major media teaming up on AI shows how high-value partnerships can boost authority and expand reach in newsletter publishing.

Buttondown launches HMAC security for all outgoing webhooks. Stronger webhook security protects your subscribers' data and ensures safer newsletter automation workflows, critical for any serious newsletter operator today.

Cross-post your best content on Substack Notes for 2-4x subscriber growth

How: When someone hovers over your name in Substack's newsfeed, the "Subscribe" button is way more prominent than the "Follow" button. This means readers are more likely to join your email list instead of just silently following you.

Why: It's like having every social follower automatically added to your email list, a unique feature that turns casual browsers into engaged subscribers.

Expected Result: Creators report doubling their net-new subscriber growth just by consistently cross-posting 2 - 4x per week on Notes.

Spotlight: Show Up Toronto

What Works:

"The main thing I want readers to take from the newsletter is that you don't need to be an expert, and you don't need permission to start doing good work."

Read the full interview with Jenny Zhang on Buttondown for more inspiration on building hyperlocal, action-oriented newsletters!

FlipHTML5

Why You'll Love It: Instantly transforms static PDFs into interactive, page-flipping newsletters that boost engagement and comprehension, no design skills required.

Best For: Turning traditional company or internal newsletters into visually dynamic, interactive experiences in just minutes.

Test: Questions vs. curiosity-driven subject lines in cold outreach.

Result: According to Instantly.ai's recent analysis, question-based subject lines like "Worth aligning GTM ops this week?" consistently drive 30-50% open rates, while curiosity triggers work best for first touches, and value/social proof performs better for follow-ups.

Takeaway: Match your subject line trigger to your ask, curiosity for initial contact, and specific value for warm follow-ups. Questions that tie directly to pain points outperform generic curiosity every time.

Before: Manual segmentation after collecting survey responses slowed targeted campaigns.

After: Instantly trigger automations in Kit from Typeform answers. Segment, personalize, or launch follow-ups in real time.

Result: Drill down engagement, save hours weekly, and boost open and click rates through hyper-targeted messaging.

Try the workflow or see details on the new integration here.

When you spend 6 hours perfecting your newsletter automation workflow...to save 30 minutes per week. 🤦‍♂️

(But hey, it'll pay off in 12 weeks!)

Thanks for reading,

Eren Daskesen

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