Summary

The rise of frequency as the key metric driving subscriber retention has ushered in a rapidly expanding era of e-mail newsletters at media companies. In this report, learn about some key best practices in newsletters from subject matter to style to volume and how best to surface a dense content ecosystem. Get pointers from experts and do a deeper dive with four companies immersing themselves in newsletter lessons.

Key themes in the report

• Macro-trends in newsletters and why media companies are tightening their embrace now
• What makes newsletters work best: engagement tips and best practices
• Newsletter benchmarks among global/national players, digital pure-plays, and metropolitan dailies
• Subject matters for newsletters that are resonating and emerging common newsletter themes
• Trends in media newsletters, including pop-ups, styles, and authenticity
• What the Boston Globe, Financial Times, El País, and Cox Media Group are doing with newsletters

Who should read the report?

This report is designed for editorial and audience engagement employees charged with launching, managing, and evaluating newsletters.

Author

Dawn McMullan, Senior Editor, INMA

Detailed overview

Newsletters are emerging as the key tool for media companies in an increasingly complex array of consumer engagement tactics designed to promote frequency of usage among digital subscribers and prospective subscribers, according to a new report by the International News Media Association (INMA).

“How Newsletters Are Redefining Media Subscriptions” outlines trends and best practices among news media companies aiming to maximize reader revenue through retention and engagement. The report surfaces key best practices in newsletters from subject matter to style to volume and how best to segment content in a dense ecosystem.

The INMA report seeks advice from Rob Josephs of Brightcove and Victoria Fine of Finally who provide background and context to why publishers shifted engagement emphasis to newsletters.

The report pivots to the practicalities on the ground at media companies, including emerging business objectives for newsletters and the discovery of frequency as the key metric to predict churn. INMA looks at commonalities in newsletters at media companies, including the important differences among global/national brands, digital pure-plays, and metropolitan dailies. INMA also looks at subject matters that stand out, including the surprising rise of short-term pop-up newsletters.

“How Newsletters Are Redefining Media Subscriptions” concludes with a deep dive into what the Boston Globe, Financial Times, El País, and Cox Media Group are doing with newsletters — media related to metropolitan, global, national, and group.

“It is inside these case studies that the chaos of consumer engagement yields clarity,” said Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA. “No matter where you are on your digital subscription and consumer engagement journey, the tidbits inside these stories will serve as inspiration and benchmarks - and tease the personalisation revolution that is coming next at media companies.”