🤝 How to build audience trust with sponsored content in newsletters

One of the biggest challenges for newsletter publishers?

Maintaining editorial integrity while incorporating sponsored content in your newsletter.

We recently witnessed a situation that perfectly illustrates why this matters 👇

A publisher ran a sponsored content piece without clearly labeling it as sponsored.

The result? Triple the expected clicks… but nearly all of them bounced instantly when they hit the advertiser's site.

Not great for anyone involved!

Let’s dive into how publishers and brands can avoid these pitfalls and turn sponsored content into a win-win for everyone involved.

For Publishers 📧

The foundation of your newsletter's success is reader trust.

Lose that… and you lose your business.

Here's how to protect your reader's trust:

Always clearly label sponsored content.

(Btw, make sure you check out our post about not linking advertiser logos at the top of your newsletter.)

Whether it's “Sponsored by,” “Thanks to our sponsor,” or a similar callout, transparency is non-negotiable.

Next, lean on authenticity with your endorsements.

If you've used the product, great! Share your genuine experience with it, and you’ll see a meaningful bump in interest from your readers.

(Remember, social proof is king.)

If you haven't, that's okay too - just be upfront about it.

Another key element? Maintain your newsletter’s voice.

Write sponsored content in your newsletter's natural tone, and be clear about your relationship with the product.

This minimizes confusion, while helping the ad feel more native to your newsletter.

Pro Tip for Publishers: Consider adding a note like “While I haven't personally used this product…” when appropriate. Your readers will appreciate the honesty.

For Brands 🎯

Newsletter audiences are different from typical digital media audiences.

They’re highly engaged readers who’ve built a trusting relationship with the writer.

One of the best ways to tap into this trust is offering writers the chance to sample your product, so they can speak about it genuinely to loyal readers.

That's because in newsletters, quality engagement matters more than quantity.

High click rates mean nothing if they're coming from confused readers who immediately bounce.

You also want to embrace transparency.

Clearly labeling sponsored content might reduce initial clicks, but the engagement you get will be from more interested, qualified prospects.

To guarantee that the publishers you work with stick to this rule…

Work with them on content.

Collaborating on the message and presentation gives you a great opportunity to have your ad optimally fit the newsletter it’s going out in.

Just don't push for false endorsements. Authentic content always performs better.

The Bottom Line

Whether you're a publisher or a brand, the key to successful newsletter sponsorships is maintaining trust through transparency.

Short-term gains from unclear labeling will hurt long-term results.

At Wellput, we've seen this play out countless times across our network of newsletter publishers and brands.

That's why our platform is built to support transparent, high-performing sponsorships that work for everyone involved.

Want to build authentic, high-performing newsletter sponsorships?

Try Wellput risk-free.

We help publishers and brands create partnerships built on trust.

It’s free to join, and the best way to connect your publication with quality brand partners who value editorial integrity as much as you do.

We’ll pair you with appropriate sponsors, handle price negotiations, and assist you with existing sponsorship efforts.

Check out Wellput here, and we’ll catch you in next week's newsletter for more monetization tips and tricks! ✨