How to Increase Your Newsletter’s Open Rate
Every unopened newsletter costs you money. Not in a vague, theoretical way – in actual sponsor revenue you're missing out on. Most publishers know this, but few do anything about it.
Today, I'll show you three proven ways to boost your open rates that most publishers overlook.
First, let's talk about subject lines.
They're the first (and often only) chance you get to grab your reader's attention. Yet most publishers spend less than five minutes writing them.
Think about it. You spend hours crafting your newsletter, but only minutes on the one thing that determines if anyone will see it.
All newsletter publishers should set aside dedicated time for creation of an effective, optimized subject line.
Test different approaches. Track what resonates. Build a swipe file of your winners.
This isn't just about being creative – it's about being systematic.
If you want more ideas, Brad Wolverton (former Head of Content at The Hustle) wrote a great newsletter outlining the approaches he’s seen work best.
Next up, a great welcome email series.
Your welcome email series matters more than you think. This is your chance to get new subscribers excited and engaged from day one. But more importantly, it's your opportunity to ensure they'll actually see your future emails.
A great welcome email series should:
Get readers excited about what's coming next (and set clear expectations about frequency and value)
Guide them to add you to their primary inbox
Point them to your best past content and, ideally, click a link to do so
These simple steps do double duty: they ensure your emails actually reach your readers, and they prime those readers to open them when they do.
Finally, keep your list clean.
Let’s be honest, subscribers who haven't opened your newsletter in three months probably never will. But they're not just inactive – they're hurting your deliverability and skewing your metrics.
It’s all about list hygiene, people. Every newsletter publisher should set up automated systems to remove non-openers after 90 days.
(If you’re using Beehiiv, they have a great guide on setting up a re-engagement sequence like this)
Yes, your total subscriber count might drop. But your engagement metrics will improve, and that's what sponsors actually care about.
Ultimately, higher open rates mean more eyes on your sponsored content. More eyes mean better results. Better results mean sponsors who stick around (and pay premium rates).
Try out the above tips for yourself in the week ahead, and let me know the results.
And keep reading Newsletter Sponsorship Insider each week for more strategies on turning your newsletter into a thriving business.
See you next week,
Craig
P.S. Speaking of sponsors who stick around – we built Wellput to help publishers like you keep their premium inventory filled with quality sponsors who value engaged audiences.
Stop leaving money on the table with unfilled inventory. 👉 Try Wellput today.
