Went back and did the math and can confirm that I just sent my 1,000th daily newsletter.

2016-17: Launched and wrote @TheHustle
2017-18: Started @sports_internet, acquired by @axios
2019-present: Axios Sports (sign up: http://sports.axios.com )

What I’ve learned, a thread..

Successful companies (Axios, Hustle, Morning Brew) and platforms like @SubstackInc have popularized the newsletter medium, but the medium means nothing if you don’t nail the FORMAT.

A newsletter is not a blog, nor is it a distribution pipe for your site content. It’s a letter.

The most important component to building community (which is the most important component to succeeding in today’s media landscape) is consistency and cadence.

Nothing is more consistent than a daily newsletter that arrives at the same time each day.

Once you nail consistency and become a part of your readers’ daily routine, the way they consume your content instantly changes.

They have now carved out time to read/browse links and have 10 free minutes (or however long it typically takes). Don’t waste it...

As a result, they are more focused and able to retain more info.

They’re also able to say “yes, I will read this article you linked to because I’ve already set aside time.” This rarely happens on social, where content is discovered at random, inopportune times (i.e. in transit)

The inbox is a personal space. You’re arriving next to emails from mom, co-workers, etc. This is extremely valuable and helps gain trust.

Past newsletters are stored in people’s inboxes forever and searchable. This is huge.

Once you create a daily habit, you’re immediately out of the clickbait game. You do not need to convince someone to read with a catchy headline, or try to catch their attention while they’re browsing their Twitter/FB feed.

Result: You can focus on the content. No games. No BS.

Newsletters are ideal for curating links and “going deeper.”

Especially on mobile because in most cases reader clicks, is taken to in-app browser, then clicks to return to newsletter.

They don’t get lost down rabbit hole and forget what they were doing. Click out. Come back.

The “reply to newsletter” option is incomparable. No other medium has this feature. I cannot reply to your podcast.

I send a newsletter to hundreds of thousands of people and hundreds reply directly to me each day. We are basically friends now. Where else does this happen?

Okay, that’s it for now. Gotta go start prepping newsletter No. 1,001.

I’ll add more to this thread later. Bye

Okay I’m back with two final thoughts.

1. You often hear people say “email is dying.”

This is partially accurate in that the traditional idea of “email” (come home, read emails on desktop computer) IS dying, if not dead.

But...

Now that so much of email usage is mobile, what’s the difference between email and texts?

Aren’t newsletters just long texts? They both arrive on home screen via push notification. You can read and reply.

If I could, I’d send my newsletter via text and it’d be the same product.

2. The reason why newspapers were/are the best medium for consuming news in a healthy way is because newspapers are finite. There is an end.

You read over coffee, feel caught up, then go about your day.

Newsletters are the same. We didn’t outgrow newspapers. We outgrew paper.