As Ben Thompson of The Stratechery writes, “your business model is your destiny.”

Allows you to keep your content publicly available instead of locking it away behind a paywall.

Creators can have more creative and financial control over what’s included in their newsletter compared to traditional ads.

It can be an inconsistent revenue stream when compared to alternatives like subscription models.

sponsorships are usually priced in a CPM (cost per 1,000 subscribers) or CPO (cost per email opened) format.

When there is alignment between your newsletter topic and a sponsor’s product or service, everyone wins. Your audience gains access to a relevant deal, your sponsors achieve a positive ROI on their investment, and you solidify your publication as a valuable resource for both parties.

Reader intent must shape how you choose to monetize as much as it influences the newsletter content itself.

Standard newsletter CPM rates range from $5-$200 depending on the niche, audience size, and sponsorship type.

Most newsletters will find themselves charging sponsors between $25 and $50 for every thousand subscribers who open their emails.

For example, a newsletter with 10,000 subscribers and a 45% open rate could expect to make $112.50 to $225.00 for every issue sent.