What is a Newsletter?

A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication sent to subscribers who have opted to receive it. Traditional newsletters were print publications, but today they primarily refer to email-based communications that deliver curated content, updates, or promotions directly to subscribers' inboxes.

Newsletters in the Social Media Ecosystem

While not social media platforms themselves, newsletters have become integral to comprehensive social media strategies. They provide a direct, algorithm-free channel to reach audience members who have explicitly requested your content.

Social media and newsletters work together in several ways:

• Using social platforms to drive newsletter sign-ups
• Sharing newsletter excerpts on social media to showcase value
• Repurposing social content for newsletter inclusion
• Cross-promoting social accounts in newsletter footers
• Generating discussion on social platforms about newsletter topics

They also act as a bridge between your social following and owned audience, helping diversify where you communicate with your community. Additionally, a few social media platforms are now embracing them as part of long-form content strategies. Notably:

• LinkedIn Newsletters:
  Users and company pages can create and publish newsletters that go out to followers as in-app notifications and emails. This is ideal for professionals sharing insights, industry updates, or thought leadership. LinkedIn even promotes your newsletter to new followers, making it a high-visibility content tool.
• Substack, Revue (formerly Twitter) and similar platforms also blend social features with newsletter functionality, allowing creators to build audiences both on and off social networks.