What You Need to Know About LinkedIn Newsletters

If you’ve been publishing LinkedIn posts regularly but want to find ways to level up your content on the platform, this article is for you.

A LinkedIn newsletter is similar to an email newsletter, but it’s distributed directly through LinkedIn to your network. This functionality allows you to share valuable insights, updates, and content consistently with your followers, establishing you as a thought leader in your industry. 

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about starting a LinkedIn newsletter, including how to set it up, best practices for content creation, and strategies for maximizing engagement and visibility.

What is a LinkedIn newsletter?

A LinkedIn newsletter is a feature that allows you to share a regular publication that you can distribute directly to your network through LinkedIn.

Unlike traditional email newsletters, LinkedIn newsletters leverage the platform’s algorithm to enhance visibility and engagement, making it easier for your content to reach a broader audience.

On the flip side, while in traditional email marketing, you own and manage your subscriber list, with LinkedIn newsletters, LinkedIn manages your subscriber list, and you don’t have direct access to subscriber email addresses.

LinkedIn newsletters can benefit from LinkedIn’s algorithm, which may increase the visibility of your content to a broader audience beyond your immediate subscribers.

Requirements to start a LinkedIn newsletter

Starting a LinkedIn newsletter involves meeting a few requirements to ensure you’re set up for success on the platform. Here’s what you need:

1. Have 150+ followers: To begin publishing a LinkedIn newsletter, you must have at least 150 followers or connections. Connect with people in your network and engage with different LinkedIn users’ content to grow your audience.
2. Turn on Creator Mode: Creator Mode is essential for accessing advanced content creation features, including newsletters. To enable Creator Mode:
   1. Navigate to your LinkedIn profile homepage.
   2. Locate the account tools section and activate Creator Mode.

Additionally, your LinkedIn account must comply with LinkedIn’s community guidelines and policies. Accounts with recent violations or restrictions may not be eligible to start a newsletter. Ensure your profile is complete and professional to enhance credibility and reach.

Why publish a LinkedIn newsletter?

Publishing a LinkedIn newsletter can be a game-changer for your content marketing strategy. Here are some compelling reasons to start your own LinkedIn newsletter:

1. Boost your LinkedIn SEO: Creating and consistently publishing a LinkedIn newsletter can significantly enhance your presence on the platform. With each publication, you increase the number of content pieces associated with your profile, which helps improve your LinkedIn SEO. This makes it easier for potential followers and connections to discover your profile and content, inevitably growing your personal brand on LinkedIn. It’s also a great way for small businesses to get visibility on the platform.
2. Reach more of your target audience: LinkedIn newsletters are distributed directly to your followers’ LinkedIn feeds, subscribers’ notifications, and sometimes even their email inboxes. This direct delivery increases the likelihood that your content will be seen and engaged with by your target audience. As your subscriber base grows, so does your reach, allowing you to connect with more people who are interested in your insights and expertise.
3. Increase the visibility of your content: LinkedIn’s algorithm favors content that generates engagement. Regularly publishing a newsletter can create opportunities for increased likes, comments, and shares. This engagement signals to the LinkedIn algorithm that your content is valuable, which can further enhance its visibility across the platform. As a result, your newsletter can reach a broader audience beyond just your subscribers.
4. Build thought leadership and authority: Consistently sharing high-quality, insightful content through your LinkedIn newsletter helps establish you as a thought leader in your industry. It allows you to showcase your expertise, share your unique perspectives, and engage in meaningful conversations with your audience. Over time, this can build your credibility and authority, making you a go-to resource in your niche.
5. Drive traffic to your other platforms: Your LinkedIn newsletter can be a powerful tool to drive traffic to your other content platforms, such as your website, blog, or other social media channels. While links might be downranked in posts, they are not downranked in newsletters. So, this feature makes directing your readers to external platforms much easier. 

Publishing a LinkedIn newsletter offers numerous benefits that can enhance your content strategy, increase your visibility, and solidify your position as an industry leader.

How to create a LinkedIn newsletter

Before discussing LinkedIn newsletter best practices, you need to know how to create one.

Create a newsletter from the homepage

Click Write article in the post area at the top of the homepage and choose whether you want to publish from your personal profile or from a LinkedIn page.

In the content editing area, navigate to the Manage button in the top right of your screen and select Newsletter. This will show a dropdown menu with the Create a newsletter option.

You will be given the option to add a title, publishing cadence, description, and image — make sure to fill out each section.

Tap Done, and you’re all set.

After this, to create a new newsletter edition, simply tap the Write article button again to get to the newsletter page and start a new issue.

View your newsletter analytics

Track your newsletter’s performance using LinkedIn’s analytics tools. Monitor metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and engagement to understand what resonates with your audience and refine your content strategy accordingly​.

You can view newsletter metrics in three ways:

1. By visiting your newsletter page and clicking on the Analytics section at the top
2. By opening one of your newsletter issues and clicking View stats in the section at the top
3. By visiting your Analytics dashboard and clicking on the Newsletter section at the bottom right

You won’t see things like open rates, but you can view engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares.

If you create a newsletter from your personal account, you see:

• Impressions
• Unique views
• Reactions, comments, and reposts
• Viewer demographics

And here’s what you see for a newsletter created from your Company Page. Including viewer demographics, you also see the number of clicks and the click-through rate, which is great for reporting on performance if you publish sponsored newsletters.

Best practices for your LinkedIn newsletter

It’s one thing to set up a newsletter and get many eyes on it — but how do you get subscribers to stay? Here are some best practices to help you create a LinkedIn newsletter that keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more.

Fill out all the details

The look of your newsletter plays a big role in getting subscribers. Everything from the title to the structure can impact how responsive your audience is to it.

For your newsletter logo and headers, use high-quality visuals that align with your personal or business brand identity and the theme of your newsletter. Maintain the identity in the visuals for all newsletter issues.

Your profile picture and headline will appear as the author’s information, so keep them updated and relevant. Ensure your overall profile, from the cover photo to your latest experience, is professional and up-to-date, highlighting your expertise and the value your newsletter will provide.

Finally, use the space in your newsletter description to briefly describe the purpose of your newsletter, the topics you will cover, and the value subscribers can expect to gain. Be concise yet compelling so you can grab attention immediately. Here’s an example using my personal newsletter.

Develop and maintain quality content

Your newsletter articles should have clear, engaging headlines that draw readers in. Avoid misleading titles to maintain trust. A good headline sets the tone and encourages readers to dive into your content​.

Encourage reader interaction by asking questions and soliciting feedback. Including a discussion point or question at the end of each article can increase engagement and improve your newsletter’s performance in LinkedIn’s algorithm​.

Pick a cadence you can stick to. 

How often do you want to publish your newsletter? This will help determine how much effort you’re putting in and set expectations for your audience regarding when they can expect to hear from you. 

It’s up to you whether you publish daily or biweekly. The most important thing is that you’re consistent. If you aren’t publishing, make sure you let your audience know beforehand.

Create and store your drafts in a separate space

For better editing and collaboration, write your newsletter content in a word processor like Google Docs. Storing drafts in a separate space ensures you have backups and can easily track changes and improvements.

This allows you to use and share the draft with others for feedback. Once your draft is ready, copy it from your word processor and paste it into the LinkedIn editor for final touches.

Develop an email list outside of LinkedIn. 

Unlike traditional email marketing, you don’t have ownership over your list of newsletter subscribers. To mitigate this, develop an email list outside LinkedIn that offers even more value. 

To convert LinkedIn subscribers to your email list, offer exclusive content only available to email subscribers, such as detailed guides or special discounts. Include clear CTAs in your newsletters, directing readers to sign up for your email list on your website. Ensure the signup process is easy and highlights the additional value they will receive.

Some LinkedIn newsletters to look to for inspiration

Here are some LinkedIn newsletters to inspire you in building yours.

Lindsey Gamble’s newsletter

4.2k subscribers

In addition to his email newsletter hosted on Beehiiv, Lindsey also shares issues as LinkedIn newsletters. Both issues are replicas of each other, with the caveat that email subscribers get new editions earlier. He also shares that subscribers wanting exclusive editions should sign up using the email version – a great strategy to drive curiosity.

ICYMI by Lia Haberman

6.1k subscribers

Lia Haberman has made our list of best newsletters several times for good reason – the value she packs into each issue is understated. Like Lindsey, her LinkedIn newsletter is always a direct reproduction of her Substack email newsletter. However, she takes a different approach, offering add-ons to monetize the Substack version.

This approach works for Lia because the add-on value can’t be gotten through LinkedIn newsletters anyway. So she wins in two ways:

1. Anyone truly interested in her content that discovers it on LinkedIn will likely still seek out the Substack for the add-ons
2. She can still put ads in her LinkedIn newsletter (tracked with UTM codes of course) that might be going to a different audience entirely

Career Bites by Lorraine K. Lee

44.7k subscribers

Lorraine’s newsletter seems to take the same approach as Lindsey and Lia’s, with one exception – an access wall. Instead of directly reproducing all the content in her newsletter, Lorraine directs LinkedIn subscribers to her full newsletter to read the rest of an issue. 

LinkedIn newsletter FAQs

Do you have access to your email list?

No, LinkedIn newsletters are not the same as regular email marketing, so you don’t own the list of your newsletter subscribers.

What if I want to publish a LinkedIn article, not a newsletter?

After clicking Write article and getting to the article creation area, simply go to the dropdown on the left of your screen and select Individual article instead of your newsletter.

How many newsletters can you create on LinkedIn?

You can create up to 5 separate newsletters on LinkedIn.

Can I change the publishing frequency of my newsletter?

Yes, you can change the publishing frequency of your LinkedIn newsletter at any time. Go to your newsletter settings and adjust the frequency to match your content creation capabilities and audience expectations, whether daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly.

How do I track the performance of my LinkedIn newsletter?

You can track your newsletter’s performance using LinkedIn’s analytics tools. Monitor metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and engagement to understand what resonates with your audience and refine your content strategy accordingly. Visit the Newsletter tab on your profile to view these metrics.

Can I monetize my LinkedIn newsletter?

While LinkedIn doesn’t directly offer monetization features for newsletters, you can indirectly monetize by promoting your products, services, or affiliate links within your content. Additionally, you can use your newsletter to drive traffic to monetized platforms like your website or online courses.