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Atmrix

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Atmrix

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CB

Chris Best

05/15/19

@ Y Combinator

Paid subscribers can receive free gifts, such as subscription months, to encourage their friends to try the newsletter, which can lead to new subscriptions.

Video

YC

Monetizing Podcasts and Newsletters - Chris Best of Substack and Jonathan Gill of Backtracks

@ Y Combinator

Monetizing Podcasts and Newsletters - Chris Best of Substack and Jonathan Gill of Backtracks

05/15/19

Related Takeaways

YC

Y Combinator Cast

05/15/19

@ Y Combinator

To grow a newsletter, make your best content free and accessible, as this encourages sharing and helps people discover your work.

CB

Chris Best

05/15/19

@ Y Combinator

Subscriptions are powerful because they feel less expensive than a flat fee, leading to more people willing to pay over time.

CB

Chris Best

05/15/19

@ Y Combinator

To grow newsletters effectively, implement a referral program that allows super fans to easily share the newsletter with others, similar to how The Skimm grew.

CB

Chris Best

05/15/19

@ Y Combinator

Starting a newsletter can be as simple as creating a free one on Substack, making your first post, and sharing it with a small group to gather initial feedback.

NK

Nikhil Kamath Cast

04/20/23

@ Nikhil Kamath

Twitch gamifies the viewing experience by rewarding viewers with points for watching and allowing subscribers to gift subscriptions to others, enhancing community engagement.

AS

Alex Schultz

03/24/17

@ Y Combinator

PayPal incentivized users by giving away money for signing up friends, which contributed to its viral growth on the consumer side.

MC

Mathilde Collin

10/25/18

@ Y Combinator

New features are a great way to upsell; I often offer a 30-day trial of a new feature and ask if users would be willing to double their price if they find it valuable.

JL

Jeff Lawson

05/24/25

@ a16z speedrun

We shifted The Onion's business model to prioritize readers over advertisers, launching a subscription service that has successfully attracted tens of thousands of subscribers.

MM

Macy Mills

05/17/25

@ a16z speedrun

Consider offering a discount for commitment, such as 10-20% off for annual subscriptions, to encourage adoption and ensure revenue predictability.