“This image shows the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 as it appeared 4.6 billion years ago, with many more galaxies in front of and behind the cluster.”—NASA

Swoon.

If you’ve not caught yourself in awe of the James Webb Space Telescope images released in recent days, I assume you must have more important things going on.

Meanwhile, my jaw is permanently dropped, as distant galaxies come into sharp focus.

As we look back at… the bit after the beginning?

NASA reports state that the galaxy cluster images we are seeing show us somewhere within a billion years after the big bang.

Use this sort of language and I am immediately transported to a childhood memory of being snuggled in bed reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle, who encouraged young minds like mine to imagine space / time travel. She taught me the universe was ever expanding. But she also taught me that the love of one young girl could save it from darkness.

...

Last night I watched a red super moon rise over the Atlantic Ocean, mesmerizing clusters of people gathered at the oceanfront to catch a glimpse, as if its gravitational force brought us together.

My daughters insisted on photo sessions that captured them cupping it in their hands.

They held the moon.

It held their attention.

And the expanding universe felt both small and infinite at the same time.

...

What newsletter lesson does this cosmic ramble arrive at, though?

I think it is the idea that you (and your newsletter) can be 2 or more things at once:

Pulled by a strong gravitational force with your bare feet in lush green grass and also part of an expanding universe that we can somehow collect billion-year-old images of and study.

None of us is really just one thing.

The advice of niching down is smart, unless it feels unbearably restrictive.

You (and your brand) are the intersection of many experiences, emotions, and opinions.

Find ways to weave those into what you create.

Be “both and” without worrying you shouldn’t.

Have dimensions.

Create gravitational pull through your writing, and by what you choose to share.

Take pictures of a past no one has ever seen.

Dare others to imagine that they can achieve their dreams.

Help them hold the moon by delivering an experience they opt in to receive.

Ashley Guttuso  

Growth Tips To Steal

In this issue of The Steal Club, Alex Llull compiled 10+ tips to grow a newsletter. For each tip, he includes visuals and real-life examples.

I really enjoyed tip #4 (using screen captures of newsletter responses as social proof) and #7 (DMing all new social media followers to thank them and let them know you have a newsletter). See them all here.

Discovered via For the Interested.

mailerlite.com  

Has Your Email Been Clipped?

I LOVE when newsletter creators talk about experiments they’re running or challenges they’re experiencing. So, naturally, I really like how theCLIKK shared their recent bout with unintentional email clipping.

They explain what clipping is, how it works, and what you can do to avoid making their mistake.

Discovered via theCLIKK.

Also, check out one of the best explanations of email clipping I’ve encountered here.

theclikk.com  

The Buyer’s Journey Has Changed

Has the buying process changed? If so, it makes sense that the marketing process should change, too. Robert Rose explains the role of content in this new buyer's journey.

contentadvisory.net  

Good Content About Content Marketing

Some of my favorite content marketers are dropping truth bombs on LinkedIn left and right. If you don’t follow these guys (unintentionally collected links from just the men folk this week, y’all), you probably should, especially if you want your content marketing to move the needle in today’s market.

1. Chris Walker told us that measuring the ROI of a single piece of content is “a huge waste of time.” He details what you should do instead.
2. Ross Simmonds pointed out that research is the key to content success. He defines 8 types of research that may help here.
3. “This is the ultimate goal –– to make the search unnecessary within your niche.” John Bonini explains what your content needs to do to become the go-to in your field.
4. What makes a channel valuable? Shiv Narayanan warns against becoming obsessed with tracking to the point of neglecting other opportunities.

Have You Tried Microsoft Clarity?

Want to know what users are doing on your website? This free tool (it’s a Hotjar competitor) may help. Learn what Microsoft Clarity is and what it does in this TikTok by Nicholas from Growth Marketer.

tiktok.com  

Improve Your Marketing With Copy

(Good) copywriting can improve your marketing. The Wiz details 8 copywriting principles to help you become an expert marketer:

1. The PRP Method
2. Hypnosis principle - Remove Disjunction
3. Building rapport - matching & mirroring
4. The 5 Stages of Awareness
5. 8 Human Emotions
6. TALK TO ONE PERSON
7. Handle all their objections
8. Social proof

Find out what they are here.

Discovered via Marketer Crew.

twitter.com  

Is It Time To Change The Status Quo?

Do you ever do something just because that’s the way it’s always been done? This week’s Publishing Insights reveal that more and more the status quo is no longer working. Here are a few ways to change it up.

• A recent report from Reuters devoted a full chapter to understanding opportunities in newsletters and Peter Houston compiled a summary and key takeaways here.
• Evergreen pop-up newsletters are becoming more and more popular, and Sydney Lewis spent time learning how to best create one. She details her process in this RJI article.
• Here’s Amanda Ripley’s secret: “I’ve been actively avoiding the news for years.” Her Washington Post article seeks to discover why people (her included) are done with traditional news.
• Are you contributing to your comments? In this issue of Trusting News, Lynn Walsh explains how adding to the conversation on your posts builds trusts with your readers.
• Why are some publishing powerhouses excelling while others are on the decline? Esther Kezia Thorpe compares and contrasts the NYT to The Washington Post here.
• Do you know what a “journo-influencer” is? David Tvrdon defines the term and offers insights into the relationships between journalists and influencers in this article for The Fix.

A Profitable Experiment

Two years ago Ben Issen started what he thought would be a 2-week experiment in selling Notion templates (known as the Notion Pack). It evolved into 2 years of income.

He details the 5 phases of his project, starting with his idea and ending with diversifying here.

Discovered via Growth Marketer.

supercreative.design  

Drive Signups With A Page Focused On Subscribing

Hey, everyone. Seth with Curated Success here.

Did you know you can customize the front page of your Curated newsletter publication site (aka newsletter home page) to feature only your newsletter name, description, and subscription form?

This is a good option for publishers who want to streamline their home page design and focus on converting visitors to subscribers. Think of it as a very simple landing page you’d send someone to from a source where they’ve learned enough to know they’re interested in subscribing.

You can provide a link to your latest issue for visitors to check out. From there, they’ll have the option to subscribe at the top or bottom of the page.

Here’s how to set it up:

• Go to your publication’s Settings
• Scroll down to the Hosting, Subscriptions and Publishing section
• Select Web
• Under Publication Website, uncheck the box beside Include latest issue on site home page
• Under Navigation Menu, check the box beside Show “Latest Issue” menu option

A great example of a Curated newsletter that implements this design is Wright Society (image above). This newsletter has a beautiful home page, a succinct description, and menu options to view the latest issue or past archives.

If you have any questions about setting this up, let me know!

Curated Crash Course Is Today At 4 PM Central

Curated Crash Course is today at 4 PM CT!

As usual, the first 30 minutes include a tutorial on getting started with Curated followed by a Q&A session that begins at 4:30.

This is built to be a come-and-go Zoom call, so feel free to hop in whenever you can and leave when you have to.

If you have any questions about Curated or newsletters, we created a Google Form where you can submit them.

Seth will answer them live at Curated Crash Course during the Q&A segment of the session, but if you can't make it, he’ll send you a recording so you can see your questions answered.

zoom.us  

New to Curated? Make a copy of this Getting Started with Curated Checklist to help launch your newsletter (public, private, or paid).

Consider Plain Text

It’s not always easy to create emails that look good on every device in every mode. Sometimes you may want to break up the flow and use plain text to get attention.

This week your Opt In Challenge is to read this Marketing Profs article about when and how to use plain text emails by Chad S. White. Then, consider if there’s a use case you want to try for your newsletter or other emails.

Discovered via Really Good Emails.

marketingprofs.com  

Like this newsletter?

Let me know. Reply, email me at Ashley[at]optinweekly.com, or find me on LinkedIn to hit me with some feedback. I’d love to know what you think.

Happy newslettering,

Ashley Guttuso