Creating sustainable revenue for local newsletters often feels like a chicken-and-egg problem: you need subscribers to attract advertisers, but you need revenue to grow your subscriber base. Newsletter operators are discovering that one powerful solution lies in developing regular, sponsorable content features that both engage readers and attract advertisers.
Phat Chiem of The 518 in Albany has seen firsthand how strategically designed regular features can create valuable sponsorship opportunities while building reader loyalty.
"I think you want to create those regular features that brings people back time and time again, but also things that can become very sponsorable," Chiem explains. The 518's "House of the Week" feature, which has run since the newsletter's launch, exemplifies this approach.
"It's actually one of our most popular, most clicked on things we do all week," Chiem notes. The consistent popularity makes it an attractive target for advertisers: "Can totally see a real estate agent or a brokerage house or a mortgage company sponsoring that section."
TJ Larkin, who hosts a local newsletter podcast, has identified similar opportunities in unexpected places. At a community event, he noticed multiple pet boarding businesses with booths, all eager to discuss marketing opportunities. This observation sparked the idea for a "Pet of the Week" feature highlighting adoptable animals – content that would interest readers while creating a natural sponsorship opportunity for pet-related businesses.
"People like to see cute animals. You're doing good for animals... And then one of these boarding companies could sponsor that section," Larkin explains. "This stuff just writes itself."
The beauty of this approach is its win-win nature. Readers get engaging, consistent content they look forward to each week. Sponsors get to associate with positive, relevant content rather than just placing standard advertisements. And newsletter operators create dedicated revenue streams while diversifying their content.
Other sponsorable regular features might include:
Weekly event roundups (sponsorable by venues, ticket sellers, or entertainment companies)
Local food reviews (sponsorable by restaurant groups or food delivery services)
Family activity guides (sponsorable by children's activities, education centers, or family-oriented businesses)
Home improvement tips (sponsorable by hardware stores, contractors, or design firms)
The key is aligning your regular features with both reader interests and potential sponsor categories in your market. As Chiem puts it: "What can you do that is a regular feature that brings people back but also attracts sponsors?"
This approach can even transform traditional one-off advertising relationships into more valuable partnerships. When a concert promoter approached The 518 about advertising an upcoming show, Chiem proposed a broader collaboration including behind-the-scenes reporting on how the unique concert came together, ticket giveaways, and traditional ads.
"It became a bigger thing than just running a couple of ads," he explains. "How do we kind of leverage the audience? How do we do sort of an editorial slash advertising collaboration that suddenly takes it from like a couple hundred dollars to like $4,000, $5,000 sponsorship?"
For newsletter operators building their businesses, developing sponsorable regular features offers a path to revenue that enhances rather than detracts from the reader experience. By creating content that serves both audience interests and sponsor needs, you can build sustainable income streams while strengthening your publication's value proposition.
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