So you want to learn more about newsletter sponsorships? You’ve come to the right place!
As B2B marketers, we’re obsessed with all things marketing — especially when it comes to finding the best ways to reach and convert potential buyers. In this blog post, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about email newsletter sponsorships and why you should use them in your marketing to help drive demand and fill up that pipeline.
Table of Contents
- What is a newsletter sponsorship?
- Why newsletter sponsorships are so effective
- Email Advertising vs. Dedicated Sends
- 6 reasons why newsletter sponsorships make sense
- Choosing the right newsletter sponsorship partner
What is a newsletter sponsorship?
A newsletter sponsorship is when a company pays to have its advertisement or promotional content included in an email newsletter sent out to a list of subscribers. It’s kind of like when you see a company logo on the sidelines at a big sports event, except instead, you might see “Sponsored by [Company Name]” at the top of your favorite newsletter.
This type of sponsorship is a great way for companies to reach a targeted audience and promote their brand or products to people interested in the newsletter’s content.
Why newsletter sponsorships are so effective
According to Marketing Dive, “newsletter sponsorships are the savvy marketer’s secret to tailored messages to specific audiences without violating data privacy, or coming across as ‘too targeted.’” In other words, if you’re not leveraging them as part of your marketing strategy, now is the time to start.
Email newsletters have been around since, well, the beginning of email — and they’re not going away anytime soon. They provide a unique advantage, allowing companies a scalable way to engage buyers without worrying about cookies or ad blockers, as well as a powerful method for B2B marketers to align their brand with specific audiences and topics.
Email Advertising vs. Dedicated Sends
Email marketing is all about playing the long game. Building a targeted and engaged audience takes time, which is why newsletter sponsorships can be incredibly appealing. As a marketer, you can access a robust third-party audience without doing a lot of the heavy lifting. But first, you’ll want to figure out what type of newsletter sponsorship is right for you and your company’s needs.
There are two main types to choose from:
1. Email Advertising
Newsletter ads can come in the form of a banner ad, native ad, or logo placement. Ads that typically perform best are contextually relevant to the newsletter’s content and include an offer that entices subscribers to click through. Share-of-voice (SOV) and ad viewability can sometimes be impacted depending on the number of ads in the newsletter and where the ad is placed. For example, ads placed toward the bottom of an email newsletter typically don’t perform as well as those placed near the top.
2. Dedicated Sends
A dedicated send (also known as a dedicated email) is a great alternative to newsletter ad placements. As an advertiser, you’ll be able to leverage your vendor’s built-in email list while having full control over your creative and messaging. Instead of multiple messages or promotions in one email, a dedicated email send highlights one specific sponsor and topic, such as a product launch or a special promotion.
Ultimately, the type of newsletter sponsorship you choose will depend on your overall marketing goals and budget.
6 reasons why newsletter sponsorships make sense
While newsletter sponsorships are certainly not the end-all-be-all when it comes to your marketing strategy, incorporating this tactic into your overall marketing plan will certainly increase your chance of generating high-quality, marketing-qualified leads (MQLs).
Here are 5 reasons why adding newsletter sponsorships to your marketing strategy just makes sense:
1. They’re less intrusive than traditional advertising methods. Newsletter subscribers often have a vested interest in the content they sign up to receive and are more likely to engage and interact with messages that align with their interests or needs. By sponsoring newsletters that cater to your specific industry or niche, you can ensure your marketing messages are targeted and relevant, enhancing the overall subscriber experience and fostering a positive association with your brand.
2. They complement your overall marketing strategy. Newsletter sponsorships, when combined with an integrated marketing strategy that reaches audiences across multiple channels, can help amplify your efforts. You’ll create multiple touchpoints with your target audience when including newsletter ads and/or dedicated emails to your marketing mix, leading to increased brand visibility, awareness, and consideration amongst your potential buyers.
3. They’re a great way to grow your audience. By partnering with relevant newsletters in your industry or niche, you can expand your brand’s reach, drive traffic to your website or event, and ultimately generate leads or sales. Plus, sponsoring newsletters allows you to position your brand alongside valuable content, helping to establish thought leadership and foster trust in new markets and with potential customers.
4. They’re a cost-effective solution. Compared to some traditional advertising channels, email newsletter sponsorships are a great bang for your buck. They offer a relatively cost-effective way to reach a targeted B2B audience and as a marketer, you can maximize your budget’s efficiency by negotiating favorable sponsorship deals based on factors like audience size, engagement metrics, and frequency of sponsorship placements.
5. You’ll be able to effectively track results. Many publishers provide comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing you to track the performance of your sponsorships in real-time. This data includes metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of your campaign. By analyzing these metrics, you can refine your targeting, messaging, and creative elements to optimize campaign performance and ROI.
6. You’ll build credibility and trust. By associating your brand with reputable newsletters that deliver valuable content to subscribers, you position your offerings in a context that fosters confidence and authority. This alignment not only enhances brand perception but also extends your reach to an engaged audience that is more likely to be receptive to your message.
Choosing the right sponsorship partner
What can you expect from an advertising partner who created an email newsletter, grew their email list, and curated the content to specifically pique the interest of, coincidentally, your target buyer? That’s right: an audience that actually values and engages with the content they’re being served. And that’s where your ad needs to be!
It’s important to do your due diligence on third-party vendors to understand whether their newsletter product fits your brand or offer. Do a deep dive into the type of content they share, and make sure the subscriber demographics and firmographics match your target audience.
It’s equally important to factor in whether the newsletter is achieving the reach and engagement you desire. Be sure to request data on metrics and success stories from past advertisers to understand the impact the partnership will have on your marketing efforts.
Content and audience alignment should be top-of-mind when you are deciding on a sponsored newsletter partner. By selecting a newsletter that resonates with your target demographic and covers topics related to your industry or offerings, you increase the likelihood of capturing the attention of engaged readers who are receptive to your message.
To figure out the best fit, do some research on potential newsletter partners. Subscribe to their newsletter and request audience demographics and interests when you are in touch with their sales team. Understanding the ins and outs of the newsletter partnership enhances the effectiveness of your sponsorship but also fosters a more meaningful connection with potential leads.
We’ve also briefly touched on audience engagement metrics to gauge the effectiveness of the sponsorship opportunity. Open rates and click-through rates (CTRs) are important, but it’s also important to go deeper into additional KPIs, notably subscriber metrics like subscriber growth and unsubscribe rates. These are indicators of the audience’s satisfaction with the newsletter provider’s content.
Last, but not least, look for social proof in the form of case studies and testimonials from prior clients to evaluate the success of past sponsorships and the level of satisfaction among advertisers. By conducting thorough evaluations and prioritizing alignment and engagement metrics, B2B marketers can confidently select the right newsletter partner to maximize the impact of their sponsorship investment.
Get the most out of your newsletter marketing with TechnologyAdvice
If the time is right, we encourage you to explore Brand to Demand by TechnologyAdvice which offers newsletter sponsorships in an integrated program created to meet your marketing goals.
