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- đź“Ś50k subs + $200k, all organic
đź“Ś50k subs + $200k, all organic
Passion gives you back
Anatoly Zaslaver
November 22, 2024
In partnership with
Hey, glad you’re here! 👋
Today’s spotlight is on the After School newsletter.
This week’s 5 handpicked email gems…
Stay out of spam & promotions - email health
Practical email tips backed by smart analysis
Spotlight on Creators
Smart tips for boosting newsletter conversions.
Backstory
In the newsletter world, it’s easy to obsess over tactics - CTR, open rates, landing pages. But true success? It comes from passion, and proves it.
At 13, she contacted a fashion website about their outdated teen section and offered to help. They said yes. That spark led her to a career in youth trends.
Now, she runs After School, a newsletter with 50,000+ subscribers, including brands like Nike, Instagram, and financial firms.
Her journey wasn’t overnight - it’s built on patience, consistency, and a love for the craft.
What's in it for you?
1. A behind-the-scenes: how to build a six-figure revenue stream
2. How to grow a newsletter organically - no paid ads required
3. Real templates to help you boost subscribers today
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After School dives deep into youth consumer trends.
Four times a week, subscribers get insights on everything from viral TikTok moments to how Gen Z is reshaping work culture.
Premium subscribers? They get even more - long-form, deeply-researched weekend analysis.
Some of Casey’s most popular content includes:
TikTok’s Influence
From redefining beauty routines to shifting consumer behaviors, TikTok isn’t just an app—it’s a cultural force.
Gen Z at Work
They’re ditching traditional 9-to-5s, chasing side hustles, and demanding something different from life and careers.
Gender Dynamics
Viral trends like #womeninmalefields challenge outdated stereotypes, while hyper-masculine media spaces face growing critiques.
Boredom in a Busy World
Casey’s readers love her cultural critiques—what happens when digital overstimulation meets the desire for simplicity?
Her newsletter isn’t fluff. It’s a resource for brands and individuals to understand what’s happening now and what’s next.
Monday-Thursday: After School Daily
Weekend: After School Extra Credit
Takeaways:
Live it to give it - that’s real value.
A clear generational gap exists between today’s youth and those who write about their consumption culture
To truly grasp it, you need more than just academic or psychological analysis - you need to live and experience it firsthand
This is where Casey stands out. With a rare blend of insider experience, professional expertise, and over two decades of tracking cultural shifts, Casey uniquely bridges the gap in ways no one else can
Deliverability
Casey’s approach to deliverability is… unconventional.
She doesn’t have the polished sign-up flow you’d expect. Her thank-you page? It doesn’t exist. And her welcome email? You’ll have to dig for it.
Yet, her stats tell a different story:
55% open rate
12% click-through rate
Are these stats good? Nope. They’re awesome! Compare them to the industry standards.
How she does it? Her content is a perfect product-market fit.
People don’t just want to read her newsletter - they need to. Even brands like Nike, Instagram, and financial institutions rely on her insights to stay ahead of youth culture trends.
Also, sending 5 emails a week (with the paid version) helps your readers get into the groove - it becomes part of their daily routine, almost like a ritual.
And her landing page?
Casey knows how to nail it with the right audience. it's an example of a straight-to-the-point approach: concise, informative, and built to make visitors hit “Subscribe”.
Takeaways:
If you’re just starting a newsletter, keep it simple:
Start with a landing page that shows off your newsletter’s value
Follow up with a thank-you page that links to your welcome email
Send a warm, friendly welcome email to spark a connection
But remember, even the best sign-up flow won’t save mediocre content.
Growth
Casey’s growth story is one of persistence.
It started in 2021. With zero subscribers, she wrote for herself - no expectations.
Slowly, readers trickled in. Her niche was so unique and valuable that her audience couldn’t help but grow.
She leaned into platforms that resonated with her audience, especially TikTok, where she now has 39,000 followers.
For a newsletter creator, this is almost unheard of.
Most creators stick to LinkedIn or X (Twitter), text-based platforms. But Casey knows where her readers live.
By 2023, she had 30,000 subscribers. In the first three months of 2024, she added another 8,000, thanks to major media features and interviews. Now she’s at 50,000+ subscribers - all organically.
Her growth also reflects her expertise. Casey has been writing about youth culture since she was a teen.
She’s watched Millennials grow up, chronicled Gen Z’s rise, and is now preparing for Gen Alpha. Few can match her depth of experience.
Monetization
Most newsletters of Casey’s size are packed with ads.
Not After School.
Casey has taken a different path: Paid subscriptions.
In addition to her free weekday editions, she offers a premium weekend analysis - a deep dive into youth culture.
For months, she wrote these long-form pieces for just 19 paying subscribers. Most would’ve quit. Casey didn’t.
Her persistence paid off.
Today, 5% of her subscribers pay for the premium version.
With the cheapest subscription priced at $110 annually, she earns over $200K a year.
Even more impressive? Nearly half of those are corporations.
Top companies like Nike, Red Bull, and Instagram use her newsletter as a consulting tool to understand youth culture.
Takeaways:
Add paid subscriptions only when your content has proven market fit: high organic growth, strong open rates (42%+), and engaged readers
Your subscribers will pay when your content adds dollar value - whether they’re individuals or corporations
Did you learn something new today? |