Deciding on your newsletter name can be challenging. What happens if people aren’t compelled to subscribe from the sheer cleverness of it? If this is you, you’re probably overthinking it. You need to start somewhere, so just timebox yourself to come up with a name in a day and get started. Here are a few tips on how to find a newsletter name that just feels right. Remember, there’s no cookie-cutter solution. Good enough is better than perfect.
Find your niche
In case you decided to start with a name first, ask yourself “What am I going to write about?” Try to be as specific as possible. Once you have a clear understanding of the niche you're going to occupy, research other blogs and newsletters in the space. Pay attention to their tone, language, and keywords. Figure out how you’re going to use language that appeals to your audience, but is unique enough to stand out.
Here’s a good example: The Latinx Times. It clearly tells you who it’s for, plus it’s a pun on The LA Times. +1 clever points. 10/10 would subscribe.
Is it business or personal?
You can figure this out over time, but decide whether you want your newsletter to use your own personal brand or a business. You could use your own name initially if you have a strong following, but if you intend to turn it into a business and something that can exist beyond you, definitely consider a more business appropriate name. Even famous thought leaders like James Clear (3-2-1 newsletter) and Tim Ferris (5-Bullet Friday) have business names for their newsletters.
Be direct and clear
A good newsletter title reflects its identity, mission, tone, and main idea without much further explanation. Don’t make your readers guess what your newsletter is about. The Morning Brew is daily business news while you’re sipping on your coffee.
Keep it short
You'd like for your newsletter to stand out in the sea of others. Choose a simple, easy-to-spell name. If people can’t spell it after hearing it, you’re doing something wrong and losing readers. Keep it short and memorable. 2-4 words is great. The Hustle and Wait But Why for example.
Make sure the name isn’t already taken
Check to make sure the .com for your newsletter’s name isn’t already taken to avoid any confusion. It’s a little sad when someone tells you they signed up for your newsletter but got confused only to realize they landed on someone else’s site.
Let people find you on Google
Optimize the name for SEO - include a niche keyword in it for a better chance of being discovered. It's not guaranteed to drive your traffic numbers up, but it could help. Marketing Dive and SaaS Weekly are great examples here, and might show up for people searching about marketing and SaaS.
Stay organized
When you brainstorm ideas, use mindmaps to store them in one place, get inspiration from newsletter name generators and competitors, check in with a thesaurus for originality.
Ask for feedback
Once you have a couple of contenders, share them with your target audience. Say the name out loud - do they sound nice and are they easy to pronounce? You might find out that certain names resonate more than others. Maybe you missed that your name sounds like a swear word when hyphenated the wrong way. Better find out before you buy the domain.
Don’t sweat it
While picking a good name is important since it’s your readers' first exposure to your newsletter, remember that you can always change it. Even big creators rebrand. Melissa from Blog Clarity wrote about her own experience changing her blog name and it paid off. As cheesy as it sounds, authenticity is the most valuable asset for creators. It’s all about staying true to yourself. Deep down you already know what name would feel just right for your newsletter. You’ll learn as you keep publishing and grow your audience. The most important step is getting started, so don’t let perfection stop you. Timebox your process, keep in mind our advice above and you’ll have your first subscriber in no time!
If you’re ready to publish your first newsletter, we can help you get started at Letterdrop, a blog and newsletter publishing platform for creators and small businesses.
If you want to learn more about building an audience as a creator or a business, give us a subscribe.
