A newsletter landing page that gives a stranger a reason to subscribe
Nobody subscribes to "my newsletter". They subscribe to something they can picture arriving: a weekly note on one topic, from a person they've started to trust, that looks like the sample they just read. A good subscribe page shows them that issue before it asks for an email address.
The three questions a stranger asks
- What will I get?
- The topic, narrowly. "One practical idea a week for running a small ceramics studio" beats "News, thoughts and updates".
- How often?
- Weekly, fortnightly, monthly, "when I publish a new essay". People unsubscribe from surprises, not from frequency they agreed to.
- Who's writing it?
- A name, a face and a line of credentials that matter for the topic. A newsletter is a relationship with a person, even when it's sent by a company.
Answer all three above the form, in that order, and you've done most of the work.
Show a sample issue
The strongest thing you can put on a newsletter landing page is the newsletter itself. Options, roughly in order of how persuasive they are:
- A full recent issue on the page, below the form, so readers can scroll into it.
- Excerpts from three issues, each with its date, showing range and consistency.
- Links to an archive of past issues; see the newsletter archive website if you want a page per issue.
- A list of recent subject lines, which shows the voice even without the body.
If you're starting from nothing, write the first issue before you build the page. It tells you what the newsletter really is, and it gives the page something real to show.
The form itself
One field: email. That's what Anticode's newsletter form asks for. A first-name field (which would need a custom form, and those don't reach Kit or Mailchimp) is worth adding only if you'll actually use names in the greeting; otherwise it just lowers sign-ups. Label the button with what happens ("Subscribe", "Send me the Friday note"), and put one line under it about privacy and unsubscribing. If you're offering a free download in return for the address, that's a different page with different wording; see the lead magnet page.
Sending sign-ups to Kit or Mailchimp
On an Anticode site, newsletter sign-ups are saved in your dashboard and sealed at rest. To have them arrive in your email tool, add a connector:
| Tool | What happens to a new sign-up |
|---|---|
| Kit | Added as a subscriber, ready for your welcome sequence |
| Mailchimp | Added to your audience with double opt-in, so the subscriber confirms by email first |
| Google Sheets or Airtable | A row per sign-up, if you send from a tool without a connector |
| A webhook | Posted to any service that accepts one |
Kit and Mailchimp receive newsletter sign-ups only, which keeps contact enquiries out of your list. Each sign-up is sent once, without retries; if your email tool was briefly unreachable, the address is still in the dashboard to add by hand. The add a newsletter signup guide covers the setup screens.
Building the page
To build a newsletter signup page, describe the newsletter rather than the page: "a subscribe page for The Kiln Letter, a weekly note on running a small ceramics studio by Mae Okafor, with a sample issue below the form". The Architect plans a landing page with the newsletter form as its main action and may ask about tone. Editorial (Geist) suits essay newsletters; Organic (Figtree) and Playful (Fredoka) suit hobby and craft topics. Paste the sample issue's text into the request so the page shows your words rather than a model's.
The page ships with no scripts, so there are no pop-ups or exit-intent overlays. Many readers prefer that, and it keeps the page quick from a social link. Page views per day by source show where subscribers are coming from.
Limits
- Anticode doesn't send your newsletter. It collects addresses; your email tool writes, sends and handles unsubscribes.
- No double opt-in of its own. Mailchimp's applies through the connector; for others, set confirmation up in the tool.
- No paid subscriptions. For a paid tier, link to your newsletter platform's or payment provider's checkout.
- Free plan allowance. Sign-ups beyond the free plan's monthly allowance are held until you upgrade.
Questions people ask
Do I need double opt-in?
It depends on where your subscribers are and what your email tool requires. Double opt-in protects your sending reputation and is expected in some countries. Mailchimp's applies automatically through Anticode's connector.
Can I put the sign-up on every page of my site?
Yes. A dedicated subscribe page is still worth having as the single link you share, because it can show the sample issue in full.
How is this different from a waitlist page?
A waitlist promises a product later. A newsletter promises regular writing now, so it can show what you've already written.