Newsletter sponsorships explained in 2 minutes

Different goals → different models.
Pick what fits your needs.

CPM
Per 1,000 opens
CPC
Per click
CPL
Per lead
CPA
Per acquisition

The models

👀

CPM (cost per 1,000 opens)

Get paid when 1,000 readers open an email.

👆

CPC (cost per click)

Get paid when readers click on an advertisement.

✍️

CPL (cost per lead)

Get paid when readers sign up for a free offer.

💳

CPA (cost per acquisition)

Get paid when readers purchase a product or service.

Pros & cons

CPM

Pros: Predictable income with large subscriber lists
Cons: Vulnerable to inflated open rates

CPC

Pros: Reliable for consistent click-through rates
Cons: Lower payouts if click rate is low

CPL

Pros: Higher payouts with engaged audiences
Cons: Requires an engaged audience

CPA

Pros: Highest payouts with trusted recommendations
Cons: Requires up-front testing

Quick math

Same send, different outcomes
Example: 50k subscribers → 50% open rate → 5% CTR → 20% leads / 5% sales converted

CPM $25
25k opens → $625
CPC $2
1,250 clicks → $2,500
CPL $20
250 leads → $5,000
CPA $100
62 sales → $6,200

Two paths

No single winner — your goals decide.

Short-term cash

CPC & CPM — low friction, more predictable.

Perfect for publishers looking to make a quick buck with minimal setup and testing.

Long-term growth

CPL & CPA — higher upside, better renewals, bigger budgets.

Ideal for publishers focused on building a sustainable business with a scalable monetization strategy.

Start smart with Hybrid campaigns

Hybrid campaigns combine the best of both worlds — predictable base income plus performance upside.

What is a Hybrid campaign?

A hybrid campaign pays you a base rate for clicks (CPC) plus bonus payments for leads or sales (CPL/CPA).

For example: Instead of getting either $3 per click OR $20 per lead, a hybrid campaign would pay you $1.50 per click + $10 per lead.

This limits your downside risk with predictable income (CPC component) while simultaneously giving you much higher earning potential (CPL/CPA component).

If you are accustomed to CPC campaigns and are nervous about investing in CPL/CPA, a hybrid campaign is a great way to get started.

Why Hybrid campaigns work

💰 Guaranteed income: You earn money on every click, regardless of conversions
📈 Performance upside: Extra bonuses when your audience engages deeply
🛡️ Lower risk: Base payments protect you from conversion fluctuations
🎯 Better partnerships: Advertisers love the shared performance incentive

Myth-busters

"CPL = risky"
→
CPL is a great way to measure your audience engagement.
"CPC always pays more"
→
CPC only pays more for unengaged audiences.
"Performance ads are bad for readers"
→
Quality offers that match your audience actually improve reader experience.

Find your starting point

Answer 3 quick questions to get a personalized recommendation

How engaged is your audience?

How niche is your newsletter?

How comfortable are you with testing?