Who reads local newsletters?

When we started, I assumed this was for parents asking where to take the young kids. There's a decent amount of that. But a family with mom and dad both working full time is probably too busy.

What do the surveys show?

My post-subscribe survey asks new readers about themselves. Across my brands, the pattern repeats:

• Gender: always 70 to 80% female. Always.
• Age, one Texas suburb brand: 65+ is 24%, 55+ is over 40%.
• Age, another market: 65+ was 46%, and over 70% were 55 or older.
• Homeownership: 83% in one high-income area.

The short version I give people: 40 to 60 year old, upper-middle-class readers, primarily female. In some markets it skews older than that.

What do they want to read?

Events, by far. About 80% say events matter most. Restaurants are usually second. Older readers fit that: they have time, and they want to go to events in person.

"Do you know how much money senior citizens pay for things? How much time they have? They love to sit on Facebook, they love to click on things, and they want to go to events in person."

What did that change for me?

Two things.

1. I launched a senior-focused local brand. It passed 1,000 subscribers shortly after launch.
2. I changed who we pitch. Senior-focused businesses should be beating down our door. So should med spas and realtors. I stopped assuming young families were the buyer audience, and I point ad reps at senior-focused advertisers first.

Should I assume my market looks the same?

No. Survey your own subscribers. The percentages have carried across my newsletters, but your town is your town. The survey right after signup is the cheapest way to know for a fact. More on that in when to survey new subscribers.