Cross-Promotions

Cross-promotions let newsletters partner with other newsletters to grow their subscriber bases. Instead of a business paying for ad space, one newsletter pays another to feature them — earning money for every verified new subscriber they drive.

How It Works

For the Sponsoring Newsletter (Advertiser)

The sponsoring newsletter wants to grow their audience. They create a cross-promotion campaign specifying:

• Cost per subscriber — How much they'll pay for each verified new subscriber
• Target newsletters — What kind of newsletters they want to partner with
• Campaign dates — When the promotion should run

For the Publishing Newsletter (Publisher)

The publishing newsletter features the sponsoring newsletter in their emails. They earn money for every reader who clicks through and subscribes to the sponsoring newsletter.

The Cross-Promotion Flow

Sponsoring newsletter creates a CPS campaign
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Publishing newsletters browse and apply
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Sponsoring newsletter reviews applications
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Sponsoring newsletter approves & pays escrow
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Publishing newsletter receives tracking link with email merge tag
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Publishing newsletter features the ad in their email
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Readers click through → tracked via /x/ route with subscriber email
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Platform verifies new subscribers via ESP API
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Publisher earns cost-per-subscriber for each verified subscriber
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After booking completes, unspent escrow is returned

Creating a Cross-Promotion Campaign

1. Navigate to Cross-Promo in the sidebar
2. Click Create Campaign
3. Fill in your campaign details:

   • Title — A clear name for the campaign
   • Cost per subscriber — How much you'll pay per verified new subscriber
   • Date range — When the promotion should run
   • Description — What your newsletter is about and why readers would subscribe
   • Ideal partner description — What kind of newsletters you want to cross-promote with
4. Click Create Campaign

The platform will automatically reach out to newsletters that match your target audience.

Applying to Cross-Promotion Campaigns

1. Navigate to Campaigns in the sidebar
2. Look for campaigns marked with a per-subscriber price (Cross-Promo)
3. Click View Campaign to see details
4. Click Apply and include a message about why your audience is a good fit
5. Wait for the sponsoring newsletter to review your application

The Escrow System

When a sponsoring newsletter approves your application, they pay an escrow amount upfront:

1. Escrow calculation: Estimated subscribers = your subscriber count × open rate × click rate. The escrow amount = estimated subscribers × cost per subscriber.
2. Payment: The sponsoring newsletter pays the escrow amount (any platform earnings balance is applied as a credit first).
3. Earning: As your readers click through and subscribe, you earn the per-subscriber rate for each verified new subscriber.
4. Completion: After the booking completes, the publisher is paid for verified subscribers (minus the 13% platform fee) and any unspent escrow is returned to the sponsoring newsletter's earnings balance.

Tracking Links

When a cross-promotion booking is confirmed, you'll receive a tracking link that includes an email merge tag specific to your ESP:

ESP	Merge Tag
Beehiiv	{{email}}
Kit / ConvertKit	{{ subscriber.email_address }}
EmailOctopus	{{EmailAddress}}
Ghost	{{email}}

The tracking link format is: https://adly.news/x/<trackingId>?e=<merge_tag>

When you include this link in your newsletter, each reader's email is captured on click. The platform then verifies with the sponsoring newsletter's ESP whether that reader actually subscribed.

Subscriber Verification

The platform verifies subscribers directly with the sponsoring newsletter's ESP:

• Only new subscribers count — existing subscribers are not counted
• Verification happens automatically via ESP API integration
• Last-click attribution is used within a 3-day window
• Both the sponsoring and publishing newsletters can see verified subscriber counts in their booking details

Viewing Your Cross-Promo Campaigns

Navigate to Cross-Promo in the sidebar to see:

• Your campaigns — Campaigns you've created to grow your audience
• Pending applications — Applications from newsletters wanting to promote you
• Approved bookings — Active cross-promotion partnerships

Messaging

Both the sponsoring and publishing newsletters can communicate through the built-in messaging system. Conversations appear in Messages just like regular booking conversations.

Payments

Cross-promotion payments work the same as other bookings:

• Publishers earn per verified subscriber, minus the 13% platform fee
• Sponsors pay the escrow upfront; unspent amounts are returned to their earnings balance
• All payments are processed through Stripe

Tips for Success

As a Sponsor (Growing Your Audience)

• Set a competitive cost per subscriber for your niche
• Write a compelling description of your newsletter
• Be specific about what kind of partner newsletters you're looking for
• Respond quickly to applications

As a Publisher (Earning from Cross-Promos)

• Apply to campaigns that genuinely match your audience's interests
• Place the cross-promo link prominently in your newsletter
• Write authentic copy about why your readers would enjoy the sponsoring newsletter
• Use the tracking link exactly as provided — the email merge tag is essential for attribution

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