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# Issue 44: What unsubscribes can and cannot tell you
- URL: https://letterharbor-demo.synaps.media/issues/issue-44-what-unsubscribes-tell-you/
- Published: 2026-09-22T13:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T22:27:35.000Z
- Description: Why a few unsubscribes after every issue is healthy, and the patterns that are worth acting on.
- Author: Avery Lin
- Tags: Newsletter, #issue

Every issue loses a few readers. That is normal. This week: how to tell the difference between healthy churn and a warning sign.

## Healthy

A small, steady number of unsubscribes after each issue usually means people whose interests changed are leaving. Your list gets smaller and more engaged.

## Worth a look

- A spike after one specific issue.
- A slow rise over several months.
- Several readers giving the same reason.

## What to do

Re-read the issue behind any spike. Look for a broken promise, a tone shift or an unusually heavy sales message. For slow rises, a short [reader survey](https://letterharbor-demo.synaps.media/library/reader-survey-template/) tells you more than guessing.

We wrote up the common reasons, and one response to each, in [Why readers unsubscribe](https://letterharbor-demo.synaps.media/library/unsubscribe-reasons-reference/).