Issue 44: What unsubscribes can and cannot tell you
Why a few unsubscribes after every issue is healthy, and the patterns that are worth acting on.
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 tells you more than guessing.
We wrote up the common reasons, and one response to each, in Why readers unsubscribe.