Paved Data: Newsletter Ads Are Booming

Newsletter advertising is emerging as one of the fastest-growing digital ad channels, as brands and publishers double down on partnerships that deliver measurable performance.

Paved’s new 2026 Newsletter Ad Performance Report analyzed millions of dollars in newsletter ad spend alongside survey responses from more than 1,500 advertisers. The findings point to strong year-over-year growth across revenue, campaign volume, audience reach and advertiser rebooking intent, suggesting that newsletters are becoming a core part of the media mix.

“Newsletter advertising is one of the few channels outside the walled gardens where performance maps cleanly back to outcomes,” said John McLaughlin, CEO and founder of Paved. He noted that increased budget scrutiny and economic pressures are pushing marketers toward channels that can clearly demonstrate return on investment.

According to the report, newsletter publishers on Paved earned 30% more revenue year-over-year, driven by higher advertiser demand and stronger outcomes. Marketers ran 40% more newsletter ad campaigns compared with the prior year, while advertisers reached an 80% larger subscriber base as the Paved Marketplace expanded. Unique users across the Paved Ad Network grew 84% year-over-year, delivering billions of native email ad impressions.

Paved also found that advertiser rebooking intent rose 53% year-over-year, suggesting increased confidence in newsletters as a predictable, repeatable channel. Overall adoption is accelerating, with 64% of marketers now using newsletter ads, up 25% from the previous year.

Additionally, the report sheds light on what top-performing newsletter ads have in common. Based on advertiser survey data, successful campaigns tend to feature short, scannable copy, lead with a clear value proposition in the opening line and match the newsletter’s editorial style rather than relying on disruptive formats.

Together, the findings highlight newsletters’ appeal as a brand-safe, first-party environment with highly engaged audiences — an increasingly valuable combination as marketers are faced with signal loss, rising acquisition costs and declining referral traffic amid the growing influence of large language models.

Get more insights from Paved’s 2026 Newsletter Ad Performance Report here.