A welcome series is a short sequence of automated emails that every new subscriber receives — and one of the best ways to turn free readers into paying members. On Steady you can set one up for free: our Email Automation feature comes with three ready-made templates, so you just personalise the placeholders and switch it on.
What every welcome series should include
The most successful welcome emails cover a few essentials. Use this as your checklist:
A warm welcome or thank-you — acknowledge that they just signed up.
What to expect — what you write about and how often.
Your backstory — who you are and why readers can trust you on this topic.
Your best articles — link to two or three popular pieces so readers can dive in straight away.
A clear invitation to become a member — once readers trust you, invite them to support your work.
Optional extras that help a series stand out:
Ask readers to add your sender address to their contacts, so your emails land in the inbox.
Ask why they subscribed — a reply is a strong signal and starts a conversation.
Invite them to follow you elsewhere (social media, your podcast).
Tell them what’s coming in the next email.
The proven 3-email sequence
Our “User subscribed to newsletter” welcome flow includes 3 pre-written templates, already saved as drafts in your Steady backend. Personalise the placeholders in {curly brackets} and you’re ready to go — no writing from scratch.
Email 1 — Welcome, intro and your best content.
When: immediately after subscribing.
See the ready-made email
See the ready-made email
Subject: Welcome! Here’s what you can expect
Hi,
Thank you for subscribing to {my/our newsletter}. It’s great to have you on board!
I’m {your name} and I write about {your topic}. You’ll hear from me every {frequency}.
If you’d like to start reading straight away, here are three popular pieces:
{Article title + link}
{Article title + link}
{Article title + link}
I’d also love to stay in touch on social media — follow me on Instagram {link}, X {link}, or my show on Spotify {link}.
Have a question or an idea for a future topic? Just reply to this email.
See you in your inbox soon,
{your name}
Email 2 — More about who you are and what readers can expect.
When: 1–2 days after subscribing.
See the ready-made email
See the ready-made email
Subject: Why I write this newsletter
Hi,
I’d like to tell you the story of why I started {your publication}.
Share the story of why you started publishing this newsletter.
Curious to read more? Today I’d recommend this piece: {Article title + link}
Until next time,
{your name}
Email 3 — Introduce the benefits of becoming a paying member.
When: anywhere from 7 to 30 days after subscribing (depending on how often you send your newsletter).
See the ready-made email
See the ready-made email
Subject: There’s more to this newsletter — become a member
Hi,
You’ve been subscribed to my newsletter for {7 days — adjust this number}. Thank you! I hope it’s giving you the inspiration and information you expected. (If not, please help me improve by replying.) Right now you’re a free subscriber. But there’s more.
You can become a paying member of {your publication}. As a member, you can… {make the pitch for why a reader should support you}. To become a member, you just need a free Steady account.
[Button: Become a member]
Not convinced yet?
That’s okay — I’d love to keep you as a free reader.
Until next time,
{your name}
Why a welcome series is worth it
It keeps you out of spam. Emailing new subscribers right away builds your sender reputation, so your newsletters land in the inbox.
It converts free readers into members. A 2022 Piano report found that a significant share of membership revenue is earned in the first 30 days after someone subscribes.
More emails, more revenue. Mailchimp data shows a series drives 51% more revenue than a single welcome email — so don’t be afraid to use all three templates.
Need inspiration? Real examples
Take a look at these two welcome emails.
Example 1: The New Yorker
Example 2: Splendido Magazine (in German)
Even with little visual styling, a welcome email can work beautifully.
FAQ
What’s a good open rate for my welcome emails?
What’s a good open rate for my welcome emails?
Around 45–60% is a good open rate for independent newsrooms. Some Steady publishers regularly see over 70%. As a rule, the bigger your audience, the lower your open rate. We plan to add benchmark data across Steady projects in the future.
How many welcome emails should I send?
How many welcome emails should I send?
We recommend three — see the 3-email sequence above. If you have more to share, you can always add more.
How do I set up an email automation?
How do I set up an email automation?
Follow our step-by-step guide to Email Automation.
Still need help?
Read the full guide to setting up Email Automation, or email us at support@steadyhq.com — we’re happy to help.