Today, we’re featuring Ryan Sneddon, the creator of Naptown Scoop, a local newsletter for Annapolis, Maryland. In just three and a half years, Ryan has grown his subscriber base to over 18 000 — nearly half the town's population. Last year, the newsletter generated about $200 000 in revenue.
Early ventures and learning curve
Inspired by entrepreneurial role model Sam Parr, founder of The Hustle, Ryan embarked on his media journey without any prior experience. He studied engineering in South Carolina and stayed in the area for about a year after graduation. His venture into newsletters began when a coworker mentioned a new brewery they'd discovered through 6AM City's Columbus-focused newsletter. This innovative local media company, originating in Greenville, South Carolina, has since expanded to cover at least 25 different markets.
Just before the pandemic, Ryan quit his job to start his own thing, though he wasn’t sure what it would be. He landed on The Daily Thread, a newsletter he now describes as "a terrible project" that taught him the basics of starting a newsletter.
Over 10 months, Ryan spent about $500-$800 on The Daily Thread, which maxed out at around 800 subscribers, a 35% open rate, and $300 in revenue. The newsletter lacked focus, but writing 1 000 words a week and experimenting with Mailchimp was a valuable learning experience.
Birth of Naptown Scoop
By August 2020, Ryan had moved back in with his parents near Annapolis. Seeing an opportunity, he started Naptown Scoop, which quickly outpaced The Daily Thread in subscribers. He sold his first newsletter to one of its subscribers for $800 and went all-in on the Scoop.
Three-and-a-half years later, Naptown Scoop has over 18 000 subscribers, nearly half the town's population. It's now Ryan's full-time job, with one full-time assistant and seven part-time staffers (two writers, two social media managers, two salespeople, and a special-projects person). In 2023, the Scoop generated nearly $200 000 in revenue, marking its third full year in business.
Content strategy and community impact
The Scoop focuses on soft news, offering light, lifestyle-oriented coverage, unlike traditional newspapers like the Capital Gazette, which cover both soft and hard news. For instance, while the Gazette might report on local government policies, the Scoop sticks to more lifestyle-friendly content, occasionally linking out to hard news stories.
Ryan's content strategy is straightforward: "No politics, no crime, unless it's a major, major, major crime that you can't ignore. If the mayor got kidnapped, we'd write about it, but if somebody gets carjacked at the Safeway, does our average reader need to know about it?"
A typical issue of the Scoop, like the one from April 5, includes around 1 800 words. Here's how that breaks down:
- Intro and outro: 57 words (3%);
- Ads (three combined): 360 words (20%);
- Lifestyle news digest: 147 words (8%);
- Local business highlight: 76 words (4%);
- Local happenings: 313 words (17%);
- Referral CTA: 34 words (2%);
- Civil news: 78 words (4%);
- Weather: 65 words (4%);
- Live music listings: 479 words (27%);
- Sports listings: 174 words (10%).
The bulk of the content is live music listings and sports, which Ryan places at the bottom to encourage readers to scroll through all the ads. The Scoop’s revenue mainly comes from these newsletter ad sales, with some additional income from social media ads, merchandise, and a membership program.
Last year, the Scoop made $200 000 with 18 000 subscribers, translating to $11.11 per subscriber per year. In March 2024 alone, Ryan billed $15 362 for newsletter ads, averaging $251.83 per ad unit.
Each advertiser has different needs and budgets. For example, an ad for a body-sculpting treatment in an issue with six other ads:
is more affordable than an ad for Brad Kappel, a local Sotheby's realtor. According to his website, Brad has "secured more than $900 million in waterfront property sales." With just one sale, Brad can easily cover the cost of his ad campaign in the Scoop, which is why his logo often appears at the top of the newsletter.
Ryan Sneddon and the rise of Naptown Scoop
In a chat with Newsletter Operator last year, Ryan mentioned he doesn’t let anyone sign up for less than six months, but he prefers year-long contracts. This policy might not apply to smaller text-based ads, but it certainly does for major advertisers like Brad Kappel.
Despite the costs, one thing is clear: Ryan has built an incredibly engaged and valuable audience of Annapolis residents. For local businesses, it's a no-brainer to pay to reach that crowd.
What’s next for Ryan?
Ryan isn't stopping with Naptown Scoop. He's using its success as a springboard to launch other ventures. Currently, he’s working on a portable restroom business, with potential plans for a marketing agency or a fence-building company. Plus, he’s eyeing expansions into other cities, though he's keeping details under wraps for now.
If you’re looking for inspiration to start your own local newsletter, Naptown Scoop is a must-follow. Ryan also shares his insights in a newsletter called Life of Scoop. His top tip? Start with live music listings.
What advice would you give to others working on newsletters?
The basics matter. Mastering fundamentals is what makes you win. It’s about persistence. Many people start a newsletter, write a few issues, then quit. If you commit to a schedule and stick to it for years, it can change your life. It’s hard because sometimes you just don’t want to do it, but consistency is key. Make a commitment to send out every issue, even if you have to stay up until 2 AM to finish it. If you can do that, you’ll see results.
Steal the tactics
Naptown Scoop's growth is largely due to Facebook ads, a simple referral system, and a strong understanding of its core audience.
Facebook ads and organic growth
Ryan kicked off growth with Facebook ads even before publishing the first issue. He ran these ads for nearly two years until customer acquisition costs became too high. By then, word of mouth had taken over, thanks to a solid referral system.
“I turned Facebook ads off a year and a half ago, and my list still grows every week,” Ryan said. “We got to 15 000 subscribers before turning off the ads. Now, we’re at 18 000 in a town of 40 000. That’s pretty great market penetration.”
By leveraging Facebook ads initially and then relying on organic growth, Ryan has built a thriving newsletter that continues to expand its reach.
A simple, effective referral system? Good luck finding one better
Ryan's referral system is as straightforward as it gets. His golden rule for any referral setup: "The first milestone is all that matters because almost nobody gets past it. Make that one free for you and easy for your readers. Mine only takes three subscribers."
He dives deeper into this in his newsletter, Life of Scoop:
“My local newsletter has 17 700 readers.
- Only 10% have any referrals;
- The average is 2.4 referrals;
- Only 0.1% hit milestone #2.”
The reward for hitting three referrals? A birthday shoutout in the newsletter intro — couldn’t be easier to fulfill.
Ryan's advice: “Just do birthday shoutouts. Everyone loves seeing their name in print.” Plus, it’s a growth tactic within a growth tactic. If I get three subscribers and use my shoutout on you, you'll probably sign up, generating a fourth subscriber. Share it in a group chat, and suddenly, there could be nine new subscribers.
Even if you’re not running a local newsletter, the takeaway is clear: make the first milestone easy, affordable, and enticing.
Meet Michelle, the ideal Naptown Scoop reader
Every brand needs a detailed ICP (ideal customer profile). For newsletter writers, understanding your audience is crucial.
Ryan’s ICP, or "newsletter avatar," is “Michelle”: “Through surveys and meeting readers, I figured out my typical reader is over 50, female, affluent. She owns her home, has a few older kids who went to a local private school, maybe members of the yacht club, and probably eats out at least once a week. If Michelle cares about something, chances are everyone else does too.”
Ryan’s deep understanding of “Michelle” helps him sell ads at great prices and keeps his readers hooked.
Key takeaways from Ryan's Success
- Consistency is king: Ryan’s been at this for five years, starting with one newsletter a week, then three, now five. The learnings and profits compound over time;
- Know your audience: “Michelle” is the secret to Ryan’s success. Knowing her interests and spending power helps him write engaging content and negotiate ad sales;
- Manual ad sales can pay off: Local newsletters need a direct approach to ad sales. Engage with community businesses. If you're unsure where to start, the beehiiv ad network can handle it for you;
- Subscriber count isn’t everything: Ryan’s goal is revenue, and he’s generating more per subscriber than many larger newsletters.
Ryan is using Naptown Scoop's success as a springboard to launch new ventures, like a portable restroom business and possibly more local newsletters in different cities. He also shares his wisdom in Life of Scoop. His top advice for anyone starting a local newsletter: begin with live music listings.
Conclusion
Ryan Sneddon’s journey with Naptown Scoop shows us how persistence and clever ideas can really make a difference in local media. Starting with The Daily Thread and growing into Naptown Scoop, he’s proven that by focusing on great content and connecting with the community, you can achieve big things. Now, with over 18 000 subscribers and nearly $200 000 in annual revenue, Ryan’s story highlights the importance of knowing your audience and using smart tactics to grow. As he plans to expand into new ventures, Ryan’s journey is a real inspiration for anyone thinking of starting their own newsletter.
