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A Year in Review: Analytics & Superlatives for Impact Thinking Newsletter in 2023

Building in public

Author

Peter Giordano III
December 21, 2023

Read time: 3 minutes

You’ve invited me to your inbox each week, so let me extend an invitation to peek behind the scenes of this newsletter.

My mission here is transparency, embodying the spirit of “building in public.”

I reviewed the newsletter data and am eager to share the hard numbers and some of the qualitative insights.

Here's your access pass to the statistics:

I've built an analytics dashboard based on the 42 posts since March 1 (excluding this one), revealing the following:

  • Best and worst performing posts of the year

  • Subscriber growth metrics

  • All-time statistics

  • Important events

  • A comprehensive view of all the posts

Curious? You can find the dashboard here.

Just don’t forget to come back for the insights below.

Here’s what the weekly process looks like:

It’s morphed a bit, but one thing has remained true — I don’t write and edit on the same day (unless I’m forced to do so).

  • Saturday is for the ugly first draft

  • Monday is for multiple rounds of edits

  • Wednesday is for final tweaks and prep for publishing

  • Thursday is for shipping (truth be told, it's scheduled the day before)

The main content typically ranges from 800 to 1,200 words. While word count isn’t a value indicator, it’s a metric for data points (such as how long it takes).

  • At first, the process took 8 to 12 hours, including ideation, research, drafting, editing, and setup.

  • Now, it takes 4 to 6 hours.

It may still seem like a lot for a short post, but I’m not concerned with how long it takes because I view each post as an asset. This means I treat each minute as an investment to compounds forever.

The truth is I’d write more, but I’ve never been busier than I am right now (in work and life). Despite the time crunch, I never once wavered from making this my top weekly action.

The best (and most relevant) post:

There is so much bad advice out there.

The content comes from years of thinking about advice (to be fair, giving advice is part of my business). Each piece of advice may be unique, but there are similar patterns, sounds, designs, and considerations you need to know about.

So, I wrote a mini playbook to equip you to cut through the noise.

It’s also written for easy skimming.

The worst (and poorly executed) post:

This was my second post.

It’s about reverse engineering and problem-solving. While the premise is strong, I (ironically) lost control at the end. The attempt to apply the framework in writing missed the mark. I should have been more concise and specific with my example.

It's time for a makeover.

The easiest (and fastest) post to write:

I had another post ready to go; then, at the last second, I wrote this one.

Since it was Thanksgiving, I wanted to do something relatable yet beyond the typical gratitude post. I turned to a problem I battle at most dinner gatherings…small talk. So, I shared 3 questions I often ask.

It took less than 2 hours to write but garnered the most responses.

Sometimes, spontaneity pays off.

The hardest (anxiety-filled) post to write:

There was a personal story in here that I rarely share.

I quit a master’s program at the finish line (and a successful career path) to start a business. It’s a bit more complex than just that, but I remember thinking long and hard about this post. The sunk cost fallacy is a fight everyone faces – but only a few actually win.

I had experiential knowledge to share, so getting the story and format right took some effort.

My favorite post to write:

I use this framework more than any other.

It’s about increasing value to get paid more (whether that’s more money, access, or status). I probably am biased since it’s a framework I developed. That said, it says the most in the fewest words.

And it applies to everyone for everything at any time.

Writing weekly has provided immediate dividends (here is the biggest one):

I reference my writing a lot.

I don’t mean I say, “Oh hey, I write a newsletter” -- I mean leveraging the content throughout my client work. The topics I write about weave seamlessly into conversations. I’m able to:

  • Connect the dots faster & stronger

  • Articulate points clearly & effectively

  • Save time by referencing existing work

Immediate return on investment.

4 noteworthy insights (to use for improvements):

After reviewing all my posts, I found some nuggets:

  • Titles that started a number typically had the lowest open rates (e.g., 21 Principles To Fast-Track Business Success)

  • There were 7 weeks where I pivoted to write about a different topic (even though I had one close to done)

  • 16 of the 42 posts include “How” in the title, which suggests a preference for actionable-style posts

  • 28 of the 42 posts introduced original frameworks, concepts, or ideas, which indicates a commitment to unique content

I’ll use these, plus the feedback, to make better posts in 2024.

I hope you enjoyed this. If any post stands out for you, shoot me an email. I’d love to chat about it.

For the full analytics experience, click the link below:

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