The newsletter asset people are calling ‘digital gold’

For companies that maintain a newsletter or digital businesses with registered users or subscribers, a particular bit of collected info has emerged as the most valuable asset in digital media: first-party data. A brand’s audience, including its email or subscriber lists, registered users, etc., is essentially the hottest thing in digital media right now. If you’re not first, you’re last Big Tech got advertisers hooked on the modern programmatic advertising style of selecting the audience they wanted with high identity confidence and targeting them with ease. It then spent the past decade reinforcing and entrenching those systems, points of view and technologies across the entire digital industry. This method of advertising became the standard around which executive bonuses, agencies, terminology, rates and just about everything in digital display advertising was built. In many ways, the very foundation on which Google and others built their business over the past 15 years. Stricter user-privacy laws began transforming the web—mobile users largely block third-party tracking, and only a shrinking minority of users on non-Apple devices are eligible for targeting under “old cookie” rules. Now, first-party data’s merit is back in focus—or more simply, possession of a user email address or phone number. That information is the gold standard for advertisers. Content may have once been king, but many are realizing that for advertisers, audiences have always been where the value lies. Newsletters are now in a position of emerging strength, as just about everyone in digital media is battling major disruption from LLMs, changes in privacy laws and shifting amongst major gatekeepers for consumer reach. So, why are few capitalizing? Understanding digital ad revenue Advertising is a trillion-dollar business. In fact, global ad spending topped $1.1 trillion in 2024, and advertisers are eager to place more of that spending in channels where they know they can reach real people. First-party data presents this opportunity for newsletters. Many newsletters have avoided programmatic ads in the past, with adoption rates nearly 20% lower than traditional digital publishers. Meanwhile, e-commerce retailers saw ad revenue increase 21% year over year to $48.36 billion in 2024. Today, because e-commerce retailers are rushing to show ads in limited capacities and collect on the revenue shifting toward first-party data, publishers of newsletters are finally recognizing the real value in their assets. In one case, an individual site added an additional $50,000 in revenue in one quarter just by adding first-party enabled programmatic advertising. But despite growing adoption, the number of newsletters using first-party data to generate revenue with programmatic advertising is lower than expected. Some of this may be due to outdated information leading to missed opportunities, with older notions like programmatic ads being low-paying or too tightly controlled by Big Tech. The channels for buying and selling ad space have matured, and for those using first-party data, that includes heightened ad value and quality. First-party data is better and higher-quality, but supply is limited The metrics and tools provided by industry gatekeepers, such as Google, were long questioned regarding the effectiveness and accuracy of third-party data. The implementation of regulatory measures like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act meant that first-party data—which is provided with the consent of the user—became a reliable, valuable asset. Third-party cookies are more flawed than ever, browser cookies are easily deleted and phone apps require users to opt in before sharing any info. As a result, many advertisers feel like they’re flying blind—they can’t see who’s viewing their ads, and they can’t measure results as precisely. First-party data solves this problem by providing a clear, privacy-friendly way for brands to connect with real individuals. Because of this, 86% of marketers say first-party data is their top choice for reaching the right audience. Putting profits into practice While newsletters have an abundance of audience data, they don’t always have an abundance of page views. To optimize their subscriber lists for big-budget advertisers, publishers should: Platforms like ezID have made this process as easy as clicking an integration within an email platform or uploading a CSV file. Currently, less than a quarter of websites and creators are prepared to effectively handle first-party data, meaning the supply of ad space will continue to lag behind the demand for first-party. Reliable first-party data is not a short-term trend in digital marketing—it’s a lasting change that could shape the advertising industry for years. And companies that plant their roots now will be set up for a future of long-term revenue growth. About Ezoic Ezoic is a leading expert in identity solutions and first-party data monetization strategies. We empower digital publishers to optimize both revenue and user experience simultaneously through advanced programmatic ad technologies, audience building, and first-party data insights. As a Google Certified Publishing Partner with over 30,000 websites on its platform, Ezoic has been making a global impact for more than a decade in the industry. Tyler Bishop Tyler Bishop is chief marketing officer of Ezoic and founder of Pubtelligence, a Google Certified Publishing Partner event that connects publishers globally. A former startup founder and marketing executive, Tyler has been featured in publications like The Harvard Business Review, Venture Beat, and The Wall Street Journal. He was a member of Forbes Communication Council and hosts the popular podcast, The Publisher Lab. Residing in San Diego with his wife, MMA athlete Jena Bishop, and their two Shiba Inus, Tyler is a recognized leader in digital advertising and content.

The newsletter asset people are calling ‘digital gold’

Featured Stories