Latest / The Newsletter Podcast with Fexingo: Substack, Beehiiv, and Email Newsletter Business / How Newsletters Use Live Audio Events to Build Community
Transcript
- Lucas: Let me ask you something — when was the last time you actually heard the voice of a newsletter writer you subscribe to? Luna: Hmm. Honestly… maybe never? I read their words, but I don't think I've ever heard most of them speak. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the gap a growing number of newsletter operators are closing with live audio events. Not recorded podcasts, not webinars — live, real-time voice conversations with their subscribers. Luna: So we're talking Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse, that kind of thing? Lucas: Right. Plus Discord voice channels, dedicated platforms like Circle, and even Zoom-based members-only calls. The idea is that audio creates a sense of presence and intimacy that email just can't replicate. And the data backs it up. Luna: What data? Give me numbers. Lucas: So there's a case I keep coming back to: Lenny Rachitsky. His newsletter, Lenny's Podcast, is one of the biggest on Substack — hundreds of thousands of subscribers. He started doing weekly live Q&A calls for paid subscribers only. He's shared that conversion rates from audio attendees to annual paid subscriptions are 3 to 5 times higher than from email-only readers. Luna: Three to five times — that's huge. But is that just because the people who show up are already the most engaged? Lucas: Partially. There's selection bias — someone who takes the time to join a live call is obviously more committed. But the audio itself does something. In a live setting, you hear the writer's tone, their hesitation, their laugh. It humanises them. And for the subscriber, that emotional connection makes the renewal decision almost automatic. Luna: It's the difference between reading a byline and feeling like you know the person. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just Lenny. Morning Brew, which started as a daily email, now runs audio-only events through their premium tier called MB Plus. They host weekly 'office hours' where subscribers can ask questions directly to the editorial team. They've said retention rates for members who attend at least one audio event are over 90 percent. Luna: Ninety percent retention — that's insane. Compare that to the typical newsletter churn rate, which is what, 5 to 10 percent a month? Lucas: Right. So audio events act like a retention anchor. Once someone has heard your voice, they're less likely to see your email as just another piece of spam. Luna: Which platform works best? I feel like Twitter Spaces is high reach but low intimacy, while Discord feels more like a community hub. Lucas: It depends on your audience size and goals. Twitter Spaces is great for public discovery — anyone can drop in. But the conversation can be chaotic, and there's no real gatekeeping. Discord or Circle gives you more control and a persistent community feel. A lot of writers use a hybrid: they run a public Space once a month to attract new subscribers, and a private weekly voice chat for paid members only. Luna: That makes sense. The public one acts as a lead gen funnel, the private one as a retention tool. Lucas: Precisely. And the format matters too. The most effective live audio events I've seen follow a simple structure: five minutes of the writer sharing a hot take or a recent insight, then forty minutes of open Q&A. No slides, no prepared script. The rawness is the point. Luna: But what about the time commitment? If you're a solo writer, adding a weekly hour-long live call sounds exhausting. Lucas: It can be. But the smartest operators treat the audio event as a content production engine, not just a community perk. They record the session, transcribe it, and repurpose the best Q&A into future newsletter issues. So the hour you spend on the call saves you two hours of writing later. Luna: That's clever. So the audio becomes raw material for the newsletter itself. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a pattern I've seen across several successful newsletters. The audio event feeds the editorial calendar, reduces writer's block, and gives subscribers a sense of co-creation — their questions literally become next week's content. Luna: I love that. It also creates a virtuous cycle: people are more likely to attend if they know their question might get featured. Lucas: And if they don't attend, they can still benefit from the recap. Some writers send a text summary of the audio event to all subscribers, but only paid members get the full recording. That's a nice incentive tier. Luna: Shifting slightly — I know you mentioned Lenny and Morning Brew, but are there smaller examples? Say a writer with 1,000 subscribers — can this work? Lucas: Absolutely. In fact, smaller newsletters might benefit more because the intimacy is higher. I talked to a writer who runs a niche newsletter about urban gardening. She has about 800 subscribers, 60 of whom are paid. She hosts a monthly voice chat on Discord with 10 to 15 attendees. She told me that those 15 people are her most loyal readers — they share her newsletter, they give feedback, they even contributed to a crowdsourced edition. Her paid churn is almost zero. Luna: So it's not about scale — it's about depth. A small, engaged group can be more valuable than a huge, passive list. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the underlying lesson here. Live audio is a tool for building social capital, not just audience size. Luna: This is exactly the kind of practical strategy that makes this show valuable. And it's why we keep this podcast ad-free — we want to keep the focus on actionable insights, not commercial breaks. If you find these conversations useful, you can support the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to help us keep doing what we do. Lucas: Appreciate that, Luna. And for those who have supported — thank you. It makes a real difference. Now, back to live audio: one challenge I want to address is moderation. If you open the mic to everyone, you risk a few people dominating the conversation or going off-topic. Luna: How do experienced hosts handle that? Lucas: The best approach is to set clear norms upfront. State at the beginning: 'We'll take questions in the order they come, and I may need to cut a question short to get to more people.' Also, have a co-host or a trusted subscriber act as a moderator — they can triage questions in a separate chat and keep the flow moving. Some platforms like Circle let you raise hands, which gives the host control. Luna: So it's not just about going live and hoping for the best. Lucas: No. The best live audio events feel spontaneous but are actually carefully scaffolded. The host prepares a few anchor questions in case the audience is quiet. They have a plan for handling silences. They also test their audio setup beforehand — nothing kills engagement faster than echo or static. Luna: Good point. Technical quality matters. If people can't hear clearly, they'll drop off. Lucas: And on that note, one emerging trend is using ai powered transcription and summarisation. Tools like Otter.ai or Descript can generate a clean transcript within minutes. Some writers then use that transcript to create a 'cliff notes' version for the newsletter. It's almost like having a small editorial team. Luna: So the audio event isn't just a benefit — it's a content multiplier. Lucas: Exactly. And I think that's the key takeaway for anyone considering this. Don't think of it as an extra task. Think of it as a way to generate deeper relationships and better content at the same time. Luna: Alright, but what about the fear factor? A lot of writers are introverts. The idea of speaking live to an audience is terrifying. Lucas: It is. And I don't want to downplay that. But I'd say start small. Do a 15-minute audio post — just you talking, no live audience — and share it as a private link to your paid subscribers. Get comfortable hearing your own voice. Then upgrade to a live Q&A with just a few people. You don't have to go from zero to a weekly hour-long Space. Luna: That's solid advice. Baby steps. Lucas: And the payoff is real. Subscribers who hear your voice feel a connection that text alone can't build. They become advocates, not just readers. Luna: I think that's the core insight. The newsletter business is increasingly about relationships, not just distribution. And live audio is one of the most direct ways to build that relationship. Lucas: Well said. So if you're a newsletter operator, consider adding one live audio event this quarter even if it's just a 20-minute check-in. You might be surprised by the response. Luna: And if you try it and it works, let us know. We'd love to hear your story. Lucas: That's it for today. I'm Lucas. Luna: And I'm Luna. Thanks for listening.