Latest / The Newsletter Podcast with Fexingo: Substack, Beehiiv, and Email Newsletter Business / How One Newsletter Uses a Pause Button to Cut Churn
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, I was digging through some retention data this week, and I found a newsletter that cut its churn by thirty percent in about two months. No new content, no price change. They just added a button. Luna: A button? That sounds almost too simple. What kind of button? Lucas: A pause button. Instead of scrolling to the bottom and hitting unsubscribe, readers could choose to pause their subscription for thirty days. No emails, no pressure. They just hit snooze on the newsletter itself. Luna: Okay, so it's like the 'snooze' feature on Gmail, but built into their own system. Why would that cut churn, though? If someone's thinking about leaving, wouldn't they just leave? Lucas: You'd think so, but the psychology is actually pretty fascinating. When someone reaches for the unsubscribe button, they're often not thinking 'I never want to see this again.' They're thinking 'I'm overwhelmed right now, and this is one less thing to deal with.' The pause gives them an out that doesn't feel permanent. Luna: So it's addressing the real reason they're leaving, which is inbox overload, not necessarily dislike for the content. Lucas: Exactly. And the data backs it up. This particular newsletter, they're a paid one — let's call them The Daily Brief — they saw about twelve percent of their unsubscribes turn into pauses instead. And here's the kicker: of those who paused, about forty percent came back and resumed within two cycles. That's a huge win compared to losing them entirely. Luna: Forty percent reactivation is impressive. But what about the ones who don't come back? Are they just delaying the inevitable? Lucas: Sure, some of them will eventually cancel. But even then, you've bought yourself time. And during that pause, you can send them a gentle nudge, like a 'we miss you' email, or offer them a different cadence — maybe they want a weekly digest instead of daily. The pause is the hook that keeps the conversation open. Luna: So it's not just about retention, it's about creating a chance to re-engage. That's smart. But how does a smaller newsletter actually pull this off? Is this a feature on Beehiiv or Substack, or do you need to build it yourself? Lucas: Great question. Beehiiv actually launched a native pause feature earlier this year — I think it was around May. And I've seen some folks on Substack hack it with a simple email filter, but the native implementation is much smoother. On Beehiiv, you can set it as a default option on your unsubscribe page, so when a reader clicks 'unsubscribe,' they see 'pause for 30 days' right alongside the permanent option. Luna: So it's not like you're hiding the unsubscribe button. You're just offering an alternative at the exact moment of intent. That's a really clean way to do it. Lucas: Right. And the best part is, you don't need to be technical. If you're on Beehiiv, it's a toggle in settings. If you're on Substack, you can create a simple segment for 'paused' subscribers and manually move them. It's a bit clunkier, but the principle holds. Luna: Okay, so let's talk numbers. What's the actual revenue impact? I mean, if someone pauses, are they still paying? Lucas: That's the key question. For paid newsletters, the pause doesn't stop the payment — at least in most setups. They're still subscribed, they just aren't receiving emails. So from a revenue standpoint, you're keeping that subscription revenue while giving the reader a breather. That's a win-win. Luna: So it's essentially a way to keep the money coming while reducing the risk of them marking you as spam or just deleting your emails without even reading them. Lucas: Exactly. And it also helps with sender reputation. When someone hits pause, they're not going to mark you as spam. They're not going to report you. Your emails just stop for a bit. That keeps your domain healthy and your open rates stable when you resume. Luna: That's a subtle but important point. I hadn't thought about the deliverability angle. So it's not just about saving a subscriber, it's about protecting your infrastructure. Lucas: And the data shows it's not just a one-off gimmick. One well-known finance newsletter, The Hustle — they're a daily, they've been around forever — they tested this a few years ago. They added a pause option on their unsubscribe page and saw their churn rate drop by about fifteen percent. That's a huge swing for such a small change. Luna: Fifteen percent is significant. And I'm guessing they didn't see a spike in people abusing the pause just to avoid unsubscribing. Did they see any weird behavior? Lucas: Not really. They did see a small percentage of people who paused and never came back — maybe five percent or so. But those are people who likely would have unsubscribed anyway. The key is that the pause gives you a second chance to win them back. Luna: So what's the best way to actually implement this? Should you make the pause option super prominent, or is it better to keep it subtle? Lucas: I'd say make it prominent, but not pushy. On your unsubscribe page, you can show a little explanation: 'Feeling overwhelmed? Pause for 30 days and come back when you're ready.' That frames it as a courtesy, not a trick. And you should also give them options — like pause for one month, two months, or until a specific date. Luna: Options are good. It gives the reader a sense of control. And control is what they're really looking for when they hit that unsubscribe link. Lucas: Exactly. And here's a pro tip: after someone pauses, send them a confirmation email that says something like 'You're all set — we'll be quiet for a while. Here's a link to resume anytime.' And then, a couple weeks into the pause, you can send a check-in: 'Still need a break? We'll be here when you're ready.' It's a soft touch, but it keeps you top of mind. Luna: I love that. It's like a polite way of saying 'we miss you' without being needy. And it definitely beats the alternative of just letting them slip away silently. Lucas: And if you're thinking about trying this, the metrics to watch are your weekly churn rate, the percentage of unsubscribes that turn into pauses, and the reactivation rate after the pause ends. With those three numbers, you can quickly see if it's working. Luna: So we've got a concrete tactic, some solid data, and a clear way to measure it. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes me want to go tweak my own unsubscribe page. And, you know, that's the thing about this show — every episode is packed with ideas you can actually use. If today's conversation sparked something for you, the way we keep this podcast ad-free is through listener support. You can help by buying me a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, that's a super easy way to keep us going, and we genuinely appreciate every single one. But back to the pause button — I also want to mention that this isn't just for paid newsletters. Even if you're free, the pause option can reduce your unsubscribe rate and keep your list engaged, which matters for sponsor deals and overall list health. Luna: That's a good point. Sponsors look at engagement, not just subscriber count. A list with a lower churn rate looks more valuable because it means people actually want to hear from you. Lucas: Right. And if you're on a platform that doesn't support native pausing, you can always hack it with a simple form. But honestly, with Beehiiv's native feature, there's no excuse not to test it. It's literally a checkbox. Luna: So for our listeners, what's the one action you'd recommend they take this week? Lucas: Go look at your unsubscribe page. If you're on Beehiiv, turn on the pause option. If you're elsewhere, create a simple landing page that offers both options. Then track your churn rate for the next thirty days. I bet you'll see a dip. Luna: I'm actually tempted to test this on my own newsletter. I've got a few subscribers who've unsubscribed in the past because of inbox overload. This might have saved them. Lucas: That's the thing — it's such a small change, but it respects the reader's time and attention. And in a world where everyone is fighting for inbox space, that respect goes a long way. Luna: Well said. And on that note, I think we've given everyone a lot to think about. Thanks for listening, everyone.