Inviting your audience to a new newsletter

Launching a new newsletter when you already have an audience? You can usually tell your existing readers about it, but the best results come from inviting them rather than adding them. Here’s what the law allows, and what we recommend.

What U.S. law allows (CAN-SPAM)

Under the CAN-SPAM Act there is no affirmative opt-in requirement for commercial email in the United States. You may email existing subscribers about a new newsletter as long as:

• The email accurately identifies you as the sender.
• It includes your valid physical mailing address.
• It includes a clear, easy way to unsubscribe.
• You honor unsubscribe requests within 10 business days.

Subscribers always retain the right to opt out, and some U.S. states have additional email solicitation rules — confirm your approach aligns with any applicable state-level regulations.

Important note for EU and UK subscribers (GDPR)

If a recipient is in the European Union or UK, consent is required before subscribing them to a new newsletter. Automatically adding them without consent is not GDPR-compliant.

Recommended best practice

Even when legally permitted, auto-subscribing people to a new newsletter can hurt engagement and deliverability.

Option 1: Promote the new newsletter (best practice)

Promote the new publication inside your existing newsletter with an in-house ad, banner, or callout so readers voluntarily subscribe. This typically brings higher engagement, fewer spam complaints, and better long-term deliverability.

Option 2: Send it with clear disclosure

If you do send the new newsletter to your existing audience:

• Explain why recipients are receiving it (they subscribed to your existing newsletter).
• Make clear what the new newsletter is about.
• Include a clear and easy way to unsubscribe from it.

Summary

• CAN-SPAM allows commercial email without prior opt-in, provided unsubscribe rules are followed.
• Subscribers always have the right to opt out.
• EU/UK subscribers require explicit consent.
• Best practice is to invite subscribers to opt in rather than adding them automatically — when unsure, opting in is the safest path.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. See also Letting contacts unsubscribe and Managing signup pages and subscribe forms, where a reader can choose several of your newsletters at once.