Someone told you that you need a newsletter. A mentor, a podcast, a marketing article. They all say the same thing: “email is the channel with the best return.”
But the real answer depends on who you are and what you sell.
At Mazkara, we used to think newsletters were a good idea for every business. After working with 30+ clients in Mexico and LATAM, we noticed something: the businesses where newsletters actually work share very specific patterns. And the businesses where they don’t? Those share patterns too.
Browse these scenarios and find yours:
Does a Newsletter Work For Your Business?
Browse the scenarios and find yours
Did you identify with one of the green profiles? Keep reading. If yours came up amber, still read on, but with your eyes wide open.
Why Is Everyone Talking About Newsletters?
Because nothing else comes close in terms of return.
We’re not talking about “slightly better.” It’s a completely different category:
Return Per $1 Invested
Email isn't just better — it's in a different league
Drag the bubbles
Sources: Litmus 2024, FirstPageSage, Google Economic Impact Report
Email returns $36 for every dollar invested. SEO returns $22. Google Ads returns $8. Social media, $2.50.
But watch that number carefully. It includes everything: automations, abandoned carts, welcome sequences, transactional emails. A weekly newsletter on its own won’t magically give you $36 per dollar. It would be dishonest to say otherwise.
What is true: email converts at 4.24% into purchases. Social media converts at 0.59%. That’s 7x more. The gap between someone who gave you their email (they want to hear from you) and someone scrolling past your post (they want to be entertained).
The Elephant in the Room: WhatsApp
You can’t have an honest conversation about newsletters in Mexico without talking about WhatsApp.
Over 90% of Mexicans use WhatsApp daily. It’s where your mom sends memes, where your client asks about pricing, and where you close deals. So why bother with a newsletter if you already have WhatsApp?
Because they do completely different jobs:
Newsletter vs. WhatsApp: Different Jobs
They don't compete — they complement each other
Mazkara Studio's own framework
WhatsApp is speed. Direct conversation, quick close, immediate attention. Perfect for the bottom of the funnel, when someone’s ready to buy.
Newsletter is depth. You reach hundreds at once, show what you know, and build trust over weeks or months. Perfect for the top and middle of the funnel, when someone doesn’t even know they need you yet.
We’ve lived this at Mazkara. We’ve been running a newsletter and a WhatsApp channel in parallel for months now. The newsletter generates leads we’d never reach through WhatsApp. And WhatsApp closes conversations the newsletter can’t. They don’t compete. They complete each other.
The smart play
Social media attracts new people. Newsletter builds authority and nurtures. WhatsApp closes and serves. Each channel has its place. Trying to build thought leadership through WhatsApp alone is like trying to write a book through text messages.
Who Is It Actually For?
B2B Consultants and Agencies
If your clients research before hiring (and in B2B, they always do), a newsletter is your strongest tool. 73% of B2B buyers prefer to be contacted via email over any other channel.
A newsletter proves what you know before you ever have to sell it. Every issue is a free sample of your expertise. And in LATAM, B2B newsletters in Spanish are massively underrepresented. The market is wide open.
Coaches, Consultants, and Course Creators
Your newsletter IS your product in miniature. Every issue teaches something and at the same time proves why it’s worth paying for the full version.
Purchase cycles in coaching and consulting are long. Someone might read you for weeks before deciding. The newsletter keeps the relationship alive without you chasing anyone. Sound familiar?
E-commerce in Mexico
The Mexican e-commerce market hit $54.4 billion USD in 2025 and grows at 14% annually. 64% of Mexicans already buy online.
For e-commerce, the value isn’t just in the editorial newsletter. It’s in the automations: welcome sequences, abandoned carts, personalized recommendations. Segmented campaigns can increase revenue by up to 760%.
Professional Services Firms
If you sell high-ticket services to executives and entrepreneurs in LATAM, there’s real demand for curated, valuable content in Spanish. The audience has purchasing power and the channel builds the trust you need to close $5,000, $20,000 or bigger projects.
Who Is It NOT For?
Be honest with yourself
Starting a newsletter “because everyone says you should” without a clear plan is the fastest way to waste 6 months. We’ve watched it happen more times than we’d like to count.
Local and transactional businesses
If your customers decide in minutes (choosing a restaurant, finding a plumber, picking a gym), a newsletter adds friction instead of removing it. WhatsApp Business, Google Business, and local social media presence are your channels.
Saturated niches without differentiation
Four categories are already crowded, even in Spanish: AI newsletters (the biggest on Substack has 40,000+ subscribers), crypto, “news in 5 minutes” formats, and generic self-help. If you don’t have a genuinely different angle, you’ll compete against established players. And the frustrating part is that many of those players have a years-long head start.
If you can’t commit to consistency
Most newsletters die before day 100. The average list grows 2.5% per month. If you can’t sustain weekly or biweekly publishing for at least 6 months, it’s unlikely you’ll reach the scale where results become visible.
Biweekly is perfectly fine, by the way. Don’t let anyone convince you that you need to publish daily.
If you don’t have a path to monetization
Before you start, answer this: how will subscribers eventually generate revenue? Selling services, sponsors, paid subscriptions, nurturing leads. You need at least one. LaShonda Brown generates six figures with only 3,100 subscribers because each one is a high-value B2B contact. Size matters far less than fit.
Newsletter vs. Everything Else
The strongest argument for a newsletter isn’t that it’s “better” than other channels. It’s that it’s the only channel where you own your audience.
Owned ground vs. rented ground
| Newsletter | Social Media | |
|---|---|---|
| Do you own it? | Yes, your list comes with you | No, the algorithm decides who sees you |
| Reach | 100% of your list gets the email | 1-4% of your followers see your post |
| Conversion | 4.24% | 0.59% |
| Portability | Export and take your list anywhere | Start from zero if the platform dies |
| Risk | Low, you’re in control | High, one algorithm change can erase you |
Facebook dropped its organic reach to 1.4% of your followers. Instagram sits at 4%, falling 18% year over year. TikTok’s engagement dropped 5.6% in 2024.
Social media is great for getting discovered. Newsletter is where you build something no one can take from you.
The smart split: invest 60-70% of your effort in owned channels (newsletter, blog) and 30-40% in social content designed to bring in new subscribers.
Which platform should you choose?
Newsletter Platform Comparison
Evaluation across 6 key dimensions for creators
Original analysis based on documented features 2025-2026
| Platform | Best for | Cost at 10K subs | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | Writers who want simplicity | Free (but 10% of payments) | No automation, limited customization |
| Beehiiv | Monetization through sponsors and ads | ~$99/mo | Learning curve |
| Kit | Coaches and course sellers | ~$119/mo | Limited discovery |
| Ghost | Full control + SEO | ~$88/mo | Requires technical know-how |
What Does It Actually Cost?
Starting a newsletter costs almost nothing. Keeping a successful one costs more than most people expect. Not in platforms. In time.
Your Newsletter Journey
From zero to a revenue channel — what to expect at each stage
Estimates based on Substack, Beehiiv, Kit, and Ghost 2026
The real cost is your time
A quality weekly newsletter takes 4-10 hours per issue: research, write, edit, format, send. Add 3-9 hours per week for community engagement and 3-10 hours for growth activities.
That’s a lot. It really is.
The lean version? A curated newsletter can be done in 3-4 hours. With AI for brainstorming and first drafts (55% of marketers already use it), you can save 1-3 hours per week.
For entrepreneurs in LATAM who juggle multiple responsibilities, the time math needs to be honest. A weekly newsletter you actually publish is infinitely better than a daily one you abandon after three weeks. I’ve seen both movies play out. The second one always ends badly.
Growth: patience and real expectations
The average list grows 2.5% per month. Most creators reach 10,000 subscribers in 6-12 months of consistent effort.
Word of mouth is the number one strategy. 42% of newsletter professionals confirm it. Referral programs help grow 35% faster at just $0.17 per subscriber, compared to $1.74-$5.00 per subscriber through Meta Ads.
The 5-Question Framework
Instead of giving you a generic answer, answer these five questions. By the end, you’ll know if it’s time:
Should You Start a Newsletter?
Answer 5 questions and find out
The LATAM Opportunity
The newsletter explosion has been almost entirely in English. The Spanish-language ecosystem is in its early growth phase.
The Content Gap in LATAM
Mature ecosystem + massive audience = untapped opportunity
What this means for you:
- Less competition and you can establish authority faster
- B2B niches saturated in English are still wide open in Spanish
- 84% of companies in LATAM already use email, so your audience is comfortable with the channel
- The paid subscription culture is still developing, which means monetization through sponsors and services is more realistic than direct subscriptions (for now)
Platforms like OhMyNewst have emerged specifically to connect Spanish-language newsletter creators with advertisers. A signal that the ecosystem is maturing but still has room.
The Spanish market is where the English one was in 2020. The window is still open. But it’s closing.
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Get your free consultation →The most important takeaway from this entire article isn’t that newsletters work. It’s that they work incredibly well for the right businesses with the right approach, and waste time and money for everyone else.
If you answered “yes” to 4 or 5 of the framework questions, you have the ingredients. The Spanish-language market is waiting for you.
If you answered “no” to several, that’s okay. Focus on what’s missing first. When you’re ready, the channel will still be there.
Want to launch a newsletter that generates real leads for your business? Get your free consultation.