Copy-and-paste templates for podcast newsletters

Hi [First Name],

Thanks for subscribing to [Newsletter Name], the newsletter from [Podcast Name].

Every [day/week/month], I'll send you [specific promise: practical takeaways, additional resources, behind-the-scenes notes, listener questions, etc.].

If you're new to my work / the podcast, go here to learn more [link to resources / episode]. It's a great introduction because [one-sentence reason].

One question before you go: What would you most like to read or hear about from us? Hit reply and tell me. I read (and try to reply to) every response, and your ideas may influence future newsletters and episodes. 

Thanks for being here!

[Your Name]
[Listen to the podcast] | [Visit the website] | [Follow on social]

Subject: [First Name], how's it going?

Hi [First Name],

You've been getting [Newsletter Name] for a week now. I wanted to check in.

What's landing? What's missing? Any topics you want more of?

Here are 3 things subscribers usually find useful in their first month:
- [Link to a favorite past newsletter issue]
- [Link to your best starter podcast episode]
- [Link to your resource page / free template]

Let me know if I can point you in the right direction.

Thanks for reading,
[Your Name]

Subject: Still interested in [Name of Newsletter]?

Hi [First Name],

Quick check-in. I noticed you haven't opened [Newsletter Name] in a while.

If you still want to hear from us, [click here to stay subscribed / update your preferences].

If you're not interested anymore, [unsubscribe here].

And if you just want a different vibe from us, here are a few other ways to keep up:
- [Podcast episode link]
- [Resource / template link]
- [Social link]

Chat soon!

[Your Name]

Subject: The beluga whale that learned to talk back

Hi [First Name],

A few years ago, researchers in San Diego discovered and recorded a beluga named Harvey making sounds that mimicked human speech.

They weren't random clicks. It wasn't echolocation either.

No one else was in the water... just Harvey.

Belugas are often called the "canaries of the sea" because they vocalize so constantly, but Harvey was doing something else. He lowered his natural call frequencies and added rhythmic bursts that sounded uncannily like real human words. 

Why did this happen? Scientists think it was probably because he was bored, lonely, and surrounded by humans whose noises he wanted to imitate.

It went on for some time. Then he stopped, grew up, and never did it again.

Two things stand out to me here:

1. Belugas don't just make sounds — they seem to experiment with them.
2. Animals do weird things and unfortunately, we may never know why.

Here's a photo of Harvey mid-speech, looking very pleased with himself.
[Insert image]

"I was in the lab when we first recorded Harvey's sounds. We were all standing there, mouths agape, not knowing what to do next." -- That's Dr. Alvin Lawrence III on that fateful day. Hear more from Dr. Lawrence's account here [link to latest episode].

Until next time,
[Your Name]

Subject: Do beluga whales really have names?

Hi [First Name],

On this week's episode, it's all about one of the strangest findings in recent marine biology: beluga whales may be calling each other by names.

A team in Alaska followed multiple groups of belugas in the Sound and recorded thousands of calls. Here's what they found: individual whales seem to repeat specific sounds that other whales recognize — and respond to — even when they can't see each other.

It's not language the way we use it. But it does suggest belugas know exactly who is calling in a crowd.

🎧 Listen here: [Episode title and link]

I won't spoil the whole thing, but there's a moment in the recording where a mother and baby call back and forth for almost a minute while on other sides of the water.

If you want more background before you listen, here's a short write-up on how beluga vocalizations are studied [link to resource].

Talk soon,
[Your Name]

P.S. what's your take: do you think animals have anything we'd recognize as names?

Subject: The week in marine biology

Hi [First Name],

Welcome back. Here are three things worth knowing about the ocean this week:

1. Coral reefs are recovering faster than expected in some protected zones.
Researchers in the Coral Corner found that reef patches left alone for five years showed measurable regrowth. But here's the catch: they need clean water and stable temperatures, both of which are getting harder to come by.
[Link to resource]

2. Deep-sea squid are stranger than we thought.
A new paper documents squid that appear to live their entire lives without ever touching the seafloor. They drift, hunt, and mate in the dark zone.
[Link to resource]

3. Beluga whales keep surprising people.
In Alaska, a beluga was observed carrying a piece of seaweed for several minutes, possibly as a toy, gift, or a social signal. Play behavior in marine animals is hard to study because it looks so much like foraging, but this one was clearly just... messing around.
[Link to resource]

If belugas are your thing, we covered a recent study on their social calls in the latest episode.

🎧 [Episode title and link]

See you next week,
[Your Name]