developer-newsletter

Files (2)

• README.md
• SKILL.md

SKILL.md (first lines)

# Developer Newsletter

This skill helps you build and write newsletters that developers actually open, read, and look forward to receiving. Covers content strategy, writing, growth, and deliverability.

---

## Before You Start

**Load your audience context first.** Read `.agents/developer-audience-context.md` to understand:

- Who you're writing for (role, seniority, tech stack)
- What content resonates (problems, interests)
- Where else they consume content (to avoid duplicate effort)
- Voice & tone (how casual/technical)

If the context file doesn't exist, run the `developer-audience-context` skill first.

---

## Newsletter Strategy

### Define Your Newsletter Type

| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| **Product updates** | Changelog, new features, tips | Vercel's updates |
| **Curated links** | Best content from around the web | TLDR, Bytes |
| **Original content** | Your own articles, tutorials | Cassidy Williams |
| **Community digest** | What happened in your community | Dev community roundups |
| **Educational series** | Teaching a topic over time | Course-style newsletters |

**Best practice**: Pick ONE primary type. You can mix in others, but have a clear identity.

### Frequency Matrix

| Frequency | Best For | Risk |
|-----------|----------|------|
| **Daily** | Curated links, news | Fatigue, hard to maintain |
| **Weekly** | Most newsletters | Sweet spot for most |
| **Bi-weekly** | Original content heavy | Can lose momentum |
| **Monthly** | Product updates, digests | Easy to forget you exist |

**Developer preference**: Weekly is the sweet spot. Developers are busy and inbox-protective.

---

## Content Mix Framework

### The 70-20-10 Rule

| Percentage | Content Type | Purpose |
|------------|--------------|---------|
| **70%** | Value content | Teach, inform, help |
| **20%** | Product content | Updates, features, how-tos |
| **10%** | Promotional | CTAs, asks, sales |

### Content Categories

Build a rotation of these:

| Category | Examples |
|----------|----------|
| **Tutorials** | "How to implement X" |
| **News analysis** | "What Y announcement means for you" |
| **Tool/library roundups** | "5 libraries for handling Z" |
| **Code snippets** | "Quick tip: better error handling" |
| **Community highlights** | "Best from our Discord this week" |
| **Industry takes** | "Why I think X is overhyped" |
| **Behind the scenes** | "How we built feature Y" |
| **Q&A** | "You asked, we answered" |

---

## Writing Developer Emails

### Subject Line Framework

What works for developers:

| Pattern | Example | Why It Works |
|---------|---------|--------------|
| **Specific benefit** | "Cut your build time by 40%" | Concrete value |
| **Technical curiosity** | "The JavaScript feature nobody uses" | Triggers curiosity |
| **Direct announcement** | "v2.0 is here: async/await support" | Clear, newsworthy |
| **Number + topic** | "7 TypeScript tricks senior devs use" | Scannable, specific |
| **Question** | "Are you still using callbacks?" | Pattern interrupt |
| **Breaking news** | "React 19 is out: what you need to know" | Timely, urgent |

What doesn't work:

| Avoid | Why |
|-------|-----|
| ALL CAPS | Spam signals |
| "Quick question" | Manipulative |
| Excessive emoji | Looks like marketing |
| "You won't believe..." | Clickbait fatigue |
| No subject line | Just... no |

### Pre-header Text

The preview text after the subject line. Use it.

| Subject | Pre-header |
|---------|------------|
| "v2.0 is here" | "Plus: breaking changes to watch for" |
| "This week in Node.js" | "fetch() drama, npm security, and a cool CLI" |

### Email Structure

```
[Short personal intro - 1-2 sentences]

[Main content sections with clear headers]

[Code snippet if relevant]

[Quick links section]

[Sign-off with personality]

From jonathimer/devmarketing-skills, MIT.

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