For years, LinkedIn Newsletters have been a valuable tool for brands and thought leaders to reach their professional audiences. But here’s the catch—publishers were flying blind when it came to email performance. Unlike dedicated email platforms, LinkedIn offered no visibility into how newsletters were landing in inboxes. Were readers clicking on email alerts, or was the in-app notification doing all the heavy lifting?
Now, in a long-overdue move, LinkedIn is rolling out email analytics for newsletter publishers. But before you get too excited, let’s break down what’s actually new, why it matters, and where it still falls short.
What’s New?
LinkedIn is now giving newsletter authors access to two email-specific metrics:
- Email Sends – How many subscribers received an email alert when your newsletter went live.
- Email Open Rate – The percentage of those subscribers who actually opened the email.
Sounds great, right? Except there’s a disclaimer: These numbers are just estimates.
That’s right—LinkedIn itself warns that the data may not be precise. Unlike dedicated email marketing tools that track opens through embedded pixels, LinkedIn’s tracking method remains a mystery.
Still, for newsletter authors who’ve been operating without any email insights, this is at least something to work with.
Why This Matters
Let’s be real—before this update, no one knew how much LinkedIn’s email alerts actually mattered.
Now, publishers have at least some visibility into how readers engage with newsletters via email. This is a big deal for brands, marketers, and content creators, especially those leveraging LinkedIn newsletters alongside standalone email platforms.
For businesses running affordable SMO services, this update also brings more transparency into LinkedIn's role as a content distribution tool. It’s no longer just about reach—it’s about how content performs in subscribers' inboxes.
Another key takeaway? Advertisers and sponsors now get more clarity. If you’re monetizing your LinkedIn newsletter through partnerships, sponsors will want to know:
- Are their sponsored mentions making it into inboxes?
- How engaged are LinkedIn newsletter readers via email?
Previously, this data was non-existent. Now, sponsors have at least some numbers to work with, which could help drive more strategic partnerships.
More Still Needed
While this update is a welcome improvement, it doesn’t solve everything. In fact, it highlights LinkedIn’s biggest shortcoming as a newsletter platform: a lack of control over subscriber relationships.
Unlike platforms like Substack or Mailchimp, LinkedIn does not share subscriber email addresses with newsletter authors. This means:
- No direct relationship with your audience outside of LinkedIn.
- No ability to nurture leads through personalized email marketing.
- No option to migrate your audience if you decide to switch platforms.
Many newsletter publishers have long requested an opt-in feature where subscribers can volunteer their email addresses to authors. However, LinkedIn has made no moves to implement this—and that’s a major drawback.
Why is this a problem?
Because at the end of the day, LinkedIn owns your audience, not you. If your newsletter is on LinkedIn, your subscribers belong to the platform, and you have no way to move them to your own email marketing system.
Final Take – A Win, But Not a Knockout
Yes, LinkedIn’s new email analytics are useful. But let’s not pretend they solve everything.
This update makes LinkedIn newsletters less of a black box, but it still doesn’t make them a true competitor to dedicated newsletter platforms. Without access to subscriber emails, publishers are still playing by LinkedIn’s rules.
If you’re using LinkedIn for content marketing, this data is a helpful addition—but don’t expect it to replace your email marketing system anytime soon.
What do you think? Is LinkedIn finally stepping up, or is this just a half-measure? Let’s talk.
