Newsletter and Reader List Growth Tracker

Who this is for

Your mailing list, month by month. Record the subscribers at the start, the sign-ups and the unsubscribes, and the sheet works out the list size at the end and the net change, with space for issues sent, open rate and where sign-ups came from.

Authors and writers building a reader list who want a simple monthly record of growth that does not depend on any one mailing platform's reports.

What this helps you track

• Subscribers at the start and end of each month
• New sign-ups and unsubscribes, and the net change
• Issues sent and the open rate your platform reports
• Which sources brought readers in
• Total growth, average monthly change and the best month

How to use it

1. Write the list name, the mailing platform and the date you started tracking at the top.
2. At the start of each month, enter the subscriber count from your platform.
3. At month end, enter the new sign-ups, the unsubscribes, the issues sent and the open rate as the platform reports it.
4. Note the main source of sign-ups that month, such as a reader magnet, an event or a back-of-book link.
5. The end figure, net change and summary are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, add and subtract across.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why enter subscribers at start if the sheet works out the end?

Because platforms clean lists, remove bounces and merge duplicates, so last month's end figure does not always match this month's start. Entering the start from the platform keeps the sheet honest.

What open rate should I be aiming for?

The sheet does not suggest one. Open rates are measured differently by each platform and affected by privacy settings, so compare your own months with each other rather than with a figure from elsewhere.

Can I track more than one list?

Use a sheet per list, for example one for each pen name or genre, so the growth of each is clear.

Does it store any subscriber details?

No. It holds monthly counts only. Keep subscriber details on your mailing platform and follow the data protection rules where you are.