Meet the Maker
Simon Bruce
from Hecto
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Hi Simon. Please introduce yourself and your no code background...
Hi, I’m Simon and I’ve been using and learning no code tools since 2018. I’ve found the best way to learn is to approach problems, head on. There’s a lot to be said for learning by doing, rather than discussing no code tools and stacks and asking a lot of questions.
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How would you describe Hecto?
Hecto is a platform to buy, sell and manage newsletter ads. We aim to increase the number of ads being placed in newsletters and reduce the friction of buying and managing those newsletter ads.
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Why is brokering deals and helping indie newsletters grow so important to you?
Because there’s merit in helping creators to make a living doing what they love. And it’s a problem I am passionate about and one that I can see will have lasting effects as a contribution to the creator economy.
Advertising in newsletters is valuable for brands. For newsletter creators, ads mean that they can maximise the reach of their newsletter and not need to monetise via a paywall. There are benefits to both parties and we want to ensure that this potential is achieved, by increasing transparency, reducing friction and brokering newsletter - brand relationships.
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Who would you say your average newsletter customer is? What’s the size of their subscriber base?
From the outset, Hecto was built for independent newsletter creators. Whilst that attracted smaller, generalist newsletters originally, over time, we’ve seen the newsletters increase in size and begin to represent more niches.
"This is exciting as the vision for Hecto is to allow any niche, of any size to be a part of the platform and monetize."
Simon Bruce @ Hecto
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How much might somebody with 10,000 subscribers be able to charge for sponsorship?
The number can vary from anywhere as low as $100 to $500 for newsletters with that many subscriptions. However, the real factors are your audience demographic, accessibility and potential return on investment. If you were to have a newsletter for Porsche enthusiasts, it’s unlikely that you would need 10,000 subscribers to charge $100.
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Are there any new features you’re particularly proud of?
Hecto continues to simplify the ad buying process for newsletters.
"My favourite feature is that Hecto allows newsletters to accept or reject paid requests."
Simon Bruce @ Hecto
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