I've studied a LOT of newsletter sign-up pages. And do you know what almost all of them have in common?

Credibility.

And for good reason: It's the "why" we should subscribe and read what you have to say.

You might be an expert. But if you don't tell people, you're an invisible expert.

And that's helping nobody.  

So...

With the zillion newsletters battling for attention, you need to be compelling. Credibility is a lever you must pull.

How?

Every successful newsletter landing page leverages at least one (ideally multiple) of these credibility types:

1. Authority & Expertise (I know my stuff)
2. Social Proof (Other people trust me)
3. Results & Track Record (I’ve done this before)
4. Earned Media & Endorsements (Respected sources vouch for me)
5. Brand Familiarity (You’ve seen me before)

Here's more of a detailed breakdown of each of these.

1. Authority & Expertise (I Know My Stuff)

This is personal credibility based on your experience, qualifications, or your unique perspective.

The great thing with this one?

Even if you don’t have a huge audience, you can establish trust by showing why you’re uniquely qualified to share insights.

Some examples of Authority & Expertise:

• “Former Airbnb Product Lead” (Lenny Rachitsky)
• “I built a $5M one-person business” (Justin Welsh)
• “10+ years helping businesses grow their social media audiences.”

✅ Best for: Newer creators who have industry experience but may not have big audience numbers yet.

2. Social Proof (Other People Trust Me)

You probably kick ass at what you do. And people have probably said as much.

So share that sh*t.

The more people who subscribe, read, or endorse your content, the more trustworthy it looks. This can be explicit (big numbers) or implicit (the right audience reads it).

Some examples of Social Proof:

• “Join 250,000+ readers”
• “Read by CEOs, startup founders, and investors”
• “Trusted by teams at Stripe, Notion, and HubSpot”
• Ratings & Reviews from readers, users, customers.

✅ Best for: Creators who have an engaged audience, even if it’s not huge. Even 1,000+ subscribers can be impressive in a niche. TIP: Use ​Senja.io​ to collect testimonials pain-free.

See how Chenell leverages 5-star ratings with avatars and a total number of subscribers:

3. Results & Track Record (I’ve Done This Before)

People trust content from someone who has achieved what they want to achieve. If you don’t have a big following, highlight measurable outcomes.

Some examples of Results & Track Record:

• “I helped 5 creators grow from 1,000 to 10,000 subscribers”
• “Generated $100,000+ in newsletter sponsorships last year”
• “I’ve produced 5 indie films with budgets totaling $X million”

✅ Best for: Creators without a massive following but who can show real-world experience.

We explained in our latest Newsletter Roast why you *need* to ​lean into your credibility​. Daren could have really used that last example about his experience producing indie films when trying to get more subscribers to his newsletter.

4. Earned Media & Endorsements (Respected Sources Vouch for Me)

If credible sources have mentioned, featured, or endorsed you, that instantly increases trust.

Examples of Earned Media & Endorsements:

• “As seen in Forbes, Hacker News, and Business Insider”
• “Featured on the Tim Ferriss Podcast”
• “Endorsed by [Industry Expert]”

✅ Best for: Creators who’ve been quoted, interviewed, or reviewed by industry leaders.

See Justin Welsh's landing page with industry experts & digital business leaders:

5. Brand Familiarity (You’ve Seen Me Before)

Have a personal brand? Already recognized?

Use it!

I had a call with an operator recently who's built his LinkedIn profile to over 20k followers. And guess what? His face is all over his website and landing page.

He has over 140k newsletter subscribers. 100% organic growth. A lot of his success is due to his personal brand familiarity.

When your name, company, or product is already recognized, people trust you. It's subconscious credibility. Peopl trust brands (and faces) they’ve seen before—even if they don’t know much about them.

🔹 Examples:

• Your brand or logo on your landing page
• Your face or avatar on your landing page
• Logos of well-known brands you’ve worked with

✅ Best for: Brands or creators with an existing reputation or affiliation with trusted companies.

Check out how Katelyn Bourgoin has her own image on the her homepage:

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Wrapping Up

So what does this all mean?

Quite simple:

So stop being humble. You need to build yourself up a bit. Give people a reason to trust you with their email address.

Use one of these 5 credibility methods to do it.

Bonus 👀

One other super smart thing a bunch of these creators are doing? They're using Kit to create their landing pages, send their newsletters, and GROW with the Kit Creator Network.

I personally have gotten nearly 2,000 subscribers from the Kit Creator Network alone!

Doing this on your own is doable, but Kit makes it way easier. And legit more fun.

Trust me. I’ve tried all the major ESPs.

Kit offers the most user-friendly and customizable features for creators like us. I’ve been using Kit for nearly 4 years and recommend it to everyone — and not just because I’m an affiliate. I sincerely love the product, their team, and vibe.

Get a FREE Kit plan that includes your first 10,000 subscribers →

More stuff from me.

→ Check out my brand new podcast about newsletters with Chenell from Growth In Reverse👇

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→ FREE 5-day email course to help you get your first 1,000 newsletter subscribers
→ FREE Email Opt-In Template from a Best-Selling Author
→ Connect with me: LinkedIn || Threads || Bluesky