A deeper dive into Sherwood Media's radical approach to redefining editorial websites

I exploreSherwood News's website to discover its strengths and weaknesses. Follow along for the results.

Also in this issue:

📍LinkedInwill roll out "Accelerate," its AI campaign builder

📍WordPress6.6 adds impressive new features

📍beehiivs Post Dashboard update adds new tools for creators

📍 A new cookie alternative from sports publisherFootballco

📍Optimizelyreleases a SaaS CMS bundled with Visual Builder

📍 Company of the Week: Sherwood Media

Read on.

LinkedIn will roll out "Accelerate," its AI campaign builder

LinkedIn is launching its AI ad tool, Accelerate, globally this fall. This tool will reduce the time for creating ads from 15 hours to just 5 minutes. It also aims to make ads cheaper to run, with a 52% drop in cost per action and makes setting up campaigns 15% faster. Accelerate checks your product URL, your company's LinkedIn page, and past ads to create new ads and find the right audience. However, some users have said it's tough to target specific B2B audiences with it. Even though it's still being tested and only half of advertisers can use it now, those who use it are seeing better results, like more completed lead forms and cheaper costs per lead.

WordPress 6.6 adds impressive new features

WordPress6.6 ("Dorsey") is live. The updated editor layout offers a quick preview of all pages. You can also auto-update all plugins without stress – if a plugin update fails, WordPress will automatically roll it back.

A plugin update breaking your website has been an old pain point for WordPress users, so this can be a major moment.The auto-rollback feature is ideal for small publishers without an in-house technical team.

beehiiv's Post Dashboard update adds new tools for creators

The new dashboard shows more detailed data on how content performs. You can see how readers interact with your posts and connect with your best readers. It also simplifies A/B testing and lets readers like or comment directly from their emails.

These updates are part ofbeehiiv's plan to bombard users with a lot of new features over the next six weeks to help creators grow.

A new cookie alternative from sports publisher Footballco

The sports publisherFootballcohas launchedFC Precision, a tool for ad targeting without relying on cookies. This tool uses both first-party and third-party data to create detailed profiles of users. It can target users based on interests like fashion and travel, not just football. FC Precision has been tested with some clients and is now available to all. It helps advertisers reach specific audiences with customized ad campaigns, ensuring effective targeting even after cookies are phased out onGoogle Chromein 2025.

Optimizely releases a SaaS CMS bundled with Visual Builder

Optimizelyhas launched a new SaaS CMSto enhance its digital experience platform. This service, designed to be headless,includes a Visual Builder that simplifies creating and previewing content. It supports various design functions like drag-and-drop and lets users manage content across multiple channels from one place. Optimizely is a platform that helps businesses test and personalize their digital experiences.

With its new Visual Builder, Optimizely's CMS is a late addition to platforms that have been recently adding (AI-powered) website builders to their offerings, includingWeb.com,Notion, and evenbeehiiv.

Company of the Week: Sherwood Media

The financial platform @RobinhoodApp started Sherwood Media in 2023 on the success of their popular financial newsletter "Snacks".

They blend finance and usual news stories to present a clear picture of the economy. That is a vital part of Robinhood’s mission to "democratize finance for all."

An overview of Sherwood's website

The homepage utilizes a vertical scrolling design packed with news titles, text, and multimedia elements. News stories are presented in a single column layout similar to @TheVerge.

The bold headlines and teaser images also help keep the users engaged. However, the density of articles on the homepage and the news pages might overwhelm some users, especially if you visit the website via desktop instead of mobile.

The mobile experience of Sherwood, however, is much easier to navigate. The desktop version shows multiple visual elements in the same frame, slightly overwhelming for first-time users.

Subscription and Onboarding

Sherwood has one of the most prominent CTAs: a vibrant yellow banner at the top of the homepage with a clever title that asks users to “Follow the Money.”

Clicking on the banner takes the user to a separate subscription page. This extra step can be avoided by including the email text field on the banner, making the sign-up process easier.

Sign-up Form

The sign-up form is sparse and does not distract from the main purpose. Using a bold, black font on a light background increases readability, while the contrasting yellow subscribe button stands out, inviting clicks.

Copywriting

The copy encourages action. The use of logotypes ("Snacks" and "CHArtr") and the description beneath the email field let subscribers know what to expect. Again, the fresh and in-your-face copy is what stands out the most from Sherwood's CTAs.

After sign-up

Sherwood does not spend too much time with onboarding once users enter their email. For example, there are no instructions for ensuring the newsletter lands in their inbox. However, the copy is as excellent as always, making up for it.