How to Turn a Newsletter Into a Video (Substack & Beehiiv Guide)

2026-08-20

If you already publish a newsletter, text to video software can help you turn existing issues into scalable video content.

That’s the shift a lot of marketers still miss. They often think video starts with a camera, a script, a studio, or a carefully planned creator calendar. However, in many cases, the best video content is already sitting in an inbox archive. A strong weekly email already has a hook, key points, a clear point of view, and a call to action. In practice, that means it’s already pretty close to a script.

That’s why more teams now choose to turn a newsletter into video instead of making every clip from scratch. It saves time, helps each issue do more, and reaches people who will never read a full email but will watch a 30-second clip, a short explainer, a presenter-led recap, or even one section from it.

The timing also fits well. 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and 93% of marketers report strong or good ROI from video marketing, according to Wyzowl (Wyzowl). At the same time, newsletter platforms keep growing. beehiiv reported more than 75,000 newsletters and 350 million monthly readers in 2025 (beehiiv).

So this guide is not about broad blog repurposing. It stays focused on one specific workflow: how to turn a Substack or Beehiiv issue into a useful video asset. It covers which newsletters usually work best, how to make video from text, how to adjust it for each platform, which formats make the most sense, common mistakes, and why a focused text to video software workflow is usually the fastest way in most cases.

Why newsletter content works well with text to video software

A newsletter is not quite the same as a standard article. It usually has a tighter voice, feels more current, and often sounds more personal too. That is what makes it such a strong source for video.

Turning a newsletter into video also means you are not starting from scratch. You already have five things video teams usually work hard to find: a clear voice, timely ideas, and a personal angle. It is a real head start.

A clear angle for text to video software workflows

Most newsletter issues have one main idea. That usually makes editing simpler. One issue can also often become a short recap, a talking-head explainer, or a few smaller clips.

A built-in audience signal

Open rates, click rates, replies, and forwards show which topics matter most to you. If one Beehiiv or Substack issue really took off, that’s often a strong sign it could work as video too.

A natural script structure

A lot of emails already use a simple pattern: hook, problem, insight, example. That usually works well when text needs to turn into video fast.

A strong owned-media loop

Using video to bring people back to an owned audience is probably a smart move. HubSpot reports that 67% of businesses share video on their company website (HubSpot). The same approach often helps grow newsletters too.

Lower production pressure with text to video software

These days, you don’t need a camera crew to turn a newsletter into video. With a solid text to video software setup, one issue can become scenes, narration, captions, and presenter-led delivery in minutes instead of days.

That quote matters because it points to a bigger shift. Newsletters are no longer side projects. They’re real media products, and real media products often need more than one format.

What to pull from a Substack or Beehiiv issue before you make the video

A common mistake is trying to turn the whole email into one long video. It usually ends up slow and bloated.

Instead, pull out the parts that matter most.

1. Find the main promise

What’s the one thing this issue helps the reader do, avoid, learn, or understand?

Examples:

• ‘3 SEO updates to watch this month’
• ‘Why CAC is rising in B2B SaaS’
• ‘How we improved newsletter open rates’
• ‘The one content repurposing habit that saves time’

One simple way is to use that as the video title or opening line.

2. Pull the strongest hook

The strongest hook is probably already in the intro paragraph or subject line. If the newsletter opens with a problem, a surprising result, or a bold opinion, keep that part.

3. Keep 3 to 5 main points

Video usually works best when it stays focused. Cut the long setup, sponsor copy, extra links, and side notes.

4. Add a visual plan

While reviewing the issue, note which parts will likely work best with:

• charts or screenshots
• product UI or stock footage
• presenter-led scenes
• on-screen bullets

Social captions can help too.

5. Rewrite for spoken delivery with text to video software

Good newsletter writing does not always work well for narration. Long sentences usually need to be cut down. Direct words usually sound better.

This is often the stage where specialized tools help most. For newsletter to video production at scale, a workflow-first platform like Blog2video often makes more sense than a blank-canvas editor.

For a broader look at how this connects with other platforms, see Text to Video AI vs Blog-to-Video Tools.

The simple workflow: turn newsletter text into a finished video

At a high level, it’s pretty simple. The order still matters.

Step 1: Paste the newsletter text or source URL into text to video software

Start with the full issue from Substack or Beehiiv. If the issue is also on the web, that page often works well too.

Step 2: Let the tool break it into scenes

Here, a tool made for this usually works better than editing by hand. It should split your text into clear video beats instead of dropping one big wall of copy onto slides.

Step 3: Choose a format

Pick the output based on the goal:

• a short social teaser
• a 60 to 90 second recap
• a presenter-led issue summary
• an internal brand update video

Step 4: Pick voice and presenter style

You can choose an AI presenter, a cloned voice, or simple narration. Newsletters often feel personal, so the video should usually use that same voice too.

Step 5: Add branding and visuals

Use logos, brand colors, product shots, charts, and screenshots where they help most.

Step 6: Edit for pace

Cut repeated bits. Tighten the intro. Make captions quick to scan.

Step 7: Export by channel

One source can become several assets:

• a vertical short for LinkedIn or Instagram Reels
• a square clip for social feeds
• a landscape version for YouTube
• a version for the website

This workflow sounds simple because it is. The best way to make video from text is often to cut the extra production steps that slow teams down.

Substack into video: what is different?

Turning Substack into video has a few fairly specific upsides. Substack has been making a strong move into multimedia.

TechCrunch reported that Substack launched a built-in recording studio in 2026, with recording, clips, and thumbnail support all handled in one system (TechCrunch). It also said that creators who used audio or video on Substack in the past 90 days grew revenue 50% faster than creators who did not.

Until now, creating video on Substack meant going live, or stitching together a separate stack of tools: a recording platform, a way to create and distribute clips, and something to design a thumbnail. Substack Studio brings all of those tools into one place.

Even so, repurposing tools can still help. Native recording is useful when the goal is to speak live or record right inside the platform. However, many newsletter operators still start with text.

So the practical Substack workflow often looks like this:

• pick a strong issue from the archive
• turn it into a short recap script
• create a teaser video for social
• link the video back to the original post or subscription page

Substack is especially well suited to opinion pieces, creator essays, market commentary, and interview recap issues.

Beehiiv into video: how to use newsletter scale better

Beehiiv works a bit differently. It usually feels less like a creator platform and more like a media and growth system.

beehiiv reported 20 billion+ emails powered in 2025, $25 million+ in publisher revenue, and average open rates above 41% across 2025 reporting (beehiiv, beehiiv). It also reported open rates rising from 37.98% in 2024 to 41.24% in 2025 (beehiiv).

Those numbers make the point pretty clearly. Beehiiv operators should usually think in systems, not random content bursts.

A practical Beehiiv workflow often looks like this:

• use the weekly issue as the source asset
• turn one strong section into a short vertical video
• pull one insight into a quote-style talking video
• turn the full issue into a 2 to 4 minute summary
• use that video to bring new subscribers back into Beehiiv

This tends to work especially well for marketing newsletters, finance recaps, creator economy updates, SaaS trend letters, and niche B2B education.

Best video formats for newsletter repurposing

Not every newsletter should become the same kind of video. It usually helps to match the format to the content.

Short teaser video

Great for social posts. Pick one clear takeaway from the issue.

Presenter-led summary with text to video software

Best for issues with strong analysis or a clear opinion.

Caption-first explainer

Probably best for LinkedIn and X.

Screen-plus-narration recap

This works best for product, SEO, and analytics newsletters.

Multi-clip series

This works best when one issue has several useful tips.

A lot of teams also find this is where a blog-to-video workflow often makes more sense for newsletters than generic editors. See Why Video Repurposing Beats Creating From Scratch.

How to keep the video from feeling like a boring email on screen

This is usually the part that really makes or breaks results.

Open with tension, not context

Skip “In this week’s newsletter…” and start with the payoff.

Cut every sentence by 20%

Spoken language needs room.

Use one visual idea per scene

Don’t cram too much onto the screen.

Keep captions short

When captions turn into mini paragraphs, people often stop watching quickly.

End with one clear action

The CTA can stay simple: subscribe, read the full issue, or watch the full breakdown.

HubSpot says 51% of marketers have used AI tools for video creation or editing and 55% produce video in-house (HubSpot).

For brands that want a simple process, Blog2video stands out because it turns text into presenter-led video without the usual studio setup. Teams exploring avatars can also review How to Create an AI Avatar for Brand Videos.

Picking the right text to video software for newsletter workflows

Lots of tools can make video. However, fewer really work well for newsletter conversion.

Does it start from text cleanly?

When the platform is mainly a template editor, teams often spend more time rebuilding the issue.

Can it handle presenter-led output?

Newsletters feel personal, and a presenter or branded voice can help keep that feel.

Does it support voice cloning or natural AI voice?

That usually matters if recurring episodes need to sound consistent.

Can you edit scene by scene?

You probably want control without doing every part by hand.

Is export flexible?

You’ll probably need vertical, square, and landscape versions.

Does pricing fit real production behavior?

Newsletter video workflows usually include retries, revised intros, alternate sizes, and fresh versions for different channels.

That helps explain why many marketers prefer workflow-first tools built around written assets.

Common problems when you turn a newsletter into video

Even with good tools, a few problems still come up a lot.

Problem: the video is too long

Fix: use one main idea per video.

Problem: it sounds robotic

Fix: rewrite it for spoken delivery.

Problem: it feels generic

Fix: add your brand colors, real screenshots, and product visuals.

Problem: the CTA feels weak

Fix: choose the next step before making the video.

Problem: there is no system

A repeatable checklist is usually a better fix than it sounds.

Wistia notes that almost 40% of companies spent under $5,000 on video production last year (Wistia).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn any Substack post into a video?

Yes, but some posts work better than others.

What is the best format when I create video from text from a newsletter?

For most marketers, start with a short teaser and a 1 to 3 minute summary video.

Is Substack into video better with native tools or external software?

It depends on how you work. Substack’s native tools are helpful if you want to record directly.

How do I turn a Beehiiv newsletter into video at scale?

Build a repeatable workflow tied to your send schedule.

Will turning a newsletter into video hurt the value of the written version?

Usually no.

What channels should I publish newsletter videos on?

Start with the channels you already own and use.

Make your newsletter work harder with text to video software

If you publish on Substack or Beehiiv, you probably are not short on ideas.

One issue can become a teaser, a recap, a presenter-led explainer, a social short, or a video for a site homepage.

The key takeaways are simple:

• choose newsletter issues with one clear promise
• pull only the strongest points
• rewrite for spoken delivery
• match the format to the channel
• use text to video software that starts with written content
• build a repeatable system around your publishing calendar

Video is already a major marketing format, and newsletters are already a major owned-media format.

If the goal is to turn a newsletter into video quickly, the best workflow is often the one that stays close to how a team already creates content: write, publish, repurpose, distribute, then repeat.

Teams creating short-form clips may also like AI Video Creator for Faceless Instagram Videos.