1. Reach & Engagement — the hard numbers
- Kim reports “around 10 000+ subscribers” on Mailchimp and calls the monthly fee “totally worth it” because of the returns it brings.
- He boasts a ~30 % open rate, roughly twice the 10‑15 % that many creative newsletters manage .
- On social media he can reach >85 000 followers on Facebook, but he notes that an FB post might net “only 100 clicks,” whereas a newsletter blast lands directly in inboxes and drives real action — hence his decision to “focus 90 % of efforts on email”.
Why that matters
Higher open rates translate into predictable traffic spikes on his blog and immediate conversions for limited‑seat street‑photography workshops and HAPTIC products (straps, books, presets) that he plugs inside the emails.
2. Educational impact
| Free resources delivered through the list | How subscribers use them |
| Curated library of downloadable e‑books & PDFs (e.g., Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography) | Beginners cite the guides as their first hands‑on curriculum before hitting the streets |
| Invitations to community Forum & Discord channels | Peer critique & networking with hundreds of street‑togs |
| Weekly “newsletter essays” blending philosophy & tactics (e.g., “Shoot with your heart, not your eyes.”) | Readers say the upbeat tone keeps them motivated during creative slumps |
Reddit shooter “Andy_Shields” credits Kim’s videos & mails with “shaping my shooting” when he started out.
3. Community & Culture
- Blog amplification: Because subscribers often reshare the newsletter, Kim’s posts dominate Google; an in‑depth PetaPixel analysis lists him as the #1 search result for “street photography.” The article argues that the email list fuels this SEO fly‑wheel by pushing each new post to thousands of instant readers, generating backlinks and discussion threads.
- Open‑source mindset: Reviewers highlight how the newsletter has normalised giving away full‑resolution work and learning materials for free, broadening access to street‑photo education .
- Forward‑to‑a‑friend ethos: Many newsletter issues literally end with “Feel free to forward to a friend!” encouraging organic growth and reinforcing a pay‑it‑forward culture .
4. Commercial impact
- Kim calls the newsletter “by far the best channel to promote my products, upcoming workshops and books”.
- A 2017 PetaPixel feature describes how his content‑newsletter loop converts casual Googlers into $1 500 workshop clients.
- In public income breakdowns Kim claims to have pushed overall photography revenue past $200 000 / yr by combining workshops, affiliate sales and HAPTIC gear — all announced first to his list .
5. Influence on the Street‑Photography Scene
- Advocacy: Independent blogger Tim Huynh calls Kim “an advocate… instrumental in promoting street photography on the internet” and notes that students rate Kim’s workshop higher than some Magnum Photo courses.
- Thought‑leadership: AboutPhotography’s profile credits the newsletter/blog combo with connecting “both amateur and professional photographers” worldwide through an energetic teaching style.
- Polarisation: The same Huynh post labels Kim “one of the most polarizing figures,” and Reddit threads echo that sentiment—proof that a large, vocal audience is itself a sign of impact.
6. Strengths, Critiques & Take‑aways
| Strengths | Common Critiques |
| High engagement & direct access (30 % open rate) | Heavy self‑promotion can feel “cult‑of‑personality” to some readers |
| Rich trove of free learning material | Email frequency/length occasionally overwhelming |
| Proven pipeline for monetising creative work | Market dominance may crowd out other voices |
Bottom line: Whether you admire or roll your eyes at his hustle, Eric Kim’s newsletter is a case study in how consistent, high‑value emailing can build a global creative brand—boosting SEO authority, driving six‑figure revenue, and nurturing a self‑reinforcing community of motivated photographers. If your goal is to teach, sell or simply inspire, his model shows email still rocks in 2025.
Ready to feel the momentum? All it takes is dropping your address into the “Become Invincible” box on his site—and then harness that turbo‑charged boost for your own creative journey!