Every Newspack update is designed with one thing in mind: helping publishers succeed. In Q3, we introduced improvements that made networks easier to run, ads more effective, print workflows smoother, and custom bylines on posts consistent with those in newsletters. And behind the scenes, we invested in foundational work that will power some of our biggest launches yet.
Here are our five favorite product features from Q3.
1. Smarter, faster network content distribution
This quarter, we rolled out a completely new system for distributing content across networks of sites, replacing the old Distributor plugin. The new network distribution is more reliable, easier to configure, and built directly into Newspack.
For publishers managing multiple titles, this means faster publishing, fewer headaches, and more consistent results when you need stories to reach every corner of your network.
2. Big improvements in ads
We packed in several enhancements to help publishers monetize more effectively, including:
- Making sticky footer ads available on desktop — Previously mobile-only, sticky footers can now appear on desktop with support for 728×90 units in addition to the original 320×50 and 300×50 sizes.
- Removing the need for custom code to support Google Ad Manager MCM — Parent publishers can now manage ad inventory for child publishers directly within Newspack Ads by setting a parent network code.
- The ability to filter your inventory by parent ad unit — Configure your setup in Newspack Advertising so your inventory list is limited to the child ad units of a given ad unit.
- Adding a new newsletter ad “placement” strategy — Now you can insert ads into newsletters via a placement-based strategy using the Newsletter Ad block, giving publishers more control over how ads appear in email.
Each of these changes opens up new revenue opportunities while making ad management more flexible.
3. Export posts directly to InDesign
For publishers with a print workflow, this update is a game-changer. Now you can export posts in InDesign Tagged Text (IDTT) format — individually or in bulk — and drop right into pre-styled InDesign templates.
Exports include standard paragraph and character styles (headline, deck, byline, dateline, body, italics, bold), as well as custom tags for elements like pull quotes or sidebars. You can also include captions and photo credits. The result is a smooth, end-to-end workflow for moving content from web to print.
4. Newsletters that respect custom bylines
Earlier this year, we introduced custom bylines on posts. This quarter, we extended that same flexibility to newsletters. Now, when you insert posts into a newsletter, the byline shown will honor the custom byline rather than defaulting to the post author.
It’s a small but important detail that helps maintain accuracy and consistency across all of your publishing channels.
5. Building the foundation for what’s next
A lot of our focus in Q3 went into supporting the Foundation CMS migration and launches, which meant developing new tools and workflows to power dozens of alt-weekly sites moving to Newspack. While much of that work was behind the scenes, it wasn’t just a one-off migration effort. The same features we built to support these 25 alt-weeklies are laying the groundwork for exciting new capabilities that we’ll release to all publishers in Q4.
This quarter was about stability and scalability. The next one is about bringing those investments to life for everyone.
Looking ahead
Each of these features reflects what we care about most: giving publishers elegant tools, improving monetization, and supporting the workflows that make journalism sustainable. We’re excited about what’s coming in Q4, and as always, we’d love to hear what’s working for you and what you’d like us to tackle next.
Read the product highlights from Q1 and Q2 if you missed them.
