You want to launch an email newsletter, more power to you!
But, it’s easier said than done, now, isn’t it? An email newsletter is not a collage of information; it’s not a potpourri of links.
It’s certainly not just news, pictures, or a raft of emojis. No wonder, most newsletters are boring and flop successfully. (You heard that!)
The ideal newsletter engages, educates, is written well, and is personal.
But, how do you create email newsletters which meet these criteria? We are telling you in the guide that follows. Let’s begin!
7 Steps To Create An Email Newsletter
1. Identify the Purpose Of Your Newsletter
First and foremost, why do you want to launch an email newsletter?
Generally, the goal of any email newsletter is to educate your audience and make your brand identity more real, personal, and instantly recognizable.
But more specifically, do you have a vision for it? Do you want to make your niche more relatable, captivating? Establish yourself as an authority?
2. Identify & Segment Your Target Audience
Next, who are you writing your newsletter to? Certainly, not all of your subscribers. You want to reach readers per se, not customers or subscribers.
So you need to identify who cares about not just buying from you, but listening to you, your stories, and your values. From doing polls and surveys to running focus groups, you want to get valuable feedback from your audience.
3. Select the Right Email Service Provider
Now that you know why you’re creating an email newsletter and to whom you’re going to send, it’s time to select the right email marketing platform.
Here are some tips to consider while choosing the right ESP:
- Look for features like drag and drop builders, list management, segmentation and personalization, A/B testing, automation, integration capabilities, etc.
- Think long-term as far as the cost is concerned. The cost scales directly with the size of your list. You may want to pick platforms which offer a free trial.
- Find a platform with a robust built-in CRM tool, like HubSpot.
- Make sure the platform you pick is intuitive and easy to use.
- Look for strong, in-depth email analytics features. Critically, you want reports which are easy to understand. Review the overall presentation.
- Investigate the platform’s security features, customer support quality, and its email deliverability standards.
Next step, learning how to design a newsletter template. Keep reading!
4. Design the Email Newsletter Template
The traditional newsletter template consists of the following components:
- Logo: This is the first thing the reader sees. Make it prominent, solitary, and instantly recognizable.
- Visual header: Feature a navigational bar if you want the reader to visit the most popular pages of your website:
- Hero banner: The hero image introduces the newsletter. Solid colors and bold fonts will make the banner stand out.
- Body (text and image): This is the meats-and-potatoes bit of your email. You have the flexibility to include anything relevant to your audience in whatever way suits your needs. We like to call it the wildcard module.
- Footer: Add Proof of Consent, unsubscribe link, social icons, privacy policy, physical address, terms and conditions, and copyright notice.
So, here’s how the typical newsletter would look like.
5. Add Content
Newsletter formats generally fall into three categories:
- Traditional Format: A blend of content such as news, blog, and promotions. This format works well for keeping readers informed and engaged.
- Digest Format: Ideal for brands with a high volume of content, this format features multiple pieces of content as teasers, encouraging readers to click through.
- Curated Content Format: Focused on sharing valuable content from other niche sources, this format is great for establishing brand credibility.
Consider these tips for crafting an effective newsletter body:
- Keep readers hooked with compelling narratives such as success stories or milestone achievements, character highlights, etc.
- Include visuals such as GIFs, infographics, high-resolution images, videos, or ticker GIFs, etc.
- Sprinkle in emojis where appropriate and ensure your CTAs and anchor text are clear and relevant.
- Include alt-text for all visual elements to improve accessibility for all readers.
- Share updates on events, webinars, popular articles, testimonials to maintain reader interest.
- Distinguish each content block with visible dividers or generous white space to create a clean and organized layout.
But, how to get your readers to notice your newsletter in a crowded inbox?
6. Ace Your Subject Line
Yes, a compelling subject line stands out. But equally, it gives an idea into the value of your email newsletter.
Regardless of whether it’s a newsletter or regular email, the CUE-DIVE approach recommended by Chad S. White is ideal. A good subject line is contextual, urgent, emotional, detailed, intriguing, visual, and earned. A few examples:
- On My Mind: Running Mittens and Floating Bookshelves (The Strategist)
- Melissa Clark’s classic potato latkes (NYT Cooking)
- Save Science, Save Lives (The Nation)
- My favorite places to shop small ❤️ (Ugmonk)
- Balsam Hill’s success: Ditching 4 tools for 67% email revenue growth (Klaviyo)
- My 10 Most Memorable Emails of 2024 (Email Love)
- It’s a Devil’s Bargain, Being a Writer (The Paris Review)
7. Review, Test, & Keep Testing
Do a thorough testing of your newsletter before sending it out. From grammar to colors to layouts to links to responsiveness, check everything.
Share the newsletter with your team and to a select group of subscribers from the segment you’re targeting. Gather last-minute feedback and edit.
Once approved, you can send it out to all the subscribers in the segment. Review how your newsletter is performing in terms of click rate, engagement, etc.
Remember, it’s an ongoing process, so you want to keep testing over time.
Email Newsletter Best Practices
Consider the following best practices while creating your newsletter:
- While AI can assist, keep your writing human-centric. Craft engaging, concise copy tailored to your readers.
- Avoid monotony by using questions, witty remarks, or even humor to guide your audience through the content.
- Write in a colloquial tone, incorporating multiple perspectives for a relatable and dynamic approach.
- Break up text with meaningful visuals or subtle decorative touches in order to maintain clarity and appeal.
- Use ample spacing to minimize clutter, particularly in longer newsletters, for a clean and digestible layout.
- Avoid overloading with hyperlinks. Instead, distribute them thoughtfully using a mix of emojis, icons, or buttons to diversify the user experience.
- Invite your subscribers to participate with polls, quizzes, or other interactive elements to foster engagement.
How to Design A Newsletter Template
The best place to start is to look at how other brands are doing it. Now, as we know that most newsletters flop, you want to be picky about your muse.
So then, here are 5 (picky does it!) newsletters we absolutely love.
1. Soft Services
Why we love this email newsletter: It’s stylish, takes social proof to a whole new level, leverages negative space to a T.
2. Yotpo
Why we love this email newsletter: Yotpo’s newsletter is funny, intelligently animated, and brilliantly written.
3. The Marginalian
Source: Inbox
Why we love this email newsletter: It’s informative, educational, and most vitally, quite moving.
4. Vox
Source: Inbox
Why we love this email newsletter: It’s relevant, timely, and empathetic. But most importantly, it is so sincere. This is what being personal means.
Have A Newsletter Idea? We’re All Ears!
Perhaps you have an awesome idea brewing in your mind. Feel free to share it with us, and get your dream newsletter designed with Email Mavlers.
Over 5,000 brands across 50+ countries have trusted us. Let’s talk!