10 Best Practices for Creating Newsletters That Engage and Convert
A well-written newsletter can be one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. It helps you captivate your audience, nurture relationships, and even turn casual readers into loyal customers. However, many businesses fail to deliver newsletters that resonate with their audience. They either make them too promotional or lack value, leaving subscribers uninterested or worse — hitting the "unsubscribe" button.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, we’ve compiled 10 Best Practices that will ensure your newsletters not only get read but also keep readers coming back for more.
1. Be Clear About What Subscribers Are Signing Up For
One of the most important aspects of building an engaged audience is setting the right expectations. Near your email sign-up form, tell readers exactly what they will be receiving by subscribing to your newsletter. Be specific about the type of content you’ll send and how frequently they can expect it. Transparency is key to attracting the right audience and preventing unsubscribes down the line.
2. Provide Real Value in Every Issue
Newsletters are about building relationships, not just pushing promotions. While promoting your products or services is important, it should only take up around 10% of your content. The other 90% should offer value—whether that’s in the form of expert advice, exclusive insights, or useful tips. If your readers feel they’re gaining something from your emails, they’ll stay subscribed.
💡 Pro Tip: Send a feedback survey to your subscribers occasionally to learn what they love about your newsletter and what they’d like to see more of. This ensures you’re providing value that resonates with your audience.
3. Keep It Concise and Easy to Read
Nobody has the time to sift through lengthy emails. Keep your content brief, breaking it into bite-sized sections with clear headers or bullet points. A well-structured newsletter is easy to scan, and readers can quickly find the sections they’re most interested in. This improves engagement and reduces the likelihood of your email getting skipped.
4. Enhance Your Newsletter with Visuals
Adding images or GIFs to your newsletter makes it visually appealing and helps break up large blocks of text. Engaging visuals can highlight key points and make your newsletter more memorable. However, don’t overdo it — too many images can slow down loading times. Always add alt text to ensure the message gets across even if the image fails to load.
5. Keep It On-Brand
Your newsletter should be an extension of your brand. Consistency in design and tone makes your emails instantly recognizable. Use your brand colors, fonts, and logo to make the design cohesive. Additionally, stick to topics that align with your brand’s message to maintain relevance and authority in your field.
6. Optimize for Mobile Devices
With over 80% of people checking their emails on mobile devices, optimizing your newsletter for smartphones is non-negotiable. Ensure your design is mobile-friendly, with images and text formatting adjusting smoothly to smaller screens. Keep your subject lines under 35 characters to avoid them being cut off on mobile devices.
7. Segment Your List and Tailor Content to Interests
Not all your subscribers have the same interests. To maximize engagement, segment your email list into groups based on subscriber preferences or behavior. For example, someone interested in social media tips should receive different content than someone focused on product development. Sending tailored newsletters ensures relevance and keeps your audience engaged.
8. Stick to One Clear “Call-To-Action”
Avoid cluttering your newsletter with multiple calls-to-action (CTAs). A single, clear CTA increases the chances of readers taking the desired action, whether it's reading your latest blog post, signing up for an event, or checking out a new product. Too many options can overwhelm your audience and reduce click-through rates.
9. Send Newsletters Regularly (But Don’t Overwhelm)
Consistency is key to keeping your audience engaged. Set a regular schedule for your newsletters — whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly — depending on your content strategy. A content calendar can help you plan ahead, ensuring your newsletters are always well-thought-out and timely. But remember: it’s quality over quantity. Sending too many emails can lead to unsubscribes.
10. Test Before Sending
Before launching your newsletter campaign, it’s essential to test your emails. Send test emails to yourself or a small group to check for any formatting issues, broken links, or deliverability problems. You can also run A / B tests to experiment with subject lines, layout, or content to see what resonates best with your audience.
Final Thoughts
A well-crafted newsletter is more than just a marketing tool — it’s a way to connect with your audience and build lasting relationships. By following these 10 best practices, you’ll be well on your way to creating newsletters that not only get opened but also engage your readers and drive conversions.
Remember, email marketing is an ongoing process. Continuously test, seek feedback, and adjust your approach to meet your audience’s needs. Implement these practices, and watch your email list transform into a loyal, engaged community.
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