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Mastering Newsletter Creation
A Look Behind the Scenes at Today’s Most Successful Newsletters
Jacob Bear
January 15th, 2025
Table of Contents
A great newsletter is digital gold.
For example,the startup hub Kernal has made Napkin Notes a crucial part of their business. The newsletter Naptown Scoop has 18,000 subscribers and generates more than $200,000 in revenue. And many newsletters, such as Milk Road, are snatched up by investors, making their creators rich overnight.
But newsletter marketing only works if you have a great newsletter. As Tyler Denk, Tyler Gillespie, and E.J. White noted in their 2024 State of Email Newsletters report, readers can unsubscribe at any time.
We’re going to show you how to write a great newsletter, an email newsletter that people will actually want to read.
Understanding the Purpose of Your Newsletter
It's essential to start with a good newsletter strategy. You have to know what your newsletter is about, why you're producing it, and what you want to get from it.
Setting Clear Goals and Objectives
Are you operating a newsletter to make sales? Are you trying to get customers more engaged?
Do you want to build your brand? Is your newsletter a way to retain customers?
Or are you following your passion by sharing ideas that you believe are important and interesting?
If you don't understand the purpose of your newsletter, and if you don't have a newsletter strategy to fulfill that purpose, then your newsletter will fail.
The newsletter strategy for a marketing newsletter will be different from a newsletter about tech, art, or sports.
If you have widely different goals for your newsletter, it might make sense to have more than one. For example, there's a beehiiv writer who has one newsletter to support his copywriting business, and another to explore ideas about living a rich and meaningful life.
Once you're clear on the purpose of your newsletter, you and your entire team will be on the same page. This clarity makes it easier to write consistently, quickly, and efficiently.
Even if you're a team of one, understanding the purpose of your newsletter makes it easy to create content and keep your target audience satisfied over the long term.
Identifying Your Target Audience
Imagine that only one person is reading your newsletter. Give them a name, like Aunt Josephine or Uncle George.
What is this person interested in? What words do they use in their day-to-day conversations?
Why do they subscribe to your newsletter, and how often do they want to read it? What kinds of images, branding, and word choices will appeal to just them?
The truth is, there are thousands of Aunt Josephines and Uncle Georges out there. Write to that specific person, because they're the one who's going to appreciate your newsletter the most.
Segmentation Strategies for Personalization
Once you have a target audience in mind, your newsletter content can reflect the needs of different people within your target audience.
You can do this by splitting your audience into segments, and sending a slightly different newsletter to each segment. Segmentation is meant to give your readers a sense of, “This was written just for me.” This is why segmentation is so important.
For example, if you operate a newsletter on space exploration, you could send one segment a newsletter featuring the latest images sent by the James Webb telescope.
Another segment may be more interested in how these images were rendered, and another might read the implications of the latest discoveries, new inventions, and gadgets.
If you're writing a newsletter about raising chickens, one segment might be interested in different breeds, while another wants to read about different ways to preserve and prepare eggs.
Defining Your Brand Voice and Tone
Newsletter content should always reflect your overall brand. Create a brand guide, a document that provides a following information:
The general tone of your newsletter (i.e. formal, humorous, friendly, irreverent)
Types of images to use (such as human faces, scenes of nature, people in action)
Hex codes for brand colors
Fonts and font sizes
Specific words or phrases to use frequently
Rules about wording to avoid
A good newsletter resonates with the people who are reading it, and if you plan carefully in advance, you will always keep your readers engaged in this way.
But naturally, the most important part of a good newsletter is the content. Let's dive into that.
Crafting Compelling Content for Your Readers
Great newsletter content avoids VICE (Vulgar, Inconsistent, Commercial, Evasive) and shines with VIRTUE (Valuable, Interesting, Relevant, Timely, Unique, Engaging).
Let's take a look at how to create virtuous newsletter content.
Value over everything else
Just Go Grind, which has been known to contain up to 10,000 words in a single issue, has more than 21,000 subscribers. Why would all these people want to read 10,000 words?
The answer is simple. If you deliver newsletter content that your readers want to read, they're going to want to read it.
Create engaging newsletter content, and you will end up with a valuable newsletter. Let's look at how you can do this.
Developing Engaging Body Content
Teaching science has always been a challenge, but in 2019, Frontiers in Education published a new and effective “narrative thinking” approach. They engaged students by teaching the stories around scientific discoveries.
If stories can get bored teenagers engaged in science, imagine what storytelling can do for your newsletter!
You don’t need to begin every newsletter with, “Once upon a time.” If you start by recounting any experience, or even just a thought or observation, you will draw your reader in.
For example, The Blueprint recently started a newsletter with the words, “We always like to spot unusual trends in the market, and today, we are spotlighting not just one, but two of them.”
Choosing Content Types for Variety
Creating newsletters that stick requires variety. A bored reader is a non-reader.
There’s a trick to providing variety. If your newsletter features a video one week, an article the next, and infographics the week after that, you may end up confusing your reader.
However, if you break up your newsletter into sections, you can keep things interesting without making your newsletter unrecognizable.
Morning Brew has a template that makes newsletters both engaging and consistent. They combine short bites of news in a “Tour De Headlines,” and go in depth with a handful of articles on the economy, tech, and other important topics.
They finish with a “To Do List” of interesting links, followed by a couple of puzzles or games.
Here are a few additional ways to inject variety into your newsletters:
Include a cartoon or meme
Add a weekly or daily infographic
Share a look behind the scenes about creating your newsletter
Post a video
Give your readers a glimpse into an aspect of your personal life
User-generated content is an easy way to enhance your newsletter. It reduces your workload while making your readers happy.
People love to see themselves in print, so user-generated content is a great way to provide recognition while giving your readers a wonderful experience. Here are a few ways you can improve your newsletter with user-generated content.
Share reader feedback. For example, you can say, “We had a lot of readers ask why there’s a peanut butter jar in our header. We're going to address that today in this special Peanut Butter edition.”
Hold Contests. Ask your readers to send in their best stories, jokes, or photos of themselves using your product. Post the best submissions and give recognition where it's due. Give a prize to the best one, or ask your readers to vote on their favorite.
Celebrate reader wins. If your newsletter is centered around a particular hobby or a pursuit, you can give recognition to the success stories that your readers share. You can use this content to get readers engaged and help them feel recognized and seen.
Stories, case studies, testimonials. If your newsletter is part of a larger business, share your best reviews and testimonials from your clients. These stories will provide valuable content and probably generate more business as well.
Make Use of Third Party Content
You don’t always have time to write fresh, insightful content off the top of your head on command. But you don’t have to do this all the time.
As an expert, you are aware of the latest news and information in your field. Your readers don’t have the bandwidth to stay this well-informed, which is why they turn to you.
By curating and discerning the latest news, and linking to relevant articles and other resources, you’re providing great value to your readers while reinforcing your status as an expert.
As long as you give credit to the original creators, you’re providing a valuable and ethical service to your subscribers.
Connect to Topics That Are Trending
If you always repeat what everyone in your field is saying, you’ll destroy your brand and any appearance of being original.
However, if everybody's talking about something, they will expect you to weigh in. Follow important trends, but add your own personal twist.
Special Editions
Once in a while, maybe quarterly or annually, you may want to engage your readers with a “special edition” of your newsletter.
This could be a deep dive into a particular topic, or it might be a theme based on current or seasonal events.
This will take extra effort on your part, so be sure to watch your metrics to see if it’s worth the trouble.
Writing Engaging Introductory Text
Creating newsletters with strong opening messages will draw your readers in and set the tone for your newsletter.
Good newsletter writing involves more than merely saying “hi” in the introductory text. Play on the reader’s sense of identity and remind them why they subscribed to your newsletter in the first place.
For example, the AI newsletter Not A Bot opens with, “Good morning, fellow humans.” The Rundown AI introduces each edition with the words, “Welcome, AI enthusiasts.”
The first of these is subtle newsletter writing that acknowledges humanity. Readers who fear being overrun by rapidly evolving tech feel included and reassured when they are addressed as “fellow humans.”
The introductory text in The Rundown AI builds a different sense of identity, as part of a group that appreciates the importance of AI and is committed to learning how to master it.
If you’re not sure how to open your newsletter, you can borrow from either of these examples and simply fill in the blanks:
“Good morning, fellow _______” (moms, physicists, entrepreneurs, bodybuilders…)
“Welcome, ______ enthusiasts.” (surfing, VR, crypto, basket weaving…)
Another way to use introductory text is to mention something newsworthy or otherwise important to your readers. If you were a real estate agent, you would be immediately hooked by this opening text in a recent edition of The Blueprint:
“Today marks 25 days until the changes from the NAR settlement take effect. We are seeing a lot of heightened discussion and anxiety surrounding these changes.”
As you write the opening for your newsletter, remember that a fundamental rule in newsletter writing is to respect your reader’s time. Keep your intro short and simple.
Creating a Strong Headline
Creating a strong headline is a crucial part of newsletter best practices. The “headline” in a newsletter is the subject line. A strong subject line is vital because it’s the first thing your reader sees.
If a reader is in a hurry and they have a ton of new messages in their inbox, they may ignore a newsletter with a boring subject line. But we won’t let that happen to you. Here are some best practices for writing strong subject lines.
Subject Line Best Practices
Offer value in the subject line. Newsletter best practices include giving your reader a compelling reason to read your newsletter. The most compelling reasons are based on self-interest. If you want good open rates, your subject line should provide a good answer to the question, “What’s in it for me?”
Put your name in the Sender line. Most inboxes are set up so the reader sees who the email is from before they see the subject line. A real human being is better than a business name. And a business name is better than a generic email such as “[email protected].”
Use numbers. Numbers give a message more credibility. Consider the difference between “How to be stronger” vs. “7 daily exercises that will make you stronger.”
Inspire curiosity. Make the reader wonder, “What are those 7 exercises?” Write a subject line that raises a question. The reader will open your email just to find the answer to the question.
Make use of preview text. Preview text is that little blurb of 5-10 words that sometimes shows up right after the subject line. Treat this text as an extension of the subject line itself. Infuse it with value, curiosity, and specific numbers.
Incorporating Calls-To-Action
Including a call to action (CTA) is another essential newsletter best practice. This doesn’t mean you need to make every issue a sales letter. Here are a few tips on incorporating CTAs in your newsletter:
Always favor value over CTAs. If your subscribers aren’t getting value from your newsletter, they will stop reading it, and your CTA will become pointless.
Use only one CTA per message. Don’t confuse your readers with too many choices. Give them a single, clear, specific action to take.
Don’t limit your CTAs to sales offers. There are many other actions you may want your readers to take. For example, you can invite your readers to follow you on social media, share your newsletter with their friends and colleagues, or write a review.
Include a “reason why” to make your CTAs more believable. Whether it’s a current event, the economy, something happening in your personal life or even the weather, you’re likely to get a better response if you tell your readers, “Because of x, it’s really important that you do y right now.”
Include a passive CTA in every newsletter. If your business has an ongoing offer, such as a free consultation, include this in the footer. This tactic dangles an unobtrusive CTA in front of your readers’ eyes without making every email a sales pitch.
Personalization, design, and other overarching elements can make the difference between a good newsletter and a great one. Here are some key principles to keep in mind.
Most readers will subscribe to your newsletter through a pop-up box or a signup form on a web page.
However, it’s useful to have a dedicated landing page for your newsletter. This allows you to create a great experience for new readers before they even subscribe. Here are a few elements to include on a landing page:
Tell the readers how often they will receive a newsletter and what to expect.
Use a beehiiv sign up form that allows readers to check off personal options, such as specific topics or the frequency they want to receive the newsletter. This enables your readers to place themselves in a segment, and gives them a feeling of control.
Promote additional content, such as your podcast.
Provide samples of recent issues. The beehiiv landing pages can automatically embed a thumbnail of your latest or featured articles.
Include links to your social media.
Why Trust Me? All beehiiv writers are carefully vetted for their knowledge and experience. Jacob Bear launched his copywriting career writing a newsletter for a software company in 2009. He has twice been named a Top Copywriting Voice on LinkedIn, and occasionally finds time for his own newsletter, Bold Words. |
Optimizing Layout and Structure
A picture is worth a thousand words, and a good newsletter should be easy on the eyes.
First off, make sure you have an email service provider that offers responsive design. You never know whether your reader is viewing your newsletter on a phone, tablet, or other device. Give them the best possible experience.
It’s also important to have clearly-defined sections. This will help your readers scroll from one point of the newsletter to another, based on what they want to read.
Breaking up your text with lots of headings and subheadings also makes it more navigable. Assume that most of your readers are just going to scan the page. Write headers that show them what each block of text is about and compel them to read more.
Effective Use of White Space
Whenever anyone asks how to write a newsletter, one of the best practices that always comes up is to include lots of white space. White space makes your email look less intimidating. This may be more important than you think.
Your readers are probably tired, busy, and distracted by other emails in their inbox. If you have enough white space, your message will look like an easy read, and subscribers will be more willing to dive into it.
The Role of Typography in Readability
Put some thought into choosing a font for your email.
If your newsletter is about art or fashion, your choice of font may be different from a newsletter put out by an accounting firm.
In addition to being consistent with your brand and the expectations of your subscribers, your font should also be compatible for all of the major browsers.
Commonly-used fonts such as Arial and Verdana are good choices that are likely to load properly in any browser. Here is a longer list of web-safe fonts.
Incorporating Interactive Elements
A Carnegie Mellon study found that students learned six times as much from online courses when the courses included interactive elements, such as questions with immediate feedback. Activity is more engaging than passive reading or watching.
That’s why making your newsletter interactive is an important key to increasing engagement.
Surveys, quizzes, and dynamic content are all interactive elements that will give your readers something to do. These elements will make your content more memorable and impactful.
Choosing the Right Visuals
Traditionally, the Wall Street Journal incorporated black and white “stipple portraits” of the key people mentioned in its articles. This became a part of the newspaper’s brand, and set the Journal apart from other newspapers.
There’s a huge difference between a newsletter that’s filled with gifs and one that only contains single-color diagrams. What can you do visually to make your newsletter stand out?
Crafting a Visually Cohesive Theme
Your visual choices are an important part of your overall newsletter strategy. Here are a few things to consider:
Be consistent with your color choices around the header, footer, borders, and sections. A key newsletter strategy is to be easily recognizable from week to week.
Choose specific hex codes for colors that are characteristic of your brand
Develop consistent rules for your graphics. For example, the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition only publishes color photos of people on bikes who are wearing helmets.
Create an email template to save time, reduce your cognitive load, and keep your visual elements consistent.
Personalization
Personalization is a no-brainer. According to Statista, personalized content appeals to 90% of U.S. consumers.
Many email platforms make it easy to incorporate a reader’s name or other personalized elements into your email newsletter, so there’s no excuse.
Measuring Success and Refining Your Approach
Deliverability Metrics
Many newsletter creators overlook the importance of deliverability. But if your newsletter is being sent to spam folders, you need to make some changes. Here are some important metrics to watch:
Messages moved to the junk folder or reported as spam
Deleted messages
Unsubscribes
Addition of senders to address books
Messages saved in a folder (both default folders and those the user creates)
Messages moved out of a junk/spam folder
Direct replies and responses to email messages/campaigns
Maintaining Legal Compliance
The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) restricts the kind of data you’re allowed to collect, how you collect it, and how you use it in newsletter marketing.
Even if you’re not based in Europe, the law still applies if you have any European users. The rules around GDPR are complex, but fortunately there are many software solutions, such as using an established email newsletter platform, that will keep you GDPR-compliant.
The same principles hold true for the USA’s Can Spam Act of 2003, although CAN-SPAM relates to sending unsolicited junk email. If you’re using a platform and following best-practices around opt-ins and subscriptions, you probably won’t violate the Can Spam Act in your newsletter marketing.
Leveraging Feedback for Improvement
Subscriber feedback is critical for a successful newsletter. If you’re not monitoring your reader’s preferences, you’re missing out on important insights.
Surveys are probably the best way to get a quick answer to a specific question. But not all of your readers will answer a survey. This makes testing and analytics a valuable newsletter strategy.
A/B Testing for Optimization
A/B testing is the gold standard for measuring the success of your newsletter.
Start by choosing a low-effort, high-leverage element of your newsletter. Create two versions with only one high-leverage difference, and send each version to half of your list.
For example, you could test the sender name. Do you get significantly more opens when you include your own name versus the name of your business?
When you see that one version of your newsletter clearly outperforms the other one, make the winning element a permanent part of your newsletter template.
Then, A/B test another element.
Most email service platforms offer some form of analytics. The important thing is to focus on the right metrics. For example:
Click-through rates
Conversions
Engagement (measured by interaction, replies, or any number of other criteria)
The analytics you track and the way you interpret them will depend on your newsletter strategy. If you’re in e-commerce, conversions might be your most important metric. For a creator, tracking engagement might be a game-changer.
Case studies
Tyler O’Shea began writing about underdogs in sports because he loved the topic. His newsletter, Joker Mag, reached 50k subscribers in November 2023. He’s now on schedule to double this number, and his revenue is growing steadily.
His secret? Just start writing. See what content performs best. Create more of that.
Ryan Broderick’s Garbage Day has more than 68,000 subscribers, including 3,000 who pay for premium content.
Ryan’s master tactic is what he calls the “Superformat.” He writes a long, high-quality, in-depth piece for his newsletter. Then a combination of editing and AI breaks that content into social posts, short-form video, and other content to promote the newsletter.
Jared Dashevsky, the creator of True Huddle, has a simple set of metrics that guide him. He looks for his most enthusiastic fans, his “True Huddlers,” who fit the following criteria:
They open 85% or more of the newsletters
They click through at least 1% of the links
If you create your own criteria for top readers like the True Huddlers, you can work on strengthening the relationship with these top fans by sending them thank-yous and bonus content.
These true fans are more likely to buy your merch, products, and bonus content.
Finally, you can glean valuable insight from this important group by sending them special surveys and questionnaires.
Did this strategy work for Jared? Apparently so. Within 2 years of launching, Healthcare Huddle was acquired by a company that had already been advertising regularly in the newsletter.
Conclusion
A good newsletter has many moving parts. One critical newsletter strategy is to use a platform that can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.
This is why more than 400 million emails were sent out via the beehiiv platform between 2021 and 2022. In 2023, that number catapulted to 4.5 billion emails.
beehiiv handles many of the tech-heavy chores for you, such as responsive design, deliverability, and hosting each newsletter on a dedicated blog with a signup form.
You can fully customize every part of your newsletter, from header to footer, with a few clicks. Proprietary 3D Analytics and A/B testing show you what’s working and what isn’t, based on your own criteria.
Practically all you need to do is write the newsletter, and if you’re on our Launch plan or higher, you can use beehiiv AI to handle most of the writing as well.
Many of our features are available on a free platform with up to 2,500 subscribers. So there’s no excuse not to start a beehiiv newsletter today.
Frequently Asked Questions
An effective newsletter provides useful information, entertainment, or other forms of value to the readers. This value builds trust, goodwill and grows your audience. Once the value is established, it becomes easy to monetize your newsletter.
What Are the 3 Pillars That Go Into Designing a Great Newsletter?
The three pillars of newsletter design are valuable content, great writing, and appealing design. It’s important to use analytics to find out what your subscribers find valuable, great, and appealing.
What Are 3 Characteristics of a Newsletter?
Three characteristics of a good newsletter are:
You provide content and information that your readers want
You offer actionable advice
Your newsletter has personality—it’s easily recognized among similar newsletters.
How Do You Write a Catchy Newsletter?
To write a catchy newsletter, start by researching your audience. When you know what they want, it’s easy to deliver great content.
The next step is to infuse your newsletter with personality. Develop your own unique tone and voice. Create a template with a unique and appealing design.
Finally, monitor engagement and constantly test new ways to improve it.
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