What are newsletters and how to create one for your brand?

Have you ever noticed how your inbox is often filled with emails inviting you to subscribe to newsletters? Or emails from brands sending emails that are titled “Newsletter” at particular intervals? You might wonder, what exactly are these newsletters? Why do so many brands invest effort into sending them? Are they just another type of email or something more?

Newsletters have become a powerful new way of marketing and attracting audiences in the digital age. They’re more than just emails. Each newsletter is designed to engage, inform, and build lasting relationships with readers.

Read this blog to learn everything about newsletters - from what they are to how they work and why they’re becoming a game-changer for brands looking to grow and connect meaningfully with their customers.

What is a newsletter?

A newsletter is a regularly sent communication that shares curated content with an audience who has chosen to receive it. Most often, newsletters come in the form of emails delivered to subscribers’ inboxes, but they can also exist in printed form or on digital platforms.

The main purpose of a newsletter is to keep readers informed, engaged, and connected with the brand or organization sending it. It mainly contains updates, news, educational content, special offers, or insights relevant to the audience.

Types of newsletters

Newsletters come in various formats depending on the content focus and audience needs. Here are some common types:

• Promotional newsletter: These focus on sales, discounts, new product launches, or special offers to encourage purchases.

• Educational newsletter: These provide valuable information, tips, tutorials, or industry insights to position the sender as a trusted expert.

• Company and brand updates: These share news about the company, such as milestones, events, culture, or behind-the-scenes stories.

• Curated content newsletters: These aggregate useful articles, news, or resources from various sources, tailored to the subscriber’s interests.

• Event newsletters: These newsletters promote upcoming events, webinars, workshops, or conferences to boost attendance.

• Internal newsletters: Newsletters sent within an organization to keep stakeholders and employees informed about company news, policies, or achievements.

Why do newsletters matter for your brand?

Newsletters are a great way for your brand to stay connected with your customers and keep them interested. Here’s why they are important:

• Builds trust and connections: By sending regular newsletters, you remind your customers that your brand is there for them. Sharing useful and interesting content helps build trust and makes people feel more connected to your brand.

• Keeps the brand in the minds of the audience: Everyone checks their email every single day. When your newsletter shows up regularly, it helps your brand stay fresh in their minds. So, when they need a product or service you offer, they think of you first.

• Brings visitors to the website: The digital newsletters include links to your website, blog, or online store. This encourages readers to visit your site and explore what you offer, which can lead to more sales or sign-ups.

• Holds relevant content for the relevant audience: When you create communication on social media, everyone sees it. But with newsletters, you can be more intuitive and send out the relevant information ot the relevant target audience. You can send different newsletters to different groups of people based on what they like. This way, everyone gets content that is interesting and relevant to them.

• Cost-effective marketing: Compared to ads or other marketing methods, newsletters are affordable and deliver good results, especially when you have a loyal group of subscribers. The key here is to build and curate newsletters that people look up to.

How to choose the right newsletter for your brand

Picking the right kind of newsletter is key to keeping your audience interested and meeting your goals. Here’s how to decide what works best:

• See what your audience wants: The best way to plan and build the newsletter is to think about what your audience wants. What they like to read, what connects with them, and more. Are they looking for special offers and deals, helpful tips and advice, or updates about your company? Knowing this helps you deliver content they’ll actually read.

• Be clear with your goal: There are different newsletters created to achieve different goals. When you plan a newsletter, you need to define your goal. Is it to boost sales, raise brand awareness, engage your audience, or educate them? Your goal will guide the type of content you create.

• Keep trying and testing: Theories work well, but when you practically try and test the newsletters, you will be able to know what works best for your brand. You don’t have to stick to just one type. Track how your audience responds to different newsletter types. Notice which emails get the most opens, clicks, or feedback, and use that insight to improve future editions.

Best practices for creating effective newsletters

To get the most out of your newsletters, here are some easy tips to follow:

• Write clear and catchy subject lines and preheaders: The subject line is what makes people decide to open your email or ignore it. A good subject grabs attention and sets the right expectation, increasing your open rates.

• Provide content that is useful and relevant to the readers: Readers subscribe because they want value. Sharing helpful or interesting content keeps them engaged and encourages them to keep reading your newsletters.

• Keep the newsletter easy to skim: Busy readers don’t have time for long emails. Clear formatting and concise writing make it easy for them to absorb your message quickly.

• Choose or design mobile-friendly newsletter templates: Most people check emails on their phones. If your newsletter looks bad or is hard to read on mobile, people will ignore it or unsubscribe.

• Use a clear call to action: You want your readers to do something on reading the newsletter content. Maybe read more on the website, visit your website, shop, or register. A clear CTA tells them exactly what to do next.

• Send newsletters regularly: The subscribers to your newsletters look forward to reading your newsletters regularly. Consistency builds trust and keeps your brand top of mind. If you send emails randomly, subscribers may forget you or lose interest.

Test and improve according to what will work for you

Not all newsletters work the same for every audience. Testing subject lines, send times, and content helps you find what works best and improves results over time.

How to check if your newsletter is working

Creating and sending newsletters is just the start. Knowing how well they perform helps you improve and get better results. Here are the key ways to measure your newsletter’s success:

• Check the open rate: The open rate tells you how many people have viewed your email. A higher open rate means your subject line and sender name caught attention. If it’s low, try making your subject lines more interesting or personal.

• Click-through rate: The click-through rate measures how many people clicked on links inside your newsletter. It shows how engaging and relevant your content is. If clicks are low, consider clearer calls to action or more appealing content.

• Conversion rate: Keep a check on how many readers have taken an action like buying a product, signing up for a webinar, or downloading a guide. It’s the ultimate measure of your newsletter’s impact.

• Bounce rate: This is the percentage of emails that didn’t reach the inbox (because the address was invalid, for example). A high bounce rate means you need to clean up your mailing list.

• The other kind of bounce rate is when people open the mail but do not open the newsletter or subscribe to it. To make this work, ensure you have a nice cover letter written along with your newsletter.

• Unsubscription rate: The unsubscription rate tells you how many people opted out after receiving your newsletter. While some unsubscribes are normal, a high rate may mean your content isn’t matching expectations.

At WEMASY, we offer powerful tools to help you create, manage, and send newsletters that keep your audience engaged. Our platform supports your ongoing content strategy by making it easy to deliver valuable information directly to your subscribers’ inboxes. This regular communication helps build trust and authority—key factors that improve your SEO and grow your brand. Explore our tools and get in touch with our team if you want any assistance.