Running a successful newsletter, whether as an individual or for an organisation, requires more than just a knack for writing or an understanding of your subject matter. It involves careful planning, a deep understanding of your audience and a commitment to delivering consistent value.
It also involves an understanding of the resources that consistency will demand. There’s a reason I only put this newsletter out monthly - it gives me a month to come up with an idea, draft and edit a concept. There are many pitfalls. Too high a frequency risks lower quality. Too much content sacrifices quality. Overstretching your resources risks sustainability.
In this edition of Speaking Moylanguage I will explore some of the questions and ideas that are helpful to think about before starting your newsletter. Thanks to Nathan Stewart for suggesting this topic and offering comments on the draft!
Why Start a Newsletter?
Before diving into the technicalities of creating a newsletter, it's important to think about why you're choosing this medium over others. Newsletters offer a unique opportunity to build a more personal connection with your audience, allowing for longer-form content and connect with your community in a more intimate way.
As Austin Kleon posted this week, “Newsletters should be letters” - it’s a way to connect people directly with your or your organisation's work, a personal dispatch tailored to your subscribers and their needs.
Some reasons you might want to start a newsletter:
Personalised communication: Newsletters allow you to speak directly to your audience in a personal, tailored manner. You know who your community are and what’s useful and interesting to them. Deliver it to them directly in the way they like and let them know you’re doing it thoughtfully.
Tying together your work: Use your newsletter as a way to bring together other content and work, whether it’s your latest thinking in a blog post, a publication or piece of research, an event you’re organising or whatever else.
Building a community: Regular newsletters help in cultivating a community over time. For example, you can use them to highlight other people’s work and platform other voices within your community.
In-depth engagement: Newsletters provide space for more detailed analysis and discussion. It is a nice way to have a deeper, more thoughtful layer underneath your social media, beyond the 10 minute speech or behind the interesting conversation you had at a conference.
Independence from social media platforms: One of the key advantages of a newsletter is that it is not subject to the algorithms and restrictions of social media platforms. This independence allows you to maintain direct control over your content distribution and ensures that your message reaches your audience without being filtered or lost in the noise.
If you're unsure whether a newsletter is right for you, take a look at what other successful newsletters in your sector are achieving. Consider whether you have the time and resources to compete with this content or whether there is a gap in the market you could exploit.
If, after all this analysis, you think a newsletter would work - that’s great! Just also be sure to consider alternatives and compare the pros and cons of each. Just because a channel is a good choice doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice.
Choosing the Right Platform
Selecting the right newsletter platform is an important decision that will impact the ease of creation, distribution and analysis of your newsletters. Personally I chose Substack because I preferred a simple, flexible interface and I liked the fact that they appeared in a blog-like format online too.
Here are some features to consider:
User-friendly interface: A simple, intuitive design will make it easier to create and send newsletters without unnecessary hassle. So many platforms I see are needlessly finicky or unintuitive.
Monetisation potential: If you're planning to monetise your newsletter, look for platforms that offer built-in payment options or subscriber management tools.
Quality analytics: Understanding how your audience interacts with your newsletter is key to refining your approach. Look for platforms that offer detailed metrics.
Integration: If you have another platform or website that is already important to your online presence as an individual or organisation, it’s worth looking into options that are compatible with tools you’re already using.
Overall a great way to get to this decision is by listing features and sorting them into “must haves”, “nice to haves”, “don’t cares” and “don’t wants”. This process will help you shortlist the best options available.
Setting Expectations
From the outset, it's important to set clear expectations with your audience. This involves being transparent about what they will receive and how often. Clear communication helps to build trust and ensures that your subscribers know what to expect. Establish these expectations on your subscription page, in promotional materials and in your welcome email.
Consider what your audience will gain from subscribing. Will they receive:
Expert analysis: In-depth commentary on your field of expertise.
Tips and tricks: Practical advice and how-to guides.
Curated content: A hub for information on specific topics.
Exclusive opportunities: Early or exclusive access to products, events or content.
Summaries of complex material: Saving their time by doing the reading for them.
Being upfront about what subscribers can expect will help you build a consistent following and minimise the risk of unsubscribes. That said, I tend not to be too worried about unsubscribes - focus on finding the right followers and not wringing your hands about people who are self-selecting themselves out of your following. Follower numbers are a vanity metric, while engagement, clicks and opens are more meaningful.
Deciding on Content Style: Utilitarian vs. Narrative
One of the most important decisions you'll make when creating a newsletter is determining its content style. Two of the most common I see chosen are utilitarian, practical newsletters and more narrative driven content.
A utilitarian newsletter is straightforward, easy to read and designed to be quickly scanned by your audience. It typically provides direct outcomes, such as actionable tips, concise summaries or essential updates. This style is ideal if your goal is to deliver clear, immediate value to your readers, making it easier for them to find and apply the information they need. It also tends to take up fewer resources and be easier to deliver consistently.
On the other hand, a narrative-driven newsletter tells a story. It takes more time, skill and effort to craft, but when done well, it can have a profound impact. Narrative newsletters are engaging, often drawing readers in with compelling stories, in-depth analyses or thought-provoking insights. They are ideal for building a strong connection with your audience, encouraging them to invest time in your content. The trade off is that doing it well takes a major investment on your end.
Beware the middle ground - a common pitfall is falling into a space that’s neither meaningfully utilitarian nor narrative. A newsletter that’s too long to be quickly useful but too short to offer deep insights falls prey to the classic communications trap of “by trying to be everything to everyone, being nothing to anyone”. It’s crucial to clearly define your approach and ensure that your content aligns with your audience’s expectations and needs.
Crafting Compelling Subject Lines
Once someone subscribes to your newsletter, the next challenge is getting them to open it. The subject line is your first, and sometimes only, opportunity to grab their attention. It should be engaging, relevant and aligned with the content of the email.
In my experience, it’s not too hard - just let people know what’s going to be inside the newsletter and follow a few stylistic rules of thumb. Stay short and concise. Focus on highlighting the subscribers interests or pain points. Be specific, but intriguing - try to pique curiosity, but avoid being clickbait-y.
You may want to experiment with different approaches - some newsletters benefit from consistency in their subject lines, while others perform better with unique, attention-grabbing titles each time. Consistently reviewing your analytics and using approaches like A/B testing on subject lines will help with this.
Finding the Right Frequency
Deciding how often to send your newsletter is a balancing act. Send too frequently, and you risk overwhelming your audience. Send too infrequently, and you may be forgotten. The optimal frequency will depend on the type of content you’re sharing and the expectations you've set, as well as your own capabilities and the resources you can allocate to the project.
Here again, reviewing engagement metrics can help you fine-tune your approach. Consider starting with a monthly or bi-weekly schedule and adjust based on how your audience responds. Additionally, conducting tests on send times and content can provide insights into when your audience is most likely to engage.
Timing, Timing, Timing
The timing of your newsletter can significantly affect its open rate and overall success. While there are countless studies suggesting the best days and times to send emails, the truth is that it often depends on your specific audience.
However, some general rules of thumb include:
Send on weekdays: People are more likely to check emails during work hours, so weekdays tend to be more effective.
Aim for morning or early afternoon: Emails sent earlier in the day are more likely to be opened during work hours.
That said, I once accidentally sent my (consistently Friday morning) newsletter by accident on a Thursday night and it was my most successful edition at the time. Ultimately I put more stock in consistency and quality than minute adjustments in half hour increments.
Design Matters
A well-designed email not only looks professional but also makes it easier for readers to engage with your content. Here are some key principles to keep in mind:
Keep it simple: Avoid clutter. Use white space, clear headings, and a logical layout to make your content easy to navigate and scan for people in a hurry.
Use visuals sparingly: While images and videos can enhance your content, they should not overwhelm the text. Ensure that any multimedia elements load quickly and display correctly.
Mobile optimisation: With more people reading emails on their phones, it’s crucial to ensure your newsletter is mobile-friendly. Test your design on different devices before sending it out.
Calls to Action (CTAs)
Every newsletter should have a clear goal. Calls to action (CTAs) are how you guide your readers towards it. Whether you want them to read an article, purchase a product, attend an event, support a cause or share content, your CTAs should be:
Clear and direct: Don’t leave your readers guessing about what you want them to do next. Be explicit
Compelling: Use persuasive language that encourages action.
Prominently placed: Make sure your CTAs are easy to find - ideally near the top of your email and repeated if necessary.
Remember, a newsletter isn’t just about sharing information; it’s about driving your audience to take action.
Monitoring and Adjusting
Finally, a successful newsletter is one that evolves. Regularly review your analytics to see what’s working and what isn’t. Pay attention to open rates, click-through rates and other engagement metrics. Change up elements of your newsletter occasionally - such as subject lines, send times, and content formats - to see their impact on these metrics. It will provide critical insights into your audience’s preferences.
The best newsletters are those that adapt to their audience’s needs and continue to provide value over time.
“Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.”
There are lots of ideas and pieces of advice published about how to write a good newsletter. Many are written by people in sales or people who have very specific goals in mind. Ultimately, in my experience, a good approach to newslettering will always be at the meeting point of two things.
The first is your specific, weird, unique audience’s needs and preferences. You’ll learn about them and their needs over time by paying attention to what works in terms of metrics, but also by entering into dialogue with your community and understanding what they like. Consider questionnaires - or simply ask individuals who you feel represent your ideal community member. The second is what you want and are capable of creating. As communicators, we all have something specific we want to put out there and a personal style in delivering it.
Find the meeting point between what your audience wants and what you want to deliver and you’ll already be well on your way to having a consistent, quality and authentic newsletter.