The Best Newsletters and How To Write One
A newsletter is often distributed to share information among people with common interests. Schools, clubs/organizations, social service groups, and others share information that is of interest and relevance to the target audience. Some newsletters arrive in the mail while others com electronically. No doubt, you likely receive one or more newsletters and at some point, you may have the opportunity to be involved in writing and distributing news for your favorite group.
6 Tips For Writing a Great Newsletter
Know your audience and get their interest.
Take a few moments to decide what topics will interest your audience. Make sure that the content you are putting in the newsletter will connect with the readers on a personal level. Use the six questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how to give your newsletter versatility. Each article needs to give relevant information that will keep your audience interested. You may have to do a little bit of research on the topic(s) in the newsletter but that will make it more valuable for your audience. It is important that you cite sources from your research in the newsletter articles.
Have a simple and easy to read format.
Use a font (size and type) that is easy to read. Make sure the format is easy to follow. When possible keep the complete article on one page so that people do not have to search for the remaining paragraphs on the topic. Black text is always best unless you are trying to highlight a few words. Make sure your vocabulary is concise and comprehensible so that everyone of all reading levels can easily understand the content.
Use interesting headlines and pictures.
Use action verbs and write dynamic headlines that grabs the attention of your audience. A picture next to a headline might be the best combination because the picture will grab the attention of your reader and the headline will sell them on the idea that this is must read information. Without an interesting headline, readers may skim over articles. It is also important that articles with more than a few paragraphs have sub-headings to help break up the text.
Information should be accurate, timely, and engaging.
Include a variety of topics and sections that will make your newsletter more interesting to a larger audience. It is best to split your topics equally among activities and news that has occurred since the last newsletter and new items that will be coming up before your next publication date. A calendar of events is always welcome in a newsletter. Above all else, make sure the information you provide in your newsletter is accurate.
A table of contents is helpful.
This can be placed on a side bar or in a small section. Having a table of contents or summary paragraph turns the newsletter into a resource that people know they can easily grab and find the information relevant to them now. Some newsletters are only a table of contents that directs to an external site or blog. This is also great to keep engagement high, since readers are more likely to read shorter newsletters and scan only for information/stories that interest them. It also drives traffic to your website/blog.
Grammar and spelling are important.
After writing your articles, proofread for typos and edit all articles for consistency of writing style. If multiple people have contributed, make sure that the entire newsletter has the same tone and writing style. Always have multiple people proofread for spelling and grammar. Once you believe you have edited enough, go over it one more time.
The Four Best Email Newsletters
We get hundreds of emails a day, so the few newsletters that we allow in our inbox are some of the best out there. Do you have a favorite newsletter? If so, leave it in the comments!
