16 Best Email Newsletter Examples and How to Build Your Own

  • Email newsletters can take many forms, from weekly roundups and educational content to promotions, updates, and recommendations.
  • The following examples show that there’s no single formula, but effective newsletters give subscribers a reason to keep opening them.
  • Strong newsletters typically have a recognizable format, scannable design, focused content, and clear CTAs.
  • Creating one starts with a clear purpose and format, followed by writing, design, testing, and reviewing performance.

Some of the best newsletters probably wouldn’t win a beauty contest.

You open one expecting something flashy, and instead you get one great photo, a few lines of copy, and a button. Sometimes, there’s barely any design at all. And yet, there you are, reading all the way to the bottom.

A newsletter doesn’t need to be fancy to earn its place in someone’s inbox. What it needs is a reason to be there, whether that’s a useful idea, an offer worth considering, or simply a story people want to finish.

If you’re not sure what your newsletter should include or even what type makes sense for your business, these email newsletter examples give you plenty of places to start. We’ll look at what each one does well and the ideas you can realistically use in your own email marketing strategy.

What is an email newsletter?

An email newsletter is a message sent to subscribers to share useful content, updates, news, stories, offers, or a combination of these. Most are sent on a regular schedule, such as weekly or monthly.

Unlike a one-off promotional email focused on an immediate goal, such as a flash sale, newsletters help you stay in touch over time. They give subscribers a reason to keep hearing from you even when they’re not ready to buy.

What makes a good email newsletter?

Before you study examples, it helps to know what you’re actually looking for. The best newsletters share a handful of traits, regardless of industry or budget.

  • A clear purpose and useful content: Know what you want each newsletter to accomplish and give subscribers something worth opening for, whether that’s practical advice, an update, a recommendation, or an offer. 
  • An easy-to-scan layout: Use short sections, descriptive headings, and enough space between elements so readers can quickly find what interests them.
  • Mobile-friendly newsletter design: Use readable text, appropriately sized images, and buttons that are easy to tap. Always preview your newsletter on mobile before sending.
  • Recognizable branding: Keep your logo, colors, fonts, and overall style consistent so subscribers can quickly recognize who the email is from.
  • A clear call to action (CTA): When you want readers to take action, make the main CTA button easy to spot rather than surrounding it with several competing requests.
  • A consistent schedule: Choose a frequency you can realistically maintain. Consistency helps subscribers know what to expect from you.
  • A permission-based email list: Send newsletters to people who have agreed to hear from you, and make it easy for them to leave with a clear unsubscribe link.

Best email newsletter examples and why they work

Most newsletters are built around a specific purpose. The examples below show some of the most common types, what each is designed to do, and how real brands put them into practice.

1. Saatchi Art’s welcome to Curator’s Corner

Not every welcome campaign is for someone meeting your brand for the first time. Sometimes, you’re introducing existing subscribers to a new newsletter they can expect to see regularly. Saatchi Art does exactly that with the first edition of Curator’s Corner, a monthly series featuring advice and recommendations from its curators.

This welcome email newsletter example introduces Curatorial Director Erin Remington and quickly explains what future editions will offer. It then delivers on that promise immediately with framing tips, a featured artist, and an upcoming art fair, so the first send feels like a proper edition rather than an announcement about what’s coming later.

Subject line: Welcome to Curator’s Corner

Saatchi Art’s Curator’s Corner newsletter combines expert framing advice, artist features, and upcoming events in one monthly issue.
Saatchi Art’s Curator’s Corner newsletter combines expert framing advice, artist features, and upcoming events in one monthly issue. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The monthly cadence and named series set clear expectations from the start.
  • Introducing the curator puts a recognizable expert behind future editions.
  • The first email delivers useful content immediately instead of only introducing the concept.

Tip: When launching a newsletter series, don’t spend the entire first email explaining what subscribers will get next time. Introduce the format, then give them a strong first edition so they already know why it’s worth opening again.

2. Aldi’s Weekly Ad newsletter

Promotional newsletters are there to drive action, so there’s little room for mystery about what subscribers will get. ALDI takes that quite literally: the subject line, “Your Weekly Ad is Here,” tells you exactly what’s waiting inside.

The discount grocery chain uses its newsletter to turn the familiar weekly ad into something easy to browse from your inbox. This example opens with a back-to-school theme before moving into category-specific deals for proteins, pizza-night staples, and produce. A shortcut menu also takes readers directly to Price Drops, Fan Faves, and ALDI Finds.

Subject line: Your Weekly Ad is Here

ALDI’s weekly newsletter turns current deals into timely meal ideas, with quick links to shop by category.
ALDI’s weekly newsletter turns current deals into timely meal ideas, with quick links to shop by category. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The subject line sets a clear expectation, so subscribers who open it are already primed to browse deals rather than skim a general update.
  • Exact prices and per-pound callouts on products like grapes and chicken let a shopper compare value at a glance, without clicking through.
  • Icon-based navigation near the top gives subscribers a shortcut to the category they care about most, rather than forcing them to scroll through the entire ad.

Tip: Name the email exactly what it is in the subject line. A weekly ad, a monthly deal roundup, or a seasonal sale email earns more opens when the subject line matches the content precisely rather than trying to be clever.

3. Tommie Copper’s Wellness Weekend newsletter

Since ALDI shows how a promotional newsletter can become a regular roundup of individual deals, Tommie Copper takes a more campaign-led approach. Its recurring “Wellness Weekend” series gives each newsletter a recognizable theme and changes the featured offers.

The following email features a 40% off sitewide deal, then adds an extra discount on compression socks and highlights its sciatica-relief product. Each offer gets its own section and CTA, giving subscribers several reasons to shop without losing the broader Wellness Weekend theme.

Subject line: Wellness Weekend | 40% off Everything 

Tommie Copper’s Wellness Weekend newsletter puts its sitewide sale front and center, then follows with additional product offers.
Tommie Copper’s Wellness Weekend newsletter puts its sitewide sale front and center, then follows with additional product offers. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The recurring theme makes each promotion feel like part of a recognizable series.
  • Separate sections keep multiple offers easy to browse.
  • A broad sitewide discount draws readers in before more specific product offers take over.

Tip: Turn regular promotions into a named series. You can change the products and discounts each time while keeping a format subscribers recognize.

4. Penguin Books’ best books of the month

Publishers have a nice problem to solve with newsletters: there’s rarely a shortage of things to recommend. Penguin Books turns that constant stream of new releases and backlist titles into a monthly roundup that helps readers decide what to pick up next.

This edition starts with the best books of the month, then narrows things down to upcoming releases and a themed selection of short nonfiction books. Each recommendation includes enough context to decide whether it sounds interesting, with links to either buy the book or explore a longer reading list.

Subject line: The best books out this month

Penguin Books’ monthly newsletter rounds up new releases, curated recommendations, and recent reading lists in one issue.
Penguin Books’ monthly newsletter rounds up new releases, curated recommendations, and recent reading lists in one issue. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • Different sections cater to readers who browse for books in different ways.
  • Short descriptions help readers discover unfamiliar titles without leaving the email.
  • Recurring recommendations give book lovers a natural reason to come back each month.

Tip: If you regularly publish or release new content, don’t make subscribers find it themselves. Curate the highlights into useful themes or recommendations that make a large catalog easier to explore.

5. Outsider Tart’s monthly newsletter

For a small local business, a newsletter can work a bit like the noticeboard by the register. Outsider Tart, a London bakery specializing in American comfort food, uses its monthly newsletter to give regulars a quick look at what’s happening both in and around the business.

Under the subject line “The latest news for you,” this email marketing example brings together a new event, menu changes, a new brownie offer, and an Easter activity at the bakery. Each update gets a compact section with just enough detail to bring subscribers up to speed, making the newsletter useful even when there isn’t one big announcement to lead with.

Subject line: The latest news for you

Outsider Tart’s monthly newsletter brings together upcoming events, menu updates, and special offers in one easy-to-scan issue.
Outsider Tart’s monthly newsletter brings together upcoming events, menu updates, and special offers in one easy-to-scan issue. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • Different updates fit naturally into one monthly catch-up.
  • Local events give subscribers reasons to visit beyond simply buying food.
  • The homemade design feels appropriate for a neighborhood bakery.

Tip: Your business doesn’t need headline-worthy news every month. New products, upcoming events, special offers, and minor updates can be compiled into a newsletter that keeps regular customers in the loop.

Outsider Tart created this newsletter with Constant Contact, proving a local business newsletter doesn’t need an elaborate design to get attention. Its emails average a 53% open rate, 18% above the industry average, while its list grew by nearly 4% in the past year.

6. Realtor.com’s 5 for Friday email

Real estate newsletters don’t have to be a stream of new listings. Realtor.com’s weekly “5 for Friday” series gives subscribers something lighter to browse, using five themed property picks to lead readers back to its content.

This email newsletter example focuses on luxurious tiny homes. The large property photo and short teaser introduce the theme before sending readers to the full article. The real estate agent then uses the rest of the email to outline next steps, including getting pre-approved and exploring options to buy, sell, or rent.

Subject line: 5 for Friday: Luxurious tiny homes that’ll blow your mind

Realtor.com’s weekly “5 for Friday” newsletter leads with a timely home-focused story, followed by additional offers and resources for buyers.
Realtor.com’s weekly “5 for Friday” newsletter leads with a timely home-focused story, followed by additional offers and resources for buyers. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The “5 for Friday” format is simple enough to repeat with a new theme every week.
  • Eye-catching properties give subscribers a reason to open even when they’re not actively house hunting.
  • The newsletter leads with interesting content before introducing more commercial actions.

Tip: You don’t always have to lead with what you sell. A recurring roundup related to your industry can keep subscribers interested between the moments when they’re ready to become customers.

Educational newsletters work when the advice is useful enough to become part of someone’s routine. Food blog Cookie and Kate does this with its “Your Weekly Menu” newsletter, giving subscribers five recipes to plan the week ahead.

Rather than simply linking to its latest posts, the email compiles the recipes as a complete menu. Each gets a photo, a short description with cooking or storage tips, and a clear link to the full recipe. A visual roundup at the top also lets readers see all five options before scrolling.

Subject line: Easy & Delicious Meal Ideas for the Week

Cookie and Kate’s weekly menu newsletter packages five seasonal recipes into a ready-made meal plan, with photos and links to each recipe.
Cookie and Kate’s weekly menu newsletter packages five recipes into a ready-made meal plan, with photos and links to each recipe. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The weekly format gives subscribers something practical to expect each time.
  • Numbered recipes make a fairly long newsletter easy to navigate.
  • Short cooking tips provide value even before someone clicks through.

Tip: Package your expertise around a recurring task or problem your audience has. A weekly menu, monthly checklist, or regular set of tips gives useful content a reason to keep showing up in their inbox.

8. MIT’s Daily News email example

When you have a lot to share, a newsletter can save subscribers from having to keep checking your website, blog, and social feeds themselves. That’s especially useful for higher education marketing, where one institution may have research, campus news, events, and community stories competing for attention.

MIT’s Daily newsletter brings those updates together in one regular roundup, featuring a story about its “Science Is Curiosity on a Mission” project, followed by three shorter headlines covering research, technology, and faculty news. It then switches things up with a #ThisisMIT section featuring content from MIT Open Learning’s Instagram account, bringing social content into the newsletter rather than keeping the two channels separate.

Subject line: Why science = curiosity on a mission

MIT Daily combines a featured story, top headlines, and social media highlights into a quick daily roundup of what’s happening across the MIT community.
MIT Daily combines a featured story, top headlines, and social media highlights into a quick daily roundup of what’s happening across the MIT community. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • One featured story creates a clear starting point before readers reach the shorter news.
  • Brief summaries let subscribers decide which stories are worth clicking through to read in full.
  • Social content adds variety and surfaces updates subscribers might have missed on another channel.

Tip: Your newsletter doesn’t have to live in its own content bubble. Mix updates from your website, blog, and social profiles into one roundup so subscribers can catch up in one place.

9. Rapido Trains UK News email

Not every newsletter needs to be skimmed in 30 seconds. Rapido Trains UK goes in the opposite direction, treating each monthly edition more like something enthusiasts can settle in and read.

“Rapido UK News – Vol 68” opens with a conversational note before getting into new model announcements, project updates, samples, and what’s currently making its way from the factory to the UK. The sections go into considerably more detail than most newsletters here, including the history of particular locomotives. For an audience of model railway enthusiasts, that’s part of the appeal rather than something to edit out.

Subject line: Rapido UK News – Vol 68

Rapido Trains UK’s long-form newsletter gives enthusiasts a detailed look at new models, company updates, and the stories behind its latest releases.
Rapido Trains UK’s long-form newsletter gives enthusiasts a detailed look at new models, company updates, and the stories behind its latest releases. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • Numbered editions make the newsletter feel like an ongoing publication.
  • Detailed stories cater to an audience that already knows and cares about the subject.
  • The conversational opening gives a lengthy company update some personality.

Tip: Let your audience determine the length. If subscribers are enthusiasts who actively want the details, a longer newsletter can give them more of what they signed up for, rather than trimming everything into bite-sized updates.

That approach seems to be working for Rapido. Its newsletters, created with Constant Contact’s email editor, see open rates 52% above the industry average in Canada/U.S. and 40% above in the UK, while its contact lists have grown year over year in both markets.

You can see more about how the company keeps its community of model railway fans engaged in the Rapido Trains customer story.

10. Starbucks’ rewards email for loyal members

Your most loyal customers probably shouldn’t get exactly the same newsletter as everyone else. Starbucks puts that idea into practice with emails specifically for Rewards members, using what it knows about them to make important program updates feel more relevant.

With the subject line “Your Rewards Matter,” this email newsletter example gets personal almost immediately, greeting me by name before explaining changes to how many Stars I’ll need to redeem certain rewards. Starbucks follows the changes with a reminder of what’s staying the same and a preview of upcoming member perks, including experience invites, exclusive merchandise, and bonus Stars.

Subject line: Your Rewards matter

Starbucks Rewards uses a personalized newsletter to clearly explain upcoming changes to its rewards program and what members can expect.
Starbucks Rewards uses a personalized newsletter to clearly explain upcoming changes to its rewards program and what members can expect. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The newsletter goes only to the customers the update actually affects.
  • A personalized greeting makes a broad program announcement feel more personalized.
  • “What’s changing” and “what’s staying the same” make a potentially confusing update easy to scan.

Tip: Your newsletter doesn’t always need to go to everyone. Use your email marketing platform to segment subscribers by things like loyalty status, interests, or purchase history, then personalize the content around what matters to that group.

11. WWF’s Wildlife Quiz newsletter

Who says a nonprofit newsletter has to read like an update from the board? WWF turns this one into a game, asking subscribers to listen to a 10-second bird call and guess the species before revealing the answer in a quiz.

The subject line, “[QUIZ] Which bird is this,” gets straight to the challenge, while the email greets me by name, as in the previous example, and carries that personalization into the opening copy. It’s a fun example of nonprofit email marketing that encourages supporters to interact with the organization without immediately asking for a donation.

Subject line: [QUIZ] Which bird is this

WWF turns its newsletter into an interactive wildlife quiz, inviting subscribers to identify a bird from its call.
WWF turns its newsletter into an interactive wildlife quiz, inviting subscribers to identify a bird from its call. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The quiz gives subscribers something to do, not just something to read.
  • Name personalization makes the challenge feel like a direct invitation.
  • The wildlife theme connects the interaction naturally to WWF’s wider mission.

Tip: Try an interactive format when your usual updates start feeling predictable. A quiz, poll, challenge, or question can turn a personalized email newsletter into a two-way interaction and give supporters another way to engage with your cause.

12. Horizon Organic’s Halloween newsletter

Halloween comes around once a year, which gives brands an excuse to temporarily break from their usual newsletter routine. Horizon Organic runs with it, turning an everyday product into part of the occasion with “Halloween’s Best-Kept Secret: Milk.”

Rather than simply dressing up a product promotion with pumpkins and bats, this holiday newsletter example builds the whole edition around Halloween. Milk boxes become trick-or-treat sidekicks, cheese strings get an “Un-BOO-lievable Snacks” section, and a parent’s survival guide offers practical ideas for before and after the candy haul. The products stay recognizable, but the reason to talk about them feels timely.

Subject line: Halloween’s Best-Kept Secret: Milk

Horizon Organic uses a Halloween theme to tie together seasonal recipes, products, and family-friendly ideas.
Horizon Organic uses a Halloween theme to tie together seasonal recipes, products, and family-friendly ideas. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The Halloween theme carries through the copy, visuals, products, and tips rather than stopping at the header.
  • The advice section gives parents something useful alongside the product promotion.
  • A once-a-year format leaves plenty of room to make the newsletter feel different from regular sends.

Tip: Plan a few newsletter ideas around dates your audience already cares about. You don’t need to send a seasonal newsletter every month. One memorable annual edition can become something you revisit and refresh each year.

13. Constant Contact’s Hints & Tips newsletter

SaaS newsletters can easily become a running list of product updates. We’d rather give busy business owners something they can actually use. Our monthly Hints & Tips newsletter combines marketing advice with new resources, events, and product features without expecting readers to keep tabs on everything we publish.

This newsletter example shows small businesses how to get more from limited marketing hours, then moves into a webinar on subject lines and a roundup of resources covering saved content, seasonal marketing ideas, Canva, and more. Readers can pick what’s useful to them and leave the rest for another day.

Subject line: [Hints & Tips] Simple ways to save time and market smarter

Constant Contact’s Hints & Tips newsletter combines practical marketing advice with useful resources, webinars, and product updates.
Constant Contact’s Hints & Tips newsletter combines practical marketing advice with useful resources, webinars, and product updates. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • One main story gives each newsletter a clear focus.
  • Webinars, guides, product tips, and blog content give readers different ways to learn.
  • Short previews tell you enough to decide whether something is worth the click.

Tip: If your SaaS company produces a lot of content, your newsletter doesn’t need to cram all of it in. Curate the genuinely useful bits and give subscribers a shortcut to whatever can help them right now.

14. Meowington’s Milton the Cat daily newsletter

Now, what if a newsletter could earn an open without teaching, updating, or discounting anything? Meowingtons sends its Wednesday Wisdom emails primarily to entertain cat lovers, using its Milton the Cat comics as the main event.

The daily email newsletter is almost entirely visual, with a large illustrated comic occupying most of the space. Products come later: first, a small merchandise strip, then a few recommendations below the social links. That order matters as subscribers get the fun content they opened for before being asked to shop. Plus, the products themselves feel like an extension of the Milton universe.

Subject line: Milton Daily Comic Club – August 26

Meowingtons uses its Milton the Cat comic to give subscribers a dose of humor before introducing its products.
Meowingtons uses its Milton the Cat comic to give subscribers a dose of humor before introducing its products. Image source: Author’s inbox

Why it works:

  • The comic gives people a reason to open that has nothing to do with buying.
  • A distinctive visual style makes the newsletter instantly recognizable.
  • Product recommendations sit around the entertainment rather than interrupting it.

Tip: Think beyond tips and company news when planning recurring content. A comic, joke, illustration, or other small dose of entertainment can become the reason people look forward to seeing your brand in their inbox.

15. Humane World for Animals’ supporter update

A supporter newsletter has an important question to answer: What did my support actually help accomplish? Humane World for Animals puts that answer front and center with a simple email newsletter example.

Rather than highlighting another donation request, the monthly update shows supporters where their contributions are going. It covers veterinary care, farm animal welfare, wildlife protection, disaster response, and rescue work, as well as the story of a longtime volunteer. It also looks ahead, with a reminder to save the date for GivingTuesday and another way to contribute through gift donations.

Subject line: Supporter update: Rescues, progress and your impact for animals

Humane World for Animals uses its newsletter to show supporters the impact of their contributions through recent stories and updates.

Why it works:

  • Impact comes before the next fundraising ask.
  • Stories about people and animals make broad organizational work feel more tangible.
  • The GivingTuesday mention plants the seed for an upcoming campaign without turning the whole newsletter into a promotion.

Tip: Don’t let the donation receipt be the last time supporters hear what their money helped do. Regular impact newsletters can close that loop and naturally introduce upcoming campaigns when the time is right.

16. Bite’s FAQ newsletter example

FAQs don’t have to live at the bottom of a website. Bite turns the questions someone might ask before trying toothpaste bits into an entire newsletter, aptly introduced with the subject line “Not your average FAQ.”

Instead of one long explanation of an unfamiliar product, the email works through likely objections one at a time. Do the bits actually clean your teeth? What about cavities and enamel? Will they taste weird or chalky? Each gets a short answer alongside product photography, before the newsletter tackles the bigger question of why someone might switch from traditional toothpaste in the first place.

Subject line: Not your average FAQ

Bite uses common customer questions to create a useful newsletter that answers concerns people may have before buying.

Why it works:

  • Real purchase questions become the content rather than being buried in a separate FAQ page.
  • Short question-and-answer blocks make an information-heavy email easy to skim.
  • The questions move naturally from “does this work?” to “why should I switch?”

Tip: Check the questions customers ask before buying and turn a few into a newsletter. You can also pull in user-generated content (UGC), such as customer reviews or photos, to answer those questions with real experiences and help clear up doubts about trying your product.

How to create an email newsletter for your business

Once you’ve found a newsletter style that works for your business, it’s time to make it your own. You don’t need design experience or a complicated content calendar to get started. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Set a goal that works for you and your subscribers

Start by asking what you want the newsletter to accomplish and why someone would want to receive it. Those two answers should meet somewhere in the middle.

Say a yoga studio wants to fill quieter Tuesday evening classes. Sending “Book a Tuesday class” every week probably won’t keep subscribers interested for long. A newsletter with short mobility tips, class recommendations, and occasional availability updates gives readers something useful while still supporting that business goal.

Try writing both sides down before you start:

  • Our goal: Get more bookings for quieter weekday classes.
  • Subscriber gets: Useful advice and recommendations that help them choose the right classes.

Be very specific about your goal, as things like “Stay in touch with customers” and “share useful content” won’t give you much direction when it’s time to decide what actually goes in the email.

Step 2: Find a format you can repeat

Now, go back to the email newsletter examples above and think about the content you regularly have to work with. You don’t need to invent a new structure for every send. Start with a design that gives your content somewhere predictable to go.

Here are some common newsletter formats to choose from:

  • Weekly roundup: Lead with your main story, then give readers three to five shorter updates or recommendations to explore.
  • Monthly business update: Catch customers up on recent news, highlight what’s coming next, and feature a product or service when relevant.
  • Educational newsletter: Focus each edition on one useful topic, then support it with practical advice and resources for readers who want to learn more.
  • Curated newsletter: Introduce the theme briefly, then hand-pick three to five links, ideas, or recommendations worth your audience’s time.
  • Promotional newsletter: Make your main offer the focus, then use featured products or a secondary deal to give shoppers more ways to buy.
  • Community newsletter: Share recent highlights, put a customer or member in the spotlight, and let readers know what they can get involved with next.

Once you find a structure that works, keep the recognizable parts but give yourself room to play with it. A monthly newsletter usually has three sections but occasionally needs four. You might swap a product spotlight for an event or replace an image-heavy section with a longer story. Remember, the format should save you time, not box you in.

Step 3: Choose an email newsletter template

Now it’s time to turn that format into an actual email. If you’re comfortable with email newsletter design, you can start from scratch and build the layout around your content. If not, a template provides the structure without requiring you to decide where the hero image, headline, and button should go.

Look for a template that already resembles the layout you have in mind. For a weekly roundup, that might mean one large featured section followed by several smaller content blocks. On the other hand, a promotional newsletter needs space for a main offer and a few featured products. Starting close to your intended layout means less time deleting sections and moving things around later.

You’ll find ready-made templates in most email marketing solutions, which can save you from building every newsletter from scratch. Depending on what you’re sending, you can start with a layout designed for newsletters, promotions, announcements, events, or even seasonal campaigns, then customize it with your own content and branding.

Constant Contact offers newsletter templates for different industries and occasions, with the option to start from scratch or search for a specific design.
Constant Contact offers newsletter templates for different industries and occasions, with the option to start from scratch or search for a specific design. Image source: Constant Contact

Alongside its template library, Constant Contact also has an AI template builder that can generate a branded design to give you a head start.

Once you’ve found your starting point, customize it to feel like your brand. Add your logo, apply your brand colors and fonts, and adjust the content blocks to suit your message. You can also remove any sections you don’t need rather than trying to fill every space just because it’s there. When you’re happy with the result, save the design so you can reuse it for future editions without rebuilding your newsletter from scratch.

Step 4: Create your email content

With the layout in place, you can turn your attention to what you actually want to say. Begin with the most important story, offer, or update, then write the supporting sections around it. Keep each section focused rather than squeezing several ideas into the same block.

Newsletter copy also needs to work differently from a blog post or webpage. Readers tend to scan their inboxes, so get to the point quickly, keep paragraphs short, and make headlines useful enough to tell readers what each section is about. 

If writing isn’t your strong suit, you don’t necessarily have to start with a blank page. AI writing assistants can help generate an initial draft, which you can then edit for accuracy, specificity, and your own voice. Treat it as raw material rather than copy that’s ready to send.

Step 5: Write the subject line and CTA

Before you send, give readers a reason to open the email in the first place. Your subject line should set an expectation for what’s inside, whether that’s the content, the benefit, or simply the theme of that edition. 

The email newsletter examples we looked at earlier take several approaches:

  • ALDI keeps things literal with “Your Weekly Ad is Here”
  • Penguin Books promises “The best books out this month”
  • WWF creates curiosity with “[QUIZ] Which bird is this”

You can borrow the above without copying the wording. For instance, a bakery might try “This weekend’s menu is here,” a consultant could use “3 ways to prepare for tax season,” and a pet store could tease “Which treat does your dog actually prefer?” The important part is that the subject line matches what readers find after they open.

Then look at your CTA. Make the button describe the next step rather than defaulting to “Learn more.” Based on your newsletter, that could be “Read the full story,” “Browse this week’s deals,” “Take the quiz,” or “Reserve your seat.” If there are several links throughout the newsletter, decide which action matters most and make that CTA the easiest one to spot.

Step 6: Preview and test the newsletter

Send a test to yourself and open it on your phone before anyone else sees it. Most of your subscribers will read on mobile, so that’s the screen that decides whether your layout holds up.

Check every link, confirm any merge fields (like a first name) render correctly, and read the subject line and preview text together as a pair. A newsletter template that’s built to be mobile-responsive from the start removes an entire category of things that can go wrong here.

You can also try A/B testing, where you send two versions of something, like a subject line, to see which one gets the better response. It’s a simple way to learn what your audience actually prefers, so you don’t have to test your luck along with your email.

Step 7: Send it and review the results

Pick a send time you can actually defend on a busy week, and stick to it. Consistency is what turns a newsletter into a habit your subscribers expect, rather than a surprise they’ve forgotten signing up for.

If you need a starting point, Constant Contact data found that Sunday at 10 p.m. can be a particularly strong window for engagement, while midweek mornings also tend to perform well. Your own audience may behave differently, though, so treat those times as a starting point for testing rather than a rule. 

After it goes out, check opens, clicks, and unsubscribes. Your platform’s email tracking tools show you which link got the most clicks, so next month’s main story has a head start instead of a guess. 

Start creating your own email newsletter

Don’t try to copy an example pixel-for-pixel. What worked for a national brand with a design team won’t work for your list, and it doesn’t need to.

Instead, go back through the examples above and ask why each one caught your attention. Was it the layout, the mix of content, the personalization, the imagery, the voice, or the CTA? Pull that one thing loose from the brand it came from and adapt it to what your own subscribers actually care about.

Constant Contact’s newsletter templates give you a mobile-responsive starting point, leaving you more time to focus on what goes into your newsletter. When you’re ready to create your own, start your free trial and put some of these ideas into practice.

FAQs

Here are some common questions about email newsletters.

1. What makes a good email newsletter?

A good email newsletter gives subscribers a clear reason to open and read it, whether that’s useful advice, an update, an offer, or something entertaining. It should also be easy to scan on a phone, sound like your brand, and make the most important next step obvious.

2. How often should I send a newsletter?

There’s no ideal newsletter frequency for every business, but monthly is a manageable starting point for many small businesses. If you have enough useful content, you can move to weekly or even more frequent emails, as long as you can maintain the schedule without sending just for the sake of it.

3. Do I need a heavily designed template?

A simple, mobile-friendly newsletter with readable text, recognizable branding, and clear calls to action can work just as well as a more elaborate design. Choose a template that supports your content rather than adding design elements simply to fill space.

4. Should my newsletter promote my products?

Yes. Newsletters can promote products, services, events, and special offers, but they don’t have to be sales-focused every time. Mixing promotions with useful content, stories, updates, or recommendations gives subscribers other reasons to keep opening your emails between purchases.

5. How long should a newsletter be?

There’s no fixed newsletter length. A short promotional email might need only a few lines, while an educational or enthusiast newsletter can be much longer. Let the topic and your audience determine the length, and make longer emails easy to scan.

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Marilia Dimitriou is a senior content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in SEO content writing, editing, and digital marketing. She specializes in creating educational and product-led content for small businesses and marketing technology brands, with a focus on email marketing and automation.

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