Writing Newsletters: How to Inspire Your Readers with Convincing Newsletter Texts

We've put together 10 handy tips on how to write winning newsletters and keep your customers hooked with engaging content.

Would you like to keep your customers in the loop with your newsletter and build a long-term relationship with them? A great newsletter can help your brand stand out, attract new customers, and keep your existing customers happy. So, how do you write a good newsletter?

For Those Who Like it Short: Newsletter Copy Checklist

Want more tips on writing your newsletter? Then stay tuned because we’ll show you how to plan your newsletter text and explain in detail what makes a good newsletter text.

Planning Your Newsletter Copy

Know your audience before you write your newsletter. It’s also important to get the structure of your newsletter right if you want it to be a success.

Find Out What Your Recipients Like

To write good newsletters, you need to know what your readers want.

• Who are your newsletter subscribers?
• What are they interested in?
• What are their challenges and problems?

Our Preference Center lets you get to know your newsletter recipients better and find out what they’re interested in. You can use a form to request all the data you need (on a voluntary basis) and ask your subscribers directly which content and topics they’re particularly interested in. You can save the info you get as a tag or data field, then segment your recipient list.

What’s best: Your recipients can update their preferences and data themselves via a link in your emails.

Incorporate the interests of your recipients into your newsletter texts. This is the only way to ensure your content is relevant and appealing. Meet the needs and wishes of your customers.

Determine a Topic and Plan Your Newsletter Content

To write a good newsletter, you need a clear topic and a main idea. It’s a good idea to think about what you want to achieve with the newsletter and what message you want to get across before you start putting it together.

Once you’ve got that sorted, you can start planning the texts for your newsletter. Take a moment to think about what you want to focus on and how you can structure it best. Just focus on one main topic per newsletter and make sure you’re meeting your readers’ expectations. It’s just as important to have a clear structure and layout as it is to have interesting and relevant content.

The Perfect Structure for Your Newsletter Copy

The right structure of your newsletter copy is essential for the success of your email. A clear structure is essential for your readers to find their way around and grasp the most important information quickly.

• Your newsletter’s header and main body are the most important sections in terms of content. Welcome your readers and provide an overview of the contents of the newsletter. If the newsletter text at this point doesn’t grab the reader’s attention, they won’t read any further. It’s best to put your most important CTA button in the upper visible area.
• In the middle section, you’ll tackle the individual topics of your newsletter. You can structure it with bulleted lists and columns if you think that’s what’s needed.
• The personal binder is at the end of your content. This is where you connect with your readers and make your newsletter seem real and friendly.
• Below this, add trust elements and your social media channels.
• The legal notice and unsubscribe link at the bottom of your email are required for a legally compliant newsletter.

How Long Should a Newsletter Be?

The length of the newsletter depends on what it’s about and what you’re trying to achieve. A length of 100-300 words in a newsletter is the optimal range. As a general rule, it’s better to be short and sweet than long-winded. Newsletters usually focus on a few aspects of a topic. Use links and CTA buttons to link to further content, such as blog articles.

It is more important to focus on the clear structure and design than on the number of words used: Keep your paragraphs short and make sure you back them up with the right images and graphics. Make your sentences short and easy to understand, and leave enough space between lines.

Writing Newsletters: Checklist for Brilliant Email Copy

What makes a great newsletter text? We’ll share a few simple tips and tricks that will help you create a successful newsletter.

1. The Door Opener: Tips for a Convincing Newsletter Start

Convincing Subject Line

Subject lines are key to successful newsletters. It’s the first impression your newsletter makes that determines whether or not it gets opened. A good subject line gets readers interested and tells them what to expect from your newsletter. Avoid going into too much detail or putting too much information in the subject line. Subject lines should be short and to the point. They should be no more than 40 characters long so that they display well on all devices.

A great subject line is really important for your newsletter, so you can spend a good half of your writing time on it. Sounds like a lot, but it really makes a difference!

Use the Preheader to Arouse Curiosity

The newsletter subject line includes an appealing email preheader. The preheader and subject line should relate to each other in a meaningful way. Keep the preheader text short and relevant.

Our tip: First, put together your actual newsletter text. Then, at the end, think about what the most important points are for your readers. Then you summarize them in 70-100 characters. Put the most important info at the beginning so it doesn’t get cut off in the inbox.

Attractive Headline

Start the newsletter with a short summary of what’s in it for your recipients. Keep headlines short and appealing to provide a quick overview. Avoid clickbait headlines or misleading statements so you don’t lose your readers’ trust or end up in their spam folder.

2. Wow Your Readers By Personally Addressing Them in Your Newsletters

There’s nothing better than a personalized newsletter for getting your recipients excited and loyal to your brand! Start your newsletter by using your recipient’s name.

Using the name in the opening line is a simple way to connect with the reader. This shows your subscribers that you see them as people, not just as anonymous email addresses. This little something helps get people interested and makes them more likely to read the whole newsletter.

We all know it: as soon as we hear or read our name somewhere, our attention is immediately drawn to it. Make the most of this when you’re putting together your newsletter.

3. Above the fold: First Things First

The “above the fold” principle is all about making sure the most important info and content in a newsletter is right there in front of the reader without them having to scroll. This area attracts attention and affects your newsletter’s success. Place images, arguments, and CTAs above the scroll area to keep readers engaged.

In the main body, explain why your newsletter is valuable. Tell customers what they can expect from your email and why they should read it. Avoid being too general or too vague. Your message must be clear and concise to attract the interest and attention of your recipients. Make sure your readers know what they’ll get out of your newsletter. Added value could be a free white paper, discount, or event invitation. New software features add value for your target group. No matter what it is, make sure your recipients know what they’re getting and why it’s valuable to them.

The same goes for all your newsletter texts. Put the most important keywords and benefits at the start of the sentence in the subject line, the preheader, and each paragraph. This is more eye-catching and memorable.

4. Communication to the Point

It’s important to make sure your recipients read and interact with your newsletter, so you need to get the most important information across quickly. Use bulleted lists, images, or highlights in the text to show the reader where they can find the info they need.

It’s important to keep sentences in the newsletter short and to the point to make them easier to read and keep the reader engaged. Long, complicated sentences can make it hard for people to follow along or lose interest quickly. Short sentences make it easier to understand the text. This is especially crucial for mobile presentations, where space is limited and attention spans are often even shorter. Short sentences make it easier for readers to scan and absorb the most important information. This makes it more likely that they’ll read the newsletter from start to finish and respond to the call to action it contains.

5. Tell a Captivating Story

Storytelling is a great way to get your newsletter recipients excited about your content and connect with them on an emotional level. It’s all about packaging information in a creative way through vivid stories. Stories are a great way to show how things are connected and get your message across in a fun and engaging way. A great story in your newsletter can get your readers excited about your products or services or get them to take action.

6. Encourage Recipients to Click on Your Call-to-Action Buttons

CTAs are key to writing good newsletters. Your call-to-action buttons in your newsletter must imply a specific call to action. They should contribute to your readers visiting your website, signing up for a service, or buying a product.

It’s important to make your CTAs clear and to make sure they fit with what you’re trying to achieve with your newsletter. Use language that’s easy to read and gets your readers excited about taking action.

Make sure your CTAs are easy to spot in the newsletter. Put the most important call to action at the top of the newsletter. This allows the reader to take the desired action without scrolling. Use eye-catching colors and designs to emphasize your CTAs. Don’t let call-to-actions compete with each other. One main CTA and a few more subtle CTAs have proven effective.

Test different CTAs with A/B testing to make them more effective. With a little creativity and some tweaks, you can make sure your CTAs lead your customers to take the action you want them to.

7. Use Active Verbs to Engage Your Recipients

Active verbs are key to convincing newsletter texts. Use direct, active verbs to get readers to take action.

For example: Say “Get our discount now,” not “We offer a discount.” Active verbs get your message across clearly and motivate readers to take action.

Try to avoid passive phrases and verbs that don’t evoke much emotion. Instead, use verbs that really get your message across with a sense of urgency and action. Active verbs are your secret weapon for subtly influencing your readers and encouraging them to click on your CTAs or take advantage of your offers.

8. Writing Authentic and Emphatic Newsletters

Newsletter writing requires authenticity and empathy. Your customers want to feel like they’re connected to your company and your brand. They want to feel like they’re not just another address on your email list.

Address your readers personally and use authentic language to gain their trust and strengthen your relationships. Show your subscribers you care by responding to their needs and challenges and offering solutions and resources that can help them.

It’s also a good idea to steer clear of marketing jargon and write in a way that’s easy to understand. If you write from the heart and connect with your readers, they’ll be hooked! It’s a great way to build stronger relationships with your customers.

9. Getting Straight to the Inbox: Avoid Spammy Words and Phrases

One of the most important things for your newsletter to be a success is that it actually gets to your subscribers’ inboxes. There are lots of things that can affect whether your emails end up in the inbox or the spam folder. One simple way to make sure your emails get delivered is to avoid using words and phrases that are likely to be flagged as spam, especially in your newsletter subject line.

Check out our PUSH article for more tips on how you can keep your newsletter from ending up in the spam folder.

10. Check Your Newsletter Before Sending it Out

Check your newsletter for errors before sending.

• Test the newsletter by previewing it in your inbox.
• Check all links in the newsletter are correct.
• Check the links are being tracked correctly.
• Check the spelling and grammar of your newsletter texts.

Four eyes see more: Share your newsletter preview with colleagues. You can’t always see your own mistakes, so feedback from someone else is often helpful. This helps you find spelling mistakes and check the writing style of your newsletter.

Writing Newsletters with Agency Support

We’ll be the first to admit that writing good newsletters isn’t easy. As with other marketing content, it takes a certain knack for writing to make an appealing newsletter text. It’s great that there are professional email marketing agencies and editors who can help you out with content creation and newsletter editing.