How to Build a Newsletter People Actually Read

Anyone can build a newsletter.

But not everyone will build one that people want to read. You’ll spend all your time and energy creating your perfect newsletter, and no one will subscribe to read it. All that work was wasted.

The solution is that you need to build a newsletter that people actually want to read, and, in this guide, I’m going to show you how to do it based on all the success I’ve had in building my newsletters.

I have nothing to sell you. I only have useful information to share with you. If you’re ready, continue reading the guide below.

Why Build a Newsletter in the First Place?

A newsletter is a media brand platform.

What does that mean? It means you have access to the contact list. You own the newsletter and can do with it as you please.

You can’t do that with most other platforms.

You don’t get access to your follow email accounts on social media. You can’t even send a direct message to your subscribers on YouTube. That’s because social media and platforms like that are rented space, and you don’t get full access like you do with a newsletter.

A newsletter gives you a direct line to your audience.

There is no social media algorithm getting in the way. There is no big search engine deciding who sees your content and who doesn’t see it. It’s you and your subscribers with no middle person in between.

Newsletters give you a higher ROI than other platforms do.

You can engage with your audience directly, segment them into groups, and sell them products and services directly. You can’t do that on social media. It’s even harder to do it on your blog because of SEO constraints, but a newsletter subscriber is there to see what you create next,

The question isn’t whether you should build a newsletter in the first place, it’s why haven’t you done it already if you don’t have one?

Define Your Purpose and Newsletter Audience

The first step to building a newsletter that people will actually read is to define the purpose and audience of your idea.

Decide on the niche you will be focusing on. Choose a broader niche (for example: pickleball) and then narrow it down to a specific niche that you’re good at (for example: pickleball for beginners). A broader niche will be harder to compete in because it’s more saturated, but narrowing the niche down reduces a lot of competition.

Now you need to determine your target audience. In the example above, the narrowed-down niche is pickleball for beginners. Therefore, the target audience would be individuals who wish to learn how to play pickleball. A target audience is required in order to create content; otherwise, you won’t know who you’re creating for or what to create that people will actually read.

Now you need a goal for your newsletter. For the pickleball theme above, the goal would be to “show beginners how to play pickleball” through tips in the newsletter, ultimately encouraging them to purchase your course on mastering pickleball as a beginner. This determines what your newsletter conversion or funnel goal is.

Make sure to identify a niche, target audience, and a primary goal before starting if you want to build a newsletter the right way.

Choose the Right Newsletter Platform

There are numerous newsletter platforms to choose from.

Some of the top platforms include Kit, Mailchimp, and Beehiiv. Each platform has its own set of features and plans. Most of these platforms will allow you to create a free account with the option to upgrade and access additional features and subscription options.

Keep in mind that as your newsletter grows, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan in order to keep it going, so you should have a plan to monetize your newsletter at some point.

No matter what platform you decide to go with, you’ll want some basic features, including:

• The ability to send a welcome email
• The ability to send an automated email series
• Segmentation benefits
• Newsletter growth analytics
• Scheduling

Some of these features may be included in free plans, but many will likely require an upgrade to a paid plan. In many cases, you can stay on the free plan and still access these features, but you will need to put in more effort to utilize them.

Craft an Irresistible Opt-In Offer

If you want to build a newsletter that people want to read, then you have to lure them in with a lead magnet.

A lead magnet is a freebie used to encourage people to subscribe to your newsletter. In most cases, your newsletter is free, but it often requires additional free features to encourage signups. Most lead magnets are as simple as an eBook, checklist, template, or even a discount.

For my hiking-related newsletter, I created a PDF guide featuring 35 different hiking locations in my local area. My audience is local, so this lead magnet has been a huge success and consistently generates new subscribers.

Identify the biggest needs, wants, and pain points of your audience, and create a simple PDF guide addressing those issues. This is your perfect lead magnet.

Ensure you promote your newsletter opt-in page consistently. I’ve created a full landing page with my opt-in form at the top and copy throughout the page encouraging the reader to subscribe for free. I then link that opt-in form at the top of all my webpages, on all my social media bios, on my YouTube videos, and on my email signature.

Learn copywriting and create a clear Call-to-Action on your landing page to get people to opt-in to your newsletter. I like to use the PAS and AIDA copywriting formulas when doing this, as they make for an easy guide. You could even use AI to help you write copy that will be convincing if you’re not good at it.

Make sure to spend some time crafting an opt-in offer that is irresistible, so you can build a newsletter that people will want to subscribe to.

Build a Newsletter with a Welcome Sequence

It’s essential to welcome your new subscribers if you want to build a newsletter that people will continue to subscribe to.

A welcome sequence can be as simple as one email or as extensive as a series of emails sent to new subscribers. These emails usually introduce them to the newsletter, provide your lead magnet, and display your call-to-action to funnel them into a sale.

You’ll want to include information that builds trust, loyalty, and solves their biggest challenges in your welcome sequence. If you try to make a sale first, you’ll likely lose your audience. You want to put your subscribers through a funnel of information that will eventually persuade them to purchase your product or service.

It’s essential to set clear expectations early on, allowing you to establish trust with your newsletter subscribers.

Write Newsletters People Want to Read

Build a newsletter that people want to read, not just another generic mailing list.

First – make sure your subject line is eye-catching and stands out to your audience. This will improve your open rate. You want to achieve a high open rate of 50% or more, if possible, which means that at least half of your subscribers are reading your newsletter.

Craft an introduction that is so compelling that it will immediately capture your audience’s attention. Tell them what they expect from this newsletter right off the bat.

Try to keep your newsletter content scannable and easy to read. Most of your subscribers will be reading your newsletter from a phone screen. Use formatting, headings, and bullet points to make the newsletter easy to read on mobile devices.

Your newsletter should follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of your content should be real value and exclusive information that subscribers can’t find anywhere else, and 20% should be promotional. If your entire newsletter is promotional, it will likely be added to the spam folder, which is not good.

Ensure a consistent tone and voice when creating a newsletter. It should be your voice, too. Using your voice and sharing your stories will make the newsletter more personal, which helps your audience connect with your content more effectively.

If your newsletter lacks high-quality content and value, you’re going to have the hardest time of your life trying to grow it into something people will love.

Send at the Right Time and Frequency

You’ll want to determine the best times and frequency to send emails as you build a newsletter from scratch.

Experiment with different days and times at the start of your newsletter project. Determine when open rates are higher and then try to send on those days and times. You want the email to be opened when your audience is most likely to open their emails.

You also need to decide how often to send your newsletter. Some newsletters are sent daily, but they tend to have a large team to prevent it from being overwhelming. Most newsletters are sent once a week, but some (like my hiking one) are only sent once a month. This really depends on how often your audience wants to get them.

Test and analyze what works best for your audience, not for you. The audience will always come first because you need them in order to build a newsletter in the first place. Ask for feedback, too.

Once you’ve decided on the perfect time, day, and frequency to send your newsletter, ensure you consistently send it to help build trust and loyalty, which will encourage people to open your emails.

Keep Improving with Metrics and Feedback

Make sure you’re paying attention to the analytics and feedback that will help you build a newsletter of your dreams.

There are three major metrics to pay attention to when doing newsletters. The first is “Open Rates,” which tells you how many of your subscribers are opening your emails (percentage-based metric). The other two are “Click Thru Rate,” which tells you how many links are getting clicked, and “Unsubscribe Rate,” which shows you how many subscribers are unsubscribing after each email.

Do some A/B testing on various portions of your newsletter. Test subject lines, content, copywriting formulas, and your Calls-to-Action. Discover what works and what doesn’t, so you’re not wasting your time.

Ask for feedback and use it to improve your newsletter. I add a quick survey form to each one of my newsletter issues. I’ll take that feedback and improve every new issue I send to make sure I give my subscribers exactly what they want.

You have the tools to ensure that you can build a newsletter that people will want to read, so make sure you’re using them to your fullest advantage.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Build a Newsletter

There are definitely mistakes you want to avoid as you build a newsletter and grow your audience.

Don’t be too salesy so soon. Remember – 80% of your newsletter content should be value. 20% is promotional. Definitely include a good CTA, but make sure the whole newsletter isn’t just a big sales pitch.

Don’t skip on segmenting your list. Break down your buyers and your non-buyers. Break down your inactive subscribers. Do all these tasks through segmentation. This will help you save money and earn more in the process.

Don’t inconsistently send email. You need to find the right day, time, and frequency and stick with it. Consistency is a must if you want to build a loyal and trusting audience.

Failing to prioritize mobile users will result in failure. The majority of your subscribers will use a mobile phone to read your newsletter. If the newsletter doesn’t look good on a mobile phone, they will quit reading it. Always prioritize mobile users over others.

There will be other mistakes you’ll make as you build a newsletter, and you’ll learn from them because that’s what we all go through.

Final Thoughts on How to Build a Newsletter that Gets Read

And that sums up how you can build a newsletter that people will actually want to read. The advice above will get you started in the right direction. You just have to choose whether to take it or not.

I really encourage you to focus on the relationship with your subscribers rather than the reach, because developing a relationship will keep them loyal to you forever.

Start building a newsletter with the first step: create your welcome email. Simple. Send it to your friends and ask them what they think about it. Improve as needed.

Thanks for reading my latest blog post. If you’d like to support me in writing it, please consider buying me a Coffee.

Check out my newsletter for more blogging tips, and be sure to join my free discussion forum, which focuses on blogging and running an online community. It’s for newsletter operators, too.

About the Author

Shawn Gossman has created content, blogged, ran online communities, and shared a passion for digital marketing for over twenty years. Shawn believes the best way to help content creators, businesses, brands, and marketers is to give away more than you sell. The same advice is recommended for the readers who follow this blog. Shawn also offers various services for extra help in content creation and blogging.