Newsletters – create, send and follow up with ease

Newsletters from the ground up

Newsletters are one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with people who have already shown an interest. You own the relationship yourself, with no algorithms deciding who sees what.

The difference between newsletters and ordinary email

A newsletter is not just any email. It differs from ordinary email in a few important ways.

First, newsletters are based on consent. The recipient has signed up and can unsubscribe at any time – that is what the GDPR requires, and it is what makes a newsletter a relationship rather than an interruption. If you want to read more about the rules, we have a separate guide on GDPR and newsletters.

Second, newsletters are regular. It's not about sending when you happen to have time, but about building a rhythm the recipient recognizes – perhaps every week, every other week or once a month.

Third, newsletters are measurable. You see how many open, what they click on and who unsubscribes. That lets you learn what works and get better with every send. Ordinary email lacks that possibility, as do most forms of email marketing that don't use the right tool.

What should a newsletter contain?

There is no single answer, but the best newsletters have a few things in common. We have put together a more detailed walkthrough in the guide what should a newsletter contain – here are the most important points in short.

They have a clear sender. The recipient should know right away who the letter is from and why they are getting it. A personal tone – ideally with a name and a face – makes a big difference.

They have a subject line that sparks curiosity. The subject line decides whether the email is opened or not. Be concrete and honest, and avoid clickbait – it damages trust in the long run. We have a whole guide on how to write subject lines that get opened.

They have content worth reading. That doesn't mean every newsletter has to be long. Sometimes a short greeting or a link to something worth reading is enough. What matters is that the recipient feels it was worth the time.

And they have a clear next step. A button to click, a link to follow, a reply to send back. If you need help getting started, we show you how to create a newsletter step by step further down the page, and there are ready-made newsletter templates to start from.

How often should you send newsletters?

The most common mistake is sending too rarely. Many businesses start with the ambition of "every month" and end up with one send per quarter. When too much time passes between letters, the recipient forgets that they subscribe – and the risk of unsubscribes grows.

In our experience, most businesses do well sending newsletters at least once a month. More often is perfectly reasonable if you have something to say. What matters is being consistent. A predictable rhythm builds trust – and makes it easier for you to plan the content in advance.

With Paloma you get the tool, the templates and the follow-up you need to get started and keep going. The rest – what you want to tell – comes from you. If you work in a municipality, region or government agency, there are also legal requirements beyond accessibility: read about the Swedish digital services act and the plain language requirement. If you want to dig deeper, we recommend our complete guide to better newsletters.

How to create a newsletter step by step

Creating newsletters doesn't have to be hard. Here's how to go from idea to finished send, whether you use a ready-made template or build from scratch.

1. Decide on the goal and the audience. Before you start writing, you need to answer two questions: what do you want to achieve, and who is going to read it? A newsletter that tries to say everything to everyone is rarely relevant. Once you know why you are sending, the rest becomes much easier.

2. Create content that adds value. Focus on clear headings, short paragraphs and one main message per send. Feel free to mix tips, news and offers – and always ask yourself: what does the recipient get out of reading this?

3. Use a clear call to action. Every newsletter should have a call to action: read more, sign up for an event, download a guide or contact you. Avoid several different calls to action in the same send – choose one and make it clear.

4. Design the newsletter. The design should support the content, not take over. A good newsletter is easy to read on a phone, uses white space and has a clear structure. With ready-made templates you don't have to start from scratch and can focus on the message.

5. Test and follow up. Send a test to your phone and computer, check the links and make sure the sender is clear before you send. Afterwards, the follow-up is just as important: look at opens, clicks and unsubscribes. That gives you insights that make the next newsletter even better – read more about how to interpret the statistics for your sends.

Common mistakes to avoid: too much text, an unclear purpose, the same content for all recipients and an unclear call to action. If you avoid them, the chance that your newsletters actually get read increases considerably.