Email Newsletter 101 Guide

If you’re a blogger and you’re not taking advantage of newsletters, it’s time to start! A newsletter is an email that you create and regularly share with your followers who have signed up to receive it. 

Email is worth investing in because it’s an owned channel, like your blog. You have direct control over what goes in the email, who sees the email, and when they see it, unlike your social channels which are subject to third party algorithms and other conditions.

A newsletter is another way to earn money from your content. It’s a direct line of communication to your followers and a fun way to engage with them on a personal level. It can also help grow your community by turning social media followers and blog visitors into subscribers who will regularly visit your website to read and shop your content. 

“I can’t recommend investing in an email newsletter enough! If I could go back 10 years ago to when I first started my blog, one of the first things I would say to do is start an email list.” – Erin, Living in Yellow

Choose an Email Newsletter Provider 

You will need an email marketing service to help you build and send out your newsletters. These providers will store your information, manage your subscribers, provide email templates, send the emails, and much more. 

Here are the most popular email marketing providers for bloggers. There are paid and free options: 

• Mailchimp
• ConvertKit
• Mad Mimi
• Mailerlite
• Aweber

Pick an Email Cadence

Decide how often you are sending your newsletter. We suggest starting off with one email per week, however you will need to determine what cadence works best for you and your audience through testing. 

It’s important to be consistent so your readers know what to expect. Too many emails can create fatigue in your subscribers, and too few emails can feel unreliable. 

You can also share one-off emails for special occasions, such as events, major sales, or announcements, in addition to your regular newsletter. 

Create Your Newsletter Content

Now for the fun part: Creating the content for your newsletter! Make sure to provide value for your subscribers and differentiate your newsletter content from what can be found on your blog. 

When planning out your newsletter, try to balance existing content with new, exclusive content. For example, include a weekly roundup of blog posts then add bonus outfits or looks not shared anywhere else. You want your readers to feel like they are getting something special and exciting in their inbox. Scroll to the bottom for content ideas and how to monetize! 

Get People to Sign Up

Now you need to build your email list by getting your followers to subscribe to your newsletter. Be sure to clearly provide the value of your emails, whether that be weekly roundups, guides, summaries, or bonus content. 

You can also create special or exclusive offers to incentivize readers to join your newsletter such as “My Exclusive Sephora VIB Sale Guide. Subscribe to my newsletter to shop it.”

“Nobody wants to feel like they are missing out – create a sense of FOMO around your newsletter on your social channels and blog and your email list will grow quickly!” – Erin, Living in Yellow

Growing your email list is an ongoing effort, so be sure to incorporate newsletter promotion into your content strategy. 

“Always offer something special to the reader – a real benefit of signing up. For example, I’ll announce that I will be releasing sneak peeks and limited access content of product launches to entice readers to subscribe and receive that limited-edition content. ” – Blair, Atlantic Pacific

Here are some ways to promote your newsletter on your blog and social channels:

1. On Your Blog

• Add a pop up message announcing the newsletter with a sign up link
• Add a signup box in your sidebar or menu bar 
• Add a link to sign up at the bottom of each blog post 
• Create a blog post announcing your newsletter and why your followers should subscribe

2. On Your Social

• On a regular basis, share the benefits of joining your newsletter across your social channels
• Add a link to sign up in your Instagram bio and continuously direct your followers to that link 
• Add a Swipe Up link to sign up in your Instagram Stories 
• Add a link to sign up to your Facebook page bio and create promotional posts for the newsletter 
• Create Pinterest Pins of your newsletter with a link to sign up

Newsletter Content Ideas

• Weekly Blog Roundup/In Case You Missed It: List all the blog posts from the week, with links to each post.
  • “Draw attention to recent blog posts you have written that you know they may have missed, you may be surprised just how much traffic you can drive to your blog by a simple “in case you missed it” section in your newsletter!” – Erin, Living in Yellow
  • This a helpful snapshot of your content, allowing your subscribers to review everything in one place. 
  • Blog roundups will drive traffic back to your blog, where readers can shop your posts. 
• Favorite Finds: Share links to your favorite products and finds of the week along with why you recommend them. For Advanced Members, include products from our High Commission Retailers to maximize earnings. 
• Outfit Roundup: Share all your looks from the week.
  • Share a link to your Shop Page on your blog or link directly to each Look so your readers can shop your outfits. 
  • Link to each product in your outfits using Collective Voice affiliate links. Use the LinkIt tool on desktop or mobile (download on iOS or Android) for quick and easy affiliate link creation. 
• Sales, Promo Codes, and Deals: Share your favorite sales of the week, exclusive promo codes, and other exciting deals. Don’t forget to recommend a couple of your favorite items from each sale! This will help increase conversion by showing your subscribers exactly what to shop.
  • Refer to our Best Sales of the Week for inspiration. 
• Link Roundup: Summarize important links from the week, such as ‘Links You Might Have Missed’ or ‘Most Requested Links.’
  • Use the LinkIt tool on desktop or mobile (download on iOS or Android) to quickly and easily create your affiliate links for your newsletter.
• Repurpose Past Content: Your newsletter is a great opportunity to reuse past, successful content. If a past post is still getting traction, refresh it and include in your newsletter. 
• Personal Updates: Your subscribers are your most engaged followers as they have opted to receive regular email updates from you (people are very protective of their inboxes!). Deepen your relationship and provide that personal touch by including exciting life updates.
• Giveaways: Giveaways are a fun way to provide exclusive opportunities for your subscribers, as well attract new sign ups. 
• Latest Instagram/Facebook/Pinterest Posts: Include your latest social posts at the bottom of the newsletter, linking out to the channel to engage your subscribers on social media.