Newsletter Growth Kit

Small improvements can make a big difference to how readers open, read and respond to your newsletter. These are simple changes you can apply straight away, without new tools or extra budget.

Send at a consistent time

Consistency builds habit. Pick a day and time that suits your audience and resources, then stick with it.

“I’m old school, I decided to do it on a very regular basis. So I publish every Sunday at 7 pm. Because I think it needs to be regular, so people know to expect it.”

Greg Day, TWiSK

Subject lines that work

A good subject line is your first chance to get your newsletter opened. It needs to stand out in a crowded inbox and give people a reason to click.

Keep it short and clear. Curiosity works if the content delivers on what it promises. A playful or slightly click-driven line can attract attention, but misleading readers will only hurt trust. Personal or local references often perform well, as do short, active phrases that sound like something you’d actually say. Emojis can help your subject line pop, but use them sparingly and only when they fit your tone.

Try a simple level of personalisation in your subject line, such as adding the reader’s first name. Most email platforms use merge tags to insert subscriber details automatically. Check your platform’s help guide for the correct format, and always send yourself a test before publishing to confirm the personalisation displays correctly.

If your platform allows, run simple A/B tests to compare two subject lines and see what readers respond to. Small experiments like that can make a noticeable difference over time.

“Subject lines are a real art… Having more than one set of eyes on it… the art of writing microcopy… it’s got to be hooky… I don’t want to say clickbait, but it’s got to be close. But… what you’re promising has to be in the newsletter… your inbox is probably the noisiest place… getting people to open is almost all the work.”

Ella Walsh, Pinstripe Media

Write useful preview text

Most inboxes show a short line of text next to the subject line, called the preview text or preheader. Most platforms let you set this text separately, but if you leave it blank, many email clients will display the first line or two of your email body instead. It’s valuable space that helps convince readers to open your email.

Avoid filler like “Dear [Name]” or “Having trouble viewing this email?”. Instead, write something that adds context or curiosity, a second headline that complements the subject line and encourages the open.

“The preview text is often that wasted bit that people don’t use underneath. And it’s just another chance to sell what you’ve got in that newsletter.”

Ashlynne McGhee, The Conversation

Add a personal note at the top

A short personal line or introduction helps readers connect with you as a person, not just a publication. It can make your newsletter feel warmer and more distinctive.

You don’t need to share much. Explain why this issue matters, or add a small human touch that helps readers feel part of something real. For more about developing a consistent and human tone, see Tone and voice in Chapter Five.

“[When asked about recent improvements] Probably the introduction of the introduction — that’s not that recent now, probably two years ago — but it was about trying to make it a bit more personal and build that relationship with the readers.”

Kim Treasure, Region

Make it easy to scan

Readers often skim before deciding what to read in detail. Keep your layout clean and easy to follow.

Use short paragraphs, subheadings and bullet points. Keep sentences direct and avoid unnecessary intros. Limit each issue to a few key stories so it feels focused, not overwhelming.

“My longest story is probably 400 words. If it’s a really detailed community thing it might be 1,200, but I wouldn’t think more than 20 or 30 people would read that. So you need to cover the bases, but keep it short where you can.”

Greg Day, TWiSK

Design for mobile

Most readers open newsletters on their phone, so design should start with mobile in mind. A layout that looks fine on one device can break on another, especially in dark mode or on smaller screens.

Keep your design simple. Use a single column, clear buttons, and enough spacing for easy tapping. Aim for body text around 16 pixels to keep it easy to read on all devices. Avoid heavy images or elements that only suit desktop width.

Gmail may clip long emails if the HTML code exceeds about 102 KB, hiding the rest behind a “Message clipped” link. This can affect how your newsletter displays and which parts readers see. Keeping templates lean and testing for size helps avoid this.

Before you send, preview your newsletter on your phone and desktop, and if possible, send a test email to a few others to check how it looks across devices, browsers, screen sizes and colour settings. Many platforms include this feature, and external tools such as Litmus can also help you test across multiple environments.

“About 80 per cent of site traffic’s on mobile, so we keep that in mind.”

Darryl Olson, Sunshine Coast News

Use a simple template

Simple layouts are faster to build, easier to maintain and less likely to break on different devices or in dark mode. Prioritise clarity over decoration. For more about building layouts that save time and stay consistent, see Low-effort design templates in Chapter Three.

“Content over design wins.”

Annabelle Hickson, Galah

Send a welcome email after sign-up

A short welcome helps new subscribers know what to expect and how to keep your emails visible. Include a friendly hello, your sending cadence, and one or two links that show your best work. For more about what to include and examples, see Welcome emails in Chapter Four.

“On Substack we only get one welcome email, but on Beehiiv I can build automations.”

Miko Santos, Mencari

Keep your list clean

Remove chronically inactive subscribers and fix bounces. This helps deliverability, protects your sender reputation and improves your metrics. You can also set up simple rules or automations to flag subscribers who haven’t opened or clicked for a set period, or automatically suppress bounced addresses. This keeps your list healthy on an ongoing basis instead of relying on a yearly clean. See List health and segmentation in Chapter Four for more on managing your list and improving deliverability over time.

“It’s usually like a once a year job… we’ll do a big list clean and sort of get rid of like ghosts and zombies.”

Louise Cornegé, The Conversation

Pay attention to your analytics

Your open and click rates won’t tell the whole story, but they’ll point you in the right direction. Check them over a few editions, see what people respond to, and adjust things like headlines or timing as you go. For more about interpreting performance trends and applying insights, see Reading your data in Chapter Seven.

“We track open rates, click rates, sign-ups, unsubscribes so you can spot trends and see where things might be making a difference.”

Louise Cornegé, The Conversation

Small changes can spark improvement, but real progress comes from consistency. A newsletter only works if it can keep going. The most effective publishers treat it as part of their weekly rhythm, not an extra task squeezed in at the end. Sustainability means designing a workflow your team can maintain. It should work during both quiet weeks and busy ones.

Workflows that fit small teams

Many LINA members publish with small or part-time teams. Their systems are simple but deliberate: one person drafts, another reviews, and a shared checklist or calendar keeps everyone on track. What matters most is repeatability. A workflow that runs smoothly at your current size will still work as your newsroom grows.

Assigning roles

Define who is responsible for each stage: writing, checking links, proofreading, sending, and tracking results. In small teams, one person may hold more than one of these roles, but there should always be clarity about who signs off each edition. That clarity prevents errors and helps maintain tone and consistency.

“We have a newsletter editor who puts together a general news roundup, a what’s on guide, and a section called In the Flock.”

Annabelle Hickson, Galah

Low-effort design templates

A sustainable newsletter isn’t redesigned every week. Build a simple, readable template and reuse it. Many rely on saved blocks for regular sections such as top stories, community updates, or events. This not only saves time but helps readers recognise familiar patterns. Accessibility and readability in both light and dark modes should guide your design choices.

“Our journalists populate the template — it takes a few minutes, they add story links, adjust headlines, and schedule it to go out at 11 am daily.”

Darryl Olson, Sunshine Coast News

Design with accessibility in mind so your newsletter works well for all readers, including those using screen readers or high-contrast settings. Use clear headings, strong colour contrast, descriptive link text, and alt text for images. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide useful principles and examples.

Think carefully about typography and whitespace. Use consistent, readable fonts, ideally just one or two throughout your newsletter. Avoid decorative styles or unnecessary font changes. Ample white space helps readers scan, especially on mobile or across email clients.

“Changed the layout considerably… quite visual with a lot more kind of graphics with text overlay rather than a lot of copy… we’re going to give that a trial for a couple of months.”

Rebecca Guest, The Fold

Images and photos

Photos and graphics can make a newsletter more engaging and help communicate your tone and brand. Use them carefully so they support your stories rather than slow them down or create legal risks.

“We’ve customised a fair bit… I just wanted to make it look nice, and the visual stuff’s really important for Galah, but not too much work.”

Annabelle Hickson, Galah

Keep file sizes small so emails load quickly, especially on mobile. A width of around 600 pixels usually works well for full-width images. Use JPGs for photographs and PNGs for logos or graphics that need clear edges or transparency. Limit the number of large images in each issue to avoid long load times and the risk of triggering spam filters.

Always include alt text or captions so readers understand the image even if it does not display. This supports accessibility and improves clarity for readers using screen readers or text-only views.

Check that you have the right to use every image. This may come from your own newsroom’s photographers, a wire service, a stock library, or a Creative Commons licence that allows reuse. Keep a record of permissions or licences for each image.

Take particular care when photos include identifiable people or private locations. If an image could be used in a promotional or fundraising context rather than pure reporting, you may need written consent or a model release from those shown. For children or vulnerable people, obtain consent from a parent or guardian.

Choose images that fit your publication’s style and purpose. Consistent framing, tone and colour help readers recognise your brand and build trust in its professionalism.

Choosing the right platform

The best platform is one that suits your team and keeps things simple. Before choosing, take a moment to identify what you need from your email platform. You might want to send a welcome series for new subscribers, create audience segments for targeted content, offer flexible unsubscribe and preference options, or simply cover the basics. Most tools can deliver newsletters reliably, but they differ in cost, design options, ease of use and monetisation features.

The platforms listed below are commonly used by publishers, but they are not recommendations or a complete list. If you use another platform that works well for your newsroom, let us know as it may help other publishers too. Choose the tool that fits your needs and budget.

Frequency and consistency

Decide how often you can realistically send. Weekly, fortnightly, or monthly can all work. What matters is reliability. Regular sends build habit among readers and discipline among staff. Several LINA members said that once they set a schedule and stuck to it, production became easier and audience engagement improved. If capacity drops, it is better to scale back than to disappear for a while

See also Chapter Five: Keeping readers engaged, which covers building reader habits once you’ve set your rhythm.

Staying compliant

Always make it clear how people join and leave your list. Under the Australian Spam Act, subscribers must give consent, and every email must identify your organisation and include a working unsubscribe link. The Privacy Act also covers how personal information is collected and stored. For most small publishers using off-the-shelf platforms such as Mailchimp, Ghost, or Substack, these basics are built in, but it is still important to understand your responsibilities.

“We’re very clear about making it easy to unsubscribe, we won’t sell on details, it’s very much about being open and upfront with our audience.”

Kim Treasure, Region

Compliance is part of building trust with your audience. Use clear sign-up forms, avoid pre-ticked boxes, and make sure every unsubscribe request is actioned quickly (within five working days, as required by law).

Consider using a double opt-in process, where new subscribers confirm their sign-up by clicking a link in a follow-up email. It’s not required under Australian law but is widely encouraged as best practice. Double opt-in helps prevent spam complaints, keeps your list accurate, and improves deliverability.

If you publish multiple newsletters, let readers choose which ones they want rather than adding them automatically. Review your privacy statement occasionally to ensure it reflects what you actually do. LINA provides a Privacy Policy template to help newsrooms meet these obligations.

Know the rules

Australia’s main laws are the Spam Act 2003 and the Privacy Act 1988. These cover consent, identification, data use, and unsubscribe requirements. The rules are less strict than the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), introduced in 2018, which requires explicit consent and gives people broad rights to access or erase their data. Other regions have their own versions, like Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation and the US CAN-SPAM Act, but these focus mainly on email compliance rather than broader data rights.

Australia is now reviewing and updating its privacy framework, with further reforms expected to strengthen consent rules and extend coverage to more organisations. Publishers who already follow clear opt-in practices and handle data transparently will be well prepared.

A well-crafted newsletter is only valuable if people receive it. After focusing on content and compliance in the previous chapter, the next step is to help it reach more of the right readers. Growth is not about chasing the biggest list but building a strong, relevant audience that opens, reads, and shares your work.

“The main frustration now is growth plateauing. We’ve built something great, now we need to focus on audience growth.”

Annabelle Hickson, Galah

Sign-up forms and landing pages

Make it easy for people to subscribe, and make the reason clear. Every page should include a visible and simple sign-up option. Avoid small links or cluttered pop-ups. A short line about what readers will get and how often you send it is often enough.

Dedicated landing pages can work better than footers because they focus attention and explain your value. Include an example issue or a few headlines so potential subscribers can see what to expect. Giving people a clear sense of content helps increase sign-ups and reduce and reduce opt-outs or bounced emails later on.

The Conversation really wants you to subscribe

The Conversation makes newsletter sign-ups impossible to miss. Its website highlights subscription options in multiple places and uses the size of its existing audience as social proof. Visitors see calls to subscribe at almost every scroll point.

The result is a consistent reminder that the newsletter is central to The Conversation’s relationship with readers.

Welcome emails

A welcome email should be sent automatically when someone joins. Most platforms let you set this up as an automation so it goes out straight away, without you needing to send it manually. Use it to introduce your publication, share a few key stories, and set expectations for frequency and tone.

Some publishers go further with an automated welcome journey, a short series of triggered emails spaced over several days. For example, the first might send immediately, the second a few days later, and the third soon after that. The first thanks the reader for joining, the next shares your most popular or representative content from the past few weeks or months, and another explains your mission or invites feedback. This early contact helps new readers understand your voice, builds trust, and reduces unsubscribes later on.

Some also include links to explore your website, download your app, or connect through other channels. Others invite readers to take part by sending story ideas or completing a short survey.

Welcome email examples

A short, personal note from the editor helps new readers feel welcome and connected from the start.

Getting into the primary inbox

Several publishers also use their welcome email to help readers make sure future newsletters reach their inbox. This can be as simple as suggesting they reply to the first email or add the sender to their contacts. Some include quick steps for Gmail and Apple Mail users, such as moving the email to the Primary tab or adding it to VIPs. These small prompts take seconds for the reader but can make a big difference in deliverability and open rates.

If your newsletter often goes to workplaces, schools, councils or other organisations, you can also suggest that readers ask their IT team to whitelist your sending domain. Business and government networks sometimes use stricter spam filters or security gateways that can block or divert bulk emails. Strong technical settings also support deliverability and reduce the risk of messages being flagged as spam. See the Technical Checks section in Chapter Seven.

Website embeds, social plugs, print mentions, cross-promotion

Use every channel you already have. Add sign-up boxes on your homepage, article pages, and contact forms. Mention the newsletter in your print edition, radio programs, or podcasts. On social media, share posts that invite followers to subscribe, not just to click on stories.

“Every time Ash’s team does a set of tiles on Instagram, they’ll have one at the end that’s, like, sign up to our newsletter… Anytime there’s any sort of touch point with our audience, that’s what we’re pushing. Newsletters, newsletters, newsletters, sign up, sign up, sign up… then we can talk to them about becoming a donor.”

Louise Cornegé, The Conversation

Competitions, surveys and interactive content such as quizzes can also help attract new readers. These work best when the sign-up option is clear and optional rather than automatic.

“We also run a weekly quiz that’s quite popular. At the end of the quiz there’s an opportunity to sign up. So we just kind of keep presenting it to people as many times as we can.”

Kim Treasure, Region

Cross-promotion works well among trusted publishers. Sharing a short note about another local or topic-aligned newsletter can help both of you reach new, engaged readers. Some platforms, such as Substack, include built-in recommendation tools that make it easy to promote each other’s newsletters to compatible audiences.

Beyond your own channels, look for online spaces where your audience already gathers. Reddit can be a useful discovery space, especially for local or issue-based publishers, but only if you play by the rules. Many subreddits discourage or ban self-promotion, so it’s better to start by participating in discussions, asking questions, and contributing to community threads. Once you’ve built trust, you can occasionally share your own stories in context, such as inviting feedback or discussion on a local issue. Some publishers also use Reddit Pro tools to identify relevant communities, share articles via RSS, and track how posts perform.

Word of mouth and referrals

The most reliable way to grow is often the simplest: readers telling other readers. Add small prompts like “Forward to a friend” or “Share this link to sign up.” Encourage contributors, partners, and staff to share your newsletter within their own circles.

Referral tools can help, but personal recommendations are usually more effective. People subscribe when they hear genuine enthusiasm from someone they trust.

How LINA members get readers to sign up

Different approaches work for different publishers. The Conversation places sign-up options across its site, matched to topic areas. Sunshine Coast News puts its newsletter link at the top of the homepage and on every story. Australian Rural & Regional News uses a simple one-click form to reduce barriers to entry.

Most publishers find that clear, visible sign-up options work best. Place a form near the top of your homepage, add one at the end of stories where readers are already engaged, and include a link on your About or Contact pages. A short pop-up or slide-in that appears after a reader has spent some time on the site can also be effective. Keep it quick and easy to subscribe without disrupting the reading experience.

Start with one clear, easy-to-find form, then review what drives the most sign-ups and refine your layout and messaging over time.

Other ways to grow sign-ups

Email collection does not have to happen only online. Some publishers collect sign-ups at community events, while others use QR codes on posters or merchandise to make subscribing quick and easy on a phone. Tablets or laptops can also be used, but each person must complete the opt-in form themselves.

“When we do events, we hand out postcards with QR codes. Or we’ll have it on the screen.”

Louise Cornegé, The Conversation

Under the Spam Act 2003, you need express consent before adding anyone to your list. A short collection notice should explain why you are collecting the address, how it will be used, and include a link or reference to your privacy policy. The person must actively agree to receive emails, and you should keep a record of that consent.

If you also publish a print edition, use QR codes to connect print readers with your newsletter. Place a code where readers naturally pause, such as on the cover, beside a feature story or in a margin. Add a short prompt like “Scan to subscribe” or “Join our email list” and link it to a simple, mobile-friendly form. Test the code at print size to make sure it scans easily and track how many people sign up through it.

However you collect emails, be transparent about what people are signing up for and make it easy to unsubscribe at any time.

List health and segmentation

Keeping your list clean isn’t just about tidiness. It affects how reliably your newsletters reach inboxes, how much you pay your platform provider, and how relevant your content feels to readers.

A healthy list matters more than a large one. Review your list regularly to spot readers with no opens or clicks, try a re-engagement journey with them, and if they remain inactive, consider removing them. This keeps your deliverability strong and your data meaningful. Many email platforms let you automate parts of this process by flagging or suppressing inactive subscribers and bounced addresses.

“I prefer to just have a smaller, higher open rate… and maintain open rates.”

Rebecca Guest, The Fold

Before removing inactive subscribers, consider sending a short re-engagement email to people who haven’t opened in a while, such as six months. It might include a few of your most popular articles from the past month as a reminder of what they’re missing and an easy option to stay subscribed.

Gmail’s subscription-management feature helps users declutter their inboxes and may prompt them to unsubscribe from senders they haven’t opened recently, so re-engaging inactive readers helps you stay in their inbox.

“We also have re-engagement journeys… if people move into that unengaged bucket… we’ll send them an email saying, you know, we’re still here. Here’s what you’ll miss.”

Louise Cornegé, The Conversation

Segmenting your list can improve engagement by sending readers only what interests them. You might group by region, topic, or how often people open your emails. Watching these patterns will show which audiences are most active and help you decide where to focus future growth. If your platform allows, you can also use segmentation to personalise subject lines or content for different groups. This kind of personalisation often lifts engagement metrics and can support better monetisation over time.

“We’ve… segmented the database so that you’ve got an active list and then a lapsed list and then a never opened list… if no one opens it for… three months, we will do the cleaning. Lapsed is… anyone that’s opened… in the last six months… We may do different subject lines… a bit of a funnel for re-engagement… asking for some feedback.”

Ella Walsh, Pinstripe Media

Different newsletters earn in different ways. Ads, memberships and reader support can all work, as long as they fit your audience and feel true to your publication.

“We keep it simple: one ad slot per newsletter. The advertiser gets a short feature and a mention, no hidden editorials.”

Annabelle Hickson, Galah

Sponsorships and ads

Sell space within the newsletter to local businesses, organisations or aligned brands. This can be managed directly or through an advertising platform. Many publishers include the newsletter as part of a broader sponsorship package across web, social or print.

Solus or sponsored emails

Solus EDMs (Electronic Direct Mail) are standalone marketing emails sent to your full subscriber list on behalf of a sponsor. The word solus means alone, reflecting that these are single-purpose sends separate from your regular newsletter. To protect your newsletter audience, use a separate opt-out or preference option for sponsored emails. Most email platforms make this simple to set up through segmentation or tags.

“We can monetise our newsletters in two ways. One is with a sponsorship… and then we also sell solus EDMs. So that’s a top-to-bottom marketing message that goes to our database. We only do that once a week… they’re sold at a premium.”

Ella Walsh, Pinstripe Media

Paid subscriptions or memberships

Offer exclusive editions or bonus content to paying readers. Platforms such as Substack and Ghost provide simple built-in tools for this model.

“I used to use Mailchimp, but I’ve switched to Substack because it’s easier to do the revenue raising. Substack charges me about 20 per cent of what people pay in subscriptions, but it’s super easy to manage.”

Greg Day, TWiSK

“Sometimes we put paywalls on in-depth analysis, but most of it is free. We ask readers to support us.”

Miko Santos, Mencari

Classifieds and listings

Publish short paid notices for jobs, housing, services or community events, often effective for local or niche audiences. Some publishers also offer free community listings to build goodwill and raise awareness of future advertising opportunities.

“We also have an events board… and we have a jobs board… that has been a good revenue raiser for a number of years.”

Louise Cornegé, The Conversation

Events, courses or services

Use the newsletter to promote and sell your own events, workshops or services, such as training or consulting, as part of your broader business model. As well as bringing in income, events can build loyalty and attract new subscribers by creating meaningful connections with your audience.

“I’ve run face-to-face candidate forums. I invest in good livestreams and recordings so the audio and video are professional. People say, I don’t know who to vote for, and their friends say, go to Twisk, it’s all there.”

Greg Day, TWiSK

Donations and reader support

Invite voluntary contributions or link to your wider membership program to help sustain your work. This model, used by larger publishers such as The Guardian, relies on readers choosing to support journalism they value rather than paying for access.

“We put this cute little love-heart emoji next to some people’s names when they’re a donor to The Conversation… We get a huge number of clicks on that little love heart. It takes them straight to the ‘become a friend, donate to us’ page.”

Ashlynne McGhee, The Conversation