You may have already seen the offer of this type of newsletter to earn discounts, access exclusive content or not miss any news, but do you know for sure what a newsletter is and its role within an inbound marketing strategy?
Essential to reach an audience willing to qualify, it is with this element that contacts can learn more about the company's work, the products offered or the unmissable promotions.
To know what a newsletter is and how it works, its role in marketing, tips for creating yours and mistakes to avoid, check out this post in its entirety below!
What we will see in the post:
- What is a newsletter?
- How does the newsletter work?;
- Main uses of a newsletter;
- Informational newsletter;
- Promotional newsletter;
- Educational newsletter;
- The 8 best practices of how to make a successful newsletter;
- Be friendly;
- Organize your email rule;
- Don't forget to segment your base!;
- Be mobile friendly;
- Provide a subscribe button;
- Humanize your communication to strengthen the relationship;
- Invest in automation;
- Layout is also essential in News;
- Avoid these mistakes in your newsletter planning;
- Sending the newsletter to contacts who have not signed up;
- Not analyzing your results;
- Submit materials with grammatical errors;
- Start growing and nurturing your base with a newsletter!
What is a newsletter?
A newsletter is a type of email marketing, created to nurture your base with rich content. Fired with a defined frequency, this is a format designed to strengthen the relationship with the customer, providing different materials on a given topic for free.
Although a newsletter uses email as its channel, its purpose is not the same as a promotional email blast. It prioritizes relationship building and recurring value (informative, educational, or curated content), while promotional campaigns focus on offers and immediate conversion.
By making this difference between newsletters and email marketing clear in your editorial proposal, you manage expectations, reduce noise, and improve engagement over time.
The basic principle is to capture leads, however, this strategy goes further, enabling a more differentiated contact with your potential customers. With an email list created after converting visitors into leads, you can use the strategy to take the consumer beyond their buying journey.
This type of content production is already widely used and is increasingly part of the marketing investment because of its potential and reach.
Image: What is a newsletter and how to use it effectively?
How does the newsletter work?
Basically, a newsletter needs a few steps to be followed before reaching the user as a final product. For this, first the text is produced and, if applicable, add an image. Then, the email is inserted into the email flow to trigger and deliver to newsletter subscribers.
With technology, it is possible to optimize the process so that everything is automated, facilitating the day to day and enabling immediate delivery, for example, when uploading content on the blog.
In addition to generating visits, a consistent newsletter strengthens retention and loyalty by keeping the brand present with expected and useful content. When the edition delivers value in itself — and not just clicks— the reader begins to look forward to the next mailing, which improves engagement and medium-term results.
This relationship-oriented approach is highlighted in current guides on what a newsletter is and how to extract more value from the channel.
Its main function is to serve as a user magnet for the site, always directing its gaze to the platform where it can be fed with other content or even make a purchase.
Main uses of a newsletter
For this type of email marketing there are some deliveries that differ according to intent and content. Today, we list the three main types of newsletter that are most used in the national and international market as a whole.
Check out our list and try to identify the model that best suits your business.
Informational newsletter
This type of content is one of the most common. This newsletter is mainly used for the dissemination of news. It is also possible to find agencies offering this type of delivery for the dissemination of weekly or monthly news with exclusive content, as is the case of The Intercept Brasil.
Generally, subscribers to this type of material also receive the article in advance or exclusively, all this so that more people are attracted to this type of proposal. This content production is so valuable that it is worth dedicating efforts just to achieve this result.
Promotional newsletter
Common for ecommerces, the promotional newsletter has a greater focus on the dissemination of products, offers and promotions in general, being an excellent tool to feed the base. It is common for a discount or coupon to be offered to those users who sign up.
However, you need to use this email marketing wisely and sparingly so as not to fill the lead's email inbox, becoming uncomfortable content for your audience.
Educational newsletter
As the name implies, this type of newsletter is launched with the aim of educating users about a certain subject or segment.
This model is interesting because of the possibility of promoting blog posts or websites, enriching the user's baggage and maintaining a relationship of interest and reliability there. In addition, of course, to keep you connected to the user, showing that you are an authority on the subject.
The 8 best practices of how to make a successful newsletter
Now that you understand the concept and functionality of a newsletter, it's time to learn some valuable practices to make your News a success. With the right actions, you can nurture your base and convert your leads into customers!
To find out how to get to that moment, read now the 8 golden tips we've separated for you!
Be friendly
Every friendly action counts positive points with your audience. So, be friendly in all communication. But how? It's simple, invest in actions such as:
- Welcome messages;
- Customizable automations with the recipient's name;
- More personal messages;
- Always start with warm greetings.
By inserting this into your creation routine, the user will be more likely to interact with the content and read frequently. Value and work well with your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to reap good results from this relationship that is under construction.
Organize your email rule
Constancy is synonymous with good results. The premise is simple and part of something very important, which is keeping in the reader's memory. If you take too long to send, it is possible that the user will lose interest and end up forgetting your brand.
You need to delimit your submissions, organize them according to the frequency that best suits the case and put it into practice!
All this implies the maintenance and construction of a positive relationship between company and user. There is no rule for this, but it is interesting that at least one Newsletter is launched per month. On a case-by-case basis, analyze the temporal need and adjust your planning.
Read too:
- Automation: how to create a purchase flow in 5 standards!;
- How to create a landing page? 7 best practices!;
- Blog Posts: the 6 most common mistakes when publishing.
Don't forget to segment your base!
You need to understand, first of all, who are the people you are talking to. Even with pre-defined personas, study your subscribers to understand the best type of content to maintain lead loyalty.
With a well-segmented audience, you can have greater personalization of materials to get even closer to those who are interested in the content and are further along the sales funnel.
Be mobile friendly
Currently, all content created for the digital medium must follow the reading and opening standards also designed for the cell phone screen format, the famous mobile friendly. If most of your readers read emails on their cell phones, you need to take care that the content can be read continuously and scanned.
Even if you only have one reader who opens it on their cell phone, you still need to offer quality material. So, don't forget to check out the content in different formats for the most varied screens. Avoid your user's frustration when they find it difficult to read or open a link in your News.
Provide an unsubscribe button.
A key factor for a good customer relationship is showing friendly behavior. For this, it is necessary to warn that the content can be canceled at any time, thus giving you greater confidence. But calm down, if yours is really good and qualified for this audience, this button will be little used.
To comply with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law), ensure informed consent at the time of subscription (clarity about the type of content, frequency, and the possibility of revoking consent) and maintain a visible unsubscribe button in all emails.
This reduces friction, prevents spam complaints, and demonstrates respect for user preferences. Good privacy practices emphasize that easy opt-out and consent recording are pillars of a sustainable email program.
But, always look at the rate of subscribers who unsubscribe. This way you can understand what can be done to improve results. On the unsubscribe page there is still the possibility of asking a question about the reason for cancellation, so you get more accurate information.
Humanize your communication to strengthen the relationship
When we talk about relationship rules, impersonality is never an ally, mainly because it gives the impression that each subscriber is just a number among many others. This is definitely not the kind of impression you want to give your potential leads, is it?
Therefore, invest in a humanized and customer centric, with a delivery that escapes the “robotic”. Also, it's always good to invest in addresses like:
- naresponda@
- marketing@
- naresponder@
- mail.589@
In addition to these, other variants haunt users' inboxes, but as you intend to build a healthy relationship, these are terms to put in your “DO NOT” list and always remember that.
Communication is personality, the opposite of that is not friendly or capable of generating good results for your brand.
Invest in automation
When we talk about the basis for news, it is often a very large audience. So, how to distribute hands to do this work manually? Today, it is no longer possible to give up technological resources to edit and shoot this content.
Currently, the leader in this type of service is Hubspot, a company that offers various types of automation solutions to thousands of customers around the world.
Implement double opt-in to confirm the subscriber's intent and maintain a cleaner and more engaged database (fewer spam traps and complaints). This process reduces complaints and improves deliverability over time.
Reinforce hygiene with periodic verification, removal of chronically inactive subscribers, and goals anchored in recent open/click benchmarks for your industry.
With it, it is possible to carry out the project from the selection of the base, the editing of the content, the triggering and even the collection of data relevant to the process, in addition to making it possible to carry out A/B tests to optimize the process, that is, it is possible to carry out complete marketing actions.
Layout is also essential in News
Despite the main focus being the existing content in the newsletter, there is no way to leave aside the visual construction of this email. Some criteria must be taken into account when building the layout.
Visual elements such as photos must be well arranged in the body of the news, leaving space without polluting the message. Also, for longer content, invest in more sober backgrounds with few visual elements that can distract the reader.
The newsletter can have different types of size and format, so choose the one that allows a better distribution of the elements on the screen in a harmonious and responsive way.
This type of email marketing also makes it possible to use GIFs in its construction. If it's in line with the brand's positioning and the message to be conveyed, explore these resources!
Avoid these mistakes in your newsletter planning
In the same way that there are good practices to be followed, we can also list actions to be avoided when creating or disseminating newsletter material. The care with the items below are essential for the user to trust the brand and remain interested in order to purchase services.
Check below 3 actions not to repeat in your company!
Sending the newsletter to contacts who have not signed up
As well as sending emails to purchased contacts, sending the Newsletter to users who have not even expressed an interest in this product is unethical and can cause problems for the company's image.
If the user makes their information available to receive this type of contact, it means that they are willing to qualify in the sales funnel. If that doesn't happen, it's no use being invasive and wearing down the relationship with a potential lead that was still at an earlier stage of the funnel.
Therefore, direct your Newsletter emails only to those who have shown interest in receiving this product from your company. Consent is everything!
Not analyzing your results
The newsletter is also a marketing strategy, so it needs recurring analysis to measure performance and better understand its effectiveness in the process.
To this end, there are some metrics about email that can be understood, such as:
- Open rate;
- Click on the links;
- Time on page;
- Hot areas of email;
- Number of clicks on links;
- Number of subscribers on that delivery.
Since Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), email opens have become less reliable, as many Apple Mail users have images pre-loaded, inflating the metric. Therefore, treat clicks (CTR/CTOR) and conversions as your primary indicators, supplementing with heatmaps and reply rate when it makes sense.
Adjust reports and goals to reflect this reality to more accurately assess performance and avoid decisions based on biased data.
Together, this data can provide guidance on content creation and interest level. Based on this information, changes can be applied, but without a real understanding of the metrics, practical results are unlikely to improve.
Submit materials with grammatical errors
We know that this type of review is a fundamental principle for everything that is produced, but it cannot be repeated too often that care must be taken in relation to this item. A Newsletter sent with spelling errors, lack of verbal agreement and even content with confusing sentences can negatively affect the public, therefore, it will not take what was produced seriously.
Not knowing what to say, you also need to know the correct way to say it. So, invest in the correction and production of content and perform double checks whenever possible to ensure the integrity and quality of the material that will be made available to your precious leads.
Start growing and nurturing your base with a newsletter!
Investing in the creation of your newsletter can be your company's turning point in capturing and converting leads. It's time to take advantage of this content and put these tips into practice to implement or leverage what is already done in your news!
Newsletter in inbound marketing: these are the key learnings to create, send, and measure
A newsletter is a recurring email for relationship and ongoing value, not a one-off promotional blast. It nurtures your list with informative, educational, or curated content, driving qualified traffic and supporting conversion.
Common formats: news/informative (updates and analysis), promotional (offers—use sparingly), and educational (guides, links to blog/resources).
To perform, apply 8 pillars: warm welcome and human tone, predictable cadence, interest-based segmentation, mobile-first layout, clear opt-in/opt-out (LGPD compliant), personal sender, automation with A/B tests and double opt-in, and clean design with obvious CTAs.
Avoid sending to non-subscribers, skipping metrics (prioritize clicks/conversions; opens are less reliable with MPP), and grammar mistakes. Expected outcome: higher retention, engagement, and qualified leads, with solid privacy governance and trustworthy measurement.
Did you like this post? Then check out another post as rich as this one and learn “How to make a blog post appear on Google? The 8 tips!”.
Ah, taking advantage of the cue, first of all, subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss any content and stay on top of the most varied subjects about digital content marketing and its innovations!
FAQ – What a Newsletter Is and How to Use It in Inbound Marketing
What is a newsletter?
A newsletter is a recurring email sent at a defined cadence to nurture your list with valuable content, strengthen relationships, and share informative materials about a topic, brand, or product.
How is a newsletter different from promotional emails?
Newsletters prioritize ongoing value and relationship (informational/educational/curated content), while promotional blasts focus on offers and immediate conversion.
How does a newsletter work in practice?
You create the content (text and optionally images), place it in your email flow, and send it to subscribers. With automation, sends can be triggered by blog updates and scheduled routines.
What role does a newsletter play in inbound marketing?
It captures and nurtures leads, deepens contact with potential customers, and drives qualified traffic to your site, supporting the journey toward decision.
What are the main newsletter types?
Informational (news and exclusive content), promotional (products/offers/discounts), and educational (teaches a topic and points to posts and resources).
What are the 8 best practices for a successful newsletter?
-
Be friendly (welcome messages, personalization, warm tone);
-
Keep a consistent send cadence;
-
Segment your list;
-
Be mobile friendly;
-
Provide an unsubscribe button;
-
Humanize communication (avoid no-reply senders);
-
Use automation and A/B tests (plus double opt-in and list hygiene);
-
Design a clean, responsive layout with clear CTAs.
Why is list segmentation important?
It boosts content relevance for each audience, improves engagement and loyalty, and moves leads closer to purchase.
What does mobile friendly mean for newsletters?
Ensure smooth, scannable reading on phones: responsive layout, legible fonts, clear CTAs, and optimized images.
Why is the unsubscribe button essential?
It shows transparency and respect, aligns with privacy best practices (easy opt-out), and reduces spam complaints.
How do you humanize newsletter communication?
Use a personal tone, personalize by name/interest, and avoid generic senders (like “no-reply@”) to strengthen the relationship.
How does automation help with newsletters?
It enables end-to-end flows, sending, and measurement, and supports A/B testing and continuous optimization.
What mistakes should be avoided?
Sending to people who didn’t subscribe; not analyzing results (opens, clicks, conversions, heatmaps, unsubscribes); and publishing grammatical errors.
Which metrics should you track?
Open and click rates, per-link clicks, time on page, email heatmaps, and unsubscribe counts—with special focus on clicks/conversions.
How do you start nurturing your list with a newsletter?
Define your editorial promise, frequency, segmentations, and automations; follow best practices; measure and iterate to increase retention, engagement, and conversions.
Portugal