Newsletter Engagement Tips

Email may not feel as shiny as social media or the latest marketing app, but it’s still one of the most powerful tools to reach and engage an audience. The difference between a newsletter that gets ignored and one that people look forward to every time it hits their inbox comes down to clarity, relevance, and trust.

I’ve had the chance to build and manage newsletters in very different fields—from investor communications at Finhaven to the Emotional Health Newsletter with Dr. Sue Johnson—and the lessons carry across industries. Here’s what I’ve learned about creating newsletters that people actually read.

Standing out in the inbox.

1. Start With Strategy, Not Just Content

At Finhaven, the first challenge was launching a brand-new newsletter from scratch. Rather than sending generic company updates, I framed the newsletter as a resource for early investors and blockchain enthusiasts. The content focused on investor education, platform updates, and market insights—topics our readers truly cared about.

Result? A list that grew from zero to 200 engaged readers with open rates above 30%, positioning Finhaven as an authority in regulated digital securities.

Takeaway: Define your newsletter’s role before you draft a single subject line. Who is it for? What problem does it solve?

2. Make Your Subject Lines Do the Heavy Lifting

Your subject line is the difference between an opened email and one that gets buried. At Dr. Sue Johnson’s Emotional Health Newsletter, I found that subject lines that spoke directly to a reader’s needs (“How to Rebuild Trust in Your Relationship”) consistently outperformed generic headlines (“October Newsletter”).

Tips for subject lines:

• Keep them under 50 characters.

• Use action-oriented language.

• Spark curiosity, but deliver on the promise.
  

3. Keep Structure Simple and Scannable

Nobody wants to read a wall of text in their inbox. At both Finhaven and with Dr. Johnson, I kept a clean format:

• Short intro to set context.

• 1–2 main articles or insights (never too many competing pieces).

• Clear call to action (read more, register, reply).

The goal was always to provide value in under five minutes.

Newsletters people want to read.

4. Create Engagement Loops

One of the most effective ways I drove engagement was through giveaways. For Dr. Johnson’s Emotional Health Newsletter, I invited readers to participate by sharing their thoughts or answering a simple question in exchange for the chance to win a book or free audiobook.

The response was incredible — more than 30 people replied, many saying how much they liked the newsletter and how they looked forward to the next issue. It wasn’t just about the giveaway; it was about creating a sense of conversation and community.

Takeaway: Build two-way communication into your newsletters to get better newsletter engagement. People don’t just want to be informed — they want to be heard.

5. Segment When Possible

Not all readers want the same thing. With Dr. Johnson’s audience, therapists and mental health professionals had different interests than general readers. Tailoring content—even slightly—improved engagement.

If you don’t have resources to create multiple versions, at least tag your audience so you can evolve over time.

The building blocks of engagement.

6. Focus on Relationships, Not Just Metrics

Yes, open and click-through rates matter. But the real success of a newsletter is when people reply, forward it, or say, “I always read this.” That’s when you know you’re building trust and loyalty.

Newsletter Engagement Final Thoughts

The secret to a successful newsletter isn’t really a secret: understand your audience, respect their time, and give them something worth opening.

Whether you’re reaching investors, professionals, or everyday readers, a thoughtful newsletter can become one of the strongest bridges between your brand and your community.