Email newsletter workflows for journalists and researchers. Use when creating, managing, or optimizing email newsletters, building subscriber lists, designing email templates, analyzing engagement metrics, or planning newsletter content calendars. Essential for independent journalists, academic communicators, and media organizations building direct audience relationships.
Practical workflows for building and managing email newsletters for journalism and academia.
## Newsletter strategy document
### Core identity
- **Name**:
- **Tagline** (one line):
- **What readers get**: [specific value proposition]
- **Frequency**: [ ] Daily [ ] Weekly [ ] Bi-weekly [ ] Monthly
### Target audience
- Primary reader:
- What they care about:
- Why they'll subscribe:
- What they'll do with this info:
### Content pillars
1. [Core topic 1] - [how often]
2. [Core topic 2] - [how often]
3. [Recurring feature] - [how often]
### Voice and tone
- Formal ↔ Conversational: [1-5]
- Serious ↔ Light: [1-5]
- Reported ↔ Personal: [1-5]
### Success metrics (first 6 months)
- Subscriber goal:
- Target open rate:
- Target click rate:
## [Newsletter Name] - Issue #[XX]
**Date**: [Date]
**Subject line**: [Subject]
**Preview text**: [First 50-90 characters readers see]
---
### Opening hook
[2-3 sentences that make readers want to keep reading]
### Main story
[Your primary content - 300-600 words for most newsletters]
### Secondary items (if applicable)
- **Quick hit 1**: [Brief item with link]
- **Quick hit 2**: [Brief item with link]
### Recurring section
[Weekly column, data point, recommendation, etc.]
### Sign-off
[Personal note, call to action, or preview of next issue]
---
**Unsubscribe** | **Preferences** | **Forward to a friend**
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>{{newsletter_name}}</title>
<style>
/* Reset styles for email clients */
body { margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; }
table { border-collapse: collapse; }
img { border: 0; display: block; }
/* Responsive container */
.container {
max-width: 600px;
margin: 0 auto;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
font-size: 18px;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #333;
}
/* Dark mode support */
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
.container { background-color: #1a1a1a; color: #e0e0e0; }
a { color: #6db3f2; }
}
/* Mobile styles */
@media only screen and (max-width: 480px) {
.container { padding: 15px !important; }
h1 { font-size: 24px !important; }
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<table role="presentation" width="100%">
<tr>
<td align="center" style="padding: 20px;">
<div class="container">
<!-- Header -->
<table width="100%">
<tr>
<td style="padding-bottom: 20px; border-bottom: 2px solid #333;">
<h1 style="margin: 0;">{{newsletter_name}}</h1>
<p style="margin: 5px 0 0; color: #666;">{{issue_date}}</p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- Content -->
<table width="100%">
<tr>
<td style="padding: 30px 0;">
{{content}}
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- Footer -->
<table width="100%">
<tr>
<td style="padding-top: 20px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; font-size: 14px; color: #666;">
<p>You're receiving this because you subscribed to {{newsletter_name}}.</p>
<p>
<a href="{{unsubscribe_url}}">Unsubscribe</a> |
<a href="{{preferences_url}}">Update preferences</a>
</p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
from dataclasses import dataclass, field
from datetime import datetime
from typing import List, Dict, Optional
from enum import Enum
import hashlib
class SubscriberStatus(Enum):
ACTIVE = "active"
UNSUBSCRIBED = "unsubscribed"
BOUNCED = "bounced"
COMPLAINED = "complained"
@dataclass
class Subscriber:
email: str
name: Optional[str] = None
subscribed_at: datetime = field(default_factory=datetime.now)
status: SubscriberStatus = SubscriberStatus.ACTIVE
tags: List[str] = field(default_factory=list)
custom_fields: Dict = field(default_factory=dict)
@property
def hash_id(self) -> str:
"""Generate unique ID for unsubscribe links."""
return hashlib.md5(self.email.encode()).hexdigest()[:12]
@dataclass
class NewsletterIssue:
subject: str
preview_text: str
html_content: str
plain_text: str
scheduled_at: Optional[datetime] = None
sent_at: Optional[datetime] = None
issue_number: int = 0
# Metrics
sent_count: int = 0
delivered_count: int = 0
opened_count: int = 0
clicked_count: int = 0
bounced_count: int = 0
unsubscribed_count: int = 0
@property
def open_rate(self) -> float:
if self.delivered_count == 0:
return 0.0
return (self.opened_count / self.delivered_count) * 100
@property
def click_rate(self) -> float:
if self.delivered_count == 0:
return 0.0
return (self.clicked_count / self.delivered_count) * 100
class NewsletterManager:
"""Core newsletter operations."""
def __init__(self, name: str):
self.name = name
self.subscribers: List[Subscriber] = []
self.issues: List[NewsletterIssue] = []
def add_subscriber(self, email: str, name: str = None,
tags: List[str] = None) -> Subscriber:
"""Add new subscriber with double opt-in pending."""
sub = Subscriber(
email=email.lower().strip(),
name=name,
tags=tags or []
)
self.subscribers.append(sub)
return sub
def segment_subscribers(self, tags: List[str] = None,
min_engagement: float = None) -> List[Subscriber]:
"""Get subscribers matching criteria."""
active = [s for s in self.subscribers
if s.status == SubscriberStatus.ACTIVE]
if tags:
active = [s for s in active
if any(t in s.tags for t in tags)]
return active
def calculate_engagement_score(self, subscriber: Subscriber) -> float:
"""Score subscriber engagement 0-100."""
# Implementation would track opens/clicks per subscriber
return 50.0 # Placeholder
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
def clean_subscriber_list(manager: NewsletterManager,
inactive_threshold_days: int = 180) -> dict:
"""Identify and handle inactive subscribers."""
cutoff = datetime.now() - timedelta(days=inactive_threshold_days)
results = {
'total': len(manager.subscribers),
'active': 0,
'inactive': [],
'bounced': [],
'unsubscribed': []
}
for sub in manager.subscribers:
if sub.status == SubscriberStatus.BOUNCED:
results['bounced'].append(sub.email)
elif sub.status == SubscriberStatus.UNSUBSCRIBED:
results['unsubscribed'].append(sub.email)
elif sub.status == SubscriberStatus.ACTIVE:
# Check last engagement
engagement = manager.calculate_engagement_score(sub)
if engagement < 10: # Very low engagement
results['inactive'].append(sub.email)
else:
results['active'] += 1
return results
def run_reengagement_campaign(inactive_subscribers: List[str]) -> None:
"""Send win-back campaign to inactive subscribers."""
# Send "We miss you" campaign
# If no engagement after 2 attempts, mark for removal
pass
## Recommended segments
### By engagement
- **VIPs**: Open rate > 80%, always click
- **Engaged**: Open rate 40-80%
- **Casual**: Open rate 10-40%
- **At-risk**: Haven't opened in 90 days
- **Inactive**: Haven't opened in 180 days
### By interest (tag-based)
- Topic preferences from signup
- Content they've clicked
- Surveys/polls they've answered
### By source
- Organic (website signup)
- Referral (forwarded by friend)
- Social media
- Paywall/registration wall
## Subject line formulas that work
### For news/journalism
- **Breaking format**: "Breaking: [Concise news]"
- **Numbers**: "[X] things we learned about [topic]"
- **Question**: "Why did [entity] do [thing]?"
- **Direct**: "[Topic]: What you need to know"
### For analysis/opinion
- **Take**: "The real story behind [event]"
- **Contrarian**: "Why everyone is wrong about [topic]"
- **Insider**: "What [industry] insiders know about [topic]"
### What to avoid
- ALL CAPS
- Excessive punctuation!!!
- Clickbait that doesn't deliver
- Spam trigger words (FREE, URGENT, ACT NOW)
- Misleading preview text
import random
from typing import List, Tuple
def ab_test_subject_lines(subscribers: List[Subscriber],
subject_a: str,
subject_b: str,
test_percentage: float = 0.2) -> dict:
"""
Test two subject lines on subset before full send.
"""
test_size = int(len(subscribers) * test_percentage)
test_group = random.sample(subscribers, test_size)
# Split test group
half = len(test_group) // 2
group_a = test_group[:half]
group_b = test_group[half:]
remaining = [s for s in subscribers if s not in test_group]
return {
'group_a': {
'subject': subject_a,
'subscribers': group_a,
'size': len(group_a)
},
'group_b': {
'subject': subject_b,
'subscribers': group_b,
'size': len(group_b)
},
'remaining': {
'subscribers': remaining,
'size': len(remaining),
'note': 'Send winner to this group after test period'
},
'test_duration_hours': 4
}
## DNS records for deliverability
### SPF record
v=spf1 include:_spf.youresp.com ~all
### DKIM
- Generate keys through your ESP
- Add TXT record with public key
- Verify signature is applied to outgoing mail
### DMARC
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:[email protected]
### Checklist before sending
- [ ] SPF, DKIM, DMARC configured
- [ ] Sending domain warmed up
- [ ] List is clean (no hard bounces)
- [ ] Unsubscribe link works
- [ ] Physical address in footer (CAN-SPAM)
- [ ] Test email received in inbox (not spam)
## Before you send
### Content checks
- [ ] No spam trigger words
- [ ] Text-to-image ratio good (mostly text)
- [ ] All links are to reputable domains
- [ ] No URL shorteners (use full links)
- [ ] Plain text version included
### Technical checks
- [ ] From address matches sending domain
- [ ] Reply-to address is monitored
- [ ] Preheader text is set
- [ ] Images have alt text
- [ ] Links are not broken
from dataclasses import dataclass
@dataclass
class NewsletterAnalytics:
"""Track newsletter performance over time."""
issue: NewsletterIssue
def summary(self) -> dict:
return {
'issue_number': self.issue.issue_number,
'sent': self.issue.sent_count,
'delivered': self.issue.delivered_count,
'delivery_rate': self._pct(self.issue.delivered_count,
self.issue.sent_count),
'opens': self.issue.opened_count,
'open_rate': self.issue.open_rate,
'clicks': self.issue.clicked_count,
'click_rate': self.issue.click_rate,
'click_to_open': self._pct(self.issue.clicked_count,
self.issue.opened_count),
'unsubscribes': self.issue.unsubscribed_count,
'unsubscribe_rate': self._pct(self.issue.unsubscribed_count,
self.issue.delivered_count),
}
def _pct(self, numerator: int, denominator: int) -> float:
if denominator == 0:
return 0.0
return round((numerator / denominator) * 100, 2)
# Benchmarks (journalism newsletters)
BENCHMARKS = {
'open_rate': {'good': 40, 'excellent': 55},
'click_rate': {'good': 4, 'excellent': 8},
'unsubscribe_rate': {'acceptable': 0.5, 'concerning': 1.0},
}
| Platform | Best for | Pricing model | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | Writer-first, paid subs | Revenue share | Built-in payments |
| Buttondown | Developers, minimal | Per subscriber | Markdown native |
| Ghost | Publishers, memberships | Flat fee | Full CMS included |
| beehiiv | Growth-focused | Freemium | Referral tools |
| ConvertKit | Creators | Per subscriber | Automation |
| Mailchimp | Small orgs | Tiered | Easy templates |
- [ ] Accurate "From" name and email
- [ ] Non-deceptive subject line
- [ ] Physical postal address included
- [ ] Working unsubscribe mechanism
- [ ] Unsubscribe honored within 10 days
- [ ] No purchased lists
- [ ] Explicit consent obtained (not pre-checked)
- [ ] Clear privacy policy linked
- [ ] Easy unsubscribe process
- [ ] Data export available on request
- [ ] Data deletion on request
- [ ] Record of consent stored
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.0.0 |
| Created | 2025-12-26 |
| Author | Claude Skills for Journalism |
| Domain | Publishing, Marketing |
| Complexity | Intermediate |