Newsletter Examples Across Industries: Choose the Best Fit for Your Business

Newsletters are the way businesses and other entities communicate with the outer world, be it other businesses, private persons, or governments. In our time and age where information is the new gold, when getting and analyzing news ahead of the others means a competitive edge, this medium has evolved to serve different ends and answer to unique demands and preferences of various audiences. 

Depending on the industry and audience, there exist SaaS, blog, nonprofit, travel, restaurant, and many other types of newsletters, each serving its particular purpose. The number of newsletter types roughly equals the number of economic sectors they target.

Here, we will try to give a broad outline of the types and specifics of a select number of newsletters by focusing on just five sectors.

Depending on the audience, a newsletter may be loaded with technical details if addressed to the nerdy IT people. A restaurant newsletter may use a more engaging and free-flowing language to attract patrons. A fashion retailer’s newsletter announcing a new season’s drop will be colorful, catchy, and may even border on being flashy. The list may go on.

In other words, an efficient newsletter needs to be adapted to a specific industry. 

SaaS newsletter

SaaS newsletters are to engage readers and generate leads, their ultimate goal being to drive revenue. They range from digests to personal narratives to periodical educational content to product updates. Though it takes a lot of imagination, writing, and talent to craft an engaging SaaS newsletter, we’ll try to show a template we think will be helpful.

Let’s say your business sells analytics for small and medium businesses. Here is a format we suggest. 

1. A brief table of contents to set reader expectations.
2. A product or service teaser, highlighting new features.
3. A blog post with marketing advice tailored for the new drop and a call to action to try it.
4. Add a link to some visual or audio content, such as a podcast episode with a preview, catering to the target audience, etc.
5. A call to action with some sort of a pitch, either a free trial or a signup bonus, etc.

Why do we think this format works? Primarily, because it was tested and proven right as it checks all the boxes you need: engages subscribers to test products, offers curated content, and enhances brand awareness.

This newsletter from Glitch opens up with a warm invitation to join their first-ever Community Code Jam, where the creative challenge is to transform code into a “self-portrait.”  With this unique prompt, readers are encouraged to share projects that reflect a bit of themselves by adding a personal touch to their coding. The email feels light and friendly both in its design and copy.

It also builds excitement for a live stream event where the community can come together, share their creations, and find fresh inspiration. This newsletter almost screams, “It’s all about exploration and connection on the Glitch platform!” With this vibe, it makes everyone feel part of a collaborative, creative space where learning and self-expression go hand in hand.

Blog newsletter

A blog newsletter basically notifies your subscribers that you have published a blog. It aims to draw their attention to it. Let’s try out a template:

1. A compelling subject line to grab attention and trigger curiosity.
2. A greeting by name for a personalized feel.
3. An engaging intro, something along the line of “want to become a good writer?”
4. Statement of benefit.
5. Add a content teaser, i.e., a synopsis of the main content, to fire up interest.
6. Call to action to incite the reader to click through, such as “check out these 3 ways to increase your productivity.”
7. Add a PS that restates in brief the previous content.

Why is this format good? It increases open rates, enhances engagement, drives click-throughs, and maintains interest, making a blog newsletter not just informative but a potent tool to engage readers and drive traffic.

Source: ReallyGoodEmails

This newsletter by Weekly represents a blend of business insights, trends, and engaging stories. The main part explores the rising trend of ghostwriters crafting social media content for founders and venture capitalists. It highlights the importance of an online presence for building connections with young business owners.

In addition to the main story, the newsletter includes a short list of top articles covering diverse topics, from creative entrepreneurial paths to resilience tips. There’s also a lifestyle section featuring surf-inspired brands and a brand partner spotlight on Grand Seiko’s new flagship store. The layout of the newsletter is reader-friendly and informative, with a good balance of text and pictures.

Nonprofit newsletter

To craft an effective nonprofit newsletter, you may find this template useful: 

1. Personalize the letter by addressing the recipient by name and tailoring the content to their interests and behaviors.
2. Engage in creative storytelling by sharing compelling stories, highlighting the organization’s impact, describing the people you help, and how contributions make a difference. Employ words that evoke emotion and a sense of urgency, include a compelling story about the organization’s impact. Share a success story!
3. Use compelling words and avoid slang, write in simple language. Include words like “help,” “support,” “urgent,” “small donation makes a difference,” etc. In short, the words that quickly make an impact.
4. Include a strong CTA, make it clear and concise and visible throughout the newsletter to incite an immediate response. Explain how donations are used! People do not want their money to go down the drain. Make the “Donate Now” button visible!
5. You can incorporate imagery that resonates with your audience.
6. PS. Add a secondary CTA, such as signing up for an event.

This template creates a deep connection with the audience through a personalized narrative and has an emotional tone, appeal, and clarity in terms of the CTA guide.

Source: ReallyGoodEmails

This nonprofit newsletter combines impactful storytelling with a product partnership, which directly showcases how readers’ support can benefit local communities. The first section of the newsletter shares an inspiring story about a new water system in Bangladesh. The story feels very human and shows perfectly how access to clean water can transform education and empower students.

The second section promotes a travel product that donates a portion of sales to clean water projects, encouraging readers to make purchases that contribute to this cause.

By using a real-life example and heartfelt narrative, this newsletter showcases that donors’ contributions can change so much in this world.

Travel newsletter

As people normally read travel newsletters before or during travel, they mostly do that on their mobile devices. That fact calls for specific features that travel newsletters should have. To put together an engaging travel newsletter, you need to follow these steps:

1. Make it personal by tailoring the content to the subscriber’s preferences; account for time zone-adjusted sending time as your readers may be on the go while reading your message. 
2. Use authentic user-generated content and make sure what you write and want them to see is readable on mobile devices; avoid overcrowding your text and simplify your layout for better visibility.
3. Make your CTAs short and clear and make sure they stand out with colors, shadows, and white space to evoke an emotional response.
4. Put high-quality images in it to illustrate travel experiences and ensure that your visuals are consistent with your brand. Add a splash of emotions throughout the text.

By following this template, you will increase open and engagement rates, build trust, and guide readers through clear CTAs to specific actions, increasing conversion. By optimizing the format of your newsletter for mobile devices, you will broaden your audience immensely!

Source: ReallyGoodEmails

This Travel Diaries newsletter provides not only guidance but also inspiration. It offers readers to follow a dreamy travel experience to Costa Rica in the footsteps of an editor, Sarah Stocking, and her personal 5-day itinerary to the Caribbean coast.

The newsletter provides readers with all the essential details, from travel logistics to must-see destinations and unique stays. Each tip is clear, helpful, and easy to follow. The clarity of description makes it very easy for readers to picture themselves in Costa Rica.

The layout deserves a separate tribute: visually appealing, with juicy images and icons that guide the reader, it creates a vibe of tropical beauty and adventure while making planning feel easy at the same time.

Restaurant newsletter

Another Friday night is nearing, as is the time to eat out. You suddenly remember an email that has been sitting in your “Unread” folder since Monday, and you never cared to open it. Now is the time! What you are looking at on your smartphone’s screen is a restaurant newsletter that may help you this Friday night to pick a place to eat out. What makes a readable and engaging restaurant newsletter is served here: 

1. To ensure brand experience, you need to use your restaurant’s logo, colors, and fonts consistently throughout the text and stick to a unified design for unmistakable brand recognition. Craft an attention-grabbing headline too!
2. To add a personal touch, use dynamic content based on subscriber data and preferences.
3. Make sure the CTA buttons are easy to spot, avoiding using hyperlinks to increase click-through rates. Use language that triggers action.
4. Include high-quality images to highlight ambiance, dishes, and special events. Make sure images represent your patrons’ preferences.
5. Make sure your newsletter is smartphone-friendly! Remember that the bulk of patrons will read it on mobile devices. For that reason, write concisely, in short paragraphs that are easily visible on the phone’s screen.
6. Mention special deals, exclusive offers, and special events, making them stand out and motivating readers to sign up. 
7. Include personal stories and accounts for a better human touch. They are fun to read.
8. To keep your patrons engaged, send out newsletters regularly to develop a habit of expecting them. 
9. Finally, remember to include your restaurant’s location along with social media links. And do not forget to include an easy unsubscribe option.

By following these steps, you will ensure that your restaurant’s newsletters will keep your audience well informed and eager to make repeat visits.

Source: ReallyGoodEmails

This newsletter from Resy is a powerful tribute to Black-owned restaurants and voices in the culinary world. It highlights thought-provoking essays and stories by Black chefs and writers, celebrating their contributions to food, culture, and community. Featuring pieces like “The Alchemy of Grief” by Chef Aretah Ettarh and “Pure Fire” by Chef Christopher Russell, the newsletter brings readers into deeply personal journeys of resilience and creativity within the restaurant industry.

The main section, “Celebrating Black-Owned Restaurants and Black Voices,” offers a curated list of inspiring articles on iconic establishments and cultural preservation. With a clean design, amazing visuals, and thoughtful storytelling, this newsletter provides content that invites readers to explore and honor diverse culinary stories and heritage.

To Sum Up

Newsletters, regardless of their types and target audiences, are indisputably efficient email marketing tools. Mastering the art of crafting a compelling newsletter is crucial for the overall success of any business with an online presence. Scores of templates that are available online, coupled with the essential guidelines and the analysis of some of them that we attempted to provide here, should help marketers in their efforts to capture clients’ attention and grow their business. However, we would like to emphasize the need to adapt newsletters, no matter the type, for mobile device use and to always add a human touch to the narrative.