We’ve all received newsletters we dread opening because they’re overloaded, poorly organized, or just not mobile-friendly. Whether they come from colleagues, your child’s school, or another organization, these publications can be difficult to navigate and digest. Sometimes you might just delete them rather than fight through. Don’t let the newsletters you send meet this same fate.

When done well, newsletters can be an effective and reliable way to communicate with a variety of audiences.

Here are 12 tips to help you create newsletters that your parents, colleagues, or other intended audiences will actually read:

1. Create a template and use it

Regardless of the platform or system you use to create your newsletter, start by building a strong framework to use for every new issue. Establish a consistent look, including colors and headings, and a structure that can accommodate most types of information or content you typically include. This approach saves you time and effort each time you start a new issue. It also helps your audience recognize your newsletter amongst the flood of digital content they consume.

2. Make it mobile-friendly

Avoid horizontal scrolling and excessive zooming by ensuring your template renders well on mobile devices. This means using a single-column layout, 14-point font or larger, and limiting or eliminating clutter. Statistics suggest that roughly 50% of all emails are opened on mobile devices, with that figure significantly higher among younger audiences such as students and young parents.

3. Organize content by importance

What’s the most important information your readers need? Put it near the top! No matter how easy to navigate, many readers won’t make it past your second or third item. Ensure they receive critical information as soon as they open an issue.

OR 4. Use the “Know, Do, Share” approach

Using the Know, Do, Share structure instantly signals to your readers what they need to do with each bit of content, and helps them scan quickly. In this framework, you create three main sections clearly labeled as Know (things readers need to be aware of), Do (items readers need to take action on), and Share (information readers need to pass along to staff, parents, students, etc.). Then, organize your content into these buckets using subheadings for each new piece of information.

5. Use built-in formatting

Need a bulleted list? Space between lines? A new header line? Save time and keep your content ADA compliant by using the formatting options built into your newsletter platform rather than manually adding special characters or adjusting content.

6. Left-align text for fast and easy reading

Help readers absorb information quickly by keeping text left-aligned. Left-aligned text has proven to be the fastest and easiest to read due to consistent spacing, clear line breaks, and a consistent starting point for new lines. While justified or centered text might look nice in the overall picture, it’s harder to read, which means more work for viewers and a lower likelihood that they’ll actually read everything.

7. Use headers

People will most likely scan your newsletter for something that catches their eye that they want to or should know about. Use headers at the start of each section of your newsletter to help readers quickly see the content included and to grab their attention. Be sure to use the formatting ribbon in the creation platform (including Google Docs and Word) to select and modify your header types. This ensures they’re coded as headers for ADA compliance.

8. Short and sweet is key

Readers often skip large blocks of text because they feel heavy and like too much work to get through. Keep each section of your newsletter concise and break longer information into chunks. If you need to share in-depth information, consider providing a brief introduction or teaser and then linking to the full text elsewhere.

9. Use text to convey information

It’s okay to include an image of the flyer for the upcoming parent night, but be sure to also include the information on the flyer in text and add alternative text for the image to maintain ADAcompliance. Many people don’t download images, especially on mobile, and could miss important information if it’s conveyed only in images.

10. Keep it fresh

Update your content from issue to issue. Even small changes, like current dates, timely examples, or seasonal references, keep newsletters feeling relevant and up to date. Readers will stop engaging if you repeatedly share the same static information or resources. If there’s information your audience needs consistent reminders of or access to, put it at the bottom, or better yet, link to a webpage or document where that info can be found any time.

11. Links for links

QR codes are amazingly helpful on printed materials, but create unnecessary steps in digital content. Stick with classic linked text that readers can simply click, and leave the QR codes out of newsletters that will only be published electronically. If you like to share your newsletter in print and online, include both a QR code and linked text.

12. Publish on a schedule

People like predictability. Choose a day, time, and frequency for publishing your newsletter and stick to it! This could be every Monday morning by 8:30, every other Thursday around noon, or the first Friday of each month by 3:30. Your timing and frequency should be based on what’s appropriate for your recipients, along with the amount and type of content you need to share. Your readers will appreciate knowing when to expect communication. This also helps your audience find previous issues and information.

One more thing about accessibility

Throughout these tips, you’ve probably noticed that we keep coming back to accessibility. That’s because we believe newsletters should work for everyone. Whether it’s coding headers properly, including alt text for images, or using left-aligned text that’s easy to read, these practices make your newsletters better for all your readers. When you create with accessibility in mind, you’re creating newsletters that truly connect with your whole community.

Consider consulting with your building leader or district communications staff to learn about school- or district-level expectations, platform options, branding requirements, and other guidelines regarding communication and newsletters in your district.

This blog post was written by Katie McClintic, Communications Director for Kent ISD, and edited by Amanda Walma, T&L Marketing and Communications Specialist at Kent ISD.