How to create newsletters
Andy Fowler avatar
Written by Andy Fowler
Updated over a week ago

Create an ongoing series of messages that follow a similar theme.

Still need to create the audience who will receive your newsletter? Click here to learn how.

Creating a new newsletter

To start, go to Nutshell Campaigns > Newsletter in your Nutshell account and click Create a newsletter.

Nutshell will ask you to provide a descriptive name for your newsletter.

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Nutshell will then bring you back in view of your available newsletters. Click Create new edition under the newsletter name you just created.

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Nutshell will offer you two options to start your newsletter edition from:

  • Recent message: You can choose to start with a Blank edition or any recently created newsletters and editions

  • Nutshell template: Suggested newsletter templates from the Nutshell team

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Nutshell will ask you to provide a descriptive name for this specific edition.

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Click save and you will be dropped onto the newsletter editor.

Creating a new edition to an existing newsletter

Need to create a new edition to an already existing newsletter?

Click Create new edition next to the newsletter you’d like to continue with a new edition.

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Nutshell will then let you choose if you’d like to start your new edition as a Blank edition or have it based off of an existing draft.

Editing a newsletter

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The editor allows you to completely customize your newsletter by dragging content from the editor into the body of your newsletter.

You can add and edit the following content into the body of your newsletter:

  • Text

  • Images

  • Buttons

  • Dividers

  • Social media links

  • HTML code

  • Videos

  • Icons

  • Menus

Adding and editing text

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When adding a text field to your newsletter, you will have the ability to edit your text with the following features:

  • Font family (style)

  • Font size

  • Bold

  • Italic

  • Underline

  • Strikethrough

  • Superscript

  • Subscript

  • Clearformatting

  • Alignment

  • Special characters

  • Undo/Redo

  • Numbered list

  • Bullet list

  • Text color

  • Text background color

  • Hyperlink

  • Special links

  • Merge tags (More)

Special Links: Within the special links feature, we provide an Unsubscribe link (Required links) and a View in Browser link (Other links).

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Merge Tags: Merge tags include Smart fields that auto-fill with customer information and the mailing address listed within your Company > Settings inside of Nutshell.

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Smart fields are places in your template that auto-fill with specific data about the corresponding contact. You can think of them as shortcuts to give each email a personal touch. When you send Campaigns emails, the smart fields will auto-populate with the right information for each contact.

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Available smart fields for Campaigns:

  • First name: Inserts the first name of the person you are emailing. If you are emailing a company or lead, Nutshell will automatically pull in the first name of the first-listed associated person.

  • Last name: Inserts the last name of the person you are emailing. If you are emailing a company or lead, Nutshell will automatically pull in the last name of the first-listed associated person.

  • Company Name: Inserts the primary company name into the email. If you are emailing a person or lead, Nutshell will automatically pull in the name of the first-listed associated company.

Psst: Whether you’re sending a broadcast, newsletter, or drip sequence, an Unsubscribe link and your mailing address will be required within your Campaigns emails. Don’t worry, Nutshell will remind you to add one if you forget!

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Removing content

You are able to remove content from your draft by clicking on the outlined content and selecting the blue trash icon.

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Previewing your newsletter

Before you prepare to send your newsletter, you’ll want to preview how your newsletter will appear to your audience by selecting the Details tab.

You are able to toggle between a desktop preview and a mobile preview.

You will need to select which email address your newsletter will be sent from and which audience your newsletter will be sent to, provide a subject line and preview text (optional).

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If your organization utilizes Google Analytics UTM parameters, you are able to add UTM parameters to all links within your newsletter by checking the box next to Add UTM parameters to all links and selecting Edit parameters.

Psst: You can find this tracking data in your Google Analytics account. It is not housed inside of Nutshell.

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When you’re ready to send your newsletter out of Nutshell, click Prepare to send. Nutshell will alert you to any requirements for your newsletter that have not been fulfilled.

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When it’s confirmed that all requirements for your newsletter are met, click Review.

Nutshell will verify the title of your newsletter, the sending email address, which Audience is receiving the newsletter, and the subject line and preview text for the newsletter. Click Send when ready.

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Scheduling your newsletter

Not ready to send your newsletter now? Click Schedule now at the top of your newsletter.

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Nutshell will confirm if your newsletter meets all sending requirements prior to allowing you to schedule your newsletter. If all requirements are met, select Schedule and review.

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You will be able to determine the exact date and time that your newsletter sends out to your audience. Click Next to continue.

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Nutshell will confirm the details of your scheduled newsletter.

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Once scheduled, your newsletter will take on a yellow Scheduled banner and display the date and time it is expected to send out to your audience.

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Newsletter engagement

The Engagement section of your newsletters provides actionable metrics that highlight your contacts’ engagement with your email outreach.

  • Messages Delivered: Total of how many times your newsletter was sent out

  • Open Rate: The percentage of emails sent that have been opened

  • Click Rate: The percentage of emails sent that have been clicked

  • Unsubscribe Rate: The percentage of emails sent that resulted in the recipient unsubscribing

  • Bounce Rate: The percentage of emails sent that bounced

The graph on your broadcast engagement page shows your audience’s engagement with your newsletter over a determined range of time.

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