I sent my first “newsletter” over two years ago. I was privileged to be given an already built email list of thousands of email addresses.

Being very honest, there wasn't much of a strategy to start with, only the goal to build a solid relationship with our audience so our open rate and click rate would grow.

The first draft was fine. Maybe less than fine. It was impersonal, it didn't match our company's voice, and there wasn't much connecting me or us with our audience.

I still think about that email whenever someone tells me they're “not ready” to start a newsletter because it needs to be perfect first (literally had this conversation last week, and I have it more often than not).

I learned really early that my first newsletter didn't need to be perfect. It just needed to exist.

Whether you're a web designer wanting to stay top-of-mind with past clients or a small business owner tired of hoping people randomly remember to check your Instagram, an email newsletter is one of the few marketing channels you actually own. Instagram can change its algorithm tomorrow. Google can update its search rules overnight.

But that list of email addresses is entirely yours, which means nobody can take it away, throttle its reach, or bury it under sponsored content.

This guide walks through exactly how to start an email newsletter for your business, from picking a platform to writing your first email, without the overwhelm.

Why an Email Newsletter Matters More Than You Think

Is email marketing still worth it in 2026? Yes, and arguably more than ever.

Social platforms have gotten noisier and busier, and paid ads don't stop getting pricier, but email remains one of the highest-return marketing channels available, especially for small businesses and independent designers who don't have big ad budgets.

Email newsletters matter because they build a direct relationship. When someone gives you their email address, they're agreeing to hear from you specifically, not just seeing your content if the algorithm feels generous. That's a very different level of trust.

For small business owners, a newsletter keeps you visible to past clients and referral sources between projects. You're not just the person who built their website or sold them something two years ago. You're the person who still sends helpful business tips. That familiarity is often what turns into the next project or referral.

A newsletter is also where you nurture relationships that social media can't. You can share behind-the-scenes updates, promote new products or services, and turn casual followers into repeat customers, all without competing for attention in a crowded feed.

Step 1: Choose the Right Email Platform for Your Needs

Before writing a single word to share, you need somewhere to send it from. This decision feels overwhelming for a lot of people, because there are dozens of options, and it's tempting to spend three weeks “researching” instead of actually choosing one.

What should beginners look for in an email newsletter platform? I recommend focusing on how easy it is to use, whether it has a generous free tier, and whether the design templates already look clean without a ton of tweaking. You don't need advanced automation or complex segmentation on day one.

A few popular beginner-friendly options:

Mailchimp has a solid free plan and integrates well with Showit websites for easy sign-up forms.

Flodesk is known for beautifully designed templates and flat monthly pricing, regardless of list size.

Kit is popular with creators and course-based businesses, with strong automation features as you grow.

Substack works well if your newsletter itself is the product, think long-form writing or paid subscriptions.

BDOW! started as a lead magnet generator, but its platform now covers email marketing for small businesses too, and as Showit's sister company, it integrates smoothly with it.

Here's my honest suggestion: the “best” platform is the one you'll actually use consistently, so you might need to do a bit of platform hopping.

I've watched designers and small business owners spend more time comparing feature lists than writing content. Pick one with a free or low-cost starting tier, commit to it for three to six months, and switch later if you outgrow it. Just keep in mind that migrating a list is annoying, but not nearly as costly as never starting because you couldn't decide.

Why this matters: the platform you choose determines how easy it is to design emails, track performance, and grow your list over time. At the beginner stage, momentum matters more than the perfect tool.

Step 2: Define Your Newsletter's Purpose and Audience

I've signed up for a lot of newsletters. A few have felt like a piece of art. Others have taught me exactly what I don't want ours to sound or look like.

Some emails try to do five things at once, sell a product, share a blog post, promote an event, and ask for reviews. Readers can feel the confusion, and the open rates show it.

What should your newsletter actually be about? Pick one clear purpose before you write your first email. I know it feels like another decision you've got to make, but the earlier you choose, the better.

Most newsletters serve one of a handful of purposes: sharing your expertise through tips and industry insight, promoting products or services, building community through behind-the-scenes stories, or driving traffic back to your website. Most successful newsletters blend two of these, not all four.

A photographer might combine behind-the-scenes stories with booking availability. A web designer might combine design tips with occasional client spotlights.

Write down, in one sentence, who this newsletter is for and what they'll get out of reading it. For example, “This newsletter helps small boutique owners simplify their marketing so they can spend less time on social media and more time running their store.” That sentence becomes your filter for every future email. If content doesn't serve that purpose, it doesn't belong.

Step 3: Build Your Email List the Right Way

You can't send a newsletter without subscribers, and buying an email list is not the shortcut it seems to be. Purchased lists have terrible engagement and can get your account suspended, since sending campaigns to purchased, rented, or third-party lists violates Mailchimp's acceptable use policy, and most other major platforms follow the same rule. Worth repeating: don't do it.

How do you grow an email list from zero? Start with people who already know you, then build systems to capture new subscribers going forward.

A few practical ways to build your list:

Add a sign-up form to your website. If you're on Showit, this is a simple embed you can place in your footer, a popup, or a dedicated landing page.

Offer a lead magnet. A free guide, checklist, or template in exchange for an email address converts far better than a plain “subscribe to my newsletter” button. A web designer might offer “5 Website Mistakes Costing You Clients.” A boutique owner might offer a styling guide.

Import existing contacts, carefully. Past clients, customers, and people who've explicitly opted into hearing from you are fair game. Cold contacts you scraped from LinkedIn are not.

Promote it on social media. Mention your newsletter in your Instagram bio, stories, and posts, and tell people specifically what they'll get.

Don't panic if you start with 20 subscribers. I started with 40 people who mostly knew me personally. Two years later, that same habit of showing up consistently turned into thousands of subscribers. Growth compounds. It just doesn't feel like it in month one.

Step 4: Design and Write Your First Email

This is where most beginners freeze. Staring at a blank template feels like staring down a term paper. Here's how to make it simple.

What should your first newsletter email include? Keep it short, personal, and focused on one main idea. You don't need elaborate design or multiple sections right away.

Subject line. Keep it clear and curiosity-driven, not clickbait. “5 minutes to a better homepage” works better than “You won't believe this one trick.” Readers can smell desperation, and it erodes trust fast.

Personal opening. Open with something human, a quick story, an observation, or context for why you're writing. This is what separates a newsletter from a sales flyer. People subscribe to newsletters because they want to feel a connection, not just receive information.

One main point. Resist the urge to cram in five topics. Pick one useful tip, update, or story per email. A focused email that says one thing well outperforms a cluttered one trying to say everything.

Clear next step. End with a simple call to action, read a blog post, check out a new product, reply with a question, or book a call. One CTA, not four competing ones.

Why this matters: simplicity respects your reader's time and makes your email easier to skim on a phone, which is where most people read email anyway.

Step 5: Set a Realistic, Sustainable Schedule

How often should you send a newsletter? Pick a frequency you can actually sustain for a year, not the frequency that sounds impressive. Weekly is great if you have the bandwidth. Biweekly or monthly is completely fine, and honestly more realistic for most solopreneurs and small teams.

I've watched too many people launch with an ambitious “every Monday!” promise, burn out by week six, and quietly let the whole thing die. An inconsistent newsletter trains your subscribers to stop opening it. A sustainable one, even monthly, builds a reliable habit on both ends.

Block time on your calendar the same way you'd block time for client work. Newsletter writing that gets squeezed into “whenever I have a spare hour” tends to never happen. Treat it like a standing appointment with your audience.

Step 6: Track What Matters (Without Obsessing Over It)

Once you're sending consistently, keep an eye on two metrics: open rate and click rate. Open rate tells you if your subject lines are working. Click rate tells you if your content is actually driving action.

Don't get lost comparing your numbers to some “industry average” you found in a random blog post (yes, the irony of this sentence is not lost on me). Compare your own newsletter to your own past performance. Improvement over time matters more than hitting some arbitrary benchmark on email number three.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started Is the Hard Part, and You've Basically Already Done It

Here's what I want you to take away from all this: the platform, the design, the perfect subject line formula, none of it matters if you never hit send. My first newsletter had a typo and went to 40 people, most of whom already liked me. It still worked, because it started a habit that got better over time.

You don't need a content calendar six months deep or a perfectly designed template before you begin. You need one clear purpose, a handful of subscribers who already trust you, and the willingness to hit send on something imperfect.

Speaking of building things that actually reflect who you are: your newsletter sign-up form and landing page are often a new subscriber's first real impression of your brand. If that page feels like an afterthought, bolted onto a template that looks like everyone else's, it undercuts all the trust you're trying to build.

Showit gives you the creative freedom to design a sign-up page, lead magnet landing page, or blog that actually looks like you, without wrestling with code or fighting rigid templates. Ready to build a website that supports the newsletter you're about to start? Try Showit FREE for 14 days and see why thousands of small business owners and web designers trust it to bring their brand to life.