
The higher education industry encounters numerous challenges in the process of designing a great college newsletter. Challenges such as, struggling to keep up with the rapidly advancing technology in email marketing, contenting to limited resources, and ensuring that the campaigns are both relevant and engaging for their wide range of target audiences.The truth is, emails have evolved from simply being a form of communication to a tool for universities to establish connections with students, potential recruits, alumni, and their own internal teams.It's no longer enough to send simple text-based emails; now, the higher education industryhave to strive to ensure their messages are read and opened amidst increasing competition.Keep reading for email design ideas from professionals across different industry that you can implement today to design a great college newsletter.
1. Include Upcoming Events
"Make sure to include upcoming events on the college campus. When people read newsletters, it's nice for them to feel like they have things to look forward to. It also makes them feel like they're in an environment where there's always something fun or interesting going on. This lets them continue to look forward to receiving your newsletter."Maegan Griffin, Founder, CEO, Nurse Practitioner , Skin Pharm
2. Incorporate Images and Videos into Your Emails
"Incorporate images and videos into your college newsletter to make it visually appealing and engaging for readers. Images and videos break up text blocks and add interest to your newsletter, so it’s more likely readers will read all the way through. Additionally, images and videos illustrate your point or visually tell a story, so your audience better understands your messaging.When using images and videos in your newsletter, use only high-quality images that are relevant to your topic. Otherwise, you wind up distracting readers from the messaging rather than help them comprehend it."Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely
3. Include Topics Readers Enjoy
"Newsletters usually suffer from low open rates because they fail to address the needs of their audience.This often happens with college newsletters because faculty assume students are solely interested in scholastic topics. College newsletters rely as much on marketing psychology as any business email campaign does.Your first step should be sending out surveys to collect data on students' interests. Then, infuse these topics into your newsletter in the form of content pillars. By weaving in the student body’s ongoing interests—clubs, campus events, or sponsored job opportunities—you'll instantly see an uptick in your open and click through rates."Brian Nagele, CEO, Restaurant Clicks
4. Try Black and White Design
"One tip for designing a great college newsletter is to consider using black and white design elements. Black and white visuals can provide a clean, modern look that will draw readers in and help make your content more readable. This way you can draw readers’ focus toward the content, rather than eye-catching color or images.It’s also important to make sure the layout is organized, with a hierarchy of headings and subheadings that naturally guide readers through the content.Try using a grid-based design to ensure that all elements and texts are in the appropriate place on the newsletter. This breaks up the monotony of a black and white composition, making it more engaging for readers."Shaun Connell, Founder, WritingTips.org
6. Ensure Your Emails Are Accessible
I would ensure that your newsletter is accessible to individuals with disabilities across all devices.Responsive design is when a website or email newsletter is correctly rendered on a variety of platforms, including desktop, mobile, and tablet. Making responsive newsletters is essential as more people read their emails on mobile devices.Thankfully, there are several email marketing platforms available that make it really simple to create flexible newsletter designs.Alice Hall, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Rowen Homes