Should a newsletter include memes and GIFs?
Short answer
Yes. A landscaping company newsletter I do has about a 60% open rate, and the owner credits the funny meme at the end of every issue. Put memes at the end, an image or GIF in most sections, and a poll when you have a good question. It makes the email fun, and no AI newsletter is doing it.
I do a newsletter for a landscaper in West Austin. That might be the most boring business on earth. His company newsletter has a 60% open rate.
"He says the reason is he puts funny memes at the end of every one. People have an incentive to open because they love seeing the memes."
That's his explanation, not a controlled test.
Where should memes go?
At the end. Always. The meme is the reward for scrolling through the whole thing, and it gives people a reason to open next week.
How many images should a newsletter have?
Most sections should have an image or a GIF. Not all of them, but most. If there's one main story, it always gets one.
A lot of newsletters I review have zero images or entertainment value from the first section down. A wall of text. We add GIFs, and we get a lot of feedback that it makes the email lighthearted and fun.
Keep images small. On a phone, one big image takes up the entire screen.
Isn't that unprofessional?
"We're not a journalistic newspaper with Harvard. We're just having fun helping you, so making it fun is good."
The guy I work with says throw all the memes in, send them all. My wife says no, we're not doing that on ours. I think he's right.
Why is this AI-proof?
No AI newsletter is going to pick a meme your town will laugh at. Humor, a pet of the week, a GIF that fits the moment: that's what tells readers a person made this.
Do polls work?
When you can come up with good ones. My wife thought of a great one that worked really well: what's your favorite beach? We're three to four hours from the coast and Texas beaches aren't exactly famous.
Weak poll questions are a reason to skip the poll that week.
Why ask readers to reply?
Engagement. When lots of people write back to you, I believe that helps Gmail and the other inbox providers see you as a legit sender. I'm not sure of all the technical side.
Does this work for business newsletters too?
Yes, especially there. The landscaper is a good example. A realtor, a roofer or an insurance agent can make every issue a little fun: GIFs, memes, events, pet of the week. See what a business newsletter should include.
Answered by TJ Larkin. From Local Media HQ podcast episodes and client calls in 2025 and 2026. Last updated .