What should a local newsletter include?

When I ask new subscribers what they care about most, roughly 80% pick events. Restaurants are usually number two. That one survey answer decides most of my layout.

What order should the sections go in?

In early 2025 my once-a-week local newsletters ran like this:

1. Featured event of the week, a big image at the very top. It gets tons of clicks.
2. News.
3. Restaurants.
4. A local business.
5. A fancy house. People like to click on fancy houses. It's always one of the top clicks.
6. All the events at the bottom.

I said at the time this may not be the best structure forever. It works. Swap the order around once you have your own survey data, but don't bury the events.

What should a brand-new newsletter start with?

Events and restaurants. Hard news is the hardest thing to cover well and it's not what most readers signed up for.

"Start with what's easy and events and restaurants. I mean, it's easier than trying to cover the news."

Get the most engaging stuff right first, then grow into other coverage. If you only have time for one section, read whether a newsletter can be only events.

Which sections make it feel human?

This is the part that separates you from the AI aggregator sites that keep popping up.

• A short personal editorial from a real local person. My kids are always in mine.
• Memes at the end. Always at the end.
• Images or GIFs in most sections. Not every one, but most. The main story always gets one.
• A poll at the top, when you can come up with a good one.
• Community features like pet of the month or a volunteer corner. AI technically could do those. It won't for years.

Where do the calls to action go?

If the newsletter sells something (your ads, your realty business, your insurance agency), I put calls to action near the top, in the middle and at the end. A pop-out call to action mid-issue works well. At the bottom, a real signature with a photo and a couple of links.

Should you run ad sections before anyone pays for them?

Yes. A recurring section like real estate becomes a habit readers get used to. If nobody's paying yet, offer the placement for free.

"You want to train your audience to know that this is a newsletter that has ads."

A featured event is the smartest section for this. It's perfect for readers and you can eventually charge venues for it. I'll admit I haven't put enough effort into selling mine.

How should it look?

Almost every email has a white background. Use a slightly different background color and people recognize yours instantly. Keep the logo consistent, and make your section titles the same font as your brand so the branding carries through the whole read. You don't need a designer-level art style on every image.