Newsletter guide

Start a new newsletter

Thinking about creating a newsletter for your office or program? For maximum impact:

1. Select the best formats (webpage, email or accessible PDF, and/or print) for your goals and audiences.
2. Determine which software for emailing out newsletters works best for your budget and list size.
3. Get tips for creating newsletters by format (webpage, email and accessible PDF, and/or print).
4. Reach out to the College's communications team for support.

Select the best format for your newsletter

The first step in creating a newsletter is to determine the best format for the newsletter's distribution. Will you post it online as a webpage? Share it via email as a link to the webpage version, as an accessible PDF (not recommended) or as an email version? Share printed copies of it in person, around town or via snail mail? Your goals and audiences are the determining factors.

To reach online folks who don’t yet know about your program, create a webpage newsletter. This format:

• Shares better on social.
• Is more searchable on web.
• Is shown to folks who visit your county and program webpages.
• Shows stakeholders who visit your county and program webpages that you’re active in their area.
• Provides an easy way for people to share your program's latest news with their email and social media networks.

To update existing program participants / supporters, email them:

• The link to the webpage version of your newsletter.
• OR an email version of the webpage version of your newsletter.
• OR an accessible PDF (not recommended).

To reach local folks who don't know about your program AND/OR don't have internet, create a print version for posting and sharing in person, around town and via snail mail.

Determine the best software for your budget and list size

If you'll be emailing out your newsletter, you'll also need to determine the best software to use for that. It'll depend on your budget and list size.

If your email list will always remain limited to fewer than 50 recipients, you could use the BCC function in Outlook to email your newsletter to your subscribers from your University email address. University email addresses and Outlook are available at no cost to employees. Contact your IT department for details.

If your email list is already or will soon be larger than 50 recipients, you'll need to use an email marketing software, such as Constant Contact, Mail Chimp or 4-H Online to email your newsletter to your subscribers. The cost for these services vary. Price out a few different options to see which one best fits your budget. For questions about your budget and purchasing software, please speak with your supervisor and your finance and IT departments.

In cases where funds are limited, it may make sense for your office or program to partner with a related University office or program, as well as your finance and IT teams, to share an existing account vs. starting a new account for your office or program. To explore that option, contact those folks directly.

Tips for creating newsletters

For a quicker, smoother experience, review the below tips for creating newsletters by format (webpage, email or accessible PDF, and/or print) before getting started with your first newsletter.

Tips for creating webpage newsletters

• Follow the instructions for creating publication pages (included in the College's websites guide).
  • In the category step, select newsletter. The system will drop in a template for you to use.
• Follow University accessibility policy when creating your newsletter. This includes:
  • Ensuring you're current on your annual University-required Basic Web Accessibility training.
  • Following the College's accessibility guide for web.
  • Checking your work with:
    • Accessibility checkers (e.g., WAVE's browser extension or Siteimprove’s browser extension) AND
    • Color contrast checkers (e.g., Vispero's Colour Contrast Analyzer or WAVE's Contrast Checker ).
• Need inspiration? Explore the newsletters your colleagues in the College are creating, including the:
  • College's Innovating for Nevada Newsletter.
  • 4-H Youth Development Program's Newsletters.
  • Healthy Aging Initiative's Newsletters.
  • Hope for Family Resilience Program's Newsletters.
  • Master Gardener Program's Newsletters.
• Want to add an archive of your newsletters to your office or program webpage? Reach out to the College's communications team for support.

Tips for creating email versions

• Before setting up an account for email marketing, such as with Constant Contact or Mail Chimp, connect with IT on the best way to ensure the account's longevity and security. It is recommended that you:
  • Use a login email address that is not tied to anyone's NetID (e.g., CABNRComms@unr.edu).
  • Save the account's login information in an IT-managed location that is accessible to your newsletter team but not tied to anyone's NetID (e.g., a NevadaBox folder owned by the Box Group for CABNR, Extended Studies or Extension).
• Before designing and distributing your first newsletter, reach out to the College's communications team for assistance with:
  • Setting up an approved accessibility- and brand-compliant template to use.
  • A quick accessibility and branding check on your first edition.
• Follow University accessibility policy when creating your newsletter templates and editions. This includes:
  • Ensuring you're current on your University-required Basic Web Accessibility training.
  • Following the College's accessibility guide for web.
  • Checking your work with:
    • Accessibility checkers (e.g., WAVE's browser extension or Siteimprove’s broswer extension) AND
    • Color contrast checkers (e.g., Vispero's Colour Contrast Analyzer or WAVE's Contrast Checker ).

Tips for creating both print and digital versions

In most cases, creating a webpage newsletter and sharing it out via email is sufficient for meeting audience needs to achieve program goals. But for some audiences and goals, it might make sense to produce a printed newsletter as well. In those instances, recommended workflows are below.

For large email lists (recommended)

• Create the print version.
• Log into the College’s Websites Assets Management System.
• Follow the steps to add a publication to the website, choosing “Newsletter” in the category step.
• Copy and paste the content from the print version into the webpage version.
• Submit the webpage version for publishing. It’ll go live on the site after an accessibility check.
• Then, use your email marketing software to create/send out the email version. This version:
  • Is a short email.
  • Previews the newsletter content.
  • Links to the webpage version to learn more.
  • Is NOT a complete newsletter.
• After sending out the email version (optional but recommended):
  • On social media:
    • Share the link.
    • Invite people to subscribe.
    • Share individual stories from the newsletter.
    • Tag program partners mentioned in the articles.
• Distribute the print version.

For small email lists

• Create the print version.
• Log into the College’s Websites Assets Management System.
• Follow the steps to add a publication to the website, choosing “Newsletter” in the category step.
• Copy and paste the content from the print version into the webpage version.
• Submit the webpage version for publishing. It’ll go live on the site after an accessibility check.
• Once it's live:
  • Use the BCC function in Outlook to share the link to the webpage version with your email list.
  • On social media (optional but recommended):
    • Share the link.
    • Invite people to subscribe.
    • Share individual stories from the newsletter.
    • Tag program partners mentioned in the articles.
• Distribute the print version.

For small email lists (not recommended)

• Create the print version, and export it to a PDF.
• Remediate the PDF to make it accessible.
• Use the BCC function in Outlook to share the accessible PDF with your email list.
• Share your newsletter online (optional but recommended):
  • Log into the College’s Websites Assets Management System.
    • Follow the steps to add a scholarly work to the website.
    • Either:
      • Copy-paste over the content and upload the accessible PDF (recommended).
      • OR, just upload the accessible PDF (doesn’t do as well in web searches, on social).
    • Submit for publishing.
  • Once its live, on social media:
    • Share the link.
    • Invite people to subscribe.
    • Share individual stories from the newsletter.
    • Tag program partners mentioned in the articles.
• Distribute the print version.

Tips for creating print versions

• Follow University accessibility policy when creating your newsletter templates and editions. For print, this includes:
  • Following the College's accessibility guide for print.
  • Checking your work with a color contrast checker (e.g., Vispero's Colour Contrast Analyzer or WAVE's Contrast Checker).

Note: If you’ll also be emailing the file or posting it online anywhere, you'll need to make it web accessible too (see the College's accessibility guide for web).

The only exception is if you're emailing the file for print use only AND you have a accessible webpage version. In which case, be sure to indicate the PDF is for printing AND link to the accessible webpage version.

Example: "We're glad to share that Vol. 26, Iss. 3 of Extension's Healthy LIVING While Aging! Newsletter is now accessible online for your viewing. Click through to read about silent but serious kidney disease, your kidneys and how they work, and recipe ideas for kidney health. A printable version of the newsletter is also attached, for easy reading and sharing in print."