Journal Services Spotlight: A Better Newsletter

March 20, 2025

In this time of social media fragmentation, many scientists are opting out of most or all social media. One potential way for journals, societies, and institutions to reach their community is the newsletter.

Newsletters aren’t just for delivering the latest kale recipes*––they can drive engagement for journals, institutes, and professional societies. Some of the newsletters we look forward to in our inboxes are Knowable Magazine from Annual Reviews, Nature Briefing, and ScienceAdviser. And thinking outside the (in)box, newsletter content can be cross-posted on blogs, LinkedIn, and your institute’s website––all sites that favor longer, more in-depth content. That content could include:

• Featured scientific publications from the society journal and other journals
• Q&A interviews with staff scientists, editorial board members, or featured authors
• Upcoming webinars
• Personal stories from people in the field
• Deadline alerts for grants, conferences, journal special issues, etc.

Convinced? Now make it good. To get your audience to opt in:

• Keep it short, clear, and easy to read, with engaging photos
• Don’t overload your readers’ inboxes––you can go weekly if you have a lot of content, but monthly or quarterly are great options
• Make it worthwhile––think carefully about what information will interest your audience and get them to click through. Don’t use a bunch of AI-generated garbage to fill space!

Wondering how to get started? There are lots of tools out there for sending newsletters––check out this Forbes article for more information. And if you want help generating content, get in touch with us––our talented writers can help you make a better newsletter!

*We’re partial to this kale salad: Smitten Kitchen Kale Salad with Pecorino and Walnuts. Got a favorite kale salad, or a newsletter you want to promote? Tag us on BlueSky. (@planteditors.bsky.social).