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Popular newsletter tools - newsletter creation made easy

21.12.2023 Expert Topics
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Newsletter marketing has become an indispensable tool for companies and organizations to establish direct and effective communication with their target audience. By sending out regular newsletters, companies can keep their customers up to date, provide targeted information and maintain long-term customer relationships by regularly reaching the recipients' inboxes directly and addressing them with relevant content.

As TYPO3 experts, we can say the following about creating newsletters: TYPO3 is hardly suitable for creating and sending newsletters. In this article, we look at why this is the case and which method we recommend for sending newsletters. And foremost: there are specialized service providers for newsletter marketing who are perfectly positioned for designing, creating and sending newsletters. But to get you started, let's begin with a definition and classification of the term newsletter.

What is a newsletter?

A newsletter is a periodic message that delivers information, news, offers or other relevant content to subscribers. Originally, the term referred to a periodic print format. The analog, printed newsletter still exists today, although it is now more commonly referred to as print marketing or direct marketing. Nowadays, the term newsletter mainly refers to electronic newsletters that are sent by email. This digital form of communication is used to maintain customer relationships, advertise and disseminate information. The frequency of sending and the content vary depending on the purpose and target group.

A newsletter serves various purposes and can be used by companies, organizations, media, bloggers, content creators, universities and schools. The versatility of newsletters makes it possible to maintain customer relationships, advertise, draw attention to discounts and promotions and disseminate information and news.

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By the way, this is what AI thinks is a funny meme about newsletters...

The content of newsletters may vary greatly, ranging from text to images, links, GIFs and video clips. Text is usually combined with images and links. The design is unique and depends on the objectives and target group of the sender.

One of the key questions when creating a newsletter is how often to send it. It is important to consider how often you can actually offer your subscribers value, be it in the form of special offers, discounts, news or other interesting content. It is also advisable to keep an eye on your competitors' activities to ensure that your own company is not forgotten.

Regardless of the frequency with which newsletters are sent, it is crucial that they are designed and written briefly and concisely. This is particularly important as many people read newsletters on mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets. Newsletters should therefore be responsive and also appear perfectly on small screens. For this reason, it is advisable to use a newsletter tool such as CleverReach, as the templates available there are often responsive by default.

In the next sections, we will explain further advantages of newsletter marketing and discuss when it might make sense to rely on self-dispatch, e.g. with TYPO3, and (spoiler) why newsletter tools such as CleverReach are simply better suited for newsletter marketing.

Why is newsletter marketing worthwhile?

There are many reasons to include newsletters in your marketing strategy – one key advantage of newsletter marketing is personalization. By segmenting the recipient list, companies can specifically address the interests and needs of their target groups, which increases the relevance of the content. This helps to ensure that recipients do not perceive the newsletter as annoying advertising, but as an informative and helpful message. And there are many other reasons for using newsletters.

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Cost efficiency

Compared to traditional marketing channels, newsletter marketing is a cost-effective way of reaching customers and prospects. Especially when using newsletter service providers and their tools, the costs for sending newsletters are often low. Some tools even offer free options under certain conditions.

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Direct communication

By being sent directly to recipients' mailboxes, newsletter marketing enables direct and personal communication. This promotes the trust of the target group and strengthens loyalty to the brand.

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Measurability and evaluation

Newsletter campaigns can be analyzed precisely, and the results are measurable. Companies can track open and click rates to evaluate the effectiveness of their campaigns. This data enables the optimization of strategies to better target future campaigns.

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Simple implementation of A/B tests

Newsletter tools enable A/B tests in which different versions of a newsletter are sent to different segments of the target group. The evaluation helps to identify the best approaches for headlines, content and call-to-action elements.

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Targeted segmentation

The possibility of segmenting the subscribers list allows you to address different groups within the target group. This leads to more relevant content for the individual recipients and increases the likelihood of a positive response.

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Increase customer loyalty

Regular and informative newsletters help to build and maintain a lasting relationship with customers. By providing relevant content and exclusive offers, customers feel more connected to the brand.

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Rapid dissemination of information

Compared to other marketing channels, newsletters allow information to be disseminated quickly. Companies can react quickly to current developments, offers or events and inform their target group immediately.

Overall, newsletter marketing and the use of corresponding tools offer a variety of advantages that help to increase the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and build a closer connection to the target group.

Newsletter tools vs. sending newsletters via your own server

A brief look at the advantages and disadvantages of sending your own newsletters provides the basis for deciding whether to send your own newsletters via your company's own servers. The advantages are obvious: no costs for external service providers, supposed data security as customer data is not passed on to external tools, and when using a content management system (CMS) such as TYPO3, no training in a new system is required. Content can be created as usual and there is no need for double maintenance if newsletter content is also to be published on the website.

However, self-dispatch also entails a number of challenges. The sender is responsible for implementing all legal principles and technical requirements. This means that you have to deal with the complex data protection and technical requirements on your own.

CleverReach – User-friendly & cost-effective

For those who are already overwhelmed by the numerous technical and legal aspects, there is a promising alternative: CleverReach. As a specialized newsletter service provider, CleverReach not only takes care of the technical implementation of newsletters, but also actively supports the correct implementation of legal requirements.

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Legal requirements and technical implementation

From a legal perspective, processing in the context of the newsletter is generally based on the consent of the user in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 a) GDPR. Clear and transparent information about the processing must be provided. Consent must be verifiable, and the subscribers must be informed of their rights, in particular the right to withdraw consent. The security of the processing and the encryption of the data are also key requirements.

From a technical point of view, the registration forms must be SSL-encrypted for self-sending and only the e-mail address may be requested as a mandatory field. The double opt-in email sent to the subscriber must also be encrypted and provide detailed information about the purpose. Certain mandatory information and an imprint must be included. Such emails may not contain advertising content.

In order to implement the newsletter on your own server, various measures must be taken, including separating the server log files and setting up a BCC mailbox for documentation purposes. The technical requirements should not be underestimated.

Sending newsletters with TYPO3

There are also extensions for TYPO3 such as direct mail, luxletter or Cute-Mailing, which make sending newsletters with TYPO3 easier. However, these solutions can hardly keep up with the (often) very intuitively structured and user-friendly newsletter tools, which are also technically well positioned and can be used free of charge in some cases or can offer relatively low prices due to their specialization in newsletters and the large number of users.

All in all, sending a newsletter yourself requires not only technical know-how, but also an in-depth understanding of legal regulations. CleverReach offers a convenient alternative here because it specializes in newsletter marketing and offers its customers both technical support and help with legal implementation.

The best newsletter tools

There are countless providers who make it easier to create newsletters. These service providers specialize in creating and sending newsletters. Reputable providers fulfill the important technical requirements without their users even noticing the complicated processes running in the background, and support their customers in complying with legal requirements.

We would like to introduce you to five service providers and – to be honest – we are a little biased, because we use the solution of one provider from this list ourselves and are very satisfied with this newsletter tool. That is why we are presenting CleverReach first as our absolute recommendation.

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CleverReach

CleverReach impresses with its ease of use, AI content generator and high deliverability rates.

The newsletter tool from Oldenburg impresses with its ease of use. The drag-and-drop editor enables convenient, uncomplicated content creation with access to numerous free newsletter templates and images to create personalized and GDPR-compliant newsletters. The tool can be seamlessly connected to many CMS (e.g. TYPO3, Drupal, Joomla etc.), CRM (e.g. Salesforce, Micorsoft Dynamics) and online shop systems (e.g. Shopware, Shopify, WooCommerce) via extensions. It is therefore suitable for both small and large companies. CleverReach continues to meet high data protection standards and only uses servers located in Germany and the EU.

Small selection of functions and special features

  • Editor for professional newsletters: Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with a variety of templates and images. Many e-mail templates are already available in the free plan.

  • AI content generator: The integrated AI support assists with the creation or optimization of texts. This allows newsletters to be created particularly quickly and effectively.

  • Reliable delivery: Whitelisting for secure delivery without spam checking with major providers. CleverReach is actually one of the best tools when it comes to deliverability. The newsletter service provider is regularly above the industry average (84%) with 93% of newsletters delivered correctly.

  • Marketing automation: Automated sending of welcome e-mails, birthday greetings, birthday vouchers and more.

  • Management of recipients: Simple import and export of recipient lists, legally compliant registration forms.

  • Comprehensive tracking: Clear dashboard for key figures such as openings, clicks, conversion rates and bounces.

Pricing

  • Free version: Basic functions, up to 250 recipients and 1,000 mails per month. Reporting only shows openings.

  • Paid versions: Flexible pricing depending on the number of recipients and mailing frequency. Paid tariffs start from €15/month. One-time use is also possible from €44 for 1,000 recipients.

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rapidmail

With its intuitive editor and good support, rapidmail is particularly suitable for beginners.

The newsletter tool rapidmail, based in Freiburg im Breisgau, is particularly suitable for beginners. With a drag-and-drop editor, free newsletter templates and numerous images, rapidmail offers a wide range of design options. The tool also supports whitelisting, follow-up mailings and A/B tests. Like CleverReach, rapidmail only uses servers in Germany and the EU.

Functions and special features

rapidmail impresses above all with its intuitive editor. This makes it easy to design newsletters with drag-and-drop and numerous templates. The editor works quickly and is not overloaded with unnecessary functions. Recipient lists can be imported and exported as CSV or Excel files. While the legally compliant registration forms can be individually designed for different target groups. Whitelisting guarantees spam-free delivery to large providers. Just like CleverReach, rapidmail also achieves deliverability rates of over 90 %. Furthermore, rapidmail impresses with its support.

Pricing

rapidmail does not offer a free plan, but you can test the software free of charge and send up to 2,000 emails. The rapidmail tariffs start at €15 per month, whereby the cheapest tariffs are limited in their range of functions (e.g. no A/B test, limited statistics). If you want the full range of functions, you have to expect to pay at least €25/month (for 500 recipients). There is also an option without a contract term. Overall, the prices are flexible and depend on the number of recipients, but are comparatively high.

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Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

As a CRM suite, Brevo integrates e-mail, SMS, chat and CRM, but the user interface could be better designed.

Brevo offers a comprehensive marketing and communication platform that integrates email marketing, SMS marketing, chat and CRM functions. The company now markets itself as a CRM suite and is therefore in competition with the two providers presented below. With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, A/B testing and personalized marketing automation, Brevo makes it easy to create effective campaigns. The tool is particularly suitable for smaller companies looking for a cost-effective all-in-one solution.

Functions and special features

Brevo enables simple campaign design through an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. The platform integrates various channels such as email, SMS, chat and CRM for versatile marketing. Campaigns can be optimized through A/B testing, while marketing automation enables more efficient marketing. Precise segmentation enables targeted communication. However, the design of the user interface could be improved. However, usability in general is good, as with the other tools. The deliverability rates show occasional fluctuations, but in general the deliverability is good to very good.

Pricing

The special thing about Brevo is that the emails actually sent are what count, and not the number of contacts: These are unlimited in every tariff. Even with the free plan, you can create an unlimited number of contacts and send up to 300 emails per day and a total of 20,000 emails per month. The cheapest paid plan starts at €19/month; if you don't want the Brevo logo in your newsletter, you will have to pay at least €28/month.

Mailchimp Logo

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a comprehensive marketing solution (not just for newsletters), but it is difficult for EU users in terms of data protection.

The newsletter software from Mailchimp is one of the best-known newsletter tools and originates from the USA. Mailchimp offers a comprehensive marketing solution with numerous functions. With the newsletter editor, as well as the template editor and the editor for registration forms, Mailchimp enables professional email campaigns. The tool integrates seamlessly with various platforms and offers features such as Google tool integration and a mobile app. Mailchimp is also constantly being developed and expanded and is continuously developing its functions.

Functions and special features

Drag-and-drop builders and Content Studio for professional designs are easy to use, but can be confusing due to the large number of modules. Marketing automation can be used to implement automated emails and behavior-based automation. The analytics tool provides detailed insights into open rates, clicks and segment data. Mailchimp also offers a mobile app that allows you to create, edit and monitor campaigns on the go. A major disadvantage of Mailchimp for Germany is the English interface and English support. The fact that customer data is stored in the USA is a certain problem in terms of data protection, so using this tool within the EU is tricky.

Pricing

Mailchimp has a completely free plan with many standard features, as well as two plans where the first month is free. The prices of the paid plans start at $13/month.

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HubSpot

HubSpot is an all-in-one platform with comprehensive integration, but is challenging for small businesses in terms of price.

HubSpot offers an all-in-one marketing platform that covers not only email marketing, but also CRM, social media management, sales and more. With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, personalized automations and advanced analytics. HubSpot enables the seamless integration of different marketing channels and is aimed at both small businesses and larger companies with more complex marketing requirements. However, HubSpot's broad offering makes it particularly suitable for larger companies with sophisticated marketing needs.

Functions and special features

The HubSpot platform offers comprehensive integration of marketing tools such as email marketing, CRM and social media, enabling a holistic marketing strategy. With personalized automations, efficient workflows can be designed, and detailed analytics provide insights into campaign performance. HubSpot also enables connection to leading e-commerce platforms and other services. However, due to the extensive range of functions, it seems challenging to cover all aspects and exploit the full potential of the software.

Pricing

HubSpot's wide range of functions is reflected in the price. Although there is a free plan with a limited range of functions, this is also suitable for beginners or as a test. As a small company that does not need all the functions, there are certainly better alternatives. HubSpot's paid plans start at €18/month for 1,000 marketing contacts with an annual billing period. At €792/month for 2,000 marketing contacts, the Professional plan is really only suitable for large companies that are more likely to be able to make full use of this software than small companies or organizations. 

Summary

Newsletter marketing has become an essential tool for companies to communicate directly with their target group. Through regular newsletters, companies can inform their customers, provide targeted content and build long-term relationships.

Why is newsletter marketing worthwhile?

It is cost-efficient, enables direct communication, is measurable, supports A/B testing, allows targeted segmentation, increases customer loyalty and enables information to be disseminated quickly. Newsletter tools offer a variety of benefits, including CleverReach, rapidmail, Brevo, Mailchimp and HubSpot.

Sending newsletters yourself via your company's own servers or your own systems such as the TYPO3 content management system poses many challenges, particularly with regard to legal aspects and technical requirements.

Our recommendation for newsletter marketing is CleverReach. CleverReach meets the technical requirements, provides support with legal implementation, is easy to use and offers attractive pricing models.

FAQ

What types of newsletter do exist?

Newsletters are versatile communication tools that can be adapted to different needs. Here are some common types of newsletters:

  • Informative newsletters: These provide useful information, updates and news on a specific topic or industry. They serve to keep readers up to date.
  • Promotional newsletters: This type of newsletter focuses on promoting products or services. They often contain special offers, discounts or other incentives to attract customers.
  • Educational newsletters: These offer insights, tips and instructions on a specific subject area. They aim to expand readers' knowledge and offer them added value.
  • Event newsletters: These provide information about upcoming events, webinars or other dates. They help to promote participation and interest in events.
  • Personalized newsletters: By using data and preferences, personalized newsletters offer individually tailored content. This promotes stronger customer loyalty.
  • Review newsletter: You look back on past events, activities or highlights. This can help to celebrate successes and provide readers with a review of relevant developments.

Choosing the right type of newsletter depends on the objectives of the communication strategy. Whether you want to inform, promote or retain, the type of newsletter should be tailored to the needs of the target group.

What must be included in a newsletter?

An effective newsletter should contain certain elements to capture the reader's attention and leave a lasting impression. Here are important elements that should be included in a newsletter:

  • Sophisticated subject line (and preheader): The subject line is crucial for arousing the reader's curiosity and encouraging them to open the newsletter. A concise and appealing subject (and preheader) is therefore essential.
  • Clear structure and reading guidance: The newsletter should be well-structured, with clear sections and logical reading guidance. Paragraphs, headings and bullet points make the text easy to read.
  • Meaningful content: The main part of the newsletter should contain relevant and appealing content. Whether it is informative articles, product announcements or exclusive offers, the content should meet the expectations of the target group.
  • Attractive graphics and images: Visual elements improve reader-friendliness and make the newsletter more appealing. High-quality images, graphics or infographics liven up the content.
  • Call-to-action: Every newsletter should contain a clear call to action, be it to visit a website, buy a product or take part in a survey. The call-to-action should be placed conspicuously and formulated convincingly.
  • Contact information and social media links: Readers should be able to contact you easily. Relevant contact details and links to social media profiles should be included at the end of the newsletter.
  • Unsubscribe option: Privacy is important: It is essential to include an unsubscribe option. This helps to build trust and increase subscriber satisfaction.

These elements make a newsletter informative, appealing and action-oriented in order to achieve the desired results.

What is a good click-through rate for newsletters?

The click rate indicates the percentage of emails that were opened and clicked once. To determine the click rate, the openings and clicks must be measured. An open rate of 30 % can be considered good. Particularly successful newsletters can achieve an open rate of up to 60% or more. You can speak of a solid click rate at 10 %.

The click rate is also known as the click-through rate (CTR) and is calculated as follows: Clicks ÷ Openings x 100 = CTR

Where are the CleverReach servers located?

CleverReach's servers are located both in Germany and in the EU. The company attaches great importance to compliance with strict data protection guidelines and the security of its customers' data. By choosing locations in Germany and the EU, the servers are subject to the high data protection standards of these regions. This ensures reliable security and data protection measures in accordance with German and European data protection regulations. The geographical distribution in Germany and the EU enables transparent and trustworthy data processing in accordance with the applicable data protection standards.

Is CleverReach GDPR compliant?

Yes, CleverReach is GDPR-compliant. The company attaches great importance to data protection and has designed its processes and systems to meet the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Through continuous adjustments and updates, CleverReach ensures that personal data is processed in accordance with the strict provisions of the GDPR. Customers can therefore be confident that their data is handled securely and legally compliant while using CleverReach's services for their email marketing campaigns.

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