Refresh Your Library’s Approach to Email Marketing

Tips to stand out in a subscriber’s inbox

Written by Julia Giantomasi

Published on September 16, 2025

Email marketing is a great way to reach your patrons directly, but it’s certainly not a new marketing tactic. Sometimes with marketing efforts we’ve been using for a significant amount of time, it can start to feel stale. It’s always a good idea to revisit your marketing plan and refresh your approach with new ideas and tips. Keep reading to find out ways that you can stand out in a newsletter subscriber’s inbox.

Maintain Subscriber List

If you send out a regular newsletter, you’ve probably already created a sign-up sheet or link where people can opt-in. Always make sure people want to receive communications from you. Sending emails to people who don’t open them, or never signed up, can hurt your deliverability. If you’re using a simple sign-up form, make sure it’s clear what people are opting into. Every few months, take time to do list maintenance. Share your subscription link on social media or at in-person events, and also clean out email addresses that may have been deactivated.

Personalize Emails

Personal emails stand out and are more likely to be opened and engaged with. Personalize the subject line, add a recipient’s name to the greeting, or even segment emails to go to specific audiences tailored to the content of that email. For example, patrons with small kids could receive email updates about family events or story time. If you’re worried about needing to know how to code for these features, fear not! Most email marketing services take care of this for you.  Check out this helpful guide for creating more personalized emails to improve engagement.

Avoid Information Overload

We say it all the time, but it’s always worth repeating because it remains true: attention spans are short and people are busy. It’s always best to be direct when sharing information and give the reader exactly what they need to know without overloading them. If your newsletter is a round-up of information, make sure you’re sharing a limited number of items and that each item has a clear heading and is easy to read. It’s always a good idea to link out to a landing page with more information or instructions for registration. That way, anyone who is interested can follow the link to learn more. Per our last marketing blog, make sure hyperlinks are clear and accessible to all.

Make It Mobile Friendly

Most emails are read on phones. It’s so important to have a mobile-friendly newsletter format. There isn’t one common template that fits all screens, but there are some best practices that can be used to meet the needs of a large screen user and a mobile user in one design. Keeping your newsletter in a single column format is best for scrolling on a narrow screen. Factoring in that mobile users will click links with their finger instead of a mouse, making links into buttons or giving a larger area to click will make that easier. Cater to smaller screens with font sizes as well by using a minimum font size of 12 pt for body copy and a maximum headline size around 20 pt. This Mobile Friendly Email Design Guidelines is a great reference guide as a starting point.

Light Visuals Encouraged

In a time where visuals are what engage people the most, you want to include some in your newsletters. However, including too many visuals can make the email load slowly in the inbox or look messy. It’s a delicate balance to achieve. Try adding one or two high quality images to enhance the newsletter. You can use Canva to create branded graphics or include a photo highlighting something new in your library. Always preview your newsletter before sending it to make sure everything looks good and is working properly on desktop and mobile.

Email marketing doesn’t need to be complicated. With a few of these best practices, your library can reach more patrons, build community connections, and drive attendance at your events. As long as you stay consistent with your communications, and keep in mind the audience you’re communicating with, your email marketing efforts are sure to be successful!

NJSL Direct Newsletter for Libraries

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