How to Create a Digital Newsletter (Free)

A digital newsletter keeps your audience informed, builds trust, and drives engagement. Whether you are running a business, a community group, or a personal project, here is how to create one for free.

Choose Your Format

Digital newsletters come in two main formats:

Email-first - Sent directly to inboxes using tools like Mailchimp or Substack
PDF newsletter - Designed as a visual document and shared via link. Better for rich layouts, photos, and print-style design

This guide focuses on the PDF approach, which gives you full control over design and layout.

Design Your Newsletter

Free Design Tools

Canva - Newsletter templates with drag-and-drop editing
Google Docs - Simple and fast for text-heavy newsletters
Google Slides - Better for visual layouts with images and graphics

What to Include

Header - Newsletter name, issue number, date
Main story - Your primary content or update
Secondary items - Shorter news, tips, or highlights
Visuals - Photos, charts, or illustrations to break up text
Call to action - What you want readers to do next
Footer - Contact info, social links, unsubscribe note

Design Tips

Keep it to 1-4 pages for regular issues
Use a consistent color scheme and fonts across issues
Design for both screen and print readability
Include plenty of white space

Export and Share

Export your newsletter as a PDF
Upload it to Linkyhost to get a shareable link
Send the link to your audience via email or messaging
Post on social media for wider reach
Generate a QR code if you distribute printed materials

Build Your Audience

Add a signup form to your website
Share each issue publicly on social media
Ask readers to forward the link to others
Archive past issues so new subscribers can catch up
Stay on a regular publishing schedule

Get Started

Design your first issue, export it as a PDF, and host it on Linkyhost for free. Share it with a single link.