Content for internal email newsletters

If your challenge is to engage readers who just happen to be employees, then a content strategy for your internal communications newsletter is an important part of getting that engagement.

I say ‘just happen’ to be employees, because in the end people are people. And an email newsletter – no matter who it is aimed at – will succeed because it is full of information that is interesting, informative, entertaining, easy to navigate and read.

I’ve put together three very top level strands of a content strategy. I hope it conveys the fact that you really have unlimited content to mine and use in your newsletters.

Don’t forget to think beyond the written word, and make full use of audio and visual content your company generates as well: podcasts, photos, videos and recordings. Photos are always very popular – people respond to images of real (vs. stock) people in articles – and a collection of photos from recent events always draws readers.

Where?

A few ideas for content sources

• Company website
• Blog
• Research
• Events
• Industry related sources
• Departments
• Intranet

What?

A few ideas for regular sections or topics

• Safety news
• HR
• Company policies
• International offices
• Education
• Charity
• CSR
• Training
• Lifestyle
• People news
• Company news
• Compliance news
• Relevant world news
• Departments
• Company history

How?

What forms to present this content in? The choices are endless. (Don’t forget the non-written word is content.)

• Messages from executives – Q&As, announcements, or podcasts, videocasts of events.
• Event Listings – Highlight upcoming courses and events, both internally and externally.
• Round-ups – Written articles, photos, podcasts and videos of key events, customer wins, press releases, etc.
• Catch up – Offering recordings of events and information that has happened, and allow an employee to catch up on what they need to know.
• Highlighting employee benefits – A very important aspect of corporate communications, can include information on holiday times, health benefits, etc.
• Maximising the use of the intranet – Spotlights and links to highlighted areas of the intranet.
• Showcasing employee achievements – Shine the spotlight on employees. Any charity events, personal achievements, new employees, job changes or articles highlighting people at the company.