How to Write a Newsletter on Dogs

The Humane Society of America estimates that there are approximately 77.5 million dogs in the United States and that 39% of American households have at least one dog. Dogs are clearly a popular subject, and writing a newsletter on dogs is a great way to share your enthusiasm for man's best friend. There are currently many websites about dogs that have their own newsletters. For example, the Dog News Daily website has a popular membership newsletter.

Instructions

    • 1

      Find an audience. The subject of dogs is broad and diverse; find a niche that is particularly ineresting to you. Consider making your newsletter about a specific subject such as dog training, dog agility or even a specific breed. Once you identify a niche, use Google to find what media already exists in that niche. For example, type "agility for poodles" into the search box to see how many other sites exist that deal with that term. You may be able to promote your newsletter on an existing website.

    • 2

      Build a website. Purchase a suitable domain name from a domain registrar such as Dreamhost or Go Daddy. Once the site is registered to you, install Wordpress or another platform you're familiar with. Systems vary, but typically the option to install third-party software is in the dashboard or controls section of your registrar account. Wordpress is a very simple blog platform that supports mailing list software. You can sign up for a free mailing list service such as Your Mailing List Provider. Follow the mailing list provider's instructions on embedding the mailing list signup box in your site.

    • 3

      Select a newsletter format. If you want to include images, embedded links and video, select "Use HTML" for your newsletter. HTML stands for hyper text markup language. It is basic code that enables you to format your media the way you like it. If you aren't concerned with images and links, a plain text newsletter is simpler to create.

    • 4

      Establish a publication schedule. If your newsletter is weekly, pick a day of the week that suits your schedule.

    • 5

      Select some relevant topics. Set up an RSS feed with keywords relevant to your newsletter. This will keep you up to date on breaking news. Aim for a blend of topics to include news and evergreen content. Evergreen content is defined as material that will be as relevant next year as it is now. Topics such as training methods and history remain relevant longer than breaking news.

    • 6

      Monitor your analytics. Your mailing list service will typically provide you with analytics information. This tells you how many people opened your newsletter, which links were clicked and which stories were the most popular. Use this information to refine your output. If the most-read topic was about dog training, increase the amount of dog training content you publish in your newsletter.