Introduction
Even in the era of mobile apps, business chats, and collaborative platforms, the internal company newsletter retains a valuable place. Why? Because it provides a stable, thoughtful, and structured space to share the essentials: the life of the company, its values, its projects, and its teams. Unlike instant messages that come and go, the newsletter leaves a mark, a trace. It serves as both a living archive and a cultural mirror.
In this article, we will explore how to effectively fill in your internal newsletter, what content to include, how to involve your teams, vary formats, organise production, and most importantly, engage your employees.
Defining the objectives of your internal newsletter
Inform, unite, engage
Before even writing the first line, ask yourself a simple question: what should my newsletter serve? If the answer is "just to convey information," we can do better. A good internal newsletter is a strategic tool for:
- Informing about company news
- Uniting around common projects
- Engaging by valuing employees
It is a media entity in its own right, designed for your teams, taking into account their expectations, their on-the-ground reality, and their needs. The newsletter does not only speak about the company; it speaks to the employees, and even with them.
A strategic HR communication tool
It is a powerful vehicle for HR communication. It allows for the announcement of internal training, mobility opportunities, the introduction of newcomers, or even an update on financial results. In short, it is an HR tool that complements the communication department's arsenal.
Encouraging feedback from the ground and transparency
In addition to top-down information, when used effectively, the newsletter can also encourage feedback from the ground. By giving everyone a voice, we create a space for transparency, facilitate social dialogue, and strengthen the sense of belonging.
Choosing the right sections to include
Industry news and company life
Start with the essentials: what is happening in the company. What are the new developments in products and services? What organisational changes are taking place? What successes should be highlighted? This information enhances employees' understanding of the business and fuels their sense of pride in belonging.
Team profiles and employee testimonials
People enjoy reading stories. Highlight team profiles, employee testimonials, interviews with leaders or inspiring colleagues. These are often the most read sections. They create connections, humanise the company, and value talents.
HR announcements, events, and training
Your internal newsletter is the perfect channel to relay HR announcements: new recruits, departures, promotions, available internal training, upcoming events. It is a lever to keep employees informed and engaged.
Cross-functional projects and financial results
Explaining strategic projects, their progress, and even simply presenting financial results gives meaning. It moves away from ambiguity and shares the vision. Your employees only want to understand why they do what they do.
Structuring your editorial content
The editorial line : your common thread
Before writing, define your editorial line: what tone to adopt? What themes to cover? What objectives to pursue? This ensures coherence in each issue and avoids going off in all directions.
The graphic charter and the writing tone
Visually, your newsletter should have a strong identity: colours, typography, layout. This is the role of the graphic charter. But be careful, the substance is just as important as the form: a human, approachable, accessible tone is often much more impactful than a cold and corporate style.
The editorial schedule : key to a regular rhythm
A well-thought-out editorial schedule ensures a regular, anticipated newsletter that is never rushed. It defines the publication dates, the topics to be addressed, the contributors, and the deadlines. The result? Less stress, more efficiency.
Involving the right people
The editor-in-chief, conductor of the newspaper
They coordinate, steer, decide, and inspire. The editor-in-chief is the cornerstone of the editorial project. They ensure coherence, quality, and adherence to the schedule. They are the link between the contributors and the management committee.
The editorial committee and the departmental correspondents
The editorial committee is your internal monitoring unit. It brings together representatives from various departments, field ambassadors, who provide information and suggest topics. With them, your newspaper remains connected to reality.
The contribution of internal journalists, graphic designers, and photographers
Internal journalists, graphic designers, and company photographers add real value. They bring rhythm, beauty, and emotion to your content. And that is what transforms a mundane newspaper into an inspiring publication.
Diversifying content formats
Print and digital: which to choose?
Today, the choice between a print version and a digital version of the internal newspaper is no longer binary. It all depends on your teams, their daily routines, and your objectives. Print remains appreciated for its tangible, warm quality, and its "collector" aspect. It can be taken to coffee breaks, displayed in workshops, and leisurely browsed.
But the digital version has its unbeatable advantages: speed of dissemination, lower cost, interactivity. An interactive PDF format, published on the intranet or via a collaborative platform, allows for the integration of videos, clickable links, and even quizzes. It's perfect for capturing attention.
The ideal ? A hybrid strategy, combining both. We print a few copies for communal spaces and send the digital version via email or through the company's mobile app.
Email, intranet, podcast or mobile app?
The newsletter can take multiple forms, depending on your tools and resources:
- A regular internal newsletter, sent by email, for a short and dynamic format.
- A dedicated section on the intranet to consult archives and recent issues.
- An internal podcast with audio interviews.
- A corporate mobile app that allows access to content even while on the move.
The essential thing is that the format is adapted to the actual usage of your employees. There's no point in launching a podcast if no one listens to it.
Making the newsletter lively and engaging
Integrate games, surveys, feedback
An internal newsletter should never be monotonous. To make it lively and engaging, it is essential to integrate interactive elements. Adding games, quizzes, or surveys not only captures the attention of employees but also creates a genuine dynamic of participation.
Experience feedback, through forms or comments, helps to adjust the content according to the actual expectations on the ground.
Giving a voice to employees
Giving a voice to employees radically transforms the impact of the newsletter. When publishing testimonials from staff, ideas from workshops, or open forums, a voice is given to those who experience the company on a daily basis. This inclusion promotes listening, recognition, and creates a more horizontal communication, where everyone feels involved.
Creating regular editorial appointments
Creating regular editorial appointments enhances anticipation and loyalty. A monthly interview, a "project of the quarter" section, or "photo of the month" are all markers that create a lasting bond with readers. This brings rhythm and coherence throughout the year.
Inspiring examples of successful internal newsletters
Companies that have successfully transformed their communication
Some companies have brilliantly transformed their internal communication through a reimagined newsletter. By making formats more dynamic, focusing on digital, and involving their editorial teams, they have created a media platform that is appreciated and respected internally. These successes demonstrate that a well-designed newsletter can become a strategic lever.
Ideas for original and effective sections
Original ideas for sections such as "a day with...", "your ideas change the company", or "seen in meetings" bring freshness and reflect the real life of the business. They help to renew interest issue after issue.
Conclusion
The internal newsletter is much more than an information tool. It is a living, strategic, human channel that unites, informs, and values. By making it interactive, relevant, well-structured, and regularly published, you create a genuine link between teams and the company's vision.
Q&A
How often should an internal newsletter be published?
This depends on the size of the company and resources. A monthly or quarterly publication is ideal for maintaining the connection without overwhelming.
How can you motivate employees to contribute?
Offer them open sections, value their published ideas, and show that their voices truly matter.
What tools can be used to create a digital newsletter?
Platforms like Canva, Notion, Adobe InDesign, or internal CMS are very effective for creating an interactive newsletter.
What is the difference between an internal newsletter and a journal?
The newsletter is short and frequent, often weekly. The journal, on the other hand, is more comprehensive, structured, and offers richer content.
How can the success of the newsletter be measured?
Analyse feedback, reading statistics, open rates, interactions, and especially internal word-of-mouth.
