Planning a Digital Newsletter

CAS OPERATIONS

Services Model
Communications


Requesting Support

Alumni lists and DAR coordination

Delivery model: Digest email + UD web page

1. Digest email

2. Full newsletter on UD web page

Content Guidelines

Platform and ownership

Plan and send timeline

Requesting Support

The CAS Communications team offers support to departments and programs in the College of Arts & Sciences who are producing newsletters for external audiences (such as alumni, prospective students and community members). A CAS Communications (CAS Comms) team member will partner with your unit to plan, build and send the campaign. To request support for your next digital newsletter, submit the CAS Communications Project Request Form.

Alumni lists and DAR coordination

If your audience includes alumni:

  • Submit any list requests to UD Development & Alumni Relations at least three weeks in advance.
  • Submit two forms: the list request form and a confidentiality agreement. You can find both forms in the Campus Partners Resources Guide under "Donor and Alumni Data Communications."
  • To provide the most up-to-date and accurate list/data of alumni, and since the lists and contact information are ever-evolving, campus partners are required to get a new list from DAR for each send.

Your unit must secure/manage all other lists (for example, prospective students and community lists).

Cadence

For external audiences, CAS Comms generally recommends no more than one newsletter per semester (fall and spring) for a given department or program.

 

Delivery model: Digest email + UD web page

The CAS Communications team will produce the digital newsletter as a digest email and UD webpage:

  • The shorter, concise digest email ensures accessibility and successful delivery to email inboxes.
  • The longer, comprehensive UD web page improves searchability and long-term because the newsletter is indexed by Google and tracked in Google Analytics.

1.Digest email

The digest email highlights your most important stories. The following format will keep your email readable, accessible and technically lightweight.

  • Subject line: Aim for about 9 words or 60 characters.
  • Preview text (summary text that follows the subject line): Aim for up to 90 characters to ensure visibility across devices.
  • Total body length: up to 500 words.
  • A short welcome note from the chair or director that sets the tone and theme.
  • A single, prominent “call to action” button to “Read the full newsletter.”
  • Up to 5 sections with topic headings such as “Department Highlights,” “Upcoming Events,” and “Connect with Us.”
    • Up to three headlines per section (up to 12 words per headline).
    • 1–2 sentences per headline (up to 60 words).
    • Headlines can have hyperlinks.
  • Up to 7 images including the “hero image” at the top of the newsletter.

2. Full newsletter on UD web page

  • The webpage hosts the complete set of stories, photos and links.
  • A department or program landing page will archive past issues.
  • Topics may feature additional content such as:
    • Welcome note from chair or director
    • Department or center highlights
    • Student and alumni news
    • Faculty news and research
    • Giving and engagement opportunities

Content Guidelines

Units must collect and provide all content (copy and images) to CAS Comms via the Project Request Form and shared Google Drive link.

  • News items should fall within the period covered by the newsletter (for example, spring 2025 news).
  • If a story exceeds 250 words, CAS Comms may recommend publishing it as a standalone news story on the UD website and linking to it from the newsletter page.
  • Provide at least one high-resolution landscape image for the top of the newsletter.
  • Do not use flyers or screenshots of flyers as content because they are not accessible and contribute to code bloat. Flyers and other dense graphic text will not be used as newsletter content, but key information can be rewritten as accessible text.
  • Provide photo captions and credits where appropriate.

Image Permissions

Units must collect permissions to include images in UD external communications. The following permissions protect the rights and privacy of students, faculty and visitors, and helps UD demonstrate responsible stewardship of personal information:

  • Students who share images must provide a written confirmation (i.e., an email) that UD can publish the images for marketing purposes.
  • UD employees who take a picture of a student or a group of students must collect a signed model release and keep this documentation for their files.
  • For pictures taken at UD events: Signed model releases aren’t needed if disclaimers were present at the event to notify the audience that they may appear in UD images and videos.

Platform and ownership

  • The University recommends the Mailchimp email platform for newsletters.
  • Individual units are responsible for platform setup, any associated costs and ongoing list maintenance. CAS Comms will walk through this process with your unit.
  • Identify a faculty or staff member to serve as the project owner and provide CAS Comms with the access needed.
  • For alumni audiences, the CAS Comms team member will upload the DAR-provided alumni list to Mailchimp and tag it for the current campaign.
  • For units new to Mailchimp, CAS Comms will help you:
    • Set up a Mailchimp-approved “from” email address for deliverability and security purposes.
    • Configure a Google Group or other inbox where replies to the campaign will be delivered.

Plan and send timeline

Working backward from your desired send date:

  • 30 business days before send: Unit submits the Project Request Form and provides all content (copy and images).
  • 21 business days before send:
    • Unit requests DAR alumni list (if applicable).
    • CAS Comms conducts an initial editorial and accessibility review.
  • 14 business days before send: CAS Comms builds the Mailchimp digest email and drafts the UD-hosted newsletter page.
  • 7–10 business days before send: CAS Comms sends test emails to your unit’s newsletter team for proofreading, link checks and final approvals.
  • Send date: CAS Comms schedules and sends the campaign. Replies route to your unit’s Google Group.
  • Within 7 business days after send: CAS Comms shares a Mailchimp campaign performance report (open rate, click performance, audience data).
Print Article

Related Articles (1)

Email Marketing Best Practices
Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy for building relationships between the University of Delaware and external audiences. Common types of campaigns include newsletters, event announcements and fundraising initiatives.