Create a Newsletter | Groupmail Help Centre

Groupmail's newsletter editor lets you write in markdown with a live preview, personalise messages with merge tags, and choose from multiple themes — all without touching HTML.

Start a New Newsletter

From the sidebar, click Messages, then New Message. A dropdown offers three options: Newsletter, From Template, and Advanced. Select Newsletter to open the markdown-based editor.

The Newsletter Editor

The editor has two main areas. At the top are the Subject Line and Preheader Text fields. The subject is what subscribers see in their inbox, while the preheader is the short preview text that appears next to it. Both fields include an AI button that can generate suggestions for you.

Below that is the Newsletter Content section — a markdown editor on the left and a live preview on the right. As you type, the preview updates in real time so you always know exactly how your email will look.

Fig. 2 — The newsletter editor with subject line, preheader, markdown content area, and live preview

Write Your Subject and Content

Type your subject line and watch the preview update instantly. The preheader field is optional but recommended — it gives subscribers extra context in their inbox.

Fig. 3 — Subject line entered with the live preview reflecting it immediately

In the content area, write your newsletter using markdown. You can format text with headings, bold, italics, lists, links, images, and more. The toolbar above the editor provides quick access to common formatting options.

Merge tags are one of the most powerful features in the newsletter editor — they turn a single message into a personal conversation with each subscriber.

To personalise your emails, use merge tags like {{firstname}}. In the preview, these are replaced with real contact data so you can see exactly how your message will read.

Fig. 4 — Content written with a merge tag, preview showing personalised output

Choose a Theme

Above the preview panel, click the theme dropdown to switch between styles. Groupmail offers three built-in themes: Modern (sans-serif with generous whitespace), Minimal (text-focused, maximum readability), and Classic (centred layout with serif headings).

Fig. 5 — The theme selector showing Modern, Minimal, and Classic options

Try each theme with your content to see which one best matches your brand. The theme applies instantly so you can compare them side by side.

Save, Test, and Check

When your newsletter is ready, click Save in the toolbar. You'll see a confirmation toast letting you know the message has been saved.

Fig. 6 — Newsletter saved with the "Message saved" confirmation

Click Test to send a preview email to yourself. A dialog lets you enter any email address and choose a delivery channel. This is the best way to check how your newsletter looks in a real inbox.

Fig. 7 — The test email dialog with a recipient address and delivery channel

Click Check to run Groupmail's built-in content moderation. This scans your newsletter for spam triggers, toxic content, and other issues that could affect deliverability. You'll see a clear pass or fail for each category.

Fig. 8 — Content moderation results showing spam, toxicity, and safety checks

Always run the content check before sending. A clean moderation report helps protect your sender reputation and ensures your emails reach the inbox.

Once everything looks good, your newsletter is ready to send. Click Send to deliver it to your subscribers, or come back to it later — saved newsletters are always available on the Messages page.