In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a newsletter template. InDesign newsletter templates are quick and simple to put together and are perfect for informing customers or employees about your business. Coming up with great newsletter design ideas can take some thought, but this design cleverly combines style and function in a simple, one-page newsletter template.

This newsletter design has a single-page, US Letter format in a newspaper-style design, which can be easily customised with your own content. 

Discover more InDesign templates for newsletters on Envato Elements and GraphicRiver. 

Ready to create your newsletter layout? Let’s get started...

What You’ll Need to Create Your Newsletter Template

We’ll be using Adobe InDesign to put together the newsletter format, and you’ll also need to download and install the following fonts:

• Karoll
• Bw Nista Grotesk
• Bw Nista International

The images used in the newsletter design, as pictured here, are:

• Restaurant on a street
• Group of people in a restaurant
• Women cooking together

1. How to Set Up Your Newsletter Template in InDesign

Step 1

Open InDesign, and go to File > New > Document. 

Choose Letter for the page size, and deselect Facing Pages. Increase the number of Columns to 4, and set the Column Gutter to 0 in. Add a 0.2 in Margin Width and a Bleed of 0.125 in to the page. 

Then click Create.

Step 2

Expand the Layers panel (Window > Layers) and double-click on Layer 1, renaming it Background. 

Create a new layer and name this Type. 

Then lock the Type layer, keeping the Background layer active. 

Step 3

Expand the Swatches panel (Window > Color > Swatches) and choose New Color Swatch from the panel’s drop-down menu (at top right). 

Set the levels to C=0 M=80 Y=88 and K=0, before clicking Add and Done.

Create two more CMYK swatches:

• C=73 M=72 Y=68 K=92
• C=0 M=22 Y=29 K=0

Step 4

Working on the Background layer, use the Rectangle Tool (M) to create a shape across the whole page, setting the Fill Color to C=0 M=22 Y=29 K=0.

2. How to Create a Grid for Your Newsletter Template

Step 1

Lock the Background layer and unlock the Type layer above. 

From the left-hand ruler (View > Show Rulers), pull out a guide to X: 2.5 in. 

Drop a second guide at X: 6.55 in. 

Step 2

Use the Line Tool (\) to create a vertical line between the right side of the first column and the guide line. 

From the Swatches panel, set the Stroke Color to C=0 M=80 Y=88 K=0. From the Stroke panel, increase the Weight of the line to 4 pt. 

Step 3

Create a second line on the page, this time a horizontal one along the top margin line, reaching from the right side of the top of the vertical line. 

As before, set the Stroke Color to C=0 M=80 Y=88 K=0, but this time set the Weight to a thinner 2 pt. 

Copy and Paste this thinner line, moving the copy directly below, to Y: 1.8 in. 

Paste again, moving this copy below to Y: 3.1 in.  

Step 4

Use the Ellipse Tool (L) to create a circle between the ends of the two top horizontal lines. Set the Fill Color to C=0 M=80 Y=88 K=0.

Create a long, rectangular shape inside the bottom two-thirds of the far-right column, setting the Fill, as before, to C=0 M=80 Y=88 K=0.

3. How to Create a Headline for Your Newsletter Layout

Step 1

Use the Type Tool (T) to create a large text frame between the two lower horizontal lines. Type in the title of your newsletter, and set the Font to Bw Nista Grotesk Black and the Font Color to C=73 M=72 Y=68 K=92.

Add a text frame above this, typing in the issue number and date, and setting the Font to Karoll Round, Align Center. 

Step 2

The headline story for your newsletter can be placed in the larger section directly below the title. 

Use the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) to create an image frame at the top of the section, going to File > Place and choosing an image to Open. 

Below this, create a text frame for the article title set in Bw Nista International Black. 

A subtitle below can be set in Bw Nista International Bold.

Step 3

Create one text frame below the subtitle, on the left side, setting the body text in this to Bw Nista International Regular. 

Thread the text over to a second text frame, to create two columns of even width in the space.

Copy and Paste the orange circle from the top of the page, scaling this down (while holding Shift) and placing it at the end of the body text to indicate the end of the article. 

Top tip: If you don’t yet have copy to fill your template with, you can go to Type > Fill with Placeholder Text to fill space with text temporarily.

4. How to Populate Your Newsletter Template

You can use the orange column on the right side as a space for highlighting important, need-to-know information, such as upcoming events. 

Step 1

Set a text frame at the top in Bw Nista International Black and a C=0 M=22 Y=29 K=0 Font Color for the main title. 

Add a line below using the Line Tool (\), with a C=0 M=22 Y=29 K=0 Stroke Color.

Step 2

Another title can be placed below this, in smaller Bw Nista International Black. Add a text frame with Bw Nista International Regular body text below this. 

Copy and Paste this pair of text frames a couple of times to fill out the column if needed. You can also add an image frame to the column. 

Step 3

Focussing on the left-hand column, set a title at the top in Bw Nista International Black.

A subtitle can be placed below, set in Bw Nista International Bold. 

Add body text below this in Bw Nista International Regular.

Step 4

Statistics or key facts can be highlighted using a copy of the orange circle, and placed within this left-hand column. 

Copy and Paste the text frames you’ve created in Step 3, above, to populate the rest of the column, adding an image frame as well if you like. 

Step 5

Create a small title text frame in the remaining top row on the newsletter design, setting the Font to Bw Nista International Black and the Font Color to C=0 M=80 Y=88 K=0.

Add body text below set in Bw Nista International Regular.

Copy and Paste this pair of frames, and use these to fill up the row. 

5. How to Export Your Newsletter Template

You can export your finished newsletter design for print or online. Here, we’ll look at how to export your newsletter layout as an interactive PDF, ready to share online or attach to an email.

Step 1

Go to File > Export. Choose Adobe PDF (Interactive) from the Format drop-down menu (or choose Adobe PDF (Print) for a print-ready PDF). 

Name your file and click Save.

Step 2

In the window that opens, click on Compression in the left-hand menu. Set the JPEG Quality to High and the Resolution to 72 ppi. 

Then click Export to create your PDF. You can share this straight away with your readers!

Conclusion: Your Finished Newsletter Template

In this tutorial, you've learned how to create a one-page newsletter template in InDesign, and you've picked up some handy print design and typography skills along the way. 

If you want to give your newsletter a different look, this is easy to do by swapping in different images and fonts or by creating a different color palette. 

Looking for a completely new style of newsletter or flyer? You can find a huge range of stylish InDesign newsletter templates on Envato Elements and GraphicRiver. 

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