It is time to upgrade our newsletter game! We’ve got plenty of ideas on how to do that, but we also want to hear from you, readers, on what you might find useful. Details in post.
If you are a regular reader of the BetterU newsletter, first: thank you.
Some of you have been with us for quite a while, including back when this was mostly a blog and before BetterU became the broader wellbeing hub it is now. Over the past couple of years, BetterU has grown from a place to publish news and advice into something more active: a site, a newsletter, a newsroom, and a growing collection of wellbeing resources, programs and student-created content.
And we are getting ready for the next little transformation.
At the moment, the BetterU newsletter is run through Campaign Monitor as an automated process. It picks up new articles from the site and lists them for readers. That has been useful, especially as the blog has grown, but it also means the newsletter has mostly functioned as a feed of recent posts. Practical maybe but not very personable.
The shift we are exploring now is towards a more hand-crafted newsletter, with more personality, care and attention.
Rather than simply listing what has been published, each edition would be a unique communication with readers about what is happening in the student wellbeing space: recent news, timely advice, useful services, upcoming programs, student contributions, and older content worth bringing back into view.
The exact details are still being shaped, but the main changes we are exploring are:
- moving from a weekly newsletter to a fortnightly send
- giving the newsletter a visual makeover
- making each edition feel more curated and personal
- summarising recent news, events and wellbeing content
- including regular links to key services and supports
- resurfacing older articles that are still useful and relevant
I must admit that I am particularly interested in that last one because the Student Health and Wellbeing Blog now has an archive of more than 1700 articles. There is a lot of practical advice, student stories, program information, wellbeing ideas and service updates sitting in there, and one of the things we want the newsletter to do better is help people find the right thing at the right time.
We also have plenty more content in the works, including contributions from students in the BetterU newsroom. And if you will forgive me a quick tangent – if you are a member of the Flinders community (staff or student) who is interested in writing, creating or contributing content, you can learn more about getting involved here.
As I play with some new designs, I’ll share some of the mockups on here. But design is only one part of it. The more important question is:
What would make the BetterU newsletter genuinely useful to you?
As a reader, what would you like to see more of?
For example:
- short practical wellbeing tips?
- clearer links to services and supports?
- reminders about upcoming programs or events?
- student stories and student-created content?
- staff wellbeing content?
- themed editions around study, stress, sleep, connection or mental health?
- quick links you can return to when you need them?
- older content brought back when it becomes relevant again?
- something else entirely!!
You are welcome to leave a comment below. You’ll need to sign in with your FAN and password to do that.
If you would prefer to give feedback anonymously, I have also set up a short Microsoft Form here: Help shape the BetterU newsletter – Fill out for
I am excited about this next version of the newsletter. BetterU has already been through a few shifts: from blog to broader wellbeing site, from staff-written content to student involvement through volunteering and placements, and now into a more deliberate newsletter format.
And there is more to come after this as well. I am just getting started.
So, if you get value from the BetterU newsletter, whether you are a student or staff member, I would genuinely like to hear what would make it more useful in your daily life.
Take care,
Gareth
