Getting started with the Post Builder: Creating newsletter templates

Creating newsletters in beehiiv is simple and intuitive. Using the Post Builder’s Style panel, you can design multiple unique email templates for the same publication.

For example, if you send newsletters on both weekdays and weekends, you can create 2 different templates to reuse. You can also style a specific newsletter post that begins as a blank draft, and save your post as a template.

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Watch and learn: How to Create Newsletter Templates in beehiiv

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How to create a post template from scratch

1. From your account dashboard, click Start writing.
   
   
2. The Post template library will open where you’ll have the option to use our Quick Start Templates, a Blank Draft, or any of your previously saved newsletter templates.
   
   To create a post from scratch, click My templates in the left panel.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. If you’ve saved post templates before, they will be listed on this page. Click New Template to create a new email post design.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Post Builder will open for the new template. Click the pencil icon up top and assign a  Template name (required), add a Description (optional), and upload a Thumbnail (optional). These are the details that will be visible later on the ‘My Templates’ page.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. When creating a template, you'll see 3 tabs on the right side of the Post Builder: Write, Details, and Style. Before saving, click Details to add the email Subject line and Preview text.
   
   Once the template is saved, only the Write and Style tabs will remain when you access it again.
   
   
   

Customizing your template

6. To edit the template’s styling, click on the Style tab in the right panel. This will display a live preview of your template on the left and styling options on the right.
   
   The Style section is divided into 2 categories:

• Basic: Quickly adjust the overall colors, typography, spacing, and borders for the template.
• Advanced: Further customize specific elements like links, images, buttons, and even the email header and footer.
  
  
  
  
  

7. Basic setting options include:

• Colors: Set different colors for the outside background, post background, text on background, primary, text on primary, secondary, and links. 
• Typography: Adjust the heading and paragraph text, plus the font family and font weight for each. 
• Spacing: Adjust the margins and padding for the post in pixels. 
• Borders: Set the corner radius and border thickness.
  
  
  

8. The Advanced tab offers more granular customization. All changes are automatically saved. Click Advanced to adjust:

• Background: Adjust the background color for the canvas, post, and post border. Or control the margins, padding, corner radius, and border thickness. 
• Body: Control the look of the paragraph text, 6 header options (H1-H6), and spacing. For the fonts, you can also adjust the family, weight, size, line height, and color.  
• Widgets: Granular settings for all aspects of the widgets including: links, images, buttons, breaks, lists, quotes, embeds, and tables. 
• Email Header: Set how the email header will look by adjusting the title, subtitle, image, byline, date, padding, and code.
• Email Footer: Control how the email footer will look by adjusting the colors, text, social links, border, margin, and padding. Or select Custom to add additional footer content.

9. Once you've finished styling your template, use the options in the top right to Preview or Duplicate template as needed.
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. When you’re ready to exit, click the arrow next to Post template library to be brought back there where you will see your newly created template as one of your My template options.
    
    
    

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How to create a template from a post

1. From the Compose page of an open post, while in the Write panel, go to the icons at the top and click on the Save as template icon. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Give the template a name and click on Save template.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Tech Note: In a blank post, only the Write and Style tabs are available.
   
   
   
   If you’re in a blank template, you will also see the Details tab, where you can adjust the email sending details for your template. After saving the template, only the Write and Style tabs will remain when you access it again.
   
   
   
   
3. Once you’ve saved your template, it will be available at any time on the My Templates page of your Post template library.
   
   
   

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How to use an email Quick Start Template 

1. From your account dashboard, click Start writing.
   
   
2. The Post template library will open where you’ll have the option to use our Quick Start Templates, a Blank Draft, or any of your previously saved newsletter templates.
   
   
3. Scroll down to the Quick Start Templates section. Click the 3 dots menu on any of the templates to choose from Use Template, Preview, or Duplicate.
   
   
   

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Using and managing existing post templates

1. From your account dashboard, click Start writing.
   
   
2. The Post template library will open where you’ll have the option to use our Quick Start Templates, a Blank Draft, or any of your previously saved newsletter templates.
   
   To access your saved templates or to create a new one, click My templates.
   
   
3. You’ll see your saved templates listed along with the option for a New template. Click the 3 dots menu on any of the templates to choose from Use Template, Edit Template, Preview, Duplicate, or Delete Template.
   
   
   
   
   
   

After selecting to use or edit a template, the Post Builder will open on the Compose page where you can start drafting your newsletter content. The Post Builder is organized into 5 tabs (Compose, Audience, Email, Web, Review) found at the top of the page.

These 5 stages of the post creation flow are designed to guide you step-by-step through crafting and publishing a newsletter post, using the ‘Next’ button to move between pages. If you prefer to navigate out of order, you can use the 5 tabs to jump directly to any stage in the process of creating your post.