Newsletters in B2B are often reputed to be a nice add-on in the marketing mix. However, the reality of 2025 shows: Email is one of the few channels that is truly owned, measurable, and scalable. And not to forget, one of the most effective channels for building long-term relationships with customers.

At the same time, the rules of the game have changed. Gmail and Yahoo are tightening compliance, Apple is making open rates almost useless as a KPI, and with BIMI, the inbox becomes a branding space.

Those who not only keep up with these and other developments but also actively use them, can demonstrably create business growth and customer value with their newsletter – rather than just generating click numbers.

B2B newsletters are often judged by the same standards as B2C – leading to incorrect expectations. While B2C emails are often impulse-driven ('Sale ends today!', 'Get 20% off now') and aim for quick conversions, B2B newsletters have a different task: They must build trust, remove obstacles, provide guidance, and convey knowledge.

Decisions in B2B are usually complex, take longer and are often made by multiple people instead of individuals. This means: fewer short-term conversions, more relevance, and thought leadership. Those who confuse B2B with B2C risk disappointed stakeholders and incorrect KPI interpretations.

In recent years, the playing field for email marketing has changed. Major providers like Gmail or Yahoo have tightened their requirements for senders. Especially those who send many emails (but not only they) must have technical standards like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC neatly set up, and also offer a one-click unsubscribe, so recipients can easily opt out. The spam rate is also under scrutiny: If it's above 0.3%, the sender's reputation may be downgraded. Deliverability is thus fundamental. Before it's about content, design, or automation, the foundation must be right. This means: Technical hygiene is non-negotiable and becomes a prerequisite for everything that follows.

Once the clean foundation is in place, further developments present challenges for email marketers: for example, Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP). Content is automatically downloaded in the background – regardless of whether an email is opened or not. Likewise, IP addresses are obscured. This results in artificially inflated open rates but with less significance. Companies should therefore focus more on hard metrics like clicks, conversions, and CRM signals.

With BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification), another building block is added to a series of innovations. Brands can display their logo directly in the inbox. Especially in B2B, it strengthens trust and ensures more visibility. Gmail may also show a blue checkmark as a 'Verified Badge' – but only if a VMC certificate is additionally present or stored.

Many B2B newsletters still seem like dumping grounds for product news. But successful email campaigns are oriented towards the 'Buying Jobs' a customer needs to complete in the decision-making process. Gartner describes this as an iterative process: from recognizing the problem to formulating requirements to selecting a provider.

For marketers, this means: Content must be specifically tailored to role, industry, company size, or buying stage. Segmentation is not an extra, but standard – and measurably improves performance. Those who also use CRM data and signals from the sales process can build nurture tracks along the entire customer lifecycle – from the first contact to contract renewal.

Simply put: Every email should fulfill a clear purpose – and contain exactly one central call-to-action (CTA).

The most beautiful content is useless if it is not read or understood. The prerequisite is a user-centered layout that promotes scannability: single-column layouts, 600–640 pixel width, and clear hierarchies help readers quickly recognize what it's about. This also includes a concise subject line that prioritizes utility over cleverness.

Another success factor: Accessibility. Alt texts, sufficiently large fonts, and clickable buttons make the newsletter accessible for everyone. And since more than half of openings now occur on mobile devices, the design must be responsive and dark mode-ready.

Finally, with tracking, it's about more than just clicks: clean UTM standards, deep links, and integration into the CRM ensure that newsletter performance is visible and evaluable throughout the entire customer lifecycle – not just on an email level.

The question 'How often can I send my newsletter?' or 'When is the best sending time?' is frequently asked in B2B – and it has no blanket answer. It's important that the frequency is aligned with engagement. Clicks and on-site behavior are better indicators than open rates.

Those who maintain their contact lists not only protect their reputation but also their deliverability. A clear sunset policy ensures that inactive contacts are reactivated or consistently phased out after some time. This is supplemented by thorough QA processes: spam tests, link checks, and previews are mandatory before an email goes live.
Thus, governance does not become bureaucracy, but a shield for sustainable email marketing.

What cannot be measured, cannot be optimized. However, not everything that is countable counts. For instance, open rates are losing their significance. More important are click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and above all, the demonstrable contribution to business success.

Benchmarks help to put things into perspective, but must be read in context: Brevo reports an average CTR of 3.64% for 2025, with business and marketing services below that (1-2%). Such figures provide guidance, but what matters is how one's own campaigns perform in the funnel.

For experiments to have an effect, a clear approach is needed: Formulate hypothesis, define sample cleanly, test significance. And not only should the subject line be tested, but also structure, CTA placement, social proof, etc.

There are a few mistakes that cause harm faster than you think.

• For example, purchased lists not only ruin reputation but also endanger legal compliance
• No-reply senders feel impersonal
• Too many CTAs dilute the message
• Templates with 'only images' risk barriers for users and spam filters
• Over-personalization without real added value can also be counterproductive – if the recipient feels tracked instead of advised

Those who focus on quality instead of quantity avoid these pitfalls.

So, what makes a good B2B newsletter? Three principles run through all successful email marketing strategies or campaigns: Clarity, relevance, and consistency.

• Clarity means a clear layout, a clear message, and a primary CTA.
• Relevance is created by segmentation, content oriented towards buying stages, and having the courage to sometimes embrace 'less is more'.
• Consistency, in turn, means setting up processes cleanly: From technical hygiene to regular A/B tests to a consistent sunset policy.

Those who follow these best practices elevate their newsletter from an 'information push' to a strategic tool.

The path from 'newsletter as a mandatory program' to a growth and relationship driver is clearly structured for us:

• Quick Wins: Secure deliverability (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and setup control
• Step 2: Trim template for scannability and accessibility, test initial hypotheses (subject, CTA, etc.)
• Step 3: Align newsletter content more closely with the customer journey, deepen segmentation, strengthen nurturing, develop sunset policy

Those who implement such a plan will quickly see: Newsletters are not a 'nice-to-have' – they are a reliable driver, even in B2B marketing.

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