Editorial · Weekly
How-To Tutorial Newsletter Template
Step-by-step instructions for one specific thing per issue. Each issue is a self-contained tutorial — how to do one specific thing, end to end, with screenshots and code. Doubles as evergreen SEO content on your site.
Who this template is for
Educators, technical writers, and creators building a long-tail SEO library.
Issue structure
- What you'll build / learn. One-sentence outcome plus a screenshot of the end result
- Prerequisites. What the reader needs before starting
- The steps. 5–15 numbered steps with screenshots, code, or commands
- Common mistakes. 2–3 things people get wrong
- Going further. Links to more advanced content
When to use this template
- ✓ You have technical or specialised knowledge worth teaching
- ✓ You want every issue to also drive long-tail organic search traffic
- ✓ Your audience is solving a specific problem rather than browsing for inspiration
Examples that work
Newsletters using a version of this template successfully:
- Ali Abdaal's productivity tutorials
- Real Python
- CSS-Tricks Newsletter
Use this template in Aldus
Aldus's AI editor uses this template as a starting prompt — paste your sources and the editor produces the first draft in your voice. Suggested prompt:
Topic: Step-by-step tutorial on [specific outcome]. Voice: Friendly teacher who anticipates confusion. Sources: [docs, your prior knowledge, screenshots]. Structure: 1-line outcome, prerequisites, 5–15 numbered steps with screenshots, 2–3 common mistakes, links to further reading. Test the steps end-to-end before publishing.
Frequently asked questions
Should the same tutorial also live as a blog post?
Yes — tutorials are the highest-leverage newsletter format because every issue doubles as evergreen SEO content. Aldus auto-publishes the email version to your public archive at /:slug/issues/[number].
How do I know what to write tutorials about?
Watch your support inbox and the questions readers ask. Every recurring question is a tutorial waiting to be written.