Newsletter Automation Made Simple with GoHighLevel

If you’ve ever sent out a batch of emails one-by-one, you know how fast things get messy. Maybe you forget to send a message to someone new. Maybe you lose track of who opened what, or waste hours copying and pasting the same text for every campaign. That’s not just frustrating—it can hold your business back.

Newsletter automation is a game-changer for anyone who runs an agency or manages marketing for a small business. You set it up once, and GoHighLevel keeps things moving in the background. Your new subscribers get a welcome email right away. Your regulars get the latest news without you lifting a finger. No more second-guessing if your message got through.

With automation, you have more time to talk to clients, come up with new ideas, or just take a breath. You also get better insight into what’s working. You’ll see who’s reading, who’s clicking, and what topics hit home. For agency owners, this means you can show real results to your clients. For business owners, it means your message lands where it needs to, every time.

Getting started with newsletter automation in GoHighLevel is easier than you might think. You don’t need fancy tools or a big budget—just a bit of setup and you’re ready to go. Here’s how you can set up your newsletter process from start to finish.

To start, make sure you are logged in to your GoHighLevel sub-account.

The Main Menu on the Left side of your screen has all the main areas that you work in when using GHL

1.1  Click on the Marketing Menu Item.

• Access the Marketing section of GoHighLevel
  • You’ll now be in the Marketing section of GHL, where you can access the Emails section from the top menu:

1.2  Click on the Emails menu link.

2.1 Select “Templates.”

• You’ll see a list of your existing templates.

2.2 Click the “New” Button or Select Existing Template

2.3 A new window will pop up asking you to choose an option.

• You can select one of the following:
  • Create Template from Existing Campaign: Use your existing campaign and make it a template.
  • Email Template: Start with a pre-designed template.
  • Blank Template: Build your email from scratch.
  • Import Email: Copy a past campaign you’ve already built.

Ensure that your newsletter looks and works correctly before you send it out.

3.1 Build and design your email using the available elements.

• Add text, images, and buttons to your template.
• Use custom values, such as the contact’s name, to personalize your message.

3.2 Give your template a name.

3.3 Click “Save Template” when you are finished.

3.4 Look for the three-dot button and click on it.

• This is located near the “Save Template” button while you are still in the editor.

3.5 Click “Preview Template” to see how your newsletter looks on different devices.

• This will show you a desktop view and a mobile view.

3.6 Click “Test Email.”

• A window will pop up in the right side of the screen.

3.7 Enter your sender, recipient email addresses and subject line.

3.8 Click “Send Test Email” to send a test email to yourself.

• Check your inbox to make sure the email looks good.
• Click on any links to confirm they are working correctly.

This is a great time-saving feature of GoHighLevel newsletter automation.

4.1 Go back to your list of templates and find the newsletter template you just created.

4.2 Click the three-dot menu on your template and select “Clone.”

• Give this new copy a specific name (e.g., “September Newsletter”).
• Update the content for this new newsletter.
• This lets you maintain a consistent style while creating fresh content.

This is a key part of setting up GoHighLevel newsletter automation.

5.1 Access the “Automations” section.

5.2 Click “Create Workflow”

5.3 Select “Start from Scratch.”

6.1 Give your workflow a name.

6.2 Set the workflow trigger as Form Submitted.

• Click on “Add New Workflow Trigger.”
• Choose “Form Submitted”

6.3 Set the filter to “Form is” and your newsletter signup form.

6.4 Click Save Trigger.

7.1 Add the action “Add Contact Tag” to tag new subscribers.

7.2 Create a tag like “Newsletter Subscriber.”

• Type in a tag to create a new one or select an existing one.

7.3 Click Save Action.

8.1 Add a “Wait” action in the workflow.

• This determines when the first email will be sent after a subscriber signs up.

8.2 Choose Time Delay in the Wait For field.

8.3 Set your desired waiting time delay.

8.4 Click Save Action.

9.1 Add a “Send Email” action.

9.2 Fill out the email settings, such as sender name and subject line.

9.3 Select the newsletter template you want to send (the one you created earlier).

9.4 Click Save Action.

• After building the basic structure of the workflow, you can repeat the “Wait” and “Send Email” steps for each email in your series.

9.5 When you are finished, save your workflow.

9.6 Toggle the switch to Publish.

This helps you visualize where each subscriber is in your newsletter sequence.

10.1 Access the “Opportunities” section.

10.2 Click on the “Pipelines” tab.

• You will see a list of your existing pipelines.

10.3 Click “Create New Pipeline.”

11. 1 Give your pipeline a name.

11.2 Create stages that correspond to your email sequence (e.g., “New Signup,” “Email 1 Sent,” “Email 2 Sent”).

11.3 Click Save.

Now, we will be going to add opportunities so that we can track every contact that gets into the workflow.

12.1 Open the workflow you created earlier. After each “Send Email” action or what action or step you put in your pipeline, add the “Create or Update Opportunity” step.

• Set it to move the contact to the correct stage in your new pipeline.
• This will allow you to see the progress of each subscriber.

13.1 Set the pipeline you want the contact to appear.

13.2 Choose the stage you want the contact to appear in the pipeline.

• In the image, you can see that the Create/Update Opportunity action is added right after the trigger (Form Submitted). This means that after the lead signs into the form, they will automatically appear in the first stage of the pipeline (New Signup)
• Repeat adding the Create/Update Opportunity action after every action you want the lead to track. Make sure to set the same pipeline and choose the appropriate stage in the pipeline.

13.3. Click the Save Action button.

13.4 Save the Workflow.

When someone subscribes to your newsletter through your form, they will automatically show up in your pipeline. Then they will move to the pipeline stages after completing every action in your workflow. Here’s an example look of your pipeline when someone subscribes.

Newsletter automation in GoHighLevel is all about keeping your work simple, your results clear, and your email process running without stress.

You set it up once and let the system do the rest.

• Try changing your subject lines now and then. You do not have to be clever. Just try something simple and see which ones people open. It is often the plain ones that do best.
• Make good use of tags. When you tag your contacts by what they click or how they joined your list, you will have an easier time sending the right email to the right person.
• Smart lists are your friend. If someone opened your last newsletter or clicked a button, you can follow up with just those people. It makes your newsletter automation feel more personal without extra effort.
• Always look at your newsletter on your phone before you send it. If you see something that looks off, fix it before it goes out. It only takes a minute, but it saves you from problems later.
• Pay attention to your open rates. If your numbers drop, do not panic. Try sending your newsletter at a different time or add something new to your message. Sometimes people just want a change.
• If you get stuck, ask for help. The GoHighLevel community is full of folks who have solved the same problems. No need to figure it all out alone.
• Most important, be real and keep things useful. People keep reading when they know your emails are simple, honest, and actually help them out.

Running a business means you wear a lot of hats, and your time is valuable. Setting up newsletter automation in GoHighLevel is one of those moves that pays off again and again. When your newsletters go out like clockwork, you stay in touch without having to think about it every week.

Your audience starts to count on your updates. They see your name in their inbox and know what to expect. That builds trust over time. You can focus on running your business, knowing your emails will always reach the right people.

Watching how folks move through your newsletter pipeline is a big help. You can spot which emails get opened and which ones get skipped. If people seem to lose interest, you can try a different approach or mix up your topics. That’s real feedback you can use right away.

If you’re running an agency, this setup lets you keep track of more clients without getting buried in busywork. For small business owners, it just means you spend less time worrying about email and more time working on the parts of your business that really matter.

Newsletter automation is not about making things complicated. It’s about making things run smoother, so you can focus on your customers, your work, and everything else that needs your attention.

Setting up newsletter automation in GoHighLevel is a game changer. Once you have it running, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. Your emails will go out on time, every time, and you won’t have to worry about missing a beat.

If you’re new to this, don’t stress about making it perfect on day one. Start simple—build a basic template, put together a workflow, and take it from there. You’ll learn as you go, and it gets easier fast.

The best part is you free yourself from the busywork. You can focus on the things that actually grow your business or keep your clients happy. And if you hit a wall, you’re not alone. There’s a solid community of folks using GoHighLevel who’ve been where you are, plus plenty of helpful guides.

Have you already tried newsletter automation? Share what worked for you or ask questions if you’re stuck. And if you want to keep learning, the GHL Growth Garage blog has plenty of straightforward guides to help.