How to Create Newsletters with AI by Recycling Your Blogs
AI Newsletters Stay Interesting & On-Brand When It Sources Your Original Content
written by Sarah Check & AI Sarah
TL;DR Want to create newsletters with AI from existing content? Convert your blog or video transcripts to PDF, feed them to an AI model with specific prompting, and use the 60-90% rule for efficient editing. You can get 4 unique newsletters from a 2K-word blog while maintaining your voice and original content.
No one wants to read your (or your client’s) AI-produced newsletter you didn’t bother to write. But your audience would LOVE to read your original content translated into a newsletter.
Most content-repurposing guides that teach you how to create newsletters with AI are all concepts, no tactics. A 30-second TikTok where an AI influence says they create a year’s with of emails in 10 minutes with some tool sponsoring their video. Or their master fill-in-the-blank “prompt” you just copy/paste into ChatGPT.
I've found a different approach that helped me create 32 original emails right before maternity leave. Instead of getting AI to generate newsletters from scratch, I use it to turn my original blog posts into emails. One blog into four distinct newsletters — while keeping my voice intact, and sharing the valuable stuff my readers want to hear.
It’s awesome for my own marketing. But its SUPER awesome if you’re copywriting for clients. Offering a bundle of 1 blog with 4 newsletters (or a year’s worth of 25 blogs and 100 newsletters) becomes super manageable. And bonus: these emails can prompt their reader to learn more by reading the full blog post, which you can attach.
Traffic to the website. Added value to the customers that want more. A chunky invoice for you and a whole lot of organic marketing off your client’s plate. Win-win-win.
I'm going to show you exactly how I do it, step by step.
Download your content to recycle as a PDF.
Upload it to your preferred AI (I like ChatGPT and Claude) with a prompt.
Walk through the drafting process within the AI platform.
Edit.
Let’s go!
Why Create Newsletters with AI This Way? It Solves Several Big Problems
When you create newsletters with AI using your original content, you're solving multiple problems at once.
It’s Your Voice & Content, Not Just AI's Database
When you give it a prompt, it simply remixes what's already in its database. Yes, even when you give it a fat prompt detailing your audience, funnel, and branding.
But when you feed it your blog post or video script, you're forcing it to sample from your unique voice and insights.
Your audience doesn’t want AI database soup — they want your OG info! Like:
Stories and anecdotes
Case studies and testimonials
Original insights
Original data and findings from stuff you’ve tried
By using your original content as the source, you're ensuring the AI creates newsletters that actually sound like you AND give your readers content they want.
Better 'Mother' Content Means Better Everything
Knowing your content will be repurposed forces you to create better original material.
Think of your blog post as the 'mother' content – it needs to be solid because everything you repurpose from it (emails, social posts, video scripts, etc) inherits its quality. If you create crappy source content, you'll get crappy newsletters.
When I do my content plan in sections, I like to spend the majority of my brainpower/time on creating the blog. I want it long, well organized, helpful, and full of original insights. Breaking it into emails and social media posts is super fast after that.
Content Creation Becomes Way More Sustainable
Why do we struggle with regular newsletters, despite email marketing's insane ROI (3,500%)? Because writing one original email after another is exhausting.
But good news – if you're already creating other content, you can significantly cut down your workload. You just tack on the email-repurposing step into the system you already use for making blogs.
Plus, using AI to create newsletters this way gives you predictability. You get a clear SOP and reliable time estimates, which beats staring at a blank page hoping inspiration strikes.
Your Audience Needs Repetition
Your audience isn't hanging on your every word. They're busy. That brilliant insight you shared once? Most of them missed it.
I can't tell you how many times I've explained that prompting AI is as simple as DMing someone online – and it's still novel to many people.
When you create newsletters with AI from your existing content, you're not being repetitive. You're being realistic about how information actually reaches and sticks with your audience. Trust me, if they like your content, they won't mind seeing your key insights more than once.
Each of these benefits compounds. You're not just creating newsletters with AI – you're building a sustainable content system that respects both your time and your audience's attention.
2. How to Create Newsletters with AI (From Blogs) | The Exact Process
Let me walk you through exactly how to create newsletters with AI, step by step.
a. Prep your content by making it a PDF
If you're starting with a blog post on your Google Doc, click 'File' in the upper left corner, select 'Download,' and choose 'PDF.' If you’re using Word, go to “save as” and click “PDF”.
For video content you want to turn into emails, take your script or transcription and follow the same PDF conversion process.
If your blog is already published, but it’s not in a Google or Word document, copy and paste it into one, then go through the PDF steps. As of now, I’ve had NO success providing the link to AI for it to read. That’s why we’re doing the whole PDF thing. This format works best with most AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, etc).
b. Feed the PDF to your AI
Open your preferred AI tool (I use ChatGPT or Claude), then simply drag and drop your PDF into the prompt bar. Or click the paperclip and select the pdfThis is where the magic starts – you're giving the AI your actual content to work with, not just instructions about your style, goals, or audience.
c. Give your AI directions
I have my instructions preloaded into my chatbots so I don’t have to manually use a prompt.
But when I DO use a manual prompt, here's exactly what I tell the AI:
'I want you to repurpose this piece of content into (X number) emails for my newsletter.
Before we begin drafting the emails, I would like you to propose an outline of each email.
Do not begin drafting the emails until I approve the outline.'
This two-step approach makes you're on the right track before investing time in the full drafts.
You’ll then walk through the outline it proposes, then each email.
Approve and tell it what you like. Give it feedback and course-correcting direction on what you don’t like.
And don’t forget — if there’s particular points from the blog you’d like to capitalize, include that in the prompt!
d. Start drafting using the 60-90% rule
When the AI creates your newsletter draft, look for content that's about 60-90% of the way there. I LOVE this method.
Why? Because this sweet spot makes editing incredibly efficient. You're not rewriting from scratch, but you're also not wasting time trying to get the AI to make everything perfect. When content hits this range, the edits you want to make usually pop into your head immediately. The structure is there – you just need to clean up the details.
e. Do quick post edits.
This is where you truly create newsletters with AI that sound like you. I focus on:
Making sentences shorter and punchier
Removing redundant and low-value sentences
Swapping in words I use more frequently
Adding humor and story details the AI wouldn't know about
Tweaking formatting for better readability
Injecting some humor, casual phrasing, and sarcasm (because AI sucks at it)
Adding anything I forgot
My FAVORITE part of this process is its predictability. Once you've done it a few times, you'll develop a rhythm that makes creating newsletters with AI feel less of a struggle and more like a reliable system.
As a stay-at-home mom of an infant and toddler, working from home, efficiency + predictability is the best thing AI can give me.
3. Essential Tips for Creating Newsletters with AI From Blogs
After writing dozens of newsletters with AI, here are the critical things you need to know to get the best results:
There’s A Content Length Sweet Spot
I can comfortably get four unique, high-quality emails from a 2,000-word blog post. Any shorter hasn’t worked as well. When it’s well organized — like, it has an intuitive flow and heading/subheading breakdown — the newsletters come out even better.
When you create newsletters with AI using your blog content, honoring these proportions helps keep quality without forcing the AI to stretch content too thin. When AI doesn’t have enough to work with, it tends to fill the gaps with low-value filler text. You know — those intros, reframes, and conclusions that no one wants to read.
If You Give It Too Little, Your Newsletters Will Repeat Themselves
If you push the AI to generate too many pieces from your source content, it will start repeating itself. You’ll see the same stories, examples, and points come up. Respect the natural limits of your content when you create newsletters with AI.
To repurpose content with AI, you really want your source material to be longer than the recycled material. If you try the reverse (short content into long content), the AI will fill in the gaps with fluff.
Garbage In, Garbage Out
If you're feeding the AI low-quality, AI-generated blogs to begin with, you're going to get subpar newsletters. The quality of your repurposed content will never exceed the quality of your source material. This is why you’ve got to start with well-crafted, original content that actually says something valuable.
Include original findings, like data you’ve collected and case studies. Give it original content, like your own stories and experiences. Make your how-to’s super, super tactical. Just don’t expect AI to fix your bad content.
The Human Touch Pulls It All Together
Even after the AI does its part, you really need to edit the content. It’s not just about fixing mistakes – it's about making sure your newsletters maintain your brand voice and quality standards.
When you create newsletters with AI, think of it as a collaboration rather than automation. There’s details you forgot, formatting that best matches your brand, and humor AI just can’t replicate. These details are WAY easier to add during the edits, rather than cajoling the AI with a dozen follow up prompts trying to get it more on track.
The AI provides the structure and initial content, but your editorial touch makes it actually valuable to your readers.
They want to hear what you bring to the table. Not what AI can. Your audience can access AI and its power any time they want. But they can’t access all the cool stuff in your head (that you can put into a newsletter).
Remember: the goal isn't just to create newsletters with AI – it's to create newsletters your subscribers actually want to read and share.
Stop Ghosting Your Subscribers.
Turn Content You’ve Already Made Into Engaging Newsletters
Creating newsletters with AI doesn't have to be a crazy workflow — or be totally inauthentic. Using your existing content as a foundation saves time! And even more than that – you're ensuring your newsletters maintain your unique voice and insights.
Remember, your audience needs to hear your key messages more than once, and the blog-to-newsletter setup lets you deliver value consistently without burning out. And you can cash in on that sweet sweet 3500% ROI!
In summary:
convert your content to PDF
feed it to your AI with clear instructions
use the 60-90% rule for efficient drafting/follow up prompting
add your personal touch.
What matters most is starting with quality content and respecting the natural limits of repurposing.
Quick note if you’re using this repurposing trick as a copywriter on your client’s work. Be transparent that the newsletters are going to based on the blogs produced. This shouldn’t be a problem at all, since the blogs should be focused on what the audience wants to hear about anyway — and these emails can have seeing the full blog as the CTA, which drives traffic to the website.
Want to see this process in action? I've developed an email GPT that makes creating newsletters with AI even more streamlined. How else do you think I make this all happen? I do periodic free trials so you can test drive it. Join my email list to be notified when it becomes available.
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the consistent. Start with one blog post, create your first AI-assisted newsletter sequence, and build from there. Your subscribers can’t wait to read your next email.