If you’re moving to Ecko from something like a PDF template, it can be easy to bring across habits that aren’t really needed any more. Ecko works best when you think of your newsletter as a set of clear, focused Stories rather than one big document.
These tips should help staff create newsletters more easily and give families something that’s easier to read, easier to search through and more useful.
Create individual, focused Stories
You might be used to creating a section of the newsletter for Year 5 and putting all the information Year 5 families need into one big block. That makes sense in a static PDF layout, but there’s no need to do that with Ecko.
Thanks to Groups, you don’t need to create a Story called “Year 5”, for example, and then drop every piece of Year 5 information into that one Story. If Year 5 has a school trip, a homework assignment and a PE kit reminder to know about, add each of those as individual Stories and assign each one to your Year 5 Group.
You might think this will make your newsletter too long, but families can use Group filters and the table of contents to find the information that applies to them. Creating smaller, more focused Stories usually makes the newsletter easier to read and reduces the risk of important information being skimmed over or missed.
Use Sections for the type of update, and Groups for the audience
A Section describes what kind of Story it is, such as Headteacher Updates, PTA News, Teacher Messages, Events or Notices.
A Group describes who the Story is for, such as a class, year group, key stage, staff group or another audience your school uses.
For example, a Year 3 museum trip might sit in an Upcoming Events Section and be assigned to the Year 3 Group. A whole-school uniform reminder might sit in the Notices Section and have no Group selected, because it applies to everyone.
Keeping that distinction clear helps Ecko organise your newsletter properly and helps families filter it in a way that makes sense.
Write Story titles that make the content obvious
Families often scan the table of contents before deciding what to read. Clear Story titles make that much easier.
A title like “School trip payment deadline” is more useful than “Important reminder”. “Year 4 swimming starts next week” is more useful than “Year 4 news”. Try to make each title clear enough that a family can tell whether it applies to them before they open or scroll to the Story.
Put the most important information first
Families won’t always read every word carefully. They might be reading on a phone, between other jobs, or trying to find one specific piece of information quickly.
For each Story, start with the key point. If families need to do something, say what they need to do near the beginning. If there is a deadline, include the date clearly. If the Story is mainly for a particular Group, make sure that is clear from the title or first sentence.
You can still add extra detail afterwards, but don’t make families read three paragraphs before they find out what they need to know.
Use buttons for important actions
If families need to complete a form, book a place, make a payment, read a policy or visit another page, use a button rather than hiding the link in a paragraph.
Button blocks help important actions stand out. They are also easier to tap on a phone.
Try to use descriptive button text, such as “Book parents’ evening”, “Complete the consent form”, “Pay for the trip”, “View the lunch menu” or “Read the full policy”.
Avoid vague link text like “click here”. Families should know where the link will take them before they tap it.
Use Diary Dates for events families need to remember
If you’re telling families about an event or deadline, use the Diary Date block.
This makes the event stand out in the Story and lets families add it to their own calendar. That is much more useful than simply mentioning a date in a paragraph and hoping families remember it later.
Diary Dates work well for things like trips, performances, non-uniform days, parents’ evenings, sports days, PTA events or deadlines.
Use Inclusion rules instead of copying and pasting reminders
Some notices need to appear in more than one newsletter. In a PDF workflow, that would mean copying the same reminder from the last newsletter into the next.
In Ecko, use Inclusion rules instead. This keeps recurring Stories much easier to manage and can save loads of time.
Keep PDFs for documents, not ordinary newsletter content
Ecko can include PDFs using the PDF Block, but try not to use them as a replacement for normal Story content.
If the information is something families need to read as part of the newsletter, it is usually better to put the key details directly into the Story. That makes it easier to read on a phone, easier to translate and easier for families using assistive technology.
PDFs are better for documents that families may need to view or download in their original format, such as a full policy, external flyer, menu, form or letter. Even then, it is helpful to include a short summary in the Story so families know what the PDF is and why it matters. If the PDF includes a link that a parent needs to follow, add it as a button directly in the Story so it’s easier to find.
Add useful alternative text to images
When you add an image, include alternative text unless the image is purely decorative.
Alternative text helps families using screen readers understand what the image shows. It should briefly describe the image and include any important information that would otherwise be missed.
For example, “Children planting seeds in the school garden” is more useful than “Photo”. If the image includes text, such as a poster or flyer, make sure the important information is also written in the Story itself.
If you need help writing good Alternative text, try Ecko’s custom GPT.
Don’t make every Story urgent
If everything is marked as urgent, nothing feels urgent.
If you create a Group called “Important” or “Urgent”, use it sparingly. For everyday reminders, clear titles and well-placed buttons are usually enough.
This helps families trust the newsletter. When something really does need their attention quickly, it will stand out more.
Don’t try to recreate your old layout
One of the biggest changes when moving from a PDF to Ecko is that you no longer need to design the whole page.
You don’t need to make columns line up, resize boxes, squeeze in late additions or worry about whether a photo has pushed everything onto another page. Ecko handles the layout for you.
That can feel strange at first if you’re used to having full control over a document, but it is also what makes Ecko faster and easier to read. Focus on writing clear Stories, choosing the right Groups and Sections, and making important actions easy to find. Let Ecko take care of the rest.