Product Update Email Template

Product update emails are one of the most underrated touchpoints in the customer relationship. Most companies treat them as a changelog dump — a list of features nobody asked for and bug fixes nobody cares about. But when done well, a product update email does something much more powerful: it proves to paying customers that you're actively building toward their goals, not standing still.

The best product update emails are proof of momentum. They say: "we heard you, we built it, here's how your life just got better."

The Two Types of Product Update Emails

Understanding the distinction helps you decide which template to use:

The feature announcement email: One specific, high-impact new capability. Deep on one thing. Best for major feature launches that affect most of your user base.

The roundup / changelog email: Multiple smaller updates, bug fixes, and improvements rolled into one send. Best for teams that ship frequently and want to communicate momentum without flooding inboxes.

Most teams should send one major feature announcement per quarter and a roundup update every 4-6 weeks.

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Template 1: Feature Announcement Email

When to use: Launching a new feature significant enough to warrant its own email. Affects a meaningful portion of your user base. Changes their workflow in a notable way.

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Subject line options:

• New in [Product]: [Feature Name] is live
• [Feature Name] is here — here's how to use it
• [First name], you can now [specific action they couldn't do before]
• We just shipped something you asked for

The "you asked for" subject line is powerful — it signals responsiveness and makes users feel heard. Only use it if it's true (came from user feedback).

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Email body template:

Header/Preview: [2-3 word feature name] → [Short description]

Hi [First name],

Today we're launching [Feature Name].

What it is: [One sentence, plain English. What does this feature do?]

Why we built it: [1-2 sentences on the user problem this solves. Reference your customers' language if possible — "The #1 request in our support inbox for the last six months was..." or "A lot of you have been working around this by..."]

How to use it:

1. [Step 1 — simple, clear, imperative]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]

[Optional: 1 sentence on a specific use case or outcome users can now unlock]

[CTA: "Try [Feature Name] →"]

As always, reply to this email if you have questions — we read every one.

[Name]

P.S. [Address one likely question or concern about the new feature. "If you're on the [plan], this is included. If you're on [plan], you can upgrade here: [link]."]

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Length: 150-250 words. Feature announcement emails should be short. If the feature needs more explanation, link to documentation or a short Loom walkthrough.

Visuals: Include a GIF or screenshot of the feature in action if possible. Visual proof of the feature working reduces friction to adoption.

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Template 2: Monthly Product Roundup Email

When to use: Shipping multiple smaller updates and want to give users visibility without overwhelming them with individual emails.

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Subject line options:

• What's new in [Product] — [Month] update
• [Number] things we shipped in [Month]
• Your [Month] update from [Product]
• Quietly shipped: here's what changed in [Month]

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Email body template:

Hi [First name],

[Opening line: 1-2 sentences on the theme of this month's shipping — what problem area you focused on, or what user feedback drove the updates.]

Here's what shipped:

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🚀 [Update 1 Name] [2-3 sentences: What it is, why it matters, how to use it. Link to docs or a blog post for more detail.]

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⚡ [Update 2 Name] [2-3 sentences: Same structure.]

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🛠 [Update 3 Name] (performance / reliability) [1-2 sentences: What improved — loading time, stability, accuracy. Frame in terms of user experience, not technical jargon.]

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🔧 [Bug Fixes / Minor Improvements]

• [Bug fix 1 — described from user perspective: "Fixed an issue where..."]
• [Bug fix 2]
• [Improvement 1]

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[What's coming next] (optional)

Next month we're working on [brief teaser of upcoming features]. If you want to [be in beta / share feedback on our roadmap], [link].

[CTA: "Explore what's new →"]

[Sign-off]

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Length: 300-500 words for a full roundup. If you have fewer than 3 updates, combine into a shorter email or wait until you have more.

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Template 3: Urgent / Critical Update Email

When to use: Security updates, breaking changes, pricing changes, data-related updates, or service interruptions. These require different treatment — clarity and speed over polish.

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Subject line: [IMPORTANT] [Clear description of what changed]

Examples:

• [IMPORTANT] Action required: update your API integration by March 15
• [IMPORTANT] Changes to your [Product] plan — what you need to know
• Security update: please read

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Email body template:

Hi [First name],

[One-sentence summary of what changed and why you're emailing them specifically.]

What happened: [Plain-language explanation. No corporate euphemisms. What changed, why, and when.]

How this affects you: [Specific, honest description of the impact on the user's account or workflow. If no action is required, say so clearly.]

What you need to do (if anything):

[If action is required:]

• By [date]: [Specific action]
• [Additional steps if needed]

[If no action is required:] "You don't need to do anything. We've handled the [update/fix] on our end."

Questions? [Contact method — email, live chat, support link. Be specific.]

We're sorry for any inconvenience, and we appreciate your patience.

[Name], [Title] [Company]

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Critical rules for urgent update emails:

• Send as soon as you know — don't wait to make it "perfect"
• Put the key information in the first 3 sentences
• Never use passive voice ("it was discovered that...") — take responsibility clearly
• Include a deadline if there is one, in bold
• Don't bury the apology — acknowledge the disruption early

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Template 4: Beta Program / Early Access Email

When to use: Inviting existing users to test a new feature before general availability.

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Subject line options:

• [First name], want early access to [Feature]?
• We're building [Feature] — would you test it?
• Invitation: join the [Feature Name] beta

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Email body template:

Hi [First name],

We're getting ready to launch [Feature Name] and we're looking for [N] users to test it before we go broad.

You're on this list because [specific reason — they use a related feature, they asked about this, they match the right use case profile].

What [Feature Name] does: [2-3 sentences. Clear description of the feature and the problem it solves.]

What we're asking:

• Use it for [X days/weeks]
• Send us your honest feedback via [method — a Typeform, a reply to this email, a Slack channel]

What you get:

• Early access before everyone else
• [Any additional benefit — credits, lifetime discount, your name in the release notes, etc.]

If you're in, click here: [Join the Beta →]

We'll send access within [timeframe].

[Sign-off]

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Product Update Email Best Practices

Frequency calibration

• Ship frequently → weekly or bi-weekly roundup works; avoid daily "we fixed a typo" emails
• Ship less frequently → feature announcements when you ship major things; monthly roundup for smaller items
• Never send: "we've been working hard behind the scenes!" emails with no actual updates

Segmentation

Send feature updates only to users for whom the feature is relevant. If you ship a feature for your Enterprise tier, don't email your Free tier users about it (unless you're upselling). Irrelevant update emails train users to ignore them.

Tone calibration

Product update emails should feel like they're coming from a person, not a corporate communications team. "We shipped [X] because you kept asking for it" is better than "We are pleased to announce the general availability of [X]."

Measurement

Track: open rate (goal: >35%), click-through rate on the feature CTA (goal: >10%), and feature adoption in the week following the email. If feature adoption doesn't move after an update email, either the feature isn't solving a real problem or the email isn't communicating the value clearly enough.

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Further Reading

• develop your email marketing strategy
• product launch playbook
• Averi's AI copywriter for product update messaging

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a product update email be?

Match length to significance. A major feature launch deserves 200-300 words and its own email. A minor update deserves 2-3 sentences in a roundup. The mistake is writing equally long emails for unequal updates — it trains users to not notice when you ship something truly important.

Should I send product updates to free users?

Yes — product updates are a powerful tool for converting free users to paid. When a feature they'd care about launches on a paid tier, the update email is your best conversion opportunity. Segment carefully: send the right update to users who would benefit from upgrading, with a clear upsell path.

How do I write about boring updates (bug fixes, performance improvements)?

Frame them around the user experience, not the technical fix. "Fixed a loading issue that was causing the editor to slow down for users with large libraries" is better than "Resolved a race condition in the content indexing pipeline." Users don't care what you fixed — they care about what works better.

Should product update emails be automated or manual?

Major feature launches should be manually written — they benefit from genuine excitement and narrative. Roundup emails can be semi-automated (pull changelogs, write brief commentary per update, assemble). Avoid fully automated changelogs dumped directly to email — they read like a robot wrote them and users tune them out.

How do I handle product updates in a multi-product company?

Segment by product. If you have two distinct products with overlapping user bases, sending updates for both products to all users creates noise. Give users a preference center where they can choose which product updates they receive, and honor those preferences rigorously.