Just like podcasts, it feels like everyone has a newsletter these days. Brands are using them for audience building, while creators are using them as a premium content product. In the marketing world, every newsletter promises to be a must-have resource for news, expert insight, hands-on advice, and industry trends. But which ones really deliver on that promise?
We subscribed to dozens of newsletters that have appeared on other best-of lists, forums, and LinkedIn roundups (goodbye, inbox zero). Our picks include a few that we've been subscribed to for years, while others are newfound favorites.
The newsletters we chose cover everything from social media marketing, content marketing, product marketing, and SEO to more general digital marketing resources. And for those who want to dive even deeper, we’ve also included a few paid options that are worth the investment.
In total, we found 17 newsletters that stand a cut above the rest based on the following criteria:
- Content quality: Each newsletter is well-written, clear, and delivers thoughtful analysis and real advice to help you stay ahead in marketing.
- Frequency and recency: All newsletters in this list have been regularly published in 2024, and are delivered at least monthly, ensuring you get timely and relevant insights.
- Relevancy: We ensured these newsletters cover both foundational topics and emerging trends across various marketing disciplines.
- Uniqueness: Some newsletters are highly curated and easy to digest. Others are narrative and take a few sittings to read. Others are built on fun and original formats. Variety is the spice of life (and your inbox), so we've chose a range of newsletters written in varying formats.
- Cost: The majority of these newsletters are free, but we’ve also highlighted a few options that offer free versions with paid upgrades available.
These are the best marketing newsletters, in no particular order:
- Geekout by Matt Navarra: Best for social media news and trends
- The Ad Professor: Best for advertising principles
- Harry’s Newsletter: Best for bite-sized copywriting lessons
- No Filter: Best for influencer marketing intel
- Loomly’s Newsletter: Best for social media process and workflow
- Demand Curve: Best for growth marketing tactics
- Growth Notes: Best for e-commerce tactics
- Zero to Marketing: Best for integrated marketing strategy
- Ahrefs Digest: Best for SEO news and tips
- Contentment: Best for content strategy
- Animalz Newsletter: Best for content marketing best practices
- Marketing Brew: Best for marketing and media industry news
- The Daily Carnage: Best for a balanced plate of digital marketing content
- MKT1 Newsletter (Paid Upgrades): Best for plug-and-play B2B marketing frameworks
- The Social Juice (Paid Upgrades): Best for comprehensive social media news round-ups
- Link in Bio (Paid Upgrades): Best for real-world tactics from social media marketers
- ICYMI (Paid Upgrades): Best for early takes on the latest social media platform features
Keep reading to find out why each of these newsletters deserves a spot in your inbox.
The best free marketing newsletters of 2024
1. Geekout by Matt Navarra
Focus: All things social media, from news and platform updates to trending memes and tactics.
Frequency: Weekly
A snippet from the Geekout Newsletter
This email is a social media smorgasbord for the mind and the eyes. Social media marketing expert and consultant Matt Navarra crams every issue full of the the top social media news, like what Elon or Zuck is up to, platform updates and feature announcements, memes to know about, and tons of imagery.
If you work in social media, you could probably rely on the Geekout Newsletter as your only source of news and insights on the industry.
What makes it special: This weekly newsletter is bursting at the seams with content, so it can take more than one potty break to read. Luckily Navarra uses the same sections in every issue so you can quickly scan and filter as needed. I particularly like the “Everyone’s Talking About” section (so I don’t look dumb in front of my marketing friends).
2. The Ad Professor
Focus: Analyzing the creative strategy behind successful ads.
Frequency: Weekly
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A snippet from The Ad Professor newsletter
Sometimes you just want to look at some great ads – and figure out why they work so well. The Ad Professor does just that, rounding up a combination of new and old ads every week and breaking them down in a few words.
If you’re in copywriting or design this newsletter is a no-brainer, but there are plenty of lessons in creative, brand positioning, and consumer psychology for anyone in marketing to benefit.
What makes it special: The Ad Professor always shares an original ad that they whip up in a few minutes, demonstrating how you can apply advertising principles to your own creative.
3. Harry’s Newsletter
Focus: Short, actionable tips for marketers who make stuff (especially copywriters).
Frequency: Weekly
A snippet from Harry's Newsletter
Harry's Newsletter has a straightforward name and a straightforward format. It follow a “3-2-1” structure: 3 short examples, 2 copywriting tips, 1 favorite tweet. But the short and sweet tips aren’t just for copywriters — creator Harry Dry also dives into positioning, user behavior, product marketing, and great marketing in general.
Every concept is explained through diagrams and mini infographics, making this a dependable and quick resource for marketers who like to learn visually.
What makes it special: Harry’s Newsletter is based on his site, Marketing Examples, which pulls mini case studies on SEO, social, landing pages, emails, and more. Warning: You could get lost on this site for a few hours.
4. No Filter
Focus: The ins and outs of influencer marketing
Frequency: Weekly
A sample of newsletter issues from No Filter
Kendall Dickieson is a social media consultant helping brands like Graza figure out their launch and growith strategies on social media. She's packaged her expertise into No Filter, where she talks about all things social media but focuses specifically on influencer marketing.
In No Filter's case, "actionable tips" isn't just a buzzword – each issue is packed with detailed tutorials that break down exactly how to engage in specific social media marketing tactics. For example, her write up on how to create an influencer brief goes beyond quick tips, sharing what you should include on every page of your brief. This format makes it a fantastic resource for anyone working closely on brand, social media, PR, and partnerships.
What makes it special: In every issue, Dickieson highlights a brand "because I use it and love it or saw a brand do something cool and want to talk about it." Every social media hype cycle includes a list of brands that get a ton of PR for their tactics, but Brand of the Week highlights under-the-radar brands and their out-of-the-box approaches.
5. Loomly’s Newsletter
Focus: Building the best social media strategy and workflow for your brand
Frequency: Monthly
A snippet from Loomly's Newsletter
Each month, we gather the top content from the Loomly blog to create a well-rounded social media marketing digest, delivered straight to your inbox. Whether it's strategy development, platform-specific tips, or creating a content calendar, Loomly's newsletter will continually grow your brand's social media presence.
We get it — staying on top of social media isn’t just about doing your job well, it’s about growing your career, whether you work in-house or at an agency. That’s why we include lots of content to support your professional development, from exploring different roles in social media marketing to building leadership skills and collaborating with teams.
What makes it special: Since Loomly is a social media scheduling tool, we’re all about planning, calendars, collaboration, and productivity. Even if you’re not using Loomly, our tips and tutorials are designed to help anyone who manages social content streamline their workflow.
6. Demand Curve
Focus: Growth strategies and marketing tactics for startups and growth-stage companies, with an emphasis on real-world examples.
Frequency: 2x per week
A snippet from the Demand Curve newsletter
If “growth” appears anywhere in your job description, the Demand Curve newsletter will probably be in your heavy rotation within weeks. Written by the folks at ad agency Demand Curve, it unpacks the strategies and tactics that startups and growth-stage companies are using in email, CRO, referrals, ads, and more.
Each issue’s insights range from beginner to advanced levels, and many of the strategies and tactics shared are implemented, vetted, and refined by their agency before they make it into the newsletter.
What makes it special: Since many of the newsletter insights come from the agency’s real-world experiences with clients, you’ll get to learn about growth strategies in context — not just hypotheticals.
7. Growth Notes
Focus: Detailed breakdowns of e-commerce marketing strategies with applications for all digital marketers.
Frequency: Monthly
A snippet from the Growth Notes newsletter
We really tried to keep this list to just one newsletter with "growth" in the title, but Growth Notes is simply a must-read for anyone focused on growth marketing, especially within e-commerce. Each issue offers actionable insights and proven digital strategies used by successful e-commerce brands.
While e-commerce is the main focus, the lessons go beyond that — showing how to effectively use digital marketing channels in any modern marketing strategy. The newsletter often breaks down key growth tactics through real-world case studies from recognizable brands like Ritual, Crocs, and Athletic Greens.
What makes it special: There's a strong emphasis on using social media as a key growth channel, making this a particularly valuable resource for social media marketers.
8. Zero to Marketing
Focus: Dreaming up comprehensive, multi-channel marketing strategies for startups.
Frequency: Weekly
A sample of Zero to Marketing newsletter issues
For those in the “learn by doing” subset, Zero to Marketing could be your next favorite newsletter. Written by Diego Rios, each issue is called “How I’d grow [insert startup here]” and dives into a thoughtful, unique strategy for a startup or growth-stage brand.
Every issue of this newsletter is overflowing with insights. Rios covers core marketing concepts like identifying your ideal customer profile (ICP) and figuring out how to reach them, developing acquisition strategies around content, social, and search, and optimizing conversions.
What makes it special: Zero to Marketing is written in a more narrative structure than other newsletters on this list. While it’s not necessarily scannable, it does help you track the thought process behind a master marketer so you can see how they problem-solve in (almost) real time.
9. Ahrefs Digest
Focus: Curating the biggest news and best ideas in SEO and digital marketing.
Frequency: Weekly
A snippet from Ahrefs Digest
As marketers, all of us need to know a little bit of SEO. There are plenty of newsletters that get into advanced technical SEO topics — but those might be overkill for the average marketer. Ahrefs Digest does the trick.
It’s a weekly newsletter that covers SEO updates and best practices, content marketing tips, and in-depth guides on how to improve search rankings. Plus, Ahrefs rounds up some of the best digital marketing content from around the web.
What makes it special: This Digest is truly no-nonsense. Often newsletter creators feel like they have to pack in a certain number of words or links. Here, you’re only getting the best and most helpful content — even if it’s just one link in a section.
10. Contentment
Focus: How to write, edit, and distribute great content (and make more of it).
Frequency: Weekly
A preview of the Contentment newsletter
Well-rounded content marketers need to know how to dream up, write, edit, project manage, distribute, and repurpose great content. Contentment will help you build each of these skills.
Written by content marketing expert Tracey Wallace (Director of Content Strategy at Klaviyo), this newsletter is focused on helping internal content teams produce effective content while continuing to meet the ever-growing demands for content. There's equal amounts writing/editing tips and strategy advice, so anyone who works in content can develop their skills on both sides of the operation.
What makes it special: Wallace also rounds up other content and marketing advice from around the web, and includes commentary on each link. We love getting a peek at how a content leader thinks about and relates to marketing topics outside of content.
11. Animalz
Focus: What successful content marketing looks like, and how it gets made.
Frequency: Weekly
A snippet from the Animalz newsletter
The agency Animalz has been a huge name in content marketing for almost 10 years, and they remain a leader on the topic. With a decade of experience and long roster of SaaS clients, they have unparalleled expertise on the practice of content marketing — and insight on where it’s headed.
In the Animalz newsletter topics range from how to develop a content program and execute a strategy to what type of content to focus on and how to produce it. In a marketing landscape where content is still king, this newsletter is packed with nuggets of wisdom that any type of marketer can put to good use.
What makes it special: You’re going to find this content extremely bookmarkable. Articles like “How to Create or Refine a Content Marketing Strategy” or “Everybody Wants Thought Leadership Content. But How Do You Do It, Exactly?” are examples of the comprehensive Animalz resources that you’ll come back to over and over again.
12. Marketing Brew
Focus: Keeping readers updated on the latest developments and trends in the marketing industry with a business-oriented perspective.
Frequency: Every weekday
A snippet from the Marketing Brew newsletter
Marketing Brew is made by the same people behind Morning Brew — a fast-growing media company with one of the top business newsletters in the world. It makes sense then that Marketing Brew is your best source of news and insights on the business of marketing.
While other newsletters on this list talk about the day-to-day craft of marketing, this is a great resource for keeping tabs on bigger stories and trends that impact media and marketing as an industry.
What makes it special: Marketing Brew is based in journalism, so you get the kind of thoughtful and thorough reporting that’s not always guaranteed in solo-produced newsletters.
13. The Daily Carnage
Focus: A mix of digital marketing topics, delivered with a playful twist.
Frequency: Every weekday
A snippet from The Daily Carnage
From digital marketing agency Carney, The Daily Carnage newsletter sprinkles in a little bit of everything (including trivia or the occassional cocktail recipe). You never quite know what you’ll get in your inbox, but you can be sure it will get you thinking about what makes good marketing.
You’ll get the most leverage from the Tactics and Takeaways sections, but we also love the link round-up in the front of every email that recaps marketing news, campaigns worth knowing about, and must-see content from around the web.
What makes it special: Every issue has an ad from the past, which we love studying for copywriting and design cues.
The best paid newsletters about marketing
There’s a whole other side to newsletters: paid content. In the last few years, many marketing pros have been packaging their expertise in paid newsletters. In other words, their newsletter is their product, and they put tons of work into them. If you have extra budget or the ability to expense educational resources, here are a few newsletters that are especially good for social media marketers.
Each offers a free version to draw you in, but paid tiers unlock deeper access to data-driven reports, guides, and interactive communities via Slack or Discord.
14. MKT1 Newsletter
A sample of paid content from the MKT1 Newsletter
If you work in B2B marketing, MKT1 Newsletter by B2B startup veteran Emily Kramer could be your touchstone. While her focus is on building out a marketing function at startups, her content is full of foundational learnings for any B2B marketer. Some of the best newsletter issues include her frameworks, which serve as plug-and-play guides for build a marketing org and implementing marketing strategies.
Free subscribers get a monthly newsletter that includes either a guide or a long read. Paid subscribers more newsletters every month, plus access to Kramer's templates and resources library and open hours with the expert herself.
15. The Social Juice by Jaskaran
A snippet of the extensive social media news coverage from The Social Juice
Marketing writer Jaskaran provides in-depth guides on social media topics, case studies on successful brands, interviews with marketing leaders, and data reports. Our favorite thing from The Social Juice is the weekly “What Happened in Marketing” issue, which offers the most comprehensive digital marketing news coverage we’ve seen.
Free subscribers can access some public posts, sometimes including the weekly roundup, while paid subscribers unlock all content and exclusive features. -
16. Link in Bio by Rachel Karten
A snippet from Link in Bio
Rachel Karten’s newsletter keeps you updated on major social media trends and the brands driving them. Free subscribers to Link in Bio enjoy bi-weekly interviews with social media marketers, providing a peek into how top brands handle their content strategy. Paid subscribers get additional tips, insights, and exclusive content.
17. ICYMI by Lia Haberman
A snippet from ICYMI
Lia Haberman’s newsletter ICYMI is a go-to resource for social media platform updates and new features, with actionable insights on how to use them for branding and engagement. Free subscribers get a weekly newsletter filled with news, links, and insights. Paid subscribers unlock larger resources, guides, and reports.
Even if you can’t spring for the paid tiers, the free versions of these newsletters will be an enlightening addition to your inbox.
That's a wrap!
Now that you have 17 high-quality newsletters to subscribe to, how will you choose? Luckily, most of these newsletters let you check out previous issues so you can evaluate before you hit subscribe.
Looking for more resource round-ups? We listened to 100+ podcasts to find the best social media marketing podcasts of 2024.
