The hottest Marketing Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The influencer holy grail

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 249 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Influencers want to create content that mixes cooking, fashion, and home decor. This mix attracts sponsors and gives a chance to sell lots of different products to followers.
  2. Local news is struggling, and a small yearly investment could help fix it. Just a bit of money could ensure every county in the US has a local news journalist.
  3. A newsletter called Sunday Long Read became popular by curating long-form articles. It shows how a focused idea can attract a loyal audience and even expand into new areas like podcasts.

The return of Office Hours

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 274 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Office Hours were popular and let paid subscribers ask questions and share ideas with each other. Many enjoyed the experience of chatting, even more than hearing from guest speakers.
  2. The original format created a lot of pressure, making it hard to keep it going. The goal now is to make it more relaxed and simpler for everyone involved.
  3. The new plan is to hold Office Hours about twice a month, focusing on open discussions rather than just featured guests. This change aims to create a fun, networking-like atmosphere.

Bernbach to the future

Thoughts on Writing • 339 implied HN points • 06 Jan 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. The purpose vibe shift in the industry reflects a changing attitude towards corporate purpose and its impact on growth.
  2. Bill Bernbach's ethical stance on advertising, such as turning away cigaret accounts, highlights the importance of principles over profit.
  3. Purpose in business should be a human imperative, acting as a counterbalance to corporate excesses, rather than a marketing tool for profit.

How to build your GTM strategy from scratch

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 291 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Building a go-to-market (GTM) strategy involves understanding stages like problem-solution fit, product-market fit, and go-to-market fit. Each stage helps you grow and attract more customers.
  2. Create an Early Customer Profile (ECP) based on real evidence to identify your first customers. This helps you target those who have a strong need for your product and are willing to pay.
  3. Differentiate your product by refining your unique value proposition (UVP) and unique selling proposition (USP). This makes it clear why customers should choose you over the competition.
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NFTs and the Future of Subscription Businesses

DeFi Education • 459 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Businesses like subscriptions because they provide steady income and build customer loyalty. This makes business planning easier.
  2. NFTs can change how subscriptions work by offering unique ownership and access. This could make subscriptions more attractive to consumers.
  3. Traditional views on NFTs and subscriptions might be missing the bigger picture. There are new opportunities to explore that could benefit both businesses and customers.

Do The Hard Parts First

The Breaking Point • 319 implied HN points • 16 May 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. When starting something new, focus on doing the hard parts first to ensure it's worth building.
  2. Consider starting by thinking backwards and tackling the highest risk parts first.
  3. Experiment with reaching your audience before building your product through methods like newsletters or events.

Q & A with LY

The Broccoli Report • 99 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Marketing
  1. The author's journey into cannabis journalism was inspired by a supportive community and ethical reporting standards.
  2. Ideal smoke sessions for the author involve nature hikes with friends or solitary rainy day activities.
  3. The author's newsletter Sticky Bits has around 6,100 subscribers and aims to double that number with reader support.

How to Beat Larger Competitors

The Breaking Point • 339 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Facing competition from bigger companies is inevitable in business.
  2. Strategies like deposition, commoditization, and disruption can help compete with larger competitors.
  3. Beating larger competitors takes time and persistence, but smaller companies can succeed against bigger rivals.

The lucrative business of lying to you about AI [Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 159 implied HN points • 20 May 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. AI Misinformation, whether positive or negative, creates urgency, distorts expectations, and glamorizes certain factors to profit off misleading the public.
  2. Both AI hype and criti-hype follow a playbook of generating emotional responses in individuals to make sales, leading to financial gain for those spreading misinformation.
  3. Misinformation about AI can hide real issues within the system, making it challenging to address genuine concerns and improvements.

Using AI Agents to Hunt Prospects 24/7

Enterprise AI Trends • 105 implied HN points • 03 Jun 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. AI can take over prospecting tasks, allowing you to focus on other important things. Instead of just assisting you, AI can act independently to find leads.
  2. With AI doing most of the work, prospecting becomes a continuous and flexible process. It doesn't rely on human effort alone, making it less tiring.
  3. You'll still need humans to set up and adjust the AI agents, but the AI can handle the heavy lifting in finding prospects. This makes the overall workflow much smoother.

🚪Tool Directory acquired for 5-figures

No-Code Exits • 157 implied HN points • 16 Feb 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. No-Code OG Drew started No Code List with simple tools and grew it into an extensive directory.
  2. Using tools like Bildr helped Drew open doors to great opportunities in the No-Code space.
  3. Drew's experience with building and selling No Code List showcases the potential for growth and acquisition in the No-Code community.

The Pipeline Metrics That Matter

Bottom Up by David Sacks • 281 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Tracking pipeline generation is crucial for growth in SaaS companies. If new opportunities are increasing, it's a good sign to hire more sales staff; if not, boost marketing efforts.
  2. Understanding pipeline conversion metrics helps identify where improvements are needed. Knowing how long deals take to close and where they tend to get stuck can lead to better sales processes.
  3. Active pipeline metrics allow for accurate forecasting. Keeping an eye on open opportunities and their expected close dates helps businesses plan and strategize effectively.

Going fulltime on a Shopify SaaS Startup

No-Code Exits • 157 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. The success story of James Devonport and Userloop, a Shopify SaaS startup, showcases the power of starting small and niching down on a specific platform.
  2. Implementing AI, like ChatGPT-4, can greatly enhance customer onboarding and retention strategies in a product.
  3. For No-Code makers, the key takeaway is to launch early, gather customer feedback, and iterate quickly to adapt to customer needs and achieve product-market fit.

Why we're doing live events

Top of the Lyne • 157 implied HN points • 18 Mar 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Primary research is essential to upgrade from secondary research.
  2. Engaging with industry experts in live interviews enhances insights.
  3. Live events with audience participation can provide valuable information and interactions.

Is your SaaS human-centric? Are you sure?

42 Slash • 157 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Having conversations with customers can help reflect the value of your product and attract new customers.
  2. Understanding why customers do things is just as important as knowing what they do.
  3. To truly be customer-centric, B2B companies should invest more in human-centric research.

Weekly Top Picks #97

The Algorithmic Bridge • 191 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Marketing
  1. Google has released impressive AI models that are both high-quality and affordable. They are competing strongly in the AI space.
  2. OpenAI is developing new AI agents to assist programmers and sales teams, indicating a focus on practical business applications.
  3. Sam Altman highlighted that the intelligence in AI improves at a super-exponential rate, making its economic value increase rapidly.

Why hasn’t the mainstream media embraced paid podcasts?

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 573 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Paid podcasts have seen success with small networks and creators, but traditional media outlets have been hesitant to embrace them.
  2. Platforms like Patreon and tools from Apple and Spotify have made subscribing to paid podcasts easier, yet major publishers are still not fully exploring this opportunity.
  3. Some media companies like Slate and The Economist are finding success with paid podcasts and hard paywalls, showing potential for revenue growth in these areas.

Breaking the Mold: Why Founders Should Ditch the Links and Just Send the Deck

Venture Curator • 179 implied HN points • 27 May 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Send your pitch deck as a file instead of a link to make it more compelling and shareable
  2. Ensure your deck is visually appealing, concise, and focused, under 10MB for efficiency
  3. Include key elements in your deck like team, problem, unique approach, value proposition, market data, and financial projections, while excluding sensitive details

9 Greatest Mistakes to Avoid When Growing a Startup

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 19 implied HN points • 15 Jun 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. It's important not to overthink decisions. Making quick choices can save time and help your business move forward more efficiently.
  2. Setting boundaries with clients is key. If you try to please everyone, you might get overwhelmed and burn out.
  3. Having a clear understanding of your finances before starting a business is crucial. It helps ensure you can sustain your operations and pay everyone involved.

Problems at Oddity Tech (ODD)

The Bear Cave • 769 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Oddity Tech is a high-growth makeup company with a focus on AI and machine learning.
  2. Oddity Tech's hypergrowth is attributed to its technological edge and innovative solutions.
  3. Critics believe Oddity Tech is more about hype and advertising, rather than substantial innovation.

Three-Year Birthday Offer: FINAL DAYS

The Algorithmic Bridge • 84 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. The Algorithmic Bridge is celebrating its third birthday and offering a 20% discount on subscriptions until July 1st. It's a great time to sign up if you’re interested.
  2. This newsletter emphasizes the human aspect of AI, focusing on how it affects people's lives and ensuring the content is relevant and caring.
  3. Subscribers will enjoy daily articles, access to a growing archive, and personalized engagement opportunities like Q&As. Current subscribers will keep their rates even as prices rise for new ones.

Weed Ads That Work

The Broccoli Report • 99 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Some weed brands are successfully running ads on Meta platforms like Facebook despite initial concerns.
  2. It is possible for cannabis brands to advertise on Meta platforms in regulated and DTC hemp markets.
  3. Insights and advice from successful cannabis entrepreneurs on running effective ad campaigns on Meta platforms.

Brands are really eager to sponsor live events

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 224 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Brands are very interested in sponsoring live events. This means companies see value in connecting with people in person.
  2. The NFL is becoming a huge media player, making billions from TV rights and producing lots of its own content. They're seen as one of the most valuable media properties globally.
  3. B2B media is on the rise, especially after the pandemic, as more businesses are looking to connect in person through events and other platforms.

How to Become Irreplaceable in Your Market

Tiny Empires • 73 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Focus on what makes you unique. It's important to find your special skills and interests that no one else can replicate.
  2. Be very specific in your niche. The more details you include about whom you serve, the harder it is for others to compete with you.
  3. Your personal story can be a big advantage. Use your background to connect with clients and show them how it makes you the right choice for their needs.

0 to 20k Traffic, No Budget, Pure Indie Spirit!

Pen, Paper & Pizza • 39 implied HN points • 16 Apr 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Achieving 20,000 visitors in 4 months without a marketing budget is possible through strategic approaches like SEO and valuable content creation.
  2. Embracing the power of organic traffic through free tools, AI tools, and consistent content creation can lead to significant growth and valuable insights.
  3. Learning from setbacks, adapting strategies like targeting specific pain points, and staying consistent in content creation can pave the way for successful SEO endeavors.

Freelancer ≠ Entrepreneur

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 19 implied HN points • 13 Jun 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Freelancers trade time for money and often have multiple clients, making it feel like a 9 to 5 job. They work to keep their business running and don't earn income if they stop working.
  2. Entrepreneurs focus on scaling their business and creating systems that allow them to earn passive income. They spend their time thinking of new ideas rather than doing all the work themselves.
  3. Making the shift from freelancer to entrepreneur requires changing your mindset and learning to delegate tasks. There’s nothing wrong with freelancing, but being an entrepreneur can offer more freedom and growth opportunities.

Luckin Coffee: From China’s Starbucks Slayer to a U.S. Newcomer

Gad’s Newsletter • 76 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Luckin Coffee has opened its first stores in the U.S., challenging Starbucks with a tech-driven and low-cost business model from China. Unlike Starbucks, which focuses on a cozy café experience, Luckin aims for speed and affordability.
  2. In China, Luckin quickly rose to dominate the coffee market by capitalizing on growing coffee trends and offering cheaper prices, often around 30% less than Starbucks. Its strategy relies on small, efficient shops that serve customers through a mobile app.
  3. As Luckin enters the U.S., it faces higher operational costs and strong competition from established brands. It's likely to focus on novelty and convenience rather than just price, trying to carve out a niche among younger consumers.

Get Your Positioning Right

Build To Scale • 138 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Positioning your product correctly is crucial from the start, you can't retroactively adjust it like changing a boat into a car.
  2. Identify your target market, the problem your product solves, and what makes you better than competitors.
  3. Use a simple positioning template to describe your product's key attributes clearly and guide your marketing efforts.

The Art of the Brief

The Intersection • 138 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Having a clear and concise brief is crucial for successful creative projects, as it helps guide and shape the final outcome.
  2. Sticking to the initial brief is important, as digital tools have made changes easier, sometimes leading to less decisive decision-making and more revisions.
  3. The best briefs are often concise and inspirational, distilling the project goal into a simple directive that guides and elevates the creative process.

Measuring Marketing Performance

Making Connections by Jax • 137 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Marketing attribution is becoming more challenging due to privacy regulations like Apple's App Tracking Transparency.
  2. Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) provides a top-down approach to understanding ROI by analyzing historical data and external influences.
  3. Lift tests offer a bottom-up method to prove causation in marketing effectiveness, requiring experimentation with test and control groups.

Influencer Marketing in B2B

Making Connections by Jax • 137 implied HN points • 05 May 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Influencer marketing can be effective in B2B for product-led growth with lower CACs.
  2. Any company can use influencer marketing if their buyers are active on social media.
  3. To run successful influencer campaigns, focus on finding the right influencers who can create engaging content.

The Rise of "Web3 Growth"

DeFi Weekly • 137 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Marketing
  1. Transition from technology being just functional to focusing on differentiation and market viability in the crypto industry
  2. Challenges in growing a crypto project include difficulties in measuring effectiveness, identifying real users, and understanding target audience
  3. Current growth strategies for crypto projects heavily rely on organic methods due to limitations in paid channels and data quality