The hottest Marketing Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

✅ The attention economy

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. People's attention spans are getting shorter, which affects both individuals and society as a whole. This lack of focus makes it harder to tackle big issues like climate change.
  2. There are many reasons for our diminishing attention spans, including diet, sleep, pollution, and social issues. Technology and social media are major contributors to this problem.
  3. Living without the internet can help rebuild attention. The book encourages taking steps towards improving focus for personal and societal benefit, without giving simple solutions.

How to Set Up a Business in the UK (2024)

The Small Business Corner • 19 implied HN points • 27 May 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. When starting a business in the UK, it's crucial to choose the right legal structure - Sole Trader, Limited Company, or Partnerships - each with its own pros and cons.
  2. As a sole trader, you have full control over your business but are personally liable for debts, and responsible for taxes - requiring careful record-keeping and compliance.
  3. Key steps for setting up as a sole trader include registering with HMRC, understanding tax obligations (income tax, National Insurance), and taking advantage of allowable business expenses.

Focus

Mountain Labs Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 21 Mar 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. The new product, ODAK, is a CO2 detector that helps keep track of air quality and cognitive performance during work sessions. It also features a built-in time-boxing tool and LED notifications.
  2. Building hardware products offers unique challenges and benefits compared to software. Physical products can create a stronger connection with users because they can be seen and used without relying on ads.
  3. Having a clear strategy is crucial for product development. It's important to learn from past experiences and focus on a vision that aligns personal values with business goals.

How CMO Sophie Bambuck of The North Face, Nike, Converse, and Everlane Builds Brands for Everyone

the case for brand 💼 • 145 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Sophie Bambuck believes in starting brand strategies by understanding your audience first. It's all about connecting with what they care about before thinking about how you'll reach them.
  2. Campaigns should have a clear goal in mind and allow for flexibility to adapt to trends or audience responses. You need both a fixed plan and room to react to what's happening in culture.
  3. A strong brand relies on consistent storytelling and values. If a brand forgets why it exists or tries to be everything to everyone, it risks losing its identity and becoming just another product.

Why HBO's YouTube windowing strategy didn't work

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 124 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. HBO's attempt to delay posting John Oliver clips on YouTube didn't help boost views on their streaming service Max. They found that audiences are happy to wait for free content.
  2. Investing in original reporting is key for media outlets as AI grows. Those that focus on unique content will likely thrive, even as AI potentially takes some traffic.
  3. There is increasing competition in the book industry as alternatives to Amazon emerge, with readers and authors seeking more choices and less dependence on a single platform.
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What Food Psychology Reveals

Learning Machine • 58 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Marketing
  1. Marketing techniques influence our perception of food and beverages.
  2. Consumers are often swayed by branding and storytelling more than actual product quality.
  3. Our brains are easily tricked into believing stories, impacting how we experience things.

✅ Misstep to model: Women in PR's exemplary response to diversity shortcomings

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Women in PR faced criticism for not including diverse voices in their Shadow Board, which was a big disappointment considering their goal of promoting women in leadership.
  2. In response, they quickly took action by reviewing their practices and setting goals to improve representation and create a more inclusive culture.
  3. Their example shows how organizations can learn from mistakes and genuinely commit to making meaningful changes for diversity and inclusion.

A Culture of Innovation

The Polymerist • 132 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Having a well-equipped lab is crucial for innovation in fields like chemistry. Safety is incredibly important, and people need to know how to operate in a lab to prevent accidents.
  2. Long-term thinking is necessary for product development. Even great ideas can take years to become profitable, so careful planning and decision-making about launching products are key.
  3. A culture of collaboration between teams is essential for success. Sales, marketing, and technical teams need to communicate effectively to help ensure new products meet market demands and are profitable.

Narratives of business models

Product Identity • 59 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Business models are crucial for companies and can greatly affect their success. There are many debates about which model is the best, like subscription versus ads.
  2. Telegram's business model is unique because it relies on user subscriptions rather than ads. This approach has helped them gain a large number of paying customers and a positive image.
  3. Different business models create different emotional connections with customers. The way a company charges can reflect its values and how much it cares about its users.

the power of nested focus

Tiny Empires • 183 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Focus on one business at a time to give it the attention it needs. Trying to juggle multiple businesses can lead to poor performance and burnout.
  2. Limit yourself to two revenue streams within your business. This way, you can dedicate your efforts to making them successful, instead of spreading yourself too thin with too many options.
  3. Rely on just two marketing channels to reach your audience. Mastering a couple of channels is more effective than attempting to be everywhere without clear engagement.

The Future Fits on One Page.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 72 implied HN points • 25 May 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. The future is shaped by change, and we need to adapt our thinking to keep up. It's important to let go of old ways that may limit our growth.
  2. Learning is an ongoing process, and we should always strive to upgrade our skills and knowledge. This helps us stay relevant in a fast-changing world.
  3. Creating strong and positive relationships is key. Treating others with kindness and generosity can lead to better teamwork and success.

All Fear The Cloud and Twitter Financials

Alex's Personal Blog • 131 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Twitter's financial health has changed a lot since Musk bought it. Today, it makes less money but is more profitable than before.
  2. There are mixed opinions about the future of AI startups and cloud services. Some believe they'll thrive, while others think they'll face tough competition and slim profits.
  3. Some companies, like Deel and Glean, are doing well in the AI space. They've shown strong growth and profitability, even in a tough market.

The rebirth of Xiaohongshu

Tech Buzz China Insider • 159 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Marketing
  1. Xiaohongshu has significantly changed its user profile and doubled its monthly active users since mid-2020.
  2. The platform's monetization strategy has shifted, focusing on new advertising formats and easier ways for content creators to monetize.
  3. Balancing commercialization and user experience remains a key challenge for Xiaohongshu.

Ruptures in the Mediascape: What Next?

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 66 implied HN points • 01 Jun 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. The way we create media is changing. With new tools, creativity is becoming more personalized and can connect better with people, making storytelling more important than before.
  2. Conversations are now a key way we interact with media. This means we’ll start relying more on chat and voice rather than just searching for information like in the past.
  3. Brands will still be important, but they'll need to evolve. They should combine human emotions with smart technology to create strong connections with people.

Brand Purpose Isn’t Dead, But We’ve Lost the Plot

The Social Juice • 48 implied HN points • 25 Jul 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Boredom can be good for creativity in marketing. Instead of rushing for attention, brands should embrace moments of boredom to innovate and connect with audiences.
  2. Attention spans aren't decreasing; people just have more choices to focus on. Marketers should adjust their strategies to better fit the media and engage their audience instead of blaming them for being distracted.
  3. Having a brand purpose is still important. It helps connect with consumers on a deeper level, and abandoning it can lead to a lack of trust and relevance in a competitive market.

Blogger to Substack

Musings on Markets • 499 implied HN points • 25 Mar 22
💼 Business Marketing
  1. The author has been blogging since 2008, sharing insights on finance and evolving their views on markets along the way.
  2. They decided to move their blog from Google Blogger to Substack because it offers a better experience for readers and is easy to manage.
  3. The content will still be free. The author encourages readers to choose their preferred platform without any changes to the writing style.

Expedited Vote for the January 2025 + Post Topic

Computer Ads from the Past • 128 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Marketing
  1. The poll for January 2025 is only open for three days, so make sure to participate quickly. It's important for your voice to be heard in the decision-making.
  2. The author is facing some personal challenges that have delayed their updates. It's a reminder that everyone can go through tough times and it’s okay to share that.
  3. If you're interested in reading more about computer ads from the past, consider signing up for a paid subscription. It's a way to support the content and explore more history.

Can PLG beat Salesforce?

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 599 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Product-led growth is disrupting many software categories, but CRM remains dominated by traditional players.
  2. Attio successfully launched a product-led growth CRM platform after three years of development, achieving rapid customer adoption.
  3. Attio strategically designed their pricing and packaging, experimented with freemium pricing, and focused on customer engagement for user acquisition.

We saw the future of B2B marketing...here are the takeaways

MKT1 Newsletter • 5 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Being a generalist doesn't mean being 'mid'—keep deep expertise in one or two areas while learning enough across other functions to execute work end-to-end. That combo lets you move fast without constant handoffs.
  2. Modern GTM tools (enrichment, workflows/agents, and AI prompting) make it possible to run personalized, connected campaigns at scale, so random one-off marketing won't cut it anymore. Teams should own repeatable, end-to-end workflows instead of passing work between silos.
  3. Prioritize "learnings per minute"—create content that actually adds value and teaches something quickly, not just fills channels. Use AI for speed and orchestration, but keep humans in charge of creative judgment and high-quality ideas.

Account Based What?

42 Slash • 98 implied HN points • 11 May 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. ABM is about focusing on your top dream accounts with sales leading the way
  2. Start small with 1 BDR and 1 Marketer for a pilot campaign
  3. ABM success comes from targeted account lists, personalized creatives, and leveraging events for face-to-face interactions

Brand is Inevitable

42 Slash • 98 implied HN points • 18 Jun 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. A brand is more than just a logo or image, it encompasses values and purpose.
  2. Investing in brand development is crucial from the start, not something to be done later.
  3. Brands are about storytelling that goes beyond data and resonates culturally.

The Artificial Intelligence Paradox

PropTech Future • 98 implied HN points • 10 May 23
🕹 Technology Marketing
  1. Artificial Intelligence is becoming widespread and can have a significant impact on various industries.
  2. Personal technology like smartphones, while convenient, can blur the lines between work and personal life, impacting mental health.
  3. Companies will need to adopt AI to stay competitive, as it has the potential to automate processes and change entire industries.

Performance Agencies are Terrible

42 Slash • 98 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Most clients find working with performance agencies a waste of time and money.
  2. Hire a performance agency when you are ready to scale and have clear product and marketing foundations.
  3. Avoid performance agencies if you need help solving fundamental business issues and focus on product-market fit instead.

Week 4 Recap at Vixul

Michael’s Newsletter • 98 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Preparing for a pitch session at Vixul involves defining positioning, value propositions, and unique services
  2. Focusing on a specific audience and problem enhances lead generation efforts
  3. Mentorship and community support play a significant role in entrepreneurial development at Vixul

Roald Dahl vs The Twits

diabolical • 98 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Marketing
  1. Puffin Books and the Roald Dahl estate made controversial changes to classic children's novels to increase sales, leading to backlash.
  2. This controversy around editing beloved books has sparked bipartisan outrage and debates on censorship and artistic integrity.
  3. The marketing strategy of creating controversy, selling original versions, then releasing a 'Classic Collection' showcases how profit can be made from consumer choice and outrage.

Invite your friends to read Philoinvestor

Philoinvestor • 98 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Philoinvestor is launching a referral program for readers to invite friends and get complimentary subscriptions.
  2. Readers can earn special benefits by referring friends to subscribe to Philoinvestor.
  3. Those considering an annual subscription can get a 20% discount on their first year by replying to an email.

Barbie and Meganets

Auerstack • 98 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Marketing
  1. Market saturation can still work in today's information-abundant world, like in Barbie's case.
  2. Barbie's success was due to unique advantages: branding a color and being a lifestyle brand.
  3. Building multi-platform brands will be more important than just focusing on the movie itself in the future.