The hottest Marketing Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The Top Ways Video Games Affect Your Brain. Number Five May Disturb You!

The Bottom Feeder • 727 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Video games are engineered to change how players' brains feel, offering things like dopamine rewards, adrenaline rushes, thoughtful puzzles, artistic moments, or simply a way to kill time.
  2. Dopamine-driven design is the biggest money maker because it makes players feel rewarded, but it can be addictive, wears out over time, and becomes problematic when tied to gambling or monetization.
  3. Game creators need to decide which of these experiences they want to sell and balance them carefully—mixing rewards, challenge, art, and time-sinking determines how long and how well a game keeps players.

Meet The Lipsdick: A Dick-Shaped Lipstick

The Unpublishable • 12421 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Marketing
  1. A lipstick shaped like a penis was launched, sparking discussions about beauty standards and feminism in the industry.
  2. The product's marketing as empowering and innovative is being questioned, as it may perpetuate stereotypes and lack depth.
  3. The controversy highlights issues with media coverage of such products, raising concerns about critical thinking and substance in journalism.

For Starters #35: 3.5 Tips for Pricing

For Starters • 39 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Pricing should highlight what makes your product special. If customers understand its unique value, they're more likely to use it.
  2. Help your customers see the benefits fast. Make onboarding smooth and ensure they quickly experience the product's value.
  3. Don't worry about making your product perfect before setting a price. Charge based on the value customers see now, not on what you want it to eventually be.

How to Get More Subscribers With Substack’s (New) Growth Engine

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 6394 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Substack's recommendation feature helps newsletters grow significantly, with many users reporting over 28% of their subscribers coming from recommendations.
  2. Writers on Substack can curate and recommend other newsletters, giving them control over who to promote and helping to build a community.
  3. Building an email list is valuable because you own your subscribers, unlike social media followers, making it easier to sustain a personal brand.

The Death-Strewn Backstory of Big Supplement

The Vajenda • 6151 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Marketing
  1. Supplements in the United States have a history of being unregulated and potentially dangerous due to a lack of oversight and testing.
  2. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 removed regulations, allowing for the sale of supplements without proof of safety or efficacy.
  3. Buying supplements is like buying gas from a guy on the side of the road - there's little to no assurance of what you're actually getting or its effects on your health.
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A Substack is a book’s best friend: An interview with Luke Burgis

read • 10456 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. A Substack can be a powerful tool for writers to engage with readers and promote their books.
  2. Substack allows for direct connection with committed readers and can significantly impact book sales.
  3. Starting a Substack can help writers build a community, get feedback, and continue engaging with readers even after the publication of a book.

You Have To Hype Yourself. No One Else Will Do It For You.

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 1598 implied HN points • 02 Jun 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. You need to promote yourself because no one will do it for you. Writing is just part of the job; marketing is also important.
  2. Many writers have talent but struggle to get noticed. Building a community and shouting about your successes can help attract readers.
  3. Don't be shy about sharing your achievements. Talking about your wins can inspire others and help you stand out in a crowded field.

How Duolingo reignited user growth

Lenny's Newsletter • 9571 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Duolingo achieved 4.5x user growth over four years through innovative strategies like leaderboards and push notifications.
  2. Their focus on improving retention over new user acquisition led to significant improvements in engagement metrics.
  3. Using data and models, like Zynga and MyFitnessPal did, helped Duolingo identify North Star metrics and drive growth effectively.

The 3-lever framework

Tiny Empires • 36 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Price: Make each customer worth more by raising base prices, adding premium tiers, or switching to recurring billing, since small increases often multiply revenue without huge drops in conversions.
  2. Distribution: Pick one channel and work it for months so effort compounds — focus on SEO, a niche newsletter, or direct outreach to get the right people seeing your offer.
  3. Retention: Reduce churn because keeping customers longer changes the economics dramatically — deliver early wins, ask why people leave, and remind customers regularly of the value.

Are Brands Coming For The Group Chat?

Total Rec • 2236 implied HN points • 27 Apr 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Substack chats provide a space for genuine conversations and personalized recommendations, free from traditional algorithms and commercial pressures.
  2. The influx of brands into these organic spaces raises concerns about maintaining authenticity while allowing brands to engage profitably.
  3. Exploring the idea of creating online spaces that prioritize values like community, collaboration, and enrichment over the pursuit of vast wealth and success.

How You Can Eliminate Your Competition

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 159 implied HN points • 02 Sep 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. You don't have to be the first in the market. Being different is more important. Focus on filling gaps in what others offer instead.
  2. Understand what your customers truly want. They often seek value and connection, not just the service itself. Learn their needs to attract more clients.
  3. Instead of only cutting costs, focus on providing great value to your customers. Sometimes spending more can actually improve your service and satisfy customers better.

Newsletters we read to stay smarter than the competition

CommandBlogue • 139 implied HN points • 04 Sep 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Staying updated with newsletters is super important for personal and professional growth. They help you learn quickly and efficiently in a fast-changing world.
  2. Some recommended newsletters focus on tech, product growth, and honest startup experiences. They provide unique insights and practical advice that can really help new teams and startups.
  3. Reading newsletters can keep you motivated and optimistic about the tech industry. It’s a great way to stay informed and inspired by successful stories and strategies.

How To Actually Make Money Freelance Writing as Beginner in 2024

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 919 implied HN points • 29 Jun 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. You can make good money as a freelance writer, even if you're just starting out. Many companies want real human writers because they bring creativity that AI can't.
  2. It's important to clearly define what services you offer and how you can help potential clients. This helps you stand out in a crowded market.
  3. Guest posting can still be a great way to showcase your writing and attract clients, so don't underestimate its value in building your portfolio.

Why solo-founders quit

Tiny Empires • 147 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Don't try to do everything. Pick one product or service, focus until it runs without constant babysitting, and say no to distracting ideas.
  2. Stop comparing yourself to other founders' highlight reels. Track your own numbers and measure progress against your past performance, not someone else's posts.
  3. Charge properly and build for sustainability. Serve fewer, better-paying customers, keep simple routines for bad weeks, and have outside support so you don't burn out or quit.

Make product worse, get money

DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER • 1250 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Companies often make their products worse to save money, which can lead to disappointing experiences for customers. It's a common issue in many industries.
  2. People generally want to pay less, even if it means accepting lower quality products. This leads companies to prioritize cost-cutting over quality improvements.
  3. Sometimes, companies don't face strong competition, so they can prioritize profit over quality. This pricing power can keep bad products in the market for a long time.

Brands kill culture, feed the zeitgeist, and neglect tradition.

The Social Juice • 102 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Brand building is steady work that hasn't gone away. Chasing every trend or declaring old formats dead wastes energy and erodes long-term value.
  2. Culture belongs to no one and moves with young people, so brands can't capture it outright. The smart play is to find a clear role, support creators, and earn a place in that culture over time.
  3. Moments and momentum both matter: use smart distribution, honest slice-of-life creative, and long-term advertising to build trust instead of squeezing viral creators for immediate attention. Over-collaborating or treating creators like disposable assets dilutes both the creator's and the brand's meaning.

My Journey From 300 to 15000 Followers on LinkedIn

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 319 implied HN points • 12 Aug 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Growing your LinkedIn followers takes consistency and patience. Posting regularly can help you connect with more people and keep your audience engaged.
  2. Content is key to grabbing attention on LinkedIn. Share personal stories, expert insights, and occasional calls-to-action to build connections and generate leads.
  3. Engaging with others on the platform boosts visibility. Comment on posts, reach out to new connections, and collaborate with top creators to expand your network.

The Scoop On The High Sport Dupe | Part Two

Total Rec • 3774 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Marketing
  1. The review highlights various brands offering high sport pants dupes, discussing their materials, fit, and overall look.
  2. The article examines the influence of marketing strategies on popularizing the high sport pants, questioning the authenticity of hype and considering the financial incentives for recommendations.
  3. Old Navy's affordable and quality extra high-waisted pants stand out among the reviewed options, impressing with their feel, fit, and stylish look at a budget-friendly price.

How To Give Yourself A Promotion And Grow Your Business Beyond Solo Freelancing

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 99 implied HN points • 09 Sep 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. To grow beyond solo freelancing, you need to stop doing everything yourself. Focus on what you do best and outsource the tasks that take up too much of your time.
  2. It's important to package your services in a way that clients understand and can buy easily. This means creating fixed-fee services that have clear pricing and deliverables.
  3. You should regularly audit how you spend your time to figure out what tasks can be delegated. This helps free up your schedule for the high-value work that you enjoy.

Ads Are Coming to AI and None of Us Are Ready

Big Technology • 5379 implied HN points • 30 May 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Generative AI advertising has huge potential but also carries big risks. It could change how brands interact with consumers and what they promise.
  2. Advertising needs to be transparent and beneficial for users to keep their trust. If done poorly, it can ruin the user experience on platforms.
  3. Quality content and trusted publishers are vital for generative AI. They should be valued more to ensure that AI systems provide accurate and relevant information.

How the Mad Men Lost the Plot Again

The Ruffian • 676 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Big, emotional mass advertising — like consistent TV campaigns that build fame — still drives long‑term growth because brands rely on millions of light buyers remembering them at the point of purchase.
  2. Chasing digital targeting, engagement and instant metrics can seem efficient but often fails to grow brands, since most buyers don’t meaningfully engage online and digital channels suffer fraud and short‑term thinking.
  3. The industry lost focus by prioritising tech and short‑term measurables over creative consistency; firms should keep brand‑building as their core strength and use technology as a supporting tool, not a replacement.

this may be the best way to defend against AI

Tiny Empires • 85 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Build an audience: trust and long-term relationships are hard for AI to copy. A loyal niche following gives you a direct line to customers and protects you from price competition.
  2. Execution-based work is getting cheaper because AI can do the heavy lifting, so shift from selling hours to selling your expertise and judgment.
  3. Start publishing consistent, useful content about the problems you actually solve; this content compounds over time and lets you monetize in multiple ways or pivot when services get automated.

How gardening teaches you this crucial lesson about scaling your business

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 59 implied HN points • 16 Sep 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Create systems that allow you to enjoy what you love, even when life gets busy. This gives you the freedom to step away without worry.
  2. Think about tasks you do daily that take more than 10 minutes. Find ways to automate them or get help to save time.
  3. Building these efficient systems might take time upfront, but once they're in place, they let you scale your business and work more smoothly.

Inside the Algorithms Sportsbooks Use to Track Bettors, Limit Winners, and Push Losers to Bet More

Huddle Up • 185 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
🎾 Sports Marketing
  1. A tiny share of bettors — VIPs and high-volume losers — produce most sportsbook profits, so operators design products and margins around that long-tail revenue curve.
  2. Sportsbooks use AI plus required KYC/AML and behavioral data to profile every account from signup, tracking things like age, address, device, geolocation, social links, payment method, and app usage patterns.
  3. Those profiles drive targeted tactics — push notifications, personalized bonuses, VIP perks, A/B tests, product nudges, and limits or bans for winners — to press losing customers to bet more and protect the house.

An outbound playbook for 2025

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 883 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. In 2025, successful outbound sales will focus on a mix of cold calls, email campaigns, LinkedIn engagement, and personalized outreach for key accounts. This shows that a balanced approach between automation and manual efforts is essential.
  2. Identifying and targeting ideal customer profiles (ICPs) is crucial. Businesses should develop a scoring model to define their targets and filter their outreach accordingly, ensuring focused efforts yield better results.
  3. Using signals, like website visits and LinkedIn engagement, can enhance outreach effectiveness. These signals allow businesses to connect with prospects who are already interested, leading to higher response rates and engagement.

A literary history of fake texts in Apple's marketing materials

Read Max • 3398 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Marketing
  1. Apple's marketing uses fake texts to create a sunny, perfect world where everyone happily communicates with their devices. This makes you wonder who these people are and why they text like that.
  2. Over the years, the themes of these fake texts often include sharing photos and planning trips or parties, showing a culture of cheerful connection among users.
  3. The fake conversations are oddly formal and lack the casual, funny vibe found in real texts. This creates an interesting contrast with how most people actually communicate today.

From Beginner to Substack Bestseller | Interview with Valentin Bunea

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 999 implied HN points • 03 Jun 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Being successful in writing a newsletter takes hard work and dedication, not just a few hours a week. Many successful writers manage their time early in the morning or late at night to fit their writing into a busy life.
  2. You can build a profitable newsletter business in a reasonable amount of time each day. It's about focusing on the right tasks that bring the most value to your readers.
  3. Believing in yourself and being consistent with your writing can lead to great opportunities. Just like with fitness, doing daily reps in writing can make a big difference.

The YouTube "middle class" does exist

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 199 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. YouTube and social-first channels can support a real middle class of creators. Big audiences and advertisers are increasingly treating YouTube like TV, which makes sustainable revenue more possible.
  2. Newsletters still make money but require active strategies like tracking sponsors and using creative referral partnerships to grow. If you sell your newsletter, try to keep ownership or negotiate a buyback option.
  3. Media companies are diversifying with new products and business moves—standalone apps, licensing viral clips, and acquisitions—to reach audiences and create new revenue streams.

How Onlyfans Took Over The World

Knowingless • 7901 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
💼 Business Marketing
  1. OnlyFans changed the way adult entertainment works by creating a sense of individual connection between creators and fans. This makes users feel like they're having a personal experience, even when there are a lot of other guys involved.
  2. The platform allows creators to reach a wider audience without much advertising support. Instead, users have to market themselves, which leads to a huge increase in the number of ads for OnlyFans across the internet.
  3. Agencies have become a big part of OnlyFans, managing content and interactions for creators. They help maximize profits by taking care of marketing and customer interactions, letting creators focus on content.

How to write (winning) award submissions

Mehdeeka • 3 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Give judges clear context and answer the question directly, assuming they don’t know your company or industry.
  2. Prove your claims with concrete evidence—use numbers, ROI, and customer quotes so impact is verifiable.
  3. Be concise and prepared: follow the entry criteria, keep past submissions, involve customers early, and only add attachments that truly add value.

The Ultimate Positioning Guide (+ Worksheet)

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 25 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Make a clear positioning bet now instead of waiting for perfect data; deciding what you are, who it’s for, and who you compete with creates the data you need to test and improve.
  2. Follow the 3-step framework: pick a primary anchor (Activity, Use Case, Product Category, or Competitive Alternative), add one or two differentiators, then combine them into a single positioning statement. This structure makes messaging, targeting, and comparisons much easier.
  3. Choose the right level of specificity so you’re not too vague or too niche, and pick only real, defensible differentiators. Use a decision tree and worksheet to map your ICP, use case, alternatives, and to create clear internal and external positioning statements.

What real marketers are building with Claude Code

MKT1 Newsletter • 20 implied HN points • 02 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Marketing
  1. Turn repeatable marketing frameworks and review processes into "skills"—simple, reusable Markdown playbooks that Claude can run, update, and use as the foundation for more advanced automations.
  2. Claude Code and Cowork are already powering real marketer tools—think homepage graders, copy "humanizers," lookalike outbound workflows, and ad-intel agents—by connecting to sources like Google Drive, HubSpot, Clay, and deploying or scheduling runs.
  3. Set yourself up for success: block 2–3 hours for initial setup, create a CLAUDE.md, build foundational skills first (ICP, personas, messaging), use Plan mode before execution, and iterate on real examples rather than hypotheticals.

16 Lessons on Selling (and Life) from My 5-Year-Old

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 211 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Start selling early and learn by doing — every no is useful feedback, so write down what you hear and iterate on the product.
  2. Know who the buyer really is and price to match them — the kids wanted the toy but the parents had the money, so meet the payer where they are and be willing to adjust price.
  3. Small, practical details matter: pick the right time and place, use social proof, have cash/payment options, be friendly, and sometimes a kid’s pitch works better than an adult’s.

This Week in Marketing: The New Age of Influencers vs. AI’s Irish Exit from Ads.

The Social Juice • 63 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Creator marketing is shifting — traditional influencers are losing ground while platforms and brands push subscriptions, gifting programs, and creator-first monetization. Brands will need better tracking and UGC management to prove real impact.
  2. AI is upending advertising and trust as companies struggle with moderation and harmful or hallucinated content; some firms are even dropping ads to protect credibility. Regulators and platforms are racing to limit or control AI-generated content and its monetization.
  3. The platform and ad ecosystem is being reshaped by major tech moves — Meta, Google, TikTok and others are rolling out new AI tools, ad products, and policy changes that shift attention and ad dollars. Marketers must adapt to new formats, measurement tools, and growing regulatory scrutiny.

My Newsletter Just Became a Substack Bestseller (Although I Was Hesitant to Get Paid First)

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 1858 implied HN points • 22 Mar 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Building a subscriber base takes time and effort; it's not an overnight success. You have to be patient and keep working hard to grow your audience.
  2. Going paid from the beginning can be beneficial. It’s important to trust your content enough to ask for support early on.
  3. Understanding the difference between followers and subscribers is key. Subscribers want your content directly in their inbox, which is more valuable than just having followers.

This Is a Good Year to Build Something Small

Tiny Empires • 159 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
💼 Business Marketing
  1. AI has made building products much cheaper and faster, so attention — not development cost — is the scarce resource, making clarity and specificity more valuable than big ambitions.
  2. Small, narrowly scoped products convert and reach viability faster because they’re easier to explain, fit into communities, and don’t require massive scale to matter.
  3. Solo founders and tiny teams win early by iterating quickly and avoiding communication overhead, which reduces burnout and makes small, focused businesses more resilient and profitable.

☞ Maxis Software Toys

Cabinet of Wonders • 92 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Marketing
  1. Maxis framed its games as open-ended "software toys" that let players set their own goals and explore creatively.
  2. Their titles emphasized deep simulation and realism—SimCity 2000 was billed as almost impossible to turn off, and SimLife let players reshape land, climate, time, and physics.
  3. The catalogs positioned Maxis as a broader cultural brand with merch and books, suggesting simulation games can be educational, imaginative, and ripe for a modern revival.

How I Identify Clients From Hell

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 159 implied HN points • 19 Aug 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Choosing clients based on shared values and respect makes work more enjoyable. It's important to list what matters most to you in a client relationship.
  2. Your portfolio should showcase work that you are proud of and leads to future opportunities. Focus on clients who will help enhance your portfolio, rather than just any client.
  3. Pricing should reflect the value of your work and your beliefs. Be firm on your rates, but consider flexibility if a client aligns with your values and can enhance your portfolio.

How To Start A Business With No Money

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 339 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24
💼 Business Marketing
  1. Finding your unique skills and what people need can guide you to success. Ask yourself what you enjoy and what others are looking for.
  2. Starting with offering free services is a smart way to build trust and gain clients. It helps you showcase your skills and connect with potential customers.
  3. Visualizing your goals and where you want to be in the future can keep you motivated. Focus on what you can achieve step by step, rather than stressing about big leaps.