With hundreds of great newsletters for marketers, where do you start? Here!
These are some of the best email newsletters for marketers, based on #ContentChat community suggestions.
We provide brief details on why each newsletter is great, plus screenshots to show the layout.
You get a high-level look at what is unique about each newsletter and how it is different from others in this list.
(A Highly Subjective Collection Of) Excellent Email Newsletters For Marketers
1. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
(A Highly Subjective Collection Of)
Excellent Email Newsletters
For Marketers
2. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
What Is This Presentation?
● With hundreds of great newsletters for marketers, where do you start? Here!
● These are some of the best email newsletters for marketers, based on #ContentChat
community suggestions.
● We provide brief details on why each newsletter is great, plus screenshots to show the layout.
● You get a high-level look at what is unique about each newsletter and how it is different from
others in this list.
● Unsure if a newsletter is right for you? Visit its archives (we link to those when available) or test
it out for a few editions.
Need More?
● Is your favorite newsletter missing from this list, or do you want to share your praise of a
newsletter we listed? Please let us know!
● If you’re planning to launch your own email newsletter, follow these five important steps for a
successful launch, and learn what marketers actually want from email newsletters.
5. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Allen Gannett’s The Creative Brief and Sunday Brunch
The details:
● Allen sends two newsletters:
○ Weekly on Wednesdays, “The Creative Brief” shares
productivity and creativity hacks in a short and focused post
available exclusively through LinkedIn’s newsletter platform
○ Weekly on Sundays, he shares his “Sunday Brunch” for an
in-depth exploration of the week’s news
● Newsletter archives for Sunday Brunch can be found here
What makes these newsletters so great?
● The Creative Brief takes just one new piece of research or news and
dissects it, with a “for skimmers” section
● Sunday Brunch usually involves three to seven bite-sized nuggets of
marketing wisdom or truths. These often have unique ties to popular
culture (think how Winnie the Pooh may be related to marketing)
7. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Alex & Books newsletter
The details:
● Sent every Sunday
● Includes three insightful lessons from a new book each week, three
pieces of actionable advice that you can use to improve your life, and
a recap of Alex’s most popular posts
What makes these newsletters so great?
● The newsletters mostly focus on lessons from books, instead of
Alex’s personal advice or lessons. This makes for a streamlined
newsletter that is straight to the point.
● The diverse range of books and lessons provide exciting new ideas
each week.
9. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Ann Handley’s Total Annarchy
The details:
● Sent every other Sunday
● Packed with writing tips, marketing ideas, and insights from Ann, one
of the most influential B2B marketers
● Newsletter archives can be found here
What makes this newsletter so great?
● Ann’s unique POV and her storytelling
● Learn about new content marketing tools each edition
● Ann’s “Love Letters” is a unique way to promote content, spotlighting
the content creator versus the content itself
● The occasional “Department of Shenanigans” section gives a
much-welcomed chuckle for your weekend
11. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Brafton’s The Content Marketer
The details:
● Sent every Tuesday morning
● Highlights a range of blog posts, videos, guides, and more from
Brafton, all focused on helping content marketers perform at their
best
What makes this newsletter so great?
● The grid format is clean and easy to skim
● Custom graphics create a cohesive (and fun) feel
● Copy is minimal but value focused—you’ll know almost immediately
whether you want to click on the content
Note, The Content Marketer serves more as a blog subscription than an email
newsletter. However, it is a great example of what an email newsletter can
include and how to format for skimmability.
13. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
The details:
● Sent weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays
● Generally includes 3 main topics, each with an accompanying chart,
and a short “Data Snacks” section, both of which cover general
business news
● Newsletter archives can be found here
What makes this newsletter so great?
● Each chart shares a fun way you can visualize data
● The diversity of topics keeps each newsletter fresh
● Effective use of bold text and bullets makes skimming easy if you’re
tight on time
Chartr’s newsletter
14. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Christopher Penn/Trust Insight’s In the Headlights
15. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Christopher Penn/Trust Insight’s In the Headlights
The details:
● Sent every Wednesday
● Rounds up the most interesting news in marketing and data science
that you can use immediately
● Newsletter archives can be found here
What makes this newsletter so great?
● The “Rear View Mirror Data” section provides timely stats on
marketing topics, like YouTube’s engagement statistics for a month
(and what that means for brands using the channel)
● Industry events are often featured
● The “Shiny Objects” section shares useful content, divided by topic
type (like social media marketing, content marketing, data science
and AI, etc.)
17. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Erika Heald’s Content Chat Bulletin
The details:
● Sent every other Monday, also acting as a #ContentChat Twitter chat
reminder email
● Keeps you in-the-know on the latest trends, research, and case
studies in marketing
What makes this newsletter so great?
● Erika discusses the human side of marketing, diving into topics like
ethics, why not to use fear as a marketing strategy, and navigating
tricky client relationships
● You’ll never fall behind on the latest news related to the
#ContentChat community, including chat recaps and opportunities to
pitch yourself as a guest speaker
● You’ll see new content marketing and related job opportunities, in
case you’re on the search for your next great career opportunity
19. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Heidi Cohen’s Actionable Marketing Guide Newsletter
The details:
● Sent weekly on Tuesday
● Provides, well, actionable marketing tips tied to the latest research
and best practices
● Newsletter archives can be found here
What makes this newsletter so great?
● Distills extensive reports and articles into bite-sized tips
● The content is thorough, so you get the information you need just
from the email, and Heidi links to recommended readings if you’re
looking to learn more
● Heidi thanks her new subscribers in each edition, which is an
effective way to build community
21. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
The details:
● Sent weekly on Thursdays
● Includes 3 short ideas from James, 2 quotes from others, and 1
question for you to ponder
● All past issues available here
What makes this newsletter so great?
● The simple setup of this newsletter is incredibly effective
● Quick to read, but provides lasting food for thought
● Unlike other newsletters on this list, 3-2-1 provides more general
business and life advice. You will feel fulfilled in both personal and
professional aspects thanks to this newsletter
James Clear’s 3-2-1
24. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Joe Pulizzi’s The Random Newsletter and The Tilt
The details:
● Joe Pulizzi, the founder of the Content Marketing Institute, sends two
newsletters we love:
○ Every other week (Thursdays or Fridays) he shares The Random
Newsletter, which covers a mix of marketing and writing topics.
Newsletter archives can be found here.
○ Twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) The Tilt discusses audiences,
tech, trends, and more to help content creators become content
entrepreneurs.
What makes these newsletters so great?
● Joe has a way of writing that makes the newsletters read more like a letter
from a friend than an email from a stranger
● The Random Newsletter does not rely on external links for its content.
Instead, most sections involve Joe discussing a topic or idea that
ultimately has a marketing or business tie-in
● The Tilt is a content marketer’s dream email newsletter, with incredibly
relevant articles and ideas all in bite-sized pieces
26. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
Managing Editor’s newsletter
The details:
● Sent every Friday
● Touted as a “love letter to all the other marketers out there working at
the intersection of brand and publishing”
● Newsletter archives can be found here
What makes this newsletter so great?
● Each edition highlights just three to five pieces of high-quality
content, recent podcasts, or upcoming events
● The section headers are incredibly clever and often tie to pop culture
● Content is often available in both written and video form
28. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
SmartBrief Marketing & Advertising Email Newsletters
The details:
● SmartBrief manages numerous daily, 2-3x weekly, and weekly email
newsletters that address various advertising, digital, and marketing
topics for SmartBrief’s clients
● Check out the full range of marketing & advertising newsletters here
What makes these newsletters so great?
● All SmartBrief newsletters get straight to the point, curating
hyper-focused news stories, case studies, and other resources for
professionals across industries
● Clear section headers make each newsletter easy to skim
Note, some SmartBrief newsletters serve more as a news aggregator than an
email newsletter. However, it is a great example of how to curate focused
content based on your audience interests and needs.
29. Erika Heald Consulting | ErikaHeald.com
What email newsletters do you love?
The email newsletters in this presentation are just a few of our favorites,
but we know there are more out there that we’ve yet to find!
What are your favorite email newsletters? Tell us in the comments of our
accompanying blog post or let us know via email.
We’ll feature your additions in an upcoming post!
If you’re a marketer looking for more resources to help boost the results of
your work, check out our site here for plenty of how-tos, templates, and
other expert guides.