In the world of marketing, if you’re not up to date on the latest practices, you quickly become irrelevant — and soon left behind. One simple trick to stay in the loop is reading daily. Reading is one of the most valuable ways to stay informed, and it allows you to become a lifelong learner. If you’re seeking marketing help, incorporating daily reading habits can be immensely beneficial. While any reading can be beneficial, checking out the top marketing publications will allow you to stay on top of current trends and news within the industry.
If you don’t already have your favorite subscriptions or you’re getting tired of your typical go-tos, it can be hard to know where to start looking for resources. We’ve reviewed dozens of online marketing publications to find the best the web has to offer. We aim to include a variety of options since the marketing publication that works best for you will vary based on your industry and level of expertise.
While it’s impossible to keep up with everything related to marketing, pick the resources that cover what matters most to you and subscribe to your favorites.
A Brief Review of Each Publication:
- Business Insider Marketing Top marketing publication for millennial readers.
- The HubSpot Marketing Blog Best publication for how-to guides and tutorials.
- Performance Marketing Magazine: AdWeek A leading news source for the brand marketing community.
- Salesforce: Brian Solis The best quick read, as Solis provides understandable breakdowns of emerging and disruptive trends.
- Moz Best resource for beginners and professionals alike.
- Think With Google Best coverage of new, data-proven marketing trends.
- Search Engine Journal Best resource to check while you drink your morning coffee.
- DMNews or Relevance Top publication for data-informed content or Top blog featuring digital growth marketing strategies.
- Neil Patel Best blog covering mainstream marketing topics.
- The Drum Best coverage of innovative topics in the marketing industry.
- Digiday Top publication for modern marketers who prioritize digital-first.
- Search Engine Watch Best publication for white papers and industry research.
- Ahrefs Top publication for marketing basics.
- Social Media Examiner The best site for social media marketing.
- Seth Godin Best blog by a marketing hall of famer.
- MarketingProfs Best publication for new graduates and lifetime learners.
- Content Marketing Institute Top publication to learn content marketing best practices.
- Convince and Convert Top online publication covering customer experience strategy.
What Makes a Good Marketing Publication?
Choosing what publications to highlight in this article took some internal negotiation. We all have our favorite sites to check each morning. Admittedly, some are less authoritative than others, but they’re fun and informative nonetheless. To be considered a top marketing publication the resources included here had to share these qualities:
1. Accurate
The top publications are sourced and written by experts or frequently fact checked. Editors and publishers should work hard to ensure they’re providing the most relevant and truthful information. Statistics and interviews should be legitimate, up-to-date, and from credible sources. That way, readers can be in the know about real current events and trends.
2. Accessible
Publications full of highfalutin jargon can take more energy to read than the average person has available. While we’re capable of reading convoluted texts — sometimes with the help of the dictionary — the best publications take complicated matters and make them easily digestible. Websites should be well structured, so you can find the articles you’re interested in. And content should provide information in a way that’s easy to understand.
3. Affordable
With hundreds of publications pushing information, it’s unrealistic to have subscriptions to more than a few. Many of the resources highlighted in this article are free or offer a certain number of free articles each month.
The Top Marketing Publications Reviewed
1. Business Insider Marketing
Business Insider claims to cover “the people, companies, and ideas changing our world.” It is one of the most authoritative publications in the industry. In fact, their domain authority is 94, up there with The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The main demographic for this publication are 30-45 years olds, and over half of U.S. millennials read Business Insider. If you aren’t reading their work already, it’s worth checking out, especially since you can read five articles for free each month.
2. The HubSpot Marketing Blog
If you’re part of the marketing industry, it’s likely you’ve encountered HubSpot before. Whether you’ve used their CRM platform or benefited from their free training and certifications on HubSpot academy, they’re a fantastic resource. Their blog offers fresh tips for marketers looking to increase business, develop new strategies, or even tackle Youtube advertising and influencer marketing. Their articles offer helpful how-tos plus plenty of insights, ideas, and inspiration for modern marketers.
3. Performance Marketing Magazine: AdWeek
AdWeek is a leading news source for the brand marketing community. First published in 1979, this publication has had its finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the industry for decades. If you don’t have access to their print or web publication, they share resources across a variety of platforms including newsletters, podcasts, and social media. If you prefer to get your marketing news on your phone, they also have an app.
4. Salesforce: Brian Solis
Salesforce is a great example of a resource providing easily-digestible content for readers. Brian Solis is a best-selling author and international keynote speaker, and at Salesforce, he explains emerging and disruptive trends to help leaders see meaningful possibilities for innovation. Many articles offer data-supported tips to improve customer experience, and as an additional perk, you can subscribe to get these articles delivered straight to your inbox.
5. Moz
Similar to HubSpot, Moz shouldn’t be siloed by its great marketing tools and training. Their content marketing articles cover how to build authority, maximize your content strategy, and brush up on necessary SEO skills. No matter your level of expertise, Moz offers quality resources for those in the marketing industry.
6. Think With Google
Think With Google conveniently allows you to log in with your Gmail account, and they send recommended articles straight to your inbox. They leverage the power of Google’s data to offer up-to-date customer trends. Their marketing strategies section helps you discover new tools, expert perspectives, and actionable insights to inspire effective marketing. While their “future of marketing” tab helps readers stay up to date on the latest industry advances.
Bonus! An additional marketing resource worth highlighting, that’s featured within Think With Google, are their inclusive marketing tools. They have partnered with multiple activist and awareness agencies to provide audience insights for eliminating stereotypes in creative content. The toolkit they offer explores a variety of identities in an authentic way, avoiding the “checking-a-box” mentality that can become dangerous in the marketing industry.
7. Search Engine Journal
Search Engine Journal prides itself on helping marketers succeed. Their content breaks down industry trends, offering helpful and in-depth guides. With reads as short as one or two minutes, this is a publication that’s easy to add to your morning (or afternoon) routine. You could skim a couple of articles with a cup of coffee and gain important information ranging from algorithm predictions to marketing analytics in return.
8. Relevance
Relevance is a successful digital marketing agency, so their blog naturally provides insightful content to inform readers’ marketing strategies. From the importance of SEO to how to harness the power of thought leadership, their resources can help you with your growth marketing goals. Their goal is to help companies own their industry, and their blog focuses on providing resources to do just that. Their voice is also pretty fun, and that relatability makes their articles a joy to read.
9. Neil Patel
One quality that really makes Neil Patel’s blog noteworthy is the research put into the articles. Reading articles on this site where others have conducted research and explained new tools with step-by-step guides can save you time and improve your expertise in a quick and easy way. From explaining how marketers are spending their money in the upcoming year to suggesting affordable SEO software, Patel offers readers a variety of quality information.
10. The Drum
If you believe marketing can change the world, you should probably be reading The Drum. This publication aims to find the best of the best in the industry, and their global awards program speaks to that. On their website, you can read case studies about the best companies — and the best people — in the marketing, advertising, and communication industries. They also have resources covering modern marketing, creativity, media, and more.
11. Digiday
If you experienced — and appreciated — the shift from analog to digital, you’ll likely enjoy and value the approach at Digiday. They prioritize modern media and marketing trends. However, they’re honest about the struggles and challenges facing the industry. If you find you love their publication, they also offer a newsletter, podcasts, and Digiday+, which gives subscribers access to tools that help them stay ahead.
12. Search Engine Watch
Search Engine Watch offers a variety of helpful marketing articles, but one feature that sets them apart are their quality white papers filled with current research and trending resources. Their content ranges from case studies to influencer opinion pieces, and they work with marketing leaders across the industry to publish intriguing and practical content. If you find that you enjoy their content, they have a daily newsletter as well as webinars, workshops, and roundtables.
13. Ahrefs
You may be familiar with Ahrefs because of their keyword research tools or domain authority checker, but their blog is not something you should ignore. It’s full of great marketing articles covering significant data, interesting case studies, and emerging industry trends. They also include detailed tutorials to help you brush up on necessary skills. Some articles, such as “How to Conduct a Competitive Analysis,” even include templates. If you have a few extra minutes in your day to learn something new, Ahrefs is a great teacher.
14. Social Media Examiner
This site offers plenty of free resources and information for anyone interested in improving their social media marketing strategies. From a free Instagram marketing tutorial to their 39-page report filled with hundreds of social media stats, it’s worth checking out their content. They also offer a free newsletter with over 400,000 subscribers and a free Web3 course. If you’re specifically interested in social media marketing, the resources available on this site are for you.
15. Seth Godin
Seth Godin is a well-known author and marketer — even making his way to the Marketing Hall of Fame. His blog covers a wide range of topics related to marketing, branding, and leadership, and it’s a great resource for thought-provoking insights and ideas. “Seth’s Top 100” and “Story of the Week” sections offer quick, quality reads. As an article gains popularity, the story of the week updates, so the posts have been proven to be worth your time by other readers.
16. MarketingProfs
MarketingProfs is an online publication that covers a wide range of marketing topics, including social media, content marketing, email marketing, and more. It’s a great resource for practical marketing tips and tactics. They offer a variety of trainings and resources as well. An especially noteworthy feature is their discussion forum. After signing up for free, you can ask their marketing experts any questions you might have.
17. Content Marketing Institute
The Content Marketing Institute is an online publication that covers content marketing strategy and best practices. It’s a great resource for learning about how to effectively use content to reach and engage customers. From their how-to guides and whitepapers to their analyses of trends in the marketing world, they’re gathering need-to-know information for content marketing professionals. So, if you’re hoping to improve your storytelling skills, their articles can help.
18. Convince and Convert
Convince and Convert is an online publication that covers digital marketing and customer experience strategy. It’s a great resource for learning about how to effectively use digital channels to reach and engage customers. If you’re interested in anything related to social media, content marketing, influencer marketing, and customer experience, you should consider checking out their blog and subscribing to their biweekly newsletter.
The best way to educate yourself on SEO, customer experience, or anything related to the world of marketing is by familiarizing yourself with current trends, research, and best practices. The insights and inspiration available to you within top publications can help you in your career, but daily reading is also a great life-long habit worth developing to better yourself.
