We're surrounded by ads, both digital and physical. And since there's no way to get rid of them, we might as well sit back and enjoy the best.
If you're in marketing, then digital advertising is a great skill to have and to hone. Or it's possible you're simply curious about the Ad World, and so are we.
As with any other marketing discipline, the world of advertising constantly shifts, changes, and evolves. New techniques arise to replace the old ones, and sometimes it's hard to keep up with the latest news and trends.
But why is advertising so important?
A good advertising campaign will raise customer awareness, overall brand visibility, and at some point could even go viral.
The big question is, how do you distinguish between good and bad advice in today's overly saturated blog market?
To help you out, we've ventured on a journey of finding the 50 best advertising blogs to follow in 2023. The blogs and websites on this list cover various digital advertising aspects, from lead generation to ads.
👉 Check out our list of the most helpful marketing blogs 📖
Important disclosure: we're proud affiliates of some tools mentioned in this guide. If you click an affiliate link and subsequently make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (you pay nothing extra). For more information, read our affiliate disclosure.
50 Best Advertising Blogs
1. Moz
The Moz blog is not just about advertising; if you’re interested in SEO, this is a great blog to follow.
You may ask: what does SEO have to do with advertising?
You might create a perfect ad with astonishing visuals and great messaging, but if the page where your ad is placed isn't SEO optimized, few people will ever see it.
With its data-driven approach, The Moz Blog serves as one of the top reliable news sources about the latest SEO and advertising trends.
Our favorite content:
- Why Every Business Should Spend at Least $1 per Day on Facebook Ads
- How to Advertise for Free on YouTube & Leverage Your Video SEO!
- Guide to Content Marketing
- The Advertiser's Guide To Surviving Reddit
- The Alleged $7.5 Billion Fraud in Online Advertising
2. HubSpot Marketing Blog
Hubspot's marketing blog covers some of the most important topics out there, including advertising.
A great thing about the publication is that HubSpot's writers often share their own professional insights and real-life case-studies.
HubSpot also frequently invites influential industry experts as guest bloggers so the content is truly insightful.
Our favorite content:
- The Ultimate Guide to Advertising in 2020
- The 18 Best Advertisements & Ad Campaigns of All Time
- 19 Free Advertising Tips for Your Small, Large, or Local Business
- Online Advertising: Everything You Need to Know in 2020
- How to Prepare an Advertising Plan [Free Template]
3. Ads Of The World
Ads of the World is not a blog at its core but more of a publication that gathers and stores the latest advertisements.
It's a great place to analyze the works of some of the best advertising agencies from every corner of Earth, find inspiration, or just keep in touch with the latest advertising news and trends.
We consider this website a great source of insights for any marketer or advertising specialist as it provides a lot of valuable information that is hard to find elsewhere, all in one place.
Our favorite content:
4. Joe La Popme
Joe La Pompe runs a blog that hunts down copycat ads and stands on the lookout for agencies whose ads seem like knock-offs to the original ideas.
The blog owner doesn't act like a single judge and lets the audience decide whether the advertisement idea is stolen or reused, or rather, is just a coincidence.
Ads are presented side-by-side, and it’s striking to see some of the twin advertising concepts that are potentially reused in an attempt to seem like original ideas.
Our favorite content:
5. AdWeek
AdWeek is one of the biggest and most reputable advertising publications out there.
AdWeek was founded in 1979 and currently has an audience of over 6 million.
AdWeek also produces different types of content: posts, webinars, and even masterclasses. You can either enjoy a free membership or subscribe to one of the paid plans to receive exclusive access.
Our favorite content:
- The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of 2020
- The 25 Best Ads of 2020
- 7 Types of Stories: Which One Is Your Brand Telling?
6. AgencySpy
AgencySpy serves as a part of the Adweek network and focuses on internal and external agency-related news (as the name implies).
This blog is a great source of information about the biggest fish out there and a way to keep track of specific ad agencies.
The platform requires you to register, and if you want to read more than three free articles per month, there is a paid subscription option.
Our favorite content:
- The Three Who Died: Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon
- Tituss Burgess Gets Fresh, Feisty in Grey New York’s Latest for Downy
- The New Corona Ad Featuring Snoop and Bad Bunny Is Weirdly Enjoyable
7. AdFreak
AdFreak is a part of the Adweek network and requires a subscription to view some of the posts featured on the platform.
AdFreak contains recent ads from various agencies with a short and comprehensive review from industry specialists.
You can watch and check on recently published ads within the website and comprehensively analyze them. The overview attached to every ad makes it much easier to determine why some of them are good or not so great.
Our favorite content:
- The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of 2020
- Why the World Health Organization Turned to a Virtual Influencer to Share COVID-19 Tips
- What Does an ‘All-American Family’ Look Like? HP Created a Challenge to Show the New Reality
8. Mashable
Mashable is a big media platform that puts out thousands of articles about tech, culture, science, and entertainment.
Mashable covers advertising topics as well as news and gossip.
All categories receive a constant stream of fresh publications, and it's all free and doesn't require any subscription.
Our favorite content:
- MSCHF will pay you to 'kill brands' on TikTok
- Get your brand noticed online with this digital marketing bootcamp
- Google bans ads for products that people use to stalk partners
9. Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a social managing platform with a well-established blog focusing on ads and social media marketing tips.
It features many valuable materials and essential guides on how to correctly create and set up accounts across different social media platforms.
Hootsuite blog is always up to date and delivers full and comprehensive material on all the topics they cover.
Our favorite content:
- How to Create a Facebook Business Page in 7 Easy Steps
- How to Get Free Instagram Followers: 35 Tips that Actually Work
- How to Make a GIF: 4 Tried-and-True Methods
10. AdAge
AdAge is known for providing the latest news and other high-quality advertising-related content. Some articles are free to read, some require a subscription.
The AdAge is known for its data center which is based on three main pillars:
- Leading national advertisers
- Agency reports
- World’s largest advertisers
Access purchasable both for subscribers and non-subscribers.
Our favorite content:
- Ford to run ads stressing unity following capitol riot
- 2020 Predictions: What we got right and what we got wrong
- Father and son formula 1 champs team up to promote Heineken (and send a safety message)
11. Outfunnel
Marketing automation is essential for any business that wants to succeed; this is where Outfunnel comes on. If you're in advertising, marketing automation is your friend.
Whether you're sending out email campaigns or working on your leads, automation will greatly improve your workflow.
The Outfunnel blog covers all things automation and lead generation. There are plenty of fascinating insights offered by CEO Andrus Purde, that are both actionable and applicable for the majority of businesses out there.
Our favorite content:
- 17 Lead Generation Strategies and Examples That’ll Work in 2023 and Beyond
- What Is Revenue Marketing & Why Should B2B Marketers Pay Attention To It
- Email Bounce Rate: What is it? How to Reduce Bounce Rate?
12. MarketingProfs
MarketingProfs focuses on bringing together marketers and advertising specialists that focus on B2B strategy, all in order to share a bit of wisdom and knowledge on various marketing topics.
It also offers a set of paid courses on different subjects, covering general marketing, aspects of public relations, analytics, and more.
To get full access to the articles, you will need to subscribe to a newsletter.
Our favorite content:
- Defining Market Opportunity—You Be the Judge
- Time to Make the Donuts
- How to Use Heuristics to Your Marketing Advantage
13. Video Week
Just as the name suggests, Video Week focuses on delivering the best articles about advertising using videos.
Recent articles include tech news, agencies updates, mobile news, publishing and TV and many more related topics.
If you don’t have enough time to read everything through the articles, Video Week runs a podcast channel that you can listen to as an alternative.
Our favorite content:
- Where are VCs Investing in Media and Advertising?
- Server-Side Ad Insertion Explained
- What is 4D Video Mapping?
14. Olshan
Olshan blog takes things seriously, providing commentary and news on developing legal advertising issues.
Businesses should keep an eye out for such blogs, as bad things can happen if you accidentally start to advertise a product you are not legally allowed to.
But worry not, Olshan has you covered if you are interested in advertising law and looking to stay out of hot water.
Our favorite content:
15. AdLand
AdLand stores historical ads and provides news about advertising and examples of various ads from television, radio, and more.
AdLand also runs a podcast that covers the most exciting topics around marketing and advertising.
Their collection of Super Bowl ads is a perfect place to roll back the years and see what commercials were airing during a specific game. It’s a section worth checking out first!
Our favorite content:
16. Ad Exchanger
AdExchanger is another example of a well-structured and organized blog that shares the latest news and articles on the topic of advertising.
For the last 13 years, AdExchanger worked towards becoming a leading company devoted to the digital advertising and marketing space.
Besides, it provides an industry preview, an exclusive look at the year ahead in digital marketing technology, and the leading conference in programmatic media.
Our favorite content:
- It’s Official: YouTube No Longer Accepts Third-Party Pixels
- No More Inflammatory Jargon: Change Blacklist To Blocklist
- The Taboola/Outbrain Merger Is Off – Here’s Why
17. AdPulp
AdPulp was founded in 2004 by copywriter David Burn and marketing technologist Shawn Hartley.
AdPulp offers a unique point of view at the most pressing topics in marketing communications.
Its founders' combined thoughts and practical experience help deliver high-quality and thought-provoking material.
Our favorite content:
18. Adrants
Adrants used to be a trendy blog and had around a million monthly visitors. Today, though, it’s not as popular but still puts out good content.
Managed by Steve Hall, who spent 25 years in media realm, offers users a straightforward approach to many advertising-related topics.
There are articles available that date back all the way to 2001, offering a way to take a walk down the memory lane. New articles are released weekly.
Our favorite content:
- Yup. This Skype Ad Will Make You Cry
- The Dumbest Car Cover Ad You Will Ever See
- This Thai Ad Will Bring Tears to Your Eyes, Warmth to Your Heart
19. More About Advertising
More About Advertising has been around for ten years and positions itself as the alternative voice of advertising, marketing, and media.
This blog approaches news not from a generic perspective, but instead tries to provide a more analytical approach to advertising events.
Some fascinating reads and stories will make you think differently or simply present you with a new perspective.
Our favorite content:
- PicRights is persecuting websites and bloggers over alleged rights issues – who are they and their agents acting for?
- New Apple Watch Series 6 ad discovers ‘it already does that’
- P&G’s ‘Moms’ ad is a slice of life Modern Classic
20. The Ad Contrarian
The Ad Contrarian is a blog by Bob Hoffman, sharing his thoughts and insights.
He has has a very admirable career in marketing and has been the CEO of two independent agencies.
It's one of those blogs when you can see the author's touch in every article. Check it out to find some unique insights you won’t spot anywhere else.
Our favorite content:
21. Copyranter
Mark Duffy ran Copyranter until 2019 before migrating to Medium. He's famous for his straightforward and occasionally chuckle-inducing commentary toward the ad industry.
Even if you don't take such blogs seriously, the trail of articles left behind on the old blog and new ones coming on Medium show a mix of professional and personal approach that results in some excellent reading material.
Our favorite content:
22. Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner is a pillar of knowledge in the social media sphere. It continually supplies its readers with articles, expert interviews, original research, and the news needed to improve all aspects of social media marketing and advertising.
Social Media Examiner also generates excellent video content and runs a personal podcast discussing recent events and SMM tips.
Our favorite content:
- 15 Tips for Growing Your YouTube Channel
- Social Media Image Sizes for 2018: A Guide for Marketers
- 8 Ways to Share Links on Instagram
23. Copyblogger
Copyblogger doesn't share any breaking news and doesn't try to cover every topic possible. Instead, it focuses on copywriting, email and digital marketing, and landing pages.
Most publications are quite insightful and are worth checking out if you’re looking to improve your content marketing game.
In all truth, there’s so much more to creating great online content besides just good writing, and Copyblogger teaches you how to.
Our favorite content:
- Copywriting 101
- A 7-Step Guide to Mind Control: How to Quit Begging and Make People Want to Help You
- Metaphor, Simile, and Analogy: What’s the Difference?
24. Duct Tape Marketing
Duct Tape Marketing is a consultation and training company for small businesses.
Their blog reflects the companies' vision and frequently releases educational articles about small businesses’ marketing and general nuances.
If you are a business owner or plan on becoming one, following their blog may shed some light on setting up your first marketing funnel and creating first ads.
Our favorite content:
- 5 Free Social Media Management Tools to Make Your Life Easier
- 7 Steps For An Effective Social Media Marketing Plan
- Why Small Businesses Have the Social Media Marketing Advantage
25. Business Grow
Business Grow is a blog run by Mark Schaefer. Mark is pretty famous in marketing circles as a speaker, educator, business consultant, and author.
His substantial working experience put him on a path to creating one of the most informative marketing blogs on the internet.
You'll find his articles offer sound advice and solutions to possible marketing issues that small and medium businesses can encounter on their way to growth.
Our favorite content:
- 20 Hilarious and Cool Twitter bios
- Don’t Review Your Employer on Glassdoor Until You Read This!
- How On-Demand Work Is Killing The Agency Of Record
26. PR Daily
PR Daily may have the most extended history of all the blogs in this list.
PR Daily has been around for more than five decades under Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. and provides training for professionals in corporate communications, public relations, social media, and management.
The constant flow of news articles and guides will keep you well-informed and provide you with plenty of food for thought.
Our favorite content:
- Why you should stop starting sentences with ‘and’ or ‘but’
- 24 phrases ‘gaslighters’ use against you
- PR crises that have defined 2019
27. Marketing Land
Marketing Land is not just a reliable source of news about marketing but also a provider of an astonishing amount of insights about handling all things advertising.
All of these resources are patiently waiting to be examined under the "display" section on their website. The topics covered here are not limited just to advertising, you can also find many articles about SEO, SEM, Analytics, and CMO.
Our favorite content:
- Top 10 payment processing companies in the world
- 6 Conversion Principles You Can Learn From The Mere-Exposure Effect
28. Content Marketing Institute
We believe that content marketing should be at the core of any marketing strategy. Nothing is more vital for users and customers than useful and exciting content to interact with.
Content Marketing Institute team believes in this concept and supports it with a passion few can match.
Their blog is filled with guides and articles covering all things content marketing, including advertising. Try to read a few of them, and you'll get what we’re going on about.
Our favorite content:
- What Is Content Marketing?
- 9 Little-Known Font How-Tos for Instagram Stories
- How to Develop and Create a Wikipedia Page that Sails Through the Approval Process
29. AppSamurai
AppSamurai is indeed a warrior who works hard to spread information about all aspects of marketing on mobile devices.
The AppSamurai blog covers marketing, advertising, shares success stories, news, and user engagement tips.
If you are developing an app and want to build an excellent mobile advertising strategy, this blog will indeed prove to be a gold mine of info to help your endeavors.
Our favorite content:
- How to Design a Compelling App Icon
- How To Make Money Through Affiliate Marketing
- Everything You Should Know About On – Demand Service Apps
30. BrandingStrategyInsider
Branding is no joke - it's a subject that should always be taken seriously and handled with caution.
Branding is more than just a recognizable color palette, website, or logo. To get your branding strategy right, we recommend checking out Branding Strategy Insider's blog.
It covers everything from building and growing a brand, to advertising and promotional strategies, and much more.
Our favorite content:
- The 30 Most Influential U.S. Jingles Since 1948
- Should Brand Advertising Tell The Truth?
- How Did Apple Computer Get Its Brand Name?
31. Know Online Advertising
Know Online Advertising blog has slowly and steadily proved to be a real gem for everyone looking for in-depth guides and articles about advertising.
Our whole team agreed that it's a top-tier blog about advertising, marketing, and everything in between. Don't miss this one.
Our favorite content:
32. The Denver Egotist
The Denver Egotist is an anonymously-run website that attracts the best local talent to its ranks to produce quality content.
The Denver Egotist covers local news and more importantly, tries to keep up with all the international news as well. This results in a well-rounded stream of reading-worthy material.
They also review recently published ads and share thoughts about advertising events. The Denver Egotist definitely won't make you feel bored.
Our favorite content:
- The neck basket: fake commercial for a real product
- The courage to run: new documentary from boulder’s buck ross
- Ridic kia logo unveiling
33. Evok
Evok is an advertising agency that publishes very well-written and insightful pieces.
Covering the global marketing topics, they closely watch the healthcare industry and how it affects marketing in general.
The ongoing pandemic has impacted all industries, including digital marketing and advertising. This resulted in more creativity and changes in how promotional and advertising strategies are developed.
Our favorite content:
- How to Launch a Brand Ambassador Program for Your Apparel Brand
- Typography: A Vital Component in the World of Advertising
- How Has Technology Affected Communication?
34. Creative Criminals
Creative Criminals provides a daily updated list of the commercials released on TV and the Internet.
An intuitive website navigation system can help locate the ads from your country of choice, sort them by the type of media it was released, and, of course, by its industry.
Don't forget to check the agency ranking based on users' liking of these agencies' commercials; you won’t regret it.
Our favorite content:
35. The Curious Brain
Michael Paredrakos, a Brand and Communication Strategy Consultant, created the Curious Brain.
This kind of job requires a great deal of creativity and unconventional approaches.
According to Michael, he created this blog to hit you in your creative gut, make your brain hurt from all the thinking, and make your soul feel something. Check it out and see what effect it has on you.
Our favorite content:
36. GrowthHackers
GrowthHackers is a community-based website that shares articles daily from lots of industries.
It's completely free to use - the only requirement is to create an account.
After that, choose tags that cover topics you are interested in, and congrats, you are all set. As a bonus, GrowthHackers often hosts online live seminars and invites different industry specialists for interviews everyone can attend.
37. Digiday
Digiday is another powerful advertising news platform. They release a lot of quality content, host different events, and run a podcast as well.
Though it's not entirely free, you can still access three articles per month without a subscription. It is just enough to figure out if you like what you see and decide whether it is worth subscribing for the long term.
Our favorite content:
- Confessions of a Comcast customer service rep: ‘I don’t personally care.’
- Once dominant, Amazon-owned gaming platform Twitch has more competition and more problems
- Everything you need to know about ByteDance, the company behind TikTok
38. Smart Insights
Smart Insights is a publisher and online learning platform aimed at educating marketing specialists in planning, optimizing, and polishing their marketing strategies.
Smart Insights provide guides, various templates, and tools to achieve such goals.
Despite their free blog, you still need to subscribe to a membership plan to use all the other listed benefits.
Our favorite content:
- How to use the BCG Matrix model
- 10 reasons you need a digital marketing strategy in 2023
- Global social media research summary August 2022
39. MediaPost
We love MediaPost because most of their articles contain analytical data with an excellent visual representation.
Their pieces mostly cover general topics about social media, marketing, and advertising.
You'll need to register on the website to read their publications, though full access is free and does not require any subscription.
Our favorite content:
- Top Conservative News Sites Experience Audience Erosion Leading Up To Election
- Microsoft Bing Tracks COVID-19 Confirmed Cases, Aggregates Data And Articles
- State Farm Launches Campaign Featuring New Jake
40. AdMonsters
AdMonsters claims to be "the global leader in strategic insight on the future of digital media and advertising technology.”
AdMonsters provides many articles about media operations, monetization, technology, strategy, platforms, and trends.
Blogs like this are a rarity these days and should be recognized for the excellent work that they’re doing.
Our favorite content:
- What is Online Ad Operations?
- What Are the Different Kinds of Paywalls (and Do They Work?)
- What Is EBDA?
41. SmartBrief
SmartBrief content revolves around marketing and advertising. By collecting and reviewing ads and keeping in touch with the latest industry news (and some gossip), SmartBrief always has something good to read, no matter which article you go with, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
42. The Drum
The Drum is a global media platform and most likely is the biggest website covering marketing in Europe.
The Drum shares fresh industry news daily while covering different topics around marketing, social media, and of course, advertising. Some content is available only with the website's membership.
Our favorite content:
- 7 of the most controversial ads of our time
- Women hold up half the sky: how China is building a gender equal ad industry
- Ryan Reynolds launches PowerPoint presentation instead of an ad for Mint Mobile
43. Simpleshow
Simpleshow's team is an expert when it comes to explaining things. What else would you expect from a blog being run by a company that makes a living by creating tutorials and explanation videos?
The content is sleek-looking, easy to digest, and quite insightful. After reading a few articles, we weren't disappointed. Check them out!
Our favorite content:
- Storytelling: The Power of the Narrative
- The Positive Side of Life Online During Coronavirus
- Tips For Creating Orientation Videos For New Employees
44. Adeevee
Adeevee is another excellent website to keep watch on the ads produced all over the world. Check out different companies, learn about various industries, and sort them out as you please.
It's also worth noticing that you can upload your work (a commercial, for example) to the website directly and share it with the community right away.
Our favorite content:
45. TopRank
This blog has maybe one of the most daring names on the Web, yet it provides a lot of excellent reading material to support a claim for such a name.
The blog was established in 2001 under the leadership of co-founders Susan Misukanis and Lee Odden, earning a well-deserved reputation as an outstanding digital marketing agency.
Our favorite content:
- 45 Creative, Clever And Effective Blog Taglines
- The Power of Social Media Polls
- 5 Ways to Repair a Broken WordPress Installation
46. Copyhackers
The big marketing game can sometimes overlook how we utilize simple words. But the proper choice of words can be crucial at every point of your advertising campaign.
Copyhackers understand this better than most. Their blog is quite insightful when it comes to the best advice regarding good copywriting for whatever needs.
Our favorite content:
- COVID Memes: Why we’re using laughter to get us through a pandemic
- The Ultimate Guide to No-Pain Copywriting
- How to Engage Instagram Followers with Copy So They Love Your Brand and Buy Your Products
47. DigitalMarketer
DigitalMarketer provides free and paid educational classes for all marketing specialists who want to scale up their marketing knowledge.
Thankfully their blog is a free feature because we'd consider it almost illegal to hide so many useful articles from the audience.
Our favorite content:
- The Ultimate Guide to Digital Marketing
- 101 Best Email Subject Lines of 2020
- How to Create a Podcast Studio on a Shoestring Budget
48. Creative Guerilla Marketing
Creative Guerilla Marketing is simply an excellent website to follow. Exciting articles on a variety of topics definitely deserve to be on our list.
If you wonder what guerilla marketing actually is, we'd advise you to check it up ASAP.
It's a legitimate marketing tactic that big companies often ignore, but it can be a game-changer for small businesses.
Our favorite content:
- What is guerrilla marketing?
- Secrets Behind the Sidewalk: How 3D Sidewalk Art is Made
- What is Ambient Advertising?
49. BestAds
Maybe at some point, BestAds on TV was as straightforward as the name implies. But now they also collect ads from radio, outdoor ads, print ads, and more.
The minimalistic design and comfortable navigation only improve our growing sympathy for this website. Take a minute to look around, and in all probability, you'll grow fond of this blog.
Our favorite content:
50. Marketing Dive
Marketing Dive provides in-depth journalism and insights into the most impactful news and trends shaping marketing and advertising.
The site and newsletters update you with today's news - not just in video marketing, but also marketing technology, social media, analytics, creativity and more.
The articles are engrossing in more ways than one. Once you start, it will be hard to stop. It's that good.
Our favorite content:
- GameStop gamifies store visits with 'Pokémon Go' activation
- Old Navy gets cozy with pop culture in holiday ads, YouTube series
- Burger King's moldy Whopper ad sparks visceral reactions, but scores on subversion.
Whew!
Well, there you go! 50 advertising blogs for you to explore, subscribe to and enjoy.