In a crowded field of SEO newsletters filled with link dumps and weekly roundups, Rank Theory has carved out a loyal following by doing the opposite: publishing longform, tactical content written by someone who actually lives in the SEO trenches. That contrarian approach just paid off—the HubSpot Community named Rank Theory a Favorite SEO Newsletter in September 2025.
The recognition highlights Rank Theory’s reputation for going beyond surface-level commentary and delivering actionable strategies for founders, CEOs, and seasoned marketers.
A Different Kind of SEO Newsletter
“We’re very proud of this extremely unbiased recognition,” joked Sean Markey, author of Rank Theory and owner of Ranks.com. “We’ve worked hard to make Rank Theory the best SEO newsletter for founders, CEOs, and marketing professionals, and we’ll continue to write the longform, in-the-trenches SEO content everyone loves.”
Unlike traditional newsletters that summarize Google updates or recycle industry chatter, Rank Theory focuses on:
- Hands-on experimentation: tactics tested in real campaigns.
- No-fluff analysis: written by a practitioner, not an observer.
- Actionable strategy: content designed to be implemented, not just read.
Publishing twice a month, the newsletter trades quantity for depth—something subscribers say makes it stand out.
Backed by Real-World SEO Experience
Markey isn’t just a writer. He owns Ranks.com and co-founded the Advise SEO Community alongside Jacky Chou. Advise has become one of the more active hubs for professional SEOs online, feeding into Rank Theory’s practical, data-driven perspective.
That experience gives the newsletter a sharper edge than most, grounding its content in live experiments and real-world campaign data rather than secondhand takes.
Why It Matters
Recognition from HubSpot Community underscores Rank Theory’s role in a shifting SEO education landscape, where readers are increasingly demanding actionable insights over noise. For professionals drowning in algorithm updates and AI chatter, a newsletter focused on what actually works is no small relief.
With HubSpot’s nod, Rank Theory now joins the short list of must-reads for anyone serious about SEO beyond the headlines.
