If you’re growing a B2B audience or building your presence as a thought leader, newsletters are still one of the best ways to stay visible and build trust. With so many platforms out there, it can be tough to know where to start. Two of the most effective options? LinkedIn newsletters and email newsletters. Each offers something different—but the good news is, you don’t have to pick just one. Let’s look at how both work, where they shine, and why using them together might be the smartest move.
Why LinkedIn Newsletters Are Worth Considering
LinkedIn newsletters are one of the easiest ways to start sharing content and growing your audience, especially if you’re looking for low effort and high visibility. The setup couldn’t be simpler. There’s no need for complicated tools or paid platforms. If you know how to post on LinkedIn, you already know how to publish a newsletter. It’s built right in, which means you can focus on writing instead of dealing with tech headaches.
One of the biggest advantages is the immediate reach. When you publish your first edition, LinkedIn automatically sends it to all your connections and followers. That gives you a major head start and instant exposure, something that’s tough to match on most other platforms.
There’s also a discoverability bonus. Your LinkedIn newsletters are indexed by Google, which means people searching for your topic might find your content even if they’re not on LinkedIn. That added visibility can help you expand your reach far beyond your network.
But it’s not all upside. There are a few important limitations to keep in mind.
First, you don’t actually own your audience. LinkedIn controls the platform, and if they ever change how newsletters work or decide to remove them entirely, you could lose access to all those subscribers overnight. It has happened before, so it’s worth considering the risk.
Second, analytics are fairly limited. You can see how many people read your newsletter as well as aggregate demographic information, but it isn’t robust. This may make it difficult to easily track performance over time.
And finally, personalization and automation are not available. You can’t segment your audience, trigger follow-ups, or tailor messages to different subscriber groups. Everyone gets the same version.
So while LinkedIn newsletters offer a fast and simple way to build reach, it’s important to use them strategically and not rely on them as your sole communication channel.
The Real Power of Email Newsletters
While LinkedIn is great for reach, email newsletters give you something even more valuable: control. With email, you own your list. There’s no algorithm standing between you and your readers, no platform changes that could wipe out your subscriber base. It’s just you and a direct line to the people who chose to hear from you.
One of the biggest strengths of email is the depth of insight it provides. You can track open rates, see what links people are clicking, and understand how your audience is engaging with your content. That kind of data is gold when it comes to refining your strategy and improving results over time.
Email also tends to attract a more invested audience. Signing up for a newsletter takes effort, and that extra step means people are genuinely interested in what you have to say. They’re not just clicking a button out of curiosity, they’re opting in because they want your content in their inbox.
And then there’s the flexibility. With email, you can personalize messages, segment your audience based on behavior or interests, a/b test and automate follow-ups that create a more tailored experience. This opens up opportunities for deeper engagement and stronger long-term relationships. That said, email isn’t without its challenges.
Building an email list takes time. You won’t get hundreds of subscribers overnight. It’s a slower, more deliberate process that requires consistency and trust. And once you’re in the inbox, the competition is fierce. People are selective about what they open, and you need to deliver value if you want to avoid being ignored—or worse, sent to spam.
Still, for long-term growth and meaningful connection, email remains one of the most powerful tools you can use. It may take more effort, but the payoff is well worth it.
Why You Don’t Have to Choose
The best part about building a newsletter strategy today is that you’re not limited to just one platform. While people often feel they need to decide between LinkedIn or email, the smartest move is actually using both together. Each has unique strengths, and when combined, they can create a powerful, complementary approach.
A good starting point is LinkedIn. It’s fast, it’s visible, and it gives you access to a ready-made audience. Publishing on LinkedIn allows you to quickly grow awareness and get your content in front of people who might not know you yet. It’s an excellent top-of-funnel tool to build trust and visibility.
Once you have that attention, the next step is guiding readers to your email list. A simple call to action in your LinkedIn newsletter inviting people to subscribe to your email version can go a long way. This allows you to deepen the relationship in a more personal and controlled space, where you’re not relying on the whims of a platform.
From there, make the most of what you’re creating by repurposing content. Share highlights from your email newsletter on LinkedIn to spark conversation. Use feedback or engagement from LinkedIn to shape your next email. When done right, both channels feed into each other, making your message go further without doubling your workload.
So, Which One Is Better?
It really depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If your focus is on quick visibility and growing your audience faster, LinkedIn is a great place to start. It helps you reach more people with less effort and makes it easy to get in front of a professional audience.
If you’re looking for deeper engagement, more control, and something you can truly own, email is the better choice. It takes more time to build, but what you get is a loyal, invested group of readers who genuinely want to hear from you.
That said, the smartest strategy isn’t about picking one over the other. It’s about combining both. LinkedIn helps you attract attention and build awareness. Email gives you the chance to follow up, personalize your message, and create stronger connections.
In practice, using both together tends to deliver the best results. Email gives you a space you can grow over time, free from algorithm changes or platform limits. And when you use each channel to support the other, you end up with a strategy that works in the short term and sets you up for long-term success.
