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How do you keep up with the latest trends, emerging technologies, and innovative tricks in digital marketing? For the best insight, go straight to the marketing experts.
Brands need to stay relevant and constantly work to gain a competitive edge. In order to succeed, why not follow the advice of people who've already made it?
Thanks to Twitter, we can engage and communicate with some of the experts on social media. Always the underestimated social media channel, Twitter is one of the best places to quickly digest insightful and actionable marketing snippets from thought leaders themselves.
We’ve compiled a list of these thought leaders who can offer you valuable information about marketing and give you an insider look at the latest and greatest in the industry. These are the movers and shakers who are changing the entire landscape of the social media marketing community.
1. Neal Schaffer (@NealSchaffer)
CEO and Principal Social Media Strategy Consultant at Maximize Your Social. Neal Schaffer is an established name in the industry, having been included as a Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencer for two years in a row and a Forbes Top 5 Social Sales Influencer. He's a social media transformation expert who helps businesses through their journey of sales and marketing.
Schaffer trains people, provides expert advice, and acts as a consultant for many businesses to help shape their social brand. His Twitter account is brimming with all sorts of gems.
2. Seth Godin (@ThisIsSethsBlog)
Author of 18 Bestseller Marketing Books, Founder of Squidoo and Yoyodyne (Acquired by Yahoo!), and Online Marketing Guru. Known as a long-time online marketing guru, Seth Godin writes about a variety of topics, including innovative and disruptive perspectives about marketing, advertising, and leadership. His books have been translated into nearly 35 languages.
He also offers courses on Udemy, writes on Medium, runs the podcast Akimbo, and has regular speaking engagements. His posts are filled with digestible insights and attract noticeable attention from his fellow tweeters. Follow Seth’s Twitter account and be prepared for his game-changing advice.
3. Joe Pulizzi (@JoePulizzi)
Founder of Content Marketing Institute. Joe is the brains behind successful marketing publications and events —like the Content Marketing Institute and Content Marketing World—addressing beginners and seasoned professionals alike. Since coining the term “content marketing” in 2001, he's helped big brands to market their business online.
His Twitter feed contains pop culture references, which make his content appealing and engaging. He also teaches about how to schedule a tweet to gain more followers. You'll also get to see a lot of industry-related tweets, content marketing predictions, book recommendations, and personal experiences in social media marketing. If you want to learn the ins and outs of content marketing on social, then you should definitely follow Joe on Twitter.
4. Kim Garst (@kimgarst)
Keynote Speaker, Author, and Marketing Guru. When it comes to marketing experts, Kim Garst is one of the most recognizable names. As the co-founder of Boom! Social, a consulting firm, Garst always discusses the latest social media marketing strategies and shares content from her blog as well as curated posts that offer immense value.
If you look at her Twitter account, you'll find the latest topics and discussions, plus actionable advice.
5. Neil Patel (@neilpatel)
New York Times Bestselling Author, Co-Founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, and KISSmetrics, and Internationally-Recognized Conversion Optimization Expert. Neil constantly redefines social media marketing advice with his comprehensive guides regarding social media advertising, content marketing, and other important facets of our industry. If you want to learn how to grow your audience or hone your skills in social media marketing and beyond, Neil is the guy to follow.
6. Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee)
CEO of VaynerMedia, Investor, New York Times Bestselling Author. Famously called “Gary Vee,” he’s a marketer, serial entrepreneur, and a well-rounded business expert. Gary was initially a wine critic who scaled his family’s wine business from $3M into $60M in under five years.
Gary Vee’s advice regularly goes viral because of the innovative ideas and deep insights that can help brands succeed on social media. His message centers on encouraging people to push to their limits. If you're in need of a daily dose of inspiration, visit his page for endless words of wisdom.
7. Ann Handley (@MarketingProfs)
Head of Content at MarketingProfs, Best-Selling Author. Ann Handley is known as a leader in marketing writing and a top expert on social media for B2B companies. She has been named by Forbes as the most influential woman in social media.
Ann offers actionable tips about improving one’s writing and talks about achieving tangible results to help businesses expand their reach. She also empowers women content marketers to become successful in their careers. Visit her Twitter feed for inspiration, wisdom, and guidance.
Other experts
8. Guy Kawasaki (@guykawasaki)
Chief Evangelist of Canva. An industry veteran, Guy has worked with powerhouse brands such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Mercedes Benz, Audi, and most recently, Canva. His Twitter feed is a source of inspiration and infinite education. With a whopping 1.4 million Twitter followers at the time of this blog, Guy is a no-brainer when it comes to marketing experts who you should follow online.
9. Jeff Bullas (@jeffbullas)
Forbes and Entrepreneur Top Influencer. Named by Forbes and Entrepreneur as one of the top digital marketing and social media experts, Jeff is a must-follow for businesses and individuals who need help in optimizing their brand using social media techniques, digital marketing, and content. Jeff is also known as an international speaker and the author of the best-selling book, Blogging the Smart Way.
10. Shama Hyder (@Shama)
CEO of Zen Media, Author, Keynote Speaker. As a social media marketer, Shama has helped brands of all kinds across the entire globe. She’s an award-winning digital marketer, CEO of a web marketing agency, author of books on modern marketing, and a keynote speaker. Recognized by the United Nations and White House as one of the top 100 young women entrepreneurs, Shama is among the top social media marketing experts you should know about.
11. Amy Porterfield (@AmyPorterfield)
Trainer and Host of Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast. Amy helps businesses find ways to monetize their digital marketing efforts and grow their social media fan base. She also offers educational courses in marketing — two of which are best-selling online courses — where she teaches entrepreneurs about online marketing.
Be sure to check out her podcast. She'll take you behinds the scenes of some of her biggest successes and tell you about how she got there.
12. Michael Stelzner (@mike_stelzner)
Founder of Social Media Examiner and Social Media Marketing World. Mike is a thought leader in social media marketing and digital marketing as a whole. As the co-founder and CEO of one of the richest resources of social media marketing, Mike constantly shares high-quality advice on best practices in all things social media. He'll share not only the latest news in the industry but also insights into his own personal experiences. He's a podcast host, author, and one of many marketing experts you can't miss.
13. Chris Brogan (@chrisbrogan)
CEO of Owner Media Group. For the past decade, Chris Brogan has worked with top companies such as Google, Coke, Disney, Microsoft, and Sony as an adviser and strategist. On his feed, he focuses on tweeting about being more effective on social media, improving your brand and reputation, and increasing the influence that you have on your customers. Chris is also known as a national speaker and author of several social media marketing-related best-selling books.
14. Liz Strauss (@lizstrauss)
CEO SOBCon and GeniusShared. Listed as one of the Top 10 Influencers Alive by the HuffPost and Top 10 Women Social Media Influencers by Forbes, Liz Strauss is an expert in building customer relationships, influencer marketing, and successful business strategies. Her tweets cover vital and interesting topics like building a loyal following and studying your competition.
She's a respected author, podcast host, and a pillar in the marketing field.
15. Larry Kim (@larrykim)
CEO of MobileMonkey, Founder of WordStream. The columnist and marketing expert has appeared on the likes of CNBC and Inc. His Twitter feed is jam-packed with need-to-know information, and his work clearly speaks for itself: MobileMonkey was recognized as the World's Best Marketing Bot Platform for the MarTech Breakthrough Awards, and WordSteam is the informational go-to for marketers of all levels.
16. Jay Baer (@jaybaer)
President of Convince & Convert. Jay is an inspirational social media expert widely known for his book, Hug Your Haters. According to a Leadtail.com study, he’s the most re-tweeted and most mentioned person in the world among digital marketers. He’s been an advisor to the United Nations, Caterpillar, Nike, and more than 30 Fortune 500 companies.
Jay shares his knowledge on Twitter on how to build businesses by getting more customers and keeping those you’ve already earned. Get major inspiration on revamping your customer experience strategy and go follow him on Twitter.
17. Rand Fishkin (@randfish)
Founder of Moz. Rand Fishkin is the well-known founder of Moz, an SEO software, and a longstanding marketer. He offers an insider’s perspective on social media, SEO, and content marketing, especially when it comes to tech companies and emerging startup businesses.
He consistently sends out 30-40 tweets per week and boasts a supportive audience that loyally helps to spread his word. Followers not only receive relevant Silicon Valley news, but also his practical takeaways on trending industry topics.
Which one of these marketing experts are you going to check out first? If you're looking to expand your knowledge in the realm of digital marketing, you can't go wrong with these 17.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this list of talented digital marketers can help you find what you're looking for! Remember, there’s no one-size-fits all answer for the best digital marketer online— it really depends on the individual’s skill set and which marketing tactics they’re great at mastering. Doing whatever works best for each unique situation is key to success. Branching out with different strategies helps too— experimentation often leads to great breakthroughs in digital marketing. Finding an expert who can guide you through these intricate processes is important as well, as they have the experience and knowledge to help you get ahead.