One of the best ways to stay highly competitive in the online marketing field is to learn from thought-leaders who get results. Those who’ve earned praise from renown clients and respect from their industry are always worth listening to.
Whether you’re just venturing out into the marketing field or you’ve been doing it for over a decade, the following leaders are sure to spark some inspiration! In this list, I’ve included a brief background on each marketer, where to find them online, recommended reading and a notable quote.
One excellent way to use this list is to create a “marketers to learn from” Twitter List and add these marketing leaders to it. Or, maybe you want to focus on following just one or two influencers.
There’s no right or wrong way, as long as you’re learning something new every day.
The following 10 top internet marketers have helped their clients achieve impressive results. They’re trusted by brands and fellow marketers alike, so be sure to start learning from them today!
Introducing the 10 Top Internet Marketers
Neil Patel
Neil Patel is the energetic, over-delivering marketing guru who’s earned accolades from Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and even Barack Obama. He founded Crazy Egg, Kissmetrics, Hello Bar, Quick Sprout
A self-described “digital marketer and analytics junkie,” Neil specializes in SEO, internet marketing, conversion optimization and growth hacking.
Where to Find Neil:
- Neil’s Blog
Recommended Reading:
- LinkedIn Post: The 10 Things People Still Get Wrong About Local SEO
- Blog post: The Beginner’s Guide to Crafting Interactive Content
Words of Wisdom:
“I want to introduce you to a type of content that’s inherently engaging… Interactive content. You might have seen BuzzFeed quizzes floating in your social media feeds. They are the simplest form of interactive content and they are loved by users.
As per BuzzSumo, an average quiz gets shared 1,900 times. If the results of a quiz shine a positive light on the user, then he will most probably share the result with his friends.” (Source)
Kevan Lee
Kevan is a professional writer, editor and highly-effective storyteller. The director of marketing at content-sharing app Buffer, his areas of expertise include blogging, email marketing and content creation. He’s written for many well-known blogs, including Lifehacker, Entrepreneur, Time, Huffington Post, Fast Company, The Next Web and the Buffer’s blog.
Where to Find Kevan:
- Buffer blog
- Also check out Buffer’s transparent blog board on Trello!
Recommended Reading:
- Buffer post: How to Get Verified on Twitter (If I can do it, you can too!)
- Buffer post: How to Curate Content: The Secret Sauce to Getting Noticed, Becoming an Influencer, and Having Fun Online
Words of Wisdom:
“How great is the internet! One of the most impactful, viral, influential services you can perform online is to read stuff and tell people what you like. It’s true! If you’re looking for a competitive edge, a way to establish your authority, a way to get more followers, one of the best, proven paths to online success is content curation. It’s both as simple and as difficult as finding great content and sharing it with your audience.” (Source)
Pam Moore
Pam is the founder, CEO and partner of Marketing Nutz — a social media, digital marketing, experiential branding agency. Recognized as one of the top social media influencers today, she specializes in social branding and conversion optimization. She’s also a dynamic keynote speaker, consultant, trainer, best-selling author and strategist.
Where to Find Pam:
- Pam’s blog
Recommended Reading:
- Blog post: 10 Truths Nobody Told You About Being A Social Media Marketer
- Blog post: Blogging for Business: 10 Foundational Requirements for Success
Words of Wisdom:
“Social media is not a band-aid for a broken business. If business leaders really want to ignite business results using digital and social marketing, they must do more than hire a social media intern who knows how to get new followers on Instagram, post to Snapchat and do a live video stream on Facebook.” (Source)
John Jantsch
John is the creator of the renowned Duct Tape Marketing System. His methodology is used by hundreds of independent marketing consultants around the world. His blog has been a Forbes favorite for marketing and small business and his podcast is a top ten marketing show on iTunes. Huffington Post has named him one of the top 100 “Must Follow” on Twitter.
Where to Find John:
- Duct Tape Marketing blog
Recommended Reading:
- Blog post: How to Give Your Content CPR – Podcast, with guest Laura Belgray
- Blog post: The Science of Pre-Suasion – Podcast, with guest Dr. Robert Cialdini
Words of Wisdom:
“Instead of jumping right into the look of your website, which is very easy to do based on the visual nature of the medium, make sure your well planned strategy takes center stage … Don’t bury your USP (unique selling proposition) in a glut of other content. Shout it loud, make it known why you do what you do and how you do it best.” (Source)
Peter Shankman
According to the New York Times, Peter is “a public relations all-star who knows everything about new media and then some.” Known as the founder of Help A Reporter Out (HARO), he’s an entrepreneur and speaker with real-world clout. He’s also the author of four books, including the popular “Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans.” Peter founded The Geek Factory, Inc., and ShankMinds: Business Masterminds, a series of small business entrepreneurial-style masterminds in over 25 cities worldwide.
Where to Find Peter:
- Peter’s blog
Recommended Reading:
- Blog post: The Best Way to Improve Yourself Comes from Never Forgetting You at Your Worst
- Blog post: How I Wrote 28,482 Words on One Flight
Words of Wisdom:
“Whether it’s business or personal, do the scary thing. If it works, you’ll have an amazing story to tell, and you’ll be richer for the experience. If it doesn’t work, you’ll have a story with a lesson to tell, and you’ll be richer for the experience. Either way, you’ll have a story to tell, and you’ll be richer for the experience, and in the end, that’s all life really is. Stories and experiences.” (Source)
Amy Porterfield
Amy is a social media strategist who specializes in Facebook marketing. She co-authored “Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies.” She creates educational marketing programs for small businesses and entrepreneurs to help them get more traffic, leads and sales. She also speaks at marketing events, businesses and networking events about the power of social media.
Where to Find Amy:
- Amy’s website and blog
Recommended Listening:
- Podcast: Get Your Content House In Order
- Podcast: How to Organize & Analyze Your Facebook Ads
Words of Wisdom:
“Entrepreneurs and small business owners tend to make the mistake of considering Facebook a direct selling platform. This mindset is misguided and can lead to frustration and ‘throwing in the towel’ on Facebook. What people need to understand is that Facebook can be a powerfully successful road to making the sale, but it is not the ‘store.’” (Source)
Kim Garst
Kim is a social media expert who’s owned an online business for over 20 years. She’s a leading influencer on digital marketing, especially social selling. Kim discusses the latest social-media marketing strategies on her blog, and curates posts that provide the most value to her readers. She’s also a respected author. Her latest book, “Show Up, Be Authentic, and Prosper in Social Media,” is an international best seller.
Where to Find Kim:
- Kim’s blog
Recommended Reading:
- Blog post: How To Get More Snapchat Followers
- Blog post: What is Social Proof And Why Do You Need It?
Words of Wisdom:
“Facebook is GIVING reach to those that Facebook Live. Yep, you heard it here. Facebook actually pushes FREE reach to your live-streams and the longer you are live, the more free reach you receive. For example, I can go live and have a reach of over 400,000-500,000 people in less than an hour! That’s insane, right? Oh and here’s the true value … with ZERO ad spend!” (Source)
Lisa Raehsler
Named as a Top 25 Most Influential PPC Expert for three years, Lisa is one of the marketing industry’s most Influential PPC experts. She’s founder and SEM/PPC strategy consultant of Big Click Co Search Engine Marketing Consulting. She specializes in paid search ads, paid social media, display and retargeting. With 17 years of online advertising industry experience, she’s a columnist for SEWatch, SEM Post and ClickZ. She is also a speaker for SES, HeroConf, Pubcon and ClickZ Live.
Where to Find Lisa:
- Big Click Co. blog
Recommended Reading:
- Bing Ads Blog post: Three tips to Bing Ads campaign imports you can’t miss
- Big Click Co. Blog post: The Art of Remarketing Video
Words of Wisdom:
“Ad extensions are one of the greatest features of Bing Ads. These provide “bonus” information in the form of text and sitelinks, phone numbers and even images. A savvy PPC manager can max out these extensions and gain better CTRs for campaigns.
Ad extensions that Bing Ads supports, will import, saving time in the set-up process. This includes: location, call, sitelinks and app extensions.” (Source)
Ramon Ray
A marketer and small business evangelist at Infusionsoft, Ramon is passionate about helping small business entrepreneurs grow their businesses. He’s the editor and publisher of Smart Hustle Magazine, as well as the editor of smallbiztechnology.com. A bestselling author, Ramon wrote “The Facebook Guide to Small Business Marketing.” He’s also a speaker who’s shared the stage with Seth Godin, Daymond John, Guy Kawasaki, Simon Sinek, JJ Ramberg, Peter Shankman and other celebrity entrepreneurs.
Where to Find Ramon:
- Ramon’s website
Recommended Reading:
- Smallbiztechnology article: What Is Advertisement Re-Targeting And Why Does It Matter?
- Smart Hustle Magazine article: 5 Tips for Using Facebook Live to Get Closer to Your Customers
Words of Wisdom:
“Many businesses focus their holiday marketing efforts online, relying on tools like social media and paid advertising to reach potential customers. However, local businesses should never underestimate the importance of traditional and tangible marketing materials such a signs, banners and postcards. Customers will be able to see and interact with these elements in real life. They have a more ‘personal’ feel and can also drive word-of-mouth marketing in your local area.” (Source)
Jay Baer
Jay Baer has 23 years’ experience in digital marketing. He founded Convince & Convert, “a strategy consulting firm that helps prominent companies through the smart intersection of technology and customer service.” Besides being a trusted marketer, he’s also a respected business strategist, inspirational speaker and a New York Times bestselling author. He has advised 33 of the FORTUNE 500 companies — including Nike, Caterpillar and Allstate.
Where to Find Jay:
- Social Pros Podcast (hosted by Jay Baer and Adam Brown of Salesforce)
- Jay’s website
Recommended Reading:
Social Media Examiner interview with Jay: Dealing With Unhappy Customers: What Social Marketers Need to Know
Words of Wisdom:
“Some brands try to bribe customers by offering product discounts to those who interact with them on social media. And while incentives can be an effective way to build a customer base, constantly trying to buy your customers’ love doesn’t build brand loyalty. This ultimately leads to brand failure because a customer without brand loyalty will happily ditch your brand for one offering a better deal.” (Source)
Meeting Photo via Shutterstock
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