Top Emerging Marketing Influencers You Have to Look Out For!
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No matter how seasoned you are in the world of marketing, it’s always important to learn from the best. And the following emerging marketing influencers are nothing short of being the creme de la creme of the marketing world.
Firstly, all of them are experienced in their respective fields.
Secondly, every single one of them is multi-talented.
Thirdly, each marketer delivers incredible results to his or her clients.
Finally and most importantly, they all contribute something unique to the industry.
Without further ado, dive into this incredible list of the top emerging marketing influencers you need to look out for. Read and Learn!
1. Ann Smarty
Ann Smarty is an excited and professional (yes, both!) blogger, Brand and Community manager at Internet Marketing Ninjas. She’s also the founder of MyBlogU and TwChat.
Why We Love Her:
In addition to being a regular contributor to a number of high-profile marketing and business media outlets, Anne is also the community manager at SEOchat and Threadwatch. This lady’s experience and expertise is definitely unmatched!
Our Favorite Quote by Ann:
“The web is still a place where anyone can get heard by being diligent and creative. You just need to put in much more effort into it than what was needed 10 years ago.”
Source: http://blog.visme.co/digital-marketing-tips/
Related Read: Why should you use influencer marketing?: A Guide
2. Peter Shankman
Peter is one of the emerging marketing influencers who has been dubbed “a rockstar who knows everything about social media” by the New York Times. He is the best-selling author, entrepreneur and corporate keynote speaker. His key focus is customer service and the emerging customer economy.
Why We Love Him:
Peter Shankman is an amazing example of what happens when you merge creativity, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and a dose of adventure! Besides being a class B licensed skydiver, Peter has also changed the way people look at ADHD via his podcast Faster Than Normal.
Our Favorite Quote by Peter:
“If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room!”
3. Nadav Dakner
Nadav is the Founder & CEO of InboundJunction, an advertising agency that focuses on content marketing, SEO and affiliate marketing.
Why We Love Him:
He served in the Israeli army from age 18 to 21, and immediately after his release, started experimenting with website creation, affiliate marketing and SEO. Furthermore, this multi-talented man was also a poker player!
Our Favorite Quote by Nadav:
“Unlike a SaaS business, with an agency, you need to train super qualified campaign managers and deal with actually delivering the campaigns on the human level.”
4. AJ Kohn
Kohn is a Digital Marketing Executive and Start-Up Advisor with over 20 years of marketing experience and a successful track record of managing marketing programs – both online and offline.
Why We Love Him:
He is the Owner of Blind Five Year Old, a digital marketing firm that provides marketing strategy and product vision for start-ups. Wondering about the strange name? It comes from an SEO philosophy that believes in treating search engines like they are blind five-year-olds.
Our Favorite Quote by AJ:
“The single most underrated tactic? Patience!”
5. Bill Slawski
Bill is the Director of SEO Research at Go Fish Digital. Above all, he helps guide clients on award-winning industry campaigns involving everything from SEO to Content Creation.
Why We Love Him:
Bill is one of those emerging marketing influencers who worked for the highest level trial court in Delaware for 14 years before getting involved in internet marketing and web promotion in 1996. Since then, he has worked on a wide variety of sites, namely Harvard Business School, Johns Hopkins University, and The American Psychological Association.
Favorite Quote by Bill:
“Schema is a way to tell your story – beyond what Google can understand from your website…”
6. Aleyda Solis
It is not possible to make a list of top emerging marketing influencers without Aleyda Solis. She is the marketer that got listed in Forbes’s top 10 online marketing experts to follow in 2015. She also got included in Entrepreneur as one of the 50 online marketing influencers to follow in 2016. Moreover, she secured a place on the HubSpot list as one of the 59 Female Marketing and Growth Experts You Should be Following. Aleyda Solis is definitely one to be reckoned with!
Why We Love Her:
She is the Founder and International SEO Consultant at Orainti where she helps startups as well as multinational companies like Zillow, Sage, and Delivery Hero, among others – to grow their organic search visibility and achieve their SEO goals.
Our Favorite Quote by Aleyda:
“You cannot improve what you don’t measure.”
7. Ramon Rays
Ramon Rays is an entrepreneur, global speaker and best-selling author. Unique, funny and inspiring – this experienced marketer is a force of nature!
Why We Love Him:
Few people have been invited to the White House to present to the President’s staff; testified to Congress; graduated from the FBI Citizens Academy, or worked at the United Nations. Well, Ramon has done it all. Yet another achievement – he interviewed President Obama in the President’s first Google Hangout!
Our Favorite Quote by Ramon:
“There are 3 important traits that every YOUNG PROFESSIONAL must have – a) great attitude b) hard work c) a skill.”
8. Ian Cleary
Ian Cleary is a marketer and a tech guy with extensive experience in both fields. Notably, he is also the founder of RazorSocial, a company that provides practical and strategic advice to B2B companies.
Why We Love Him:
In 2016, Onalytica listed Ian as the 8th most influential person in social media globally. Moreover, social media outlets like Forbes, VentureBeat, Entrepreneur.com, Huffington Post and Social Media Examiner have also featured him extensively.
Our Favorite Quote by Ian:
“Without a clear strategy in place, tools won’t make a difference to you.”
9. Chuck Aikens
This Founder of Volume Nine Inc. specializes in search engine optimization, search engine marketing, content marketing, website promotions, and technical website optimization.
Why We Love Him:
Chuck started his Internet marketing career in 1996 when he taught himself programming and began building websites to generate real estate and mortgage leads. He is one of those emerging marketing influencers whose initial websites even ranked #1 for ‘mortgage’ on Google for over 10 years!
Our Favorite Quote by Chuck:
If you had a superpower, what would it be? “Transportation”.
10. Justin Wu
A growth marketer & information architect, Justin is also the co-founder of BlockchainNW, Seattle’s First Blockchain Conference.
Why We Love Him:
In addition to his work at Blockchain, Justin is a content creator in the growth marketing space. He’s collaborated with the Wall St. Journal, CES, NASA, and has even been sponsored by Samsung, Intel and New Balance.
Our Favorite Quote by Justin:
“Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle.”
11. Chad Pollitt
Chad Pollitt dons many hats. Apart from being the VP of Marketing and Co-Founder of Relevance, Chad is a professor, an author as well as an international keynote speaker.
Why We Love Him:
Firstly, Chad is a decorated Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a former US Army Commander. Secondly, he has authored “The Native Advertising Manifesto” and “51 Things Your Mother Taught You About Inbound Marketing.” And finally, Chad is also a regular contributor to industry media outlets, including The Huffington Post, Guardian, and Social Media Today. Phew!
Our Favorite Quote by Chad:
“SEO is not something you do anymore, it’s what happens when you do everything else right.”
12. Sandy Carter
The Vice President at Amazon Web Services – Sandy Carter – is a whiz at sales, marketing, strategy, and ecosystem development!
Why We Love Her:
Consistently recognized by her peers as one of the most influential and powerful women in technology, the list of Sandy’s awards and accolades is endless. From Forbes, CNN, and Onalytica to C suite and B2B News Network – her talent and expertise have been recognized by all.
Our Favorite Quote by Sandy:
“Social Media does not change your culture, it reveals it.”
13. Jon Loomer
Jon is an expert at all things Facebook! From Facebook Ads Optimization to Marketing Strategies, there’s little that Jon hasn’t mastered.
Why We Love Him:
Jon started on Loomer Digital in 2011 with the goal of helping other businesses maximize “social media that makes a difference.” By 2013, it was recognized as one of Social Media Examiner’s Top 10 Social Media Blogs. Interestingly, Jon has also worked as the Senior Manager of Fantasy Games for the NBA.
Our Favorite Quote by Jon:
“Getting the like is easy. It’s a light action. Anything else requires trust.”
14. Carlos Gil
Presently the CEO and Founder of Gil Media Co, Carlos’ work has been featured by Harvard Business Review, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Social Media Examiner in addition to dozens of trade publications. Definitely, a marketer to look out for!
Why We Love Him:
Carlos has 8+ years of professional experience in B2B and B2C social media marketing as a Start-up Founder, Brand Marketing Executive, and Public Speaker. Notably, he has even served as Senior Social Marketing Manager for LinkedIn.
Our Favorite Quote by Carlos:
“Take pride in the work you perform and the people that you serve.”
15. Melonie Dodaro
Melonie is the #1 bestselling author of LinkedIn Unlocked and The LinkedIn Code. Recognized as one of the Top 50 Sales Influencers, her experience in global sales is unmatched.
Why We Love Her:
Melonie is recognized globally as a no-nonsense speaker, trainer and author in the field of LinkedIn and social selling. Furthermore, she’s a regular contributor to online publications namely Social Media Today, Canadian Business Journal and Social Media Examiner.
Our Favorite Quote by Melonie:
“People don’t care about your business. They care about their problems. Be the solution they are looking for.”
16. Arnie Kuenn
Arnie Kuenn is an internationally recognized speaker and author who generously shares his 30+ years of entrepreneurial and digital marketing expertise through various seminars and workshops.
Why We Love Him:
In 2017, Arnie was named Content Marketing Person of the Year in Arizona and his company was named one of the Best Places to Work. He frequently travels around the globe as a content marketing instructor to places like London, Singapore, Sydney, Mumbai, New York and Las Vegas.
Our Favorite Quote by Arnie:
“It takes courage to give away something of value without the expectations of immediate concern.”
17. Heidi Cohen
It has been said, “When you meet with Heidi, you will get at least 5 new ideas to grow your business.” Heidi is the Chief Content Officer at Actionable Marketing Guide. She specializes in Integrated Marketing, Interactive Marketing and e-Commerce. Certainly impressive!
Why We Love Her:
The way Heidi Cohen has created her Actionable Marketing Guide that simplifies the complex concepts behind today’s evolving integrated marketing challenges into an easy-to-understand and consume format.
Our Favorite Quote by Heidi:
“To maximize SEO results, marketers will continue to move away from disposable, once and done content.”
18. Chris Ducker
Chris is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, apart from being a trusted business mentor, blogger and podcaster. The cherry on top – he’s also the author of the bestselling Virtual Freedom.
Why We Love Him:
Chris is the founder of Youpreneur.com, a highly successful blog that has been featured in Forbes, NSA, Business Insider and the Huffington Post among many others.
Our Favorite Quote by Chris:
“The most important project you’ll work on is You!”
19. Mark Fidelman
What we love about this exceptional marketer is his passion. Mark is a CMO who helps Fortune 1000 companies achieve their revenue goals by telling the right story, at the right time, in the right channel using the right content.
Why We Love Him:
Forbes Magazine named him a 2016 Top 20 influencer of CMOs. He was further named a Top 25 Social Media Keynote Speaker by Inc Magazine because of his determination to understand how social channels impact sales.
Our Favorite Quote by Mark:
“You can measure up almost anything with either a hashtag, unique code, coupon or IRL.”
20. Brian Clark
Brian Clark is the Founder and CEO of Rainmaker Digital. He’s also the founder of the pioneering content marketing website Copyblogger in addition to the personal growth newsletter “Further”, and “Unemployable“, a resource that provides smart strategies for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Why We Love Him:
Brian has started 10 businesses in the last 20 years, either solo or as a co-founder. Great business books like Linchpin by Seth Godin and Content Inc. by Joe Pulizzi have also this incredible marketer.
Our Favorite Quote by Brian:
“Whose life is it anyway?”
21. Rebekah Radice
This social media educator, author and keynote speaker is currently the Chief Marketing Officer of Post Planner. Additionally, Rebekah’s also the founder of Rebekah Radice Media, the creator of “The Authority Matrix,” and host of the Brand Authority Show and Podcast.
Why We Love Her:
Over the last 10 years, she has trained thousands of growth-focused leaders to build a purpose-driven marketing system. Impressive indeed!
Our Favorite Quote by Rebekah:
“Visual marketing does not just sell a product or service, it sells an experience around your business.”
22. Aaron Orendorff
Aaron is the Editor in Chief of Shopify Plus and has also been featured in Forbes Top 10 B2B Content Marketers.
Why We Love Him:
He’s a contributor at Mashable, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Lifehacker, Inc., Fast Company, Business Insider, Success Magazine, The Next Web, Content Marketing Institute, Copyblogger, MarketingProfs, ConversionXL, and Unbounce. (To name a few!)
Our Favorite Quote by Aaron:
“I’m not a writer … but I play one on the internet.”
23. Darren Rowse
Behold the master of all trades! Darren Rowse is a blogger, speaker, author, podcaster and online entrepreneur with years of experience under his belt.
Why We Love Him:
He currently works on two blogs – Problogger.net and Digital-Photography-School.com – which are read by around 5 million visitors per month. Moreover, he has co-founded numerous businesses including ‘Third Tribe Marketing’ and ‘the b5media blog network’.
Our Favorite Quote by Darren:
“What is the one small thing that you can do today to move a step closer to your dream?”
24. Brian Solis
Brian Solis is the principal analyst and futurist at Altimeter, a Prophet Company, a keynote speaker and a best-selling author. His bestsellers include “Engage!”, “What’s the Future of Business (WTF)” and “The End of Business as Usual”.
Why We Love Him:
His ability to humanize technology and its impact on business and society to help executives gain new perspectives and insights through his reports, articles and books.
Our Favorite Quote by Brian:
“You have to be relentless in the content that you create.”
25. Mike Stelzner
Next up on the list of top emerging marketing influencers, is Mike, the CEO and Founder of the world’s largest social media marketing resource – Social Media Examiner. He has also authored the books, “Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition” and “Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged.”
Why We Love Him:
Mike is the man behind Social Media Marketing World – the industry’s largest conference. He’s also the host of the Social Media Marketing podcast and the founder of the Social Media Marketing Society. Also impressive is the fact that he plays the central character in The Journey, an episodic documentary.
Our Favorite Quote by Mike:
“Email is the glue that binds everything together.”
26. Leonard Kim
With his amazing skill and prowess, Leonard helps corporations to market their leaders and establish their thought leadership. From building your brand to content marketing and social media growth, Leonard Kim has expertise in it all!
Why We Love Him:
Leonard Kim’s TEDx Talk, Why You Should Let Your Fears Guide You, has been internationally recognized as one of the best TED Talks by Forbes and Inc. Magazine. Also noteworthy is how Forbes recognized him as a Top Marketing Influencer, and Entrepreneur as a Top Personal Branding Expert.
Our Favorite Quote by Leonard:
“Success can be just as scary as a failure. Am I going to bomb that radio interview I was booked for? Will I choke at that speaking engagement?”
27. John Hall
John is the author of Top of Mind and the co-founder of Influence and Co. Build, a company that helps you build audience trust with authentic content as well as educate and engage potential customers.
Why We Love Him:
This keynote speaker has a weekly column at Forbes & Inc.com. Furthermore, he has contributed to the Harvard Business Review, Mashable, Fast Company and many others.
Our Favorite Quote by John:
“Kind words, kind looks, kind acts and warm handshakes, these are means of grace when men in trouble are fighting their unseen battles.”
28. Bryan Kramer
A bestselling author, keynote & TED speaker as well as a consultant – Bryan Kramer is truly inspiring. Bryan’s first book “There is No B2B or B2C: It’s Human to Human #H2H” rose to the #1 top-selling spot in Business Books on Amazon in its first week.
Why We Love Him:
His leadership has steered PureMatter, a marketing agency, to consistent growth over the last 18 years, making it one of the fastest-growing private companies in Silicon Valley for more than five years.
Our Favorite Quote by Bryan:
“There is no more B2B or B2C. It’s H2H: Human to Human.”
29. Jonah Berger
Dr. Berger is a Wharton professor, speaker, and bestselling author of “Contagious” and “Invisible Influence”. He has spent over 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on.
Why We Love Him:
He has published dozens of articles in top-tier academic journals, and his work has also been featured in the likes of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Science, Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, Wired, Business Week, The Atlantic, and The Economist.
Our Favorite Quote by Jonah:
“Going Viral isn’t random, magic or luck. It’s science.”
30. Brian D Evans
Brian is one of the most renowned emerging marketing influencers and the most influential millennial entrepreneurs. Even Forbes magazine seems to agree with us. (Okay we agree with them!) Another feather on his cap – Brian was ranked on Forbes as the #7 marketing influencer in the world, with almost a million followers on his personal brand and millions of followers across his companies.
Why We Love Him:
Brian is the founder of Influencive.com, a media platform for unconventional wisdom. Even more impressively, he also became an Inc. 500 Entrepreneur in 2005.
Our Favorite Quote by Brian:
“Focus on You. Not what others think of You.”
31. Derek Halpern
Derek is the founder and CEO of Social Triggers, a company that publishes a blog with more than 105,000 subscribers. Additionally, he has a top marketing podcast on iTunes, and a widely watched web TV show (reaching more than 250,000 people).
Why We Love Him:
Wondering what his expertise is? Everything from persuasion, online marketing, traditional marketing, email marketing, and finally, psychology principles.
Our Favorite Quote by Derek:
“Learning to keep going when there is no light at the end of the tunnel, is going to be the best skill you ever had.”
32. Harsh Agrawal
Harsh is an Indian-origin solopreneur and the blog scientist behind the award-winning blog ShoutMeLoud, a platform with over 832K subscribers and 1 million Pageviews/month.
Why We Love Him:
On ShoutMeLoud, he loves to disclose the exact transparent tactics and case studies on how he grew the blog to such impressive numbers, along with up-to-date and actionable guides on WordPress, business blogging, and online marketing.
He is enthusiastic about helping people turn their passion for content into a business and has represented the Indian blogging community in various international forums including the USA, Slovenia, Italy, and more.
Our Favorite Quote by Harsh:
“Do things that make you happy, rather than doing things just to make others happy.”
That’s it, folks!
We hope this list proved useful to you. If you have some more emerging marketing influencers in mind, comment in the section below and we will add them!
Anoushka Chopra is a marketing executive at Outgrow. When not reading, she can be found traveling, enjoying puns, or spending way too much time in front of the laptop.