7 Inbound Marketing Influencers to Shape Your Business Success
Getting started in inbound marketing can be difficult. The concept is both complex and takes time to implement, while results are not always instantaneous. How do you navigate a marketing philosophy you don't yet know much about?
The answer is to learn from those who came before you. The concept may only be 11 years old, but inbound marketing has given rise to experts and influencers who are willing and happy to share their insights and help other businesses embrace the philosophy.
Thanks to big names like Neil Patel and Rand Fishkin, even small startups can learn about and embrace the concept. If you want to elevate your inbound marketing efforts, follow these 7 inbound marketing influencers for regular insights and pathways to success.
Our 7 Favorite Inbound Marketing Influencers
1) Neil Patel
Any list of digital marketing influencers has to start with Neil Patel. Over the past few years, he's helped industry giants like NBC Universal and Amazon optimize their online presence, while somehow managing to find time to found to found companies like KissMetrics and CrazyEgg.
The best part for businesses interested in learning more about inbound marketing: he loves sharing his expertise. On his personal blog, Patel writes in-depth on anything from business blogging to conversion optimization. He's developed a particular affinity for marketing analytics, helping businesses not just understand inbound marketing tactics but also measure their success.
As such, Patel is at the forefront of an increasing number of marketing experts who advocate for the importance of data. Without analytics, you won't know whether your inbound marketing efforts are actually successful. Only relevant data insights can help you reliably build a marketing strategy that optimizes your budget and leads to success.
Recent Blog Posts to Read:
2) Larry Kim
More than 600,000 users follow this influencer on Twitter, thanks to a combination of wit and expertise that's rarely matched even in the marketing industry. Kim founded WordStream and helped build it to one of the biggest PPC agencies in the world, but his digital marketing expertise extends beyond paid ads.
He regularly blogs on HubSpot, Search Engine Land, Inc.com, and his own agency's website. There, he shares insights on anything connected to digital marketing, from search engine optimization to paid Facebook ads. His particular insight tends to focus on generating ROI to maximize your marketing budget.
Recent Blog Posts to Read:
3) Rand Fishkin
If Neil Patel is digital marketing's biggest thought leader, Fishkin is probably its biggest personality. You'll easily spot the self-styled Wizard of Moz at any of the many conferences where he delivers keynotes, thanks to a perfectly manicured beard that goes perfectly with his incredible search engine insights.
Has his nickname suggests, Fishkin founded the SEO firm Moz that has become a go-to resource for even industry experts. On the agency's blog, he still shares insights related to SEO conversion optimization, and inbound marketing in general that are always worth a read.
Recent Blog Posts to Read:
4) Chad White
During his day job, Chad White works as Research Director for Litmus. At night, he's one of the most well-regarded experts on email marketing publishing today.
White authored the bestselling book Email Marketing Rules in 2014, seeking to build a step-by-step guide to excelling in this crucial inbound marketing topic. In addition, he's published more than 3,000 articles, both on his own website and as a columnist for publications like Marketingland.com.
Recent Blog Posts to Read:
5) Amy Porterfield
Women may be underrepresented in the thought marketing leadership space, but Amy Porterfield is a force to be reckoned with. The social media strategy consultant quit a career with stops at Harley Davidson and Tony Robbins to become her own boss and help other businesses succeed online.
In addition to her thriving business, she uses her website to share free social media advice through a blog and popular podcast. And of course, she applies those tips herself on her thriving Facebook page.
Recent Blog Posts to Read (And Listen to):
6) Jon Loomer
Modern inbound marketing continues to evolve, particularly in the social media realm. Thanks to algorithms on networks from Facebook to Twitter, brands are finding it increasingly difficult to reach their audience without spending money. In fact, organic reach for Facebook brand pages fell 52% in 2016 alone.
That, in turn, leads an increasing number of business to maximize their exposure by combining organic with paid efforts. And on the world's largest social media platform, no one is a better resource and expert on that topic than Jon Loomer.
We could tell you about Loomer's biography and justifications, but that wouldn't do it justice. Instead, read his About page, which details his toddler son's struggles with childhood cancer that led him to give up a cushy career with jobs at the NBA and the American Cancer Society and start his own business.
Now, Loomer focuses on sharing his social media expertise. The majority of his posts focus on Facebook, but the insights gained tend to be applicable to all other networks as well.
Recent Blog Posts to Read:
7) Justin Cutroni
Without effective analytics, your marketing efforts are dead in the water. Even worse, you may not even know it. Inbound marketing, just like any other type of marketing, can only be successful if you know how to measure your tactics, set KPIs, and optimize your efforts over time.
To achieve that goal, especially small businesses tend to turn to free platforms like Google Analytics. The tool allows businesses of all sizes to gain insights about their website's audience, measure traffic from individual sources, track conversions from specific marketing campaigns, and much more.
Google Analytics is easy to start, but tough to master. That's why evangelists like Justin Cutroni are crucial to get you started.
When he's not traveling through marketing conferences to highlight advanced features of the platform, Cutroni uses his personal blog to share his expertise and help businesses of all sizes succeed. His published posts range from introductions of general concepts, all the way to in-depth tutorials of specific features.
Recent Blog Posts to Read:
Getting started in inbound marketing can be intimidating. Especially if you're new to the concept, the plethora of required tactics, and the time necessary to implement them, might be all you need to turn away. Don't let it get that far. Instead, take advantage of the expertise that influencers like the above are giving away for free. And if you need help implementing their ideas and best practices, contact us. We'd love to become your partner in building an inbound marketing strategy that converts and grows your business.
