In today’s report, we want to give you a list of outstanding content marketers, doing real and wonderful things in our industry.
And to start, perhaps we should define what an “influencer” really means.
These days, people aren’t putting their trust in one-off endorsements from celebrities or TV personalities. Instead, they’re choosing to trust people they can actually interact with, learn from, and admire: up close, and personal. And social media has made this all possible. Our favorite people are right there, within reach.
Those people you follow, look up to, and know from your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feeds have major clout. Their sheer gravitas is enough to move people to act. That’s huge, and that’s the basis of influencer marketing. It’s more relevant than ever in 2018, as consumer preferences move farther and farther away from traditional ads (particularly Generation Z). Today’s influencer types include social media experts, popular YouTube users, bloggers, and celebrities (Sprout Social).
Before we get into our official Top 100 Content Marketer influencer list, let’s discuss the concepts on which we actually built the list.
(Want to save a copy of the infographic to read later? Download here.)
How Did We Build the List of Top 100 Content Marketers?
Our gross data points for this list were gathered on BuzzSumo, one of my favorite content intelligence tools.
- We combined both the Top Authors and Top Influencers for “content marketing,” cross-examined the results on both lists, and merged them into one, final list.
- We cleaned it up by removing accounts that had been suspended, had absolutely nothing to do with content marketing, or hadn’t tweeted about it in 5+ months.
- The top 100 accounts in both Authors and Influencers for “content marketing,” with a clear direct focus on content marketing and digital/inbound marketing, and an active role in the content marketing field (CEO, VP, Director, Marketer) were included.
- Fairness was important to us. We included teams and single marketers (a good balance of both women and men). Both teams and their team members had the opportunity to make the list. So, that’s why you’ll see both @Hubspot and a couple Hubspot writers/marketers on the list. We think that industry teams that work hard as a whole, as well as the individual people that really get behind moving content marketing inside the team, both deserve recognition.
Our key goal with this year’s “The Top 100 Content Marketers” was to create a current, accurate, and real content marketing influencer list.
Since the Twitter purge the week of July 9, which caused millions and millions of accounts on Twitter to be deleted and removed from the platform, it’s becoming more relevant and necessary than ever to maintain a real presence on social media. Not a presence built by bots, fake followers, and an overnight rush of success. But a real, humanly-built, humanly-connected presence.
Over 2.5 months of work and 50-70 hours of team work has gone into the research and final list of 100. I worked on the final report-gathering research and work, the team at BuzzSumo helped me along the way (thanks, Susan Moeller!), and our team copywriters and editors helped me proof the list for any spam, as well as put all the bios together. Then, our editors proofread the copy while our designer put together a beautiful infographic and PDF. This was quite the project!
Fairness to both teams and individual marketers, as well as looking for leaders that have been recently active in content marketing, was important in building our #Top100ContentMarketers report. @JuliaEMcCoy Click To TweetHow Does BuzzSumo Populate Their “Search Influencers” Feature?
BuzzSumo combines and measures a lot of different data points to help you find influencers in an industry based on their Twitter profiles.
Metrics that weigh into top-ranked include page authority, domain authority, total # of followers, real engagement: their retweet ratio, and more.
The most important data point, however, is one BuzzSumo keeps under wraps: Relevancy.
According to Susan, the relevancy factor measures how accurately a Twitter influencer matches the user search. For example, if I search for influencers using the keyword “content marketing,” BuzzSumo returns a list based on their own relevancy score for those results.
We can surmise that this score depends on weighing all the factors together (total followers, domain authority, etc.) and ranking the results accordingly.
However, there are other, proprietary factors involved that BuzzSumo won’t disclose. In other words, they use a “secret sauce” to return relevant influencers during a search. And, this proprietary factor is what makes their tool so special. Personally, in the last seven years of doing content marketing full time I’ve tried dozens of other content analysis-based tools, and I consistently find BuzzSumo the most accurate (accurate on share counts, followers, and minimal spam).
Without further ado, we present The Top 100 Content Marketers for 2018. You can expand and scroll through the SlideShare embedded below, or download as a PDF and save for later.
The Top 100 Content Marketers (Real Industry Influencers)
Download as a PDF and save for later.
The Top 100 Content Marketers (Real Industry Influencers)
Click on the @handles in the headers to open each profile in a new tab and follow on Twitter.
1. Content Marketing Institute – @CMIContent
CMI is one of the top authorities in the industry. Their conferences, events, courses, and blog all highlight advice from experts, down-to-earth teaching, and a focus on advancing content marketing.
2. Ann Handley – @MarketingProfs
Not only is Ann Handley the brains behind Marketing Profs – she’s also a pioneer of digital marketing, an inspiring speaker, and a best-selling author (Everybody Writes and Content Rules).
3. Joe Pulizzi – @JoePulizzi
Another major name in the industry, Joe Pulizzi is the founder of CMI and a content marketing movement leader. He’s a speaker, an entrepreneur, and has authored go-to books like Epic Content Marketing, Content Inc., and Killing Marketing.
4. Lilach Bullock – @lilachbullock
Lilach Bullock is a social media and lead generation machine. She shares her knowledge through speaking engagements, coaching, and consulting. Forbes named her one of the Top 20 Women Social Influencers in 2013.
5. Moz – @Moz
Moz is an SEO juggernaut offering software, community, tools, and education to optimize your content and marketing.
6. Jay Baer – @jaybaer
Jay Baer is the founder of Convince & Convert, a digital marketing consulting agency. He’s a renowned marketing expert, speaker, author, and industry leader.
7. HubSpot – @HubSpot
HubSpot offers a suite of tools to manage sales, marketing, and CRM, but they also publish content, hold conferences, and foster community around content marketing.
8. Mike Allton – @mike_allton
Mike Allton is a social media consultant and blogger, not to mention the brain behind The Social Media Hat, a resource for small businesses to stay up-to-date on social media marketing, SEO, and related topics.
9. Mark Schaefer – @markwschaefer
Look no further than Mark Schaefer for expert advice on building your own brand identity. He’s a noted marketer, educator, speaker, and author (see: Known and The Content Code) who knows social media marketing inside-out.
10. Darren Rowse – @problogger
Want to learn about blogging profitably? Darren Rowse, the founder of ProBlogger, is your guy. He built his career around blogging and is an expert speaker, author, and podcaster on the topic.
11. Brian Clark – @brianclark
Copyblogger’s co-founder, Brian Clark, is your authority source on online content. He’s also an entrepreneur and author who has been in the trenches of content marketing, growing his ventures without advertising.
12. Rand Fishkin – @randfish
Moz’s former CEO, Rand Fishkin, is now half of the brains behind SparkToro, a software company for discovering where your audience lives online. He’s also an author (Lost and Founder), a speaker, and a champion of better marketing.
13. Glen Gilmore – @glengilmore
Glen Gilmore travels the world and helps Fortune 500 companies hone their digital marketing strategies. He’s also one of Forbes’ Top 20 Social Media Influencers.
14. CoSchedule – @CoSchedule
CoSchedule is a software company that helps you streamline your marketing management, planning, and workflows with a drag-and-drop calendar. Their blog has over 225,000 subscribers, probably because they provide practical advice and information to make your marketing better.
15. Crowdfire – @Crowdfire
Crowdfire is a social media management app that helps you schedule posts, optimize your accounts, and more. Their blog and Twitter feed are full of tidbits to improve your social media marketing.
16. Michael Brenner – @BrennerMichael
Along with his role as the CEO of Marketing Insider Group, Michael Brenner is also a keynote speaker, author, and customer-centric marketing proponent. His work has been featured in The Guardian, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Economist.
17. Contently – @contently
Contently is a content marketing management platform, a hub for hiring content creators, and an all-in-one service that takes you from strategy to published content. Their award-winning blog focuses on storytelling, strategy, trends, and more.
18. Tamara McCleary – @TamaraMcCleary
Tamara McCleary is the CEO and founder of Thulium, a company focused on social amplification for B2Bs and B2Cs. She’s a social influencer, a branding expert, and an IBM Futurist.
19. Lee Odden – @leeodden
TopRank Marketing’s CEO is Lee Odden. He’s also an author (Optimize), a top digital marketer, and an in-demand speaker and presenter on marketing topics.
20. Buffer – @buffer
Buffer is all about social media management. It’s software that helps you with scheduling posts, tracking analytics, and juggling your accounts. The company also publishes a steady stream of quality content about the ins and outs of social media marketing.
21. Christoph Trappe – @CTrappe
Christoph Trappe is a marketing expert who focuses on the power of storytelling, even calling himself “The Authentic Storyteller.” He’s one of Marketing Insider’s Top 25 Content Marketers, and is a globally recognized speaker.
22. Andy Crestodina – @crestodina
The co-founder of Orbit Media and the author of Content Chemistry, Andy Crestodina is a well-regarded content marketer and speaker.
23. Sonia Simone – @soniasimone
Sonia Simone heads up Rainmaker Digital as its Chief Content Officer and co-founder. She hosts the “Confessions of a Pink-Haired Marketer” podcast and offers advice, rants, and interviews from the marketing world.
24. Jason Miller – @jasonmillerca
Jason Miller is LinkedIn’s Content & Social Media Marketing Leader as well as a blogger, photographer, and author (Welcome to the Funnel).
25. Jay Acunzo – @jayacunzo
Jay Acunzo is a former digital media strategist for Google. His company, Unthinkable Media, helps B2Bs produce better podcasts. He also runs his own award-winning podcast, “Unthinkable,” which showcases people who have defied conventional thinking.
26. Aaron Orendorff – @AaronOrendorff
Aaron Orendorff has been published on virtually every major industry blog possible, including Fast Company, Inc., Content Marketing Institute, The Huffington Post, SalesForce, and Entrepreneur. He’s the Editor in Chief at Shopify Plus, and Forbes named him a Top 10 B2B Content Marketer.
27. Heidi Cohen – @heidicohen
Heidi authors The Actionable Marketing Guide blog, using her expertise from marketing gigs at Citibank, The Economist, and Bertelsmann as a base. She also taught graduate-level marketing at institutions like Rutgers and New York University.
28. Doug Kessler – @dougkessler
After beginning his career at the prestigious Ogilvy & Mather, Doug Kessler eventually co-founded Velocity, a content marketing agency where he serves as Creative Director.
29. Kristina Halvorson – @halvorson
Kristina Halvorson is the founder and CEO of Brain Traffic, a content strategy company. She’s also the founder of Confab Events, wrote Content Strategy for the Web, and hosts The Content Strategy Podcast.
30. Copyblogger – @copyblogger
Copyblogger uses their platform to teach content marketing skills, especially content writing and copywriting, to the marketing masses. Their community is over 330,000 subscribers strong.
31. NewsCred – @newscred
NewsCred offers solutions for enterprise content marketing, including a content marketing platform, content creation, and consulting. They also serve up a wide range of content and expertise on marketing topics.
32. Robert Rose – @Robert_Rose
Robert Rose is a big-leagues content marketer plus the founder and Chief Strategy Officer for The Content Advisory, which is an offshoot of The Content Marketing Institute. He has written three books, the most recent being Killing Marketing, which he co-authored with Joe Pulizzi.
33. Gerry Moran – @gerrymoran
A marketing executive with over 20 years of experience, Gerry Moran has worked with brands like IKEA, HBO, and Purina. He’s also the Global Head of Social Media at Cognizant, which provides digital services to increase efficiency and innovation for businesses.
34. Henneke Duistermaat – @HennekeD
Henneke Duistermaat is the pen behind Enchanting Marketing (and her cartoon alter-ego, Henrietta). She is a writer who has been featured on Copyblogger and Kissmetrics, and an educator who has created multiple courses on business writing to improve your marketing results.
35. Julia McCoy – @juliaemccoy
Along with her role as the founder and CEO at Express Writers, Julia is also a podcast host (“The Write Podcast”), an author (So You Think You Can Write? and Practical Content Strategy & Marketing), and an educator who teaches content strategy to burgeoning marketers.
36. Kissmetrics – @kissmetrics
Kissmetrics is an customer analytics and engagement automation software company. They share tips, hacks, and tricks to help you understand your base better.
37. Jeff Bullas – @jeffbullas
Jeff Bullas has been named a Top 20 CMO Influencer by Forbes, the #1 Global Content Marketing Influencer by Marketing Insider, and other accolades from Entrepreneur, Apollo Research, and Onalytica. He’s a speaker, a strategist, and runs JeffBullas.com, an internationally recognized business blog.
38. Erika Heald – @SFerika
Erika Heald has over 20 years in the industry under her belt, and has worked for brands like Charles Schwab, Slack, and UnitedHealth. She’s currently a content marketing and social media consultant for specialty food and technology start-ups.
39. Arnie Kuenn – @ArnieK
The CEO of Vertical Measures, Arnie Kuenn, is also an internationally-recognized content marketing speaker and educator. He has been in the industry for over 25 years and has written two books, Accelerate! and Content Marketing Works.
40. Ann Handley – @annhandley
Ann Handley is the CEO of MarketingProfs and appears twice on this list (see @marketingprofs). She wrote one of the essential handbooks on content writing, Everybody Writes, which is a Wall Street Journal bestseller.
41. Berrak Sarikaya – @BerrakBiz
Berrak Sarikaya is a content marketer and strategist whose M.O. is to help businesses amplify their unique message. She is also a speaker who has presented at CMWorld.
42. Search Engine Watch – @sewatch
Search Engine Watch has been providing tips, advice, analysis, and information to marketers about improving their site’s online visibility in search engines since 1997.
43. Express Writers – @ExpWriters
A content agency committed to great online content, Express Writers focuses on quality, writing for the reader, and SEO best-practices to launch clients’ content to the top of Google. EW is also the brand behind #ContentWritingChat and The Write Blog.
44. Convince & Convert – @convince
Convince & Convert is a digital marketing consulting company that puts strategy first. Its CEO is Jay Baer, an internationally-recognized marketer and influencer who has worked with major global brands.
45. Ross Hudgens – @rosshudgens
Ross Hudgens is the CEO and founder of Siege Media, a South Dakota-based content marketing agency with an SEO bent. The company was named one of the Fasted Growing Companies in SD by Inc.
46. Neil Patel – @neilpatel
A digital marketer, influencer, and entrepreneur, Neil Patel made his name through ventures like CrazyEgg and Kissmetrics. He blogs at NeilPatel.com and co-hosts a podcast, “Marketing School” with Eric Su.
47. 10x Marketing – @ContentHackers
A companion to Garrett Moon of CoSchedule’s book, The 10x Marketing Formula, this Twitter feed offers tips to “start thinking like a scrappy start-up.”
48. Sujan Patel – @sujanpatel
Sujan Patel is a content marketer who focuses on growth marketing with his company, Web Profits. He has worked with clients like Expedia, Zillow, LinkedIn, and SalesForce, and blogs for the likes of Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Inc.
49. Influence & Co. – @InfluenceandCo
A content marketing company that has a start-to-finish approach, Influence & Co. also has a blog (The Knowledge Bank) and dishes out information and advice for marketers.
50. Marcus Sheridan – @TheSalesLion
Marcus Sheridan is an internationally-recognized keynote speaker who educates marketers about how to connect and communicate with their audiences in the digital world.
51. PathFactory – @pathfactory
PathFactory is a software platform that helps you track analytics and manage content delivery so it’s totally optimized. On their blog and Twitter, they share insights about how the buyer’s journey and content should merge.
52. Jodi Harris – @Joderama
As the Consulting Director of Editorial Content and Curation at Content Marketing Institute, Jodi Harris wears many hats: content strategist, writer, curator, and more. She also is an independent content marketing consultant and advises businesses about brand storytelling.
53. Tim Soulo – @timsoulo
Tim Soulo is Ahrefs’ Head of Marketing and Product Strategy and has 7 years of experience in the industry. He also runs the Ahrefs YouTube channel and posts SEO guides and research studies on their blog.
54. Zen Media – @WeAreZenMedia
An award-winning marketing company, Zen Media handles strategy, content development and production, digital storytelling, social amplification, and more for their clients. These have included Chase for Business, Dippin’ Dots, and Cox Communications.
55. Benji Hyam – @benjihyam
Benji Hyam is a growth marketing expert and the co-founder of Grow and Convert, a whole-package content marketing agency. They focus on creating content as well as measuring and delivering content marketing results.
56. Carla Johnson – @CarlaJohnson
Carla Johnson champions storytelling in marketing and works with Fortune 500 brands so they can make it happen. She’s a frequent keynote speaker, an author (her most recent is Experiences: The 7th Era of Marketing), and is regularly touted as one of the top B2B influencers in the world.
57. Aaron Agius – @IAmAaronAgius
Aaron Agius is the co-founder of Louder Online, a multi-dimensional digital marketing agency that has worked with enterprise-level brands like Coca-Cola, Target, LG, IBM, and Salesforce. He’s also a speaker, and Forbes called him “one of the world’s best marketers.”
58. Jen (Picard) Dewar – @JenADewar
Marketing consultant Jen Dewar is all about lead generation for B2Bs, but she also shares her knowledge on social media marketing, content marketing, search engine optimization, and more at seminars, trade shows, conferences, and webinars.
59. Brooke Sellas – @BrookeSellas
Brooke Sellas is the CEO of B Squared Media, a social media management company that focuses on conversations over campaigns. Mark Schaefer named her a rising social media star, and Post Planner named her one of the 125 best people to follow for social media geeks.
60. Michele Linn – @michelelinn
Michele Linn is the former head of editorial for Content Marketing Institute – in fact, she was the first person Joe Pulizzi hired. She recently co-founded Mantis Research, a consultancy focused on educating and helping marketers publish and amplify credible original research.
61. Louis Grenier – @LouisSlices
Louis Grenier is the host of the “Everybody Hates Marketers” podcast, where he dishes out advice for a better, more authentic way of getting your brand out there. He often sits down with big industry leaders like Seth Godin, Rand Fishkin, and Joanna Wiebe.
62. B Squared Media – @HelloBSquared
This social media management company has a philosophy that’s simple but impactful: “A simple hello can lead to a million things.” Their award-winning approach emphasizes conversations in marketing, and they have served clients like IBM, Inc., Yahoo!, and Spin Sucks.
63. Shane Barker – @shane_barker
A successful digital marketing consultant, Shane Barker has worked with everyone from start-ups to celebrities and helped them hone their brand image and achieve their goals. He’s also a UCLA instructor and an influencer marketing proponent.
64. Joanna Wiebe – @copyhackers
Joanna Wiebe is the original “conversion copywriter.” She started writing at businesses and agencies, then started Copy Hackers, where she teaches marketers and businesses how to write amazing copy. She’s the co-founder of Airstory, a writing collaboration tool.
65. Ahava Leibtag – @ahaval
Ahava Leibtag is the founder and president of Aha Media, a content strategy and marketing consultancy that specializes in content for complex industries like finance and healthcare. She’s a speaker, an author (The Digital Crown: Winning at Marketing on the Web), and has over 20 years of writing and marketing experience.
66. Marsha Wright – @marshawright
Marsha Wright is an entrepreneur, influencer, business expert, and media personality. She founded multiple ventures, including Global Travel Clothing Company, and hosts the mega-popular #ThingBIGSundaywithMarsha.
67. John Hall – @johnhall
John Hall is the co-founder of Influence & Co., one of the top content providers in the industry. He’s the best-selling author of Top of Mind, and has been the recipient of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award.
68. Jo Gifford – @thejogifford
A marketer wearing many hats is nothing new, but Jo Gifford seemingly wears them all. She’s a blogger, copywriter, graphic designer, podcaster, and small business marketer who helps brands unearth their uniqueness.
69. John Jantsch – @ducttape
John Jantsch is a marketing consultant for small businesses and the founder of Duct Tape Marketing. He also hosts the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, and has written a number of books, including The Referral Engine and Duct Tape Selling.
70. Mark Traphagen – @marktraphagen
Speaker, author, and digital marketer Mark Traphagen was named a Top 25 Content Marketing & Social Media Influencer by Onalytica. He’s the Senior Director of Brand Evangelism at Perficient Digital (formerly Stone Temple Consulting).
71. Marcus Miller – @marcusbowlerhat
Named a Top 25 Digital Marketing Influencer by Marketing Insider Group, Marcus Miller is also a columnist for Search Engine Land and the founder of Bowler Hat.
72. Justin Champion – @JustinRChampion
Justin Champion is a HubSpot Academy Content Professor, a self-described “digital nomad,” and a speaker who focuses on teaching small and medium-sized businesses how to make marketing easier.
73. John White – @juanblanco76
John White is an Inc. magazine columnist, where he has interviewed business biggies like Mark Cuban and Gatorade. He heads up Social Marketing Solutions, a lead generation company, and is a branding and influencer marketing expert.
74. Pam Moore – @PamFitNut
Pam Moore is the CEO of Marketing Nutz, a marketing and branding agency, and Social Profit Factor, a social media marketing training academy. She’s also an in-demand speaker and has presented at HubSpot Inbound, Social Media Marketing World, the Social Media Strategies Summit, and more.
75. Ryan Thompson – @RyanThompson
Ryan Thompson is a social media marketer who regularly works with Fortune 500s. He focuses on driving growth and building partnerships in business, especially industries like tourism and talent.
76. Terry Green – @TerryLynnGreen
Terry Green handles social media and marketing for speakers and coaches looking to turn their brand identity up more than a few notches. She runs BizEase Support Solutions to help eliminate marketing overwhelm.
77. Joe Williams – @joetheseo
The founder of Learn SEO Fast, a suite of courses for learning how to gain visibility in search, is Joe Williams. He has trained thousands of marketers and has been featured in publications like The Huffington Post and The Guardian.
78. AE Marketing Group – @aemarketing
AE Marketing Group is all about elevating brands to new heights with marketing, digital storytelling, strategy, and brand building. They have won multiple prestigious marketing awards, including ranking in the Inc. 5000.
79. Jason Quey – @jdquey
Jason Quey calls himself “the Storyteller Marketer” for good reason. His company of the same name helps clients figure out their overarching strategy, then uses that blueprint to spread their individual brand story. He’s been featured in Forbes, SalesForce, Copyblogger, and Entrepreneur, to name a few.
80. Rajasekar KS – @rajasekarks_
Rajasekar was named one of the Top 100 Content Leaders by World Marketing Congress in 2017. He’s a content and social media strategist interested in audience engagement and helping people realize their full potential.
81. JBH: The Content Agency – @JBHInfluence
This self-described “crack team” of marketers, creatives, and SEO geeks is an award-winning agency that creates a wide range of content for brands of all types and styles.
82. Joel Klettke – @JoelKlettke
Joel Klettke is a SaaS and B2B copywriter who heads Business Casual Copywriting and Case Study Buddy. He’s also a digital marketer who has contributed to brands like HubSpot, Safelite, and WP Engine.
83. Ardath Albee – @ardathalbee
Ardath Albee is a content marketing strategist with over 30 years of experience in business management and marketing. She’s the author of Digital Relevance and eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale, as well as the CEO of Marketing Interactions.
84. Ian Cleary – @IanCleary
A digital marketing consultant, educator, and trainer, Ian Cleary founded Razor Social as well as OutreachPlus, an email marketing tool. He’s a respected speaker and has been featured in Fox Business, Content Marketing Institute, Yahoo! Small Business, VentureBeat, and more.
85. Tania Varga – @tanias_tweets
Tania Varga is the CCO at Axonn Media, a top U.K. content marketing agency that takes care of strategy, content creation, amplification, and analysis for its clients.
86. Brandon Windsor – @hirebrandonw
As a video marketing strategist, Brandon Windsor helps businesses harness the potential and power of video marketing. He’s also a content creator through his production company, ARO Content, a speaker, and a digital marketing consultant.
87. Powers Digital Marketing – @powersdigmk
Powers Digital Marketing was founded by its President, Amber Powers. She has 5 years under her belt in digital marketing, and her company loves helping businesses in the travel/hospitality industry harness their reach and online visibility.
88. Rohan Davidson – @Roh_Davidson
Rohan Davidson is the founder of Content Consultant, a content marketing company based in Brisbane. He helps small and medium-sized businesses tailor their content for better results.
89. Steve Rayson – @steverayson
Steve Rayson is the Director of BuzzSumo, a social search tool. He’s also an entrepreneur, investor, and regular blogger on BuzzSumo.com.
90. Alli Berry – @alliberry3
Alli Berry is a content marketing and SEO expert who has been featured as a top contributor for Moz. She’s also the Senior Manager and Content Lead for Two Octobers, a Denver-based digital marketing agency.
91. Lindsay Thibeault – @LindsayRegina
Lindsay Thibeault is the Content Manager for HubSpot Academy as well as one of its Inbound Professors. She contributes to the HubSpot Academy Blog and focuses on customer education.
92. Martin Jones – @martinjonesaz
Martin Jones is the Senior Social Media and Content Marketing Manager for Cox Communications and Cox Business. He’s a nationally-recognized speaker who has presented at conferences like SXSW, Digital Marketing World Forum, and Social Media Marketing World.
93. Carli Evilsizer – @carlievilsizer
Carli Evilsizer is the Director of Brand Marketing at Roomi, an NYC-based peer-to-peer housing marketplace. She’s also a consultant who is known for working with startups of all types to help them build their identities. She has contributed to Elite Daily, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and more.
94. Brittany Berger – @thatbberg
Brittany Berger, “the content unicorn,” has been crafting winning content marketing for 7 years. She has been featured by Inc., HubSpot, and The Huffington Post and runs a freelance business, BrittanyBerger.com.
95. B2B Marketing Exchange – @b2bmx
B2B Marketing Exchange is a top industry conference where marketers can come together, network, learn, and grow their businesses. It has grown to include over 70 sessions and 100 expert speakers over 3 days.
96. Melissa Harrison – @mhbosslady
Melissa Harrison is the founder and CEO of Allee Creative. She has 16 years of experience in the industry, and was named a Top Content Marketer by Content Marketing Institute as well as a Top Young Entrepreneur by Minnesota Business Magazine.
97. Deana Goldasich – @goldasich
A 20-year vet of content marketing, Deana Goldasich is the former Director of Content and Production for HSN.com, where she helped build up brand names like Sephora and Wolfgang Puck. Today, she’s the founder of Well Planned Web and regularly lends her expertise as a speaker to conferences like Content Marketing World and Digital Summit.
98. Ryan Robinson – @TheRyanRobinson
Ryan Robinson is a content marketing consultant (with clients like Adobe and Zendesk) who has been featured on publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and Business Insider. He also hosts a podcast, “The Side Hustle Project.”
99. Caroline Forsey – @cforsey1
Caroline Forsey is a staff writer for the HubSpot Marketing Blog. She is also a freelance content writer with a roster of clients in industries like business, education, tech, and data intelligence.
100. Britney Muller – @BritneyMuller
As a Senior SEO Scientist at Moz, Britney Muller works to increase lead generation using technical SEO, studies how to meet user intent, improves internal linking, and more. She’s also a speaker who has presented at industry events like Experience Inbound, ACTEM, and MozCon.
Gaining Top Content Marketing Props Takes Work, Not Luck
Here’s the main takeaway we can glean from this list:
Becoming top in our beautiful industry of content takes work.
You have to put out a lot to get anything back. You need to truly, authentically engage with your community and be active in the space.
Overnight success in the form of bought or fake followers are vanity metrics for a reason – they truly don’t mean anything. What does translate to build a real influencer-level presence comes down to two things: hard work building a reason to be known (a company, success in a role, consistent content year after year, an epic piece of content that everyone remembers), and real, human connections and conversations with their followers.
Instead, follow the lead of this mega list of incredible marketers.
It takes dedicated, passionate work to climb the mountain – but it’s worth every step.
