If you want to learn to do something well, one of the best ways is to follow the leaders. This is as true in SEO as it is in any other industry. Luckily, the modern digital marketing world is filled with a huge assortment of SEO experts who are ripe with valuable information.
Here’s a breakdown of the top influencers you should be following.
20 SEO Experts Every Content Marketer Should Follow
Whether you’re a new marketer or an experienced professional just looking for some ways to improve your approach, these 20 SEO experts have lots to teach you:
1. Rand Fishkin: @randfish
The self-proclaimed “Wizard of Moz,” Fishkin is the founder of Moz and one of the foremost SEO experts on the web. Fishkin and his team conduct regular “Whiteboard Friday” sessions about the ins and outs of SEO and content marketing, and are some of the web’s biggest leaders in quality content.
2. Neil Patel: @neilpatel
Neil Patel is the founder of CrazyEgg, Hello Bar, Quick Sprout, and KISSmetrics. If you need advice on how to grow your online business, he’s the top person to follow. Considered one of the best analytics experts in the world of digital marketing, Neil Patel is also a columnist for Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and the Huffington Post.
3. Danny Sullivan: @dannysullivan
The Founding Editor of Search Engine Land and Marketing Land, Danny Sullivan is the go-to expert when it comes to solving SEO problems. He is also the Chief Content Officer of Third Door Media and has been an active member of the search marketing and search engine world since 1996, way before SEO was a as big as it is today.
For more Danny Sullivan, visit his personal blog, where he shares interesting information on a variety of topics related to Google and SEO.
4. Barry Schwartz: @rustybrick
Barry Schwartz is a reputable SEO expert, editor of Search Engine Roundtable, and the President and CEO of New York-based web service firm RustyBrick, Inc. A self-defined “Search Geek,” Schwartz knows a thing or two about search engine marketing, and stands out as a leader in his field.
5. Joe Pulizzi: @JoePulizzi
Joe Pulizzi is a Content Marketing Evangelist and the founder of Content Marketing Institute, which puts on the largest in-person content marketing event on the globe – Content Marketing World. He has written four books, including Epic Content Marketing.
6. Eric Enge: @stonetemple
If you’re inspired by active people who are natural multitaskers, you will love Eric Enge, the “Digital Marketing Excellence Practitioner,” from Stone Temple Consulting. For more than three decades, he has reinvented himself as a passionate speaker, talk show host, author and entrepreneur. Declared the 24th most influential individual in the content marketing sector, Eric firmly believes that passion is the key factor in success.
7. Ann Handley: @MarketingProfs
Ann Handley is the Head of Content at Marketing Profs. She’s also the author of the bestseller Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content. Known as a first-class speaker, author and content creator, she does a great job of “Waging a war on mediocrity” in online content.
8. Henneke Duistermaat: @HennekeD
The UK-based business writing coach and “irreverent marketer” is a regular contributor at Copyblogger, and a trusted source for anyone who wants to learn to streamline and enhance their content marketing.
9. John Doherty: @dohertyjf
A professional marketer, entrepreneur, and startup advisor, John Doherty is the Founder GetCredo, an organization that helps companies find the right agencies to work with.
10. Ann Smarty: @seosmarty
Ann Smarty is the founder of MyBlogU and the Brand Manager at NinjasMarketing. She’s a fantastic source for all things modern SEO, and offers great, minute-to-minute insight into the industry.
10 Top Resources to Follow (Guest Blogs, Search Engine News, & More)
Now that you’re familiar with the top ten SEO influencers, it’s time to consider the best SEO resources out there. These organizations, firms, and companies are sources of quality content and insider information:
1. Social Media Today: @socialmedia2day
In case you are looking for a way to develop your own content strategy and explore social networks, look toward Social Media Today. Showcasing a cutting-edge mix of technology and data, and social business news, tips, and marketing advice, Social Media Today is one of the primary leaders in the world of social media marketing.
2. Marketing Land: @Marketingland
If you want to become a part of dynamic search marketing landscape, you’ll want to check out the weekly recaps from Marketing Land. One of the most respectable sources of fresh information, stats, and how-to guides. Marketing Land offers information on everything from mobile marketing to retail marketing, and covers all the aspects an SEO-savvy marketer should consider when developing a first campaign.
3. Search Engine Journal: @sejournal
If you’re interested in a trustworthy source focused on things like paid search, social media, content marketing, SEO, and search engines, then Search Engine Journal is a great pick for you. Featuring daily doses of well-written, informative, and engaging content, Search Engine Journal is your one-stop shop for search news.
4. Search Engine Land: @sengineland
Still can’t tell the difference between Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)? If that’s the case, Search Engine Land is your go-to source. Designed to share the most comprehensive reports, webcasts, and white papers, Search Engine Journal is your source for breaking news and PPC and SEO analysis.
5. SEMRush Blog
For people who want to learn more about online marketing, keyword research, social media, SEO and PPC without having to read hundreds of pages, there’s the SEMRush Blog. SEMrush represents an amazingly complete source of inspiration. This blog delivers a full picture of modern SEO and marketing in a way even beginners can understand.
5. Hubspot Blog
The Hubspot Blog focuses on delivering quality marketing, sales, and agency content in a convenient package. With more than 2 million monthly visitors, this source is widely regarded as one of the most trustworthy on the web, and consistently ranks as a top resource among even the most discerning influencers.
6. SearchEngineWatch
If you want a popular channel that delivers fresh information that makes it easy to get acquainted with the written and unwritten rules of content marketing, SEO and PPC, start by reading the articles published by SearchEngineWatch. This source helps you discover the latest industry news, while also providing online marketing guides and all the details that you could ever require on PPC and SEO tools, tactics, and trends.
7. Social Media Examiner
When you want to check out the most recent social media events, get the latest social media marketing industry reports, receive free updates via email and make the most of informative podcasts, make sure you visit Social Media Examiner. An accessible and authoritative source with almost half a million likes on Facebook, Social Media Examiner shares useful and engaging articles that will enable you to take your social media marketing strategy to the next level.
8. Moz Blog
The Moz blog is the brainchild of Rand Fishkin, so you know it’s trustworthy. A go-to resource that features the wisdom of today’s foremost content wizards and experts, the Moz blog is especially well-known for its use of original statistics and research.
9. QuickSprout
QuickSprout helps people do one thing – create better content. The brainchild of Neil Patel, QuickSprout offers a resource called QuickSprout University, which helps marketers learn things like how to generate traffic on social ads and how to get more traffic across the web.
10. Express Writers
Express Writers is the content marketer’s content marketer. Specializing in delivering cutting-edge industry content with a focus on driving organic traffic and helping you create better content, we offer many weekly blog posts, lots of long-form guides, and plenty of custom visuals. Follow The Write Blog to keep up on it all.
Learn from the Experts
One of the easiest ways to master SEO is to follow the experts. When it comes to optimizing your website, forget about learning from your own mishaps and stay in the safe zone by following in the footsteps of respectable SEO experts. Abreast of the latest news and events, these experts can help you learn the ins and outs of SEO and grow your online traffic as a result.
Looking for a team of content experts to help you improve your content marketing strategy? Contact Express Writers today to hire our team of skilled copy experts.