Do you know about the biggest content marketing mistake most businesses make? They focus so much on “content” that the word “marketing” turns blurry! An original, informative, interesting and authoritative piece cannot reach the target audience unless marketed well. This is where the best content marketers in the industry can act as your guiding light. The way in which they have built their brands and helped businesses around the world should help you get some fresh ideas for your own business.
Here are the top 10 content marketers to follow and freshen up those grey cells:
1. Ann Handley
A widely known writer, digital marketer and keynote business speaker, Ann has authored the Wall Street Journal bestseller “Everybody writes: Your go-to guide to creating ridiculously good content”. She is also the Head of Content at Marketing Profs and has been recognized as one of the top 20 women bloggers by Forbes Women. The fact that Ann’s books have been translated into 19 languages goes to show how popular her marketing ideas are. For businesses that aim to escape mediocre marketing and attain real results, Ann is the perfect solution. IBM named her as one of the 7 people who are redefining modern marketing and Ann has contributed her gems of wisdom to Huffington Post, Inc. Magazine and American Express as well.
Here are the top posts we liked from www.annhandley.com
• https://annhandley.com/brand-voice-in-social-crisis/
• https://annhandley.com/the-one-thing-your-content-marketing-needs-now/
2. Joe Pulizzi
Joe is not just the founder of the very famous Content Marketing Institute, but also the recipient of Independent Publisher Book Award for U.S. Great Lakes – Best Regional Fiction. An author, entrepreneur, expert marketer and podcaster, Joe received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 by the Content Council. For years, he has been teaching big brands around the world how to get their content strategy right. When Joe used the term “content marketing” in 2001, most businesses were grappling with the basics of internet. Books like Killing Marketing, Epic Content Marketing and Content Inc. have propelled him to the status of an Amazon bestselling author. This Old Marketing, his podcast series with Robert Rose, has been downloaded a million times and in more than 150 countries! And now you can get his “Corona Marketing – What Marketing Professionals Need to Do Now to Survive the Crisis” for free when you sign up for Joe’s newsletter!
Check out Joe’s posts that caught our eye on https://www.joepulizzi.com/
•https://www.joepulizzi.com/articles/the-biggest-opportunity-marketing-has-ever-seen-content-inc-podcast/
•https://www.joepulizzi.com/articles/acquiring-content-marketing-how-to-buy-instead-of-building/
3. Neil Patel
He is recognized as a top web influencer by The Wall Street Journal. He is a bestselling author on New York Times. He was also acclaimed as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs less than 30 years of age by President Barack Obama. Yes, that is Neil Patel for you! Till date, this young and brilliant marketer has been able to drive 1.3 billion visitors to Fortune 100 brands and start up websites. Neil’s compelling idea of turning cold prospects into satisfied customers without spending anything on ads was quick to catch the attention of big and small brands. His own website is simply yet smartly designed to let you know how you can follow tutorials, get trained, use advanced SEO tools and even sign up for marketing school to boost your brand.
One of the best things about Neil is that he can teach you how to sell. You will get results without fail, if you speak to your clients the way he speaks to you.
Here are the posts by Neil that we loved on https://neilpatel.com/:
•https://neilpatel.com/blog/write-fewer-blog-posts/
•https://neilpatel.com/blog/content-marketing-future/
4. Kathy Klotz
Author of Stop Boring Me! How to Create Kick-Ass Marketing Content and founder of Keeping it Human, Kathy believes in bold creativity to help brands and business leaders. She uses collaborative improvisation, strategy and humor to truly connect with the target audience, enhance their happiness quotient, and motivate them. From workshops and storytelling sessions to podcasts and comedy shows, Kathy does it all and with panache! Till date, she has given a whole new twist to the idea of content marketing for companies like Cisco Systems, Yahoo!, The United Way of Silicon Valley, IBM San Jose and Genentech. Follow her on Twitter to find out how she builds that human connection with her words and style.
Check out these posts by Kathy to get inspired on https://www.keepingithuman.com/:
•https://www.keepingithuman.com/culture-of-experimentation/
•https://www.keepingithuman.com/how-improvisation-makes-us-better-marketers/
5. Jayson DeMers
Jason seamlessly combines tech with content to get the marketing game right! The CEO and founder of both EmailAnalytics and AudienceBloom, Jason specializes in SEO, SMM, email marketing, copywriting, analytics, lead generation and entrepreneurship. He has appeared in renowned publications like Inc.com, Forbes.com, Business.com, MarketingLand.com and BusinessInsider.com. His list of clients includes Shopify, Expedia, GoDaddy and more. Jason knows exactly how to promote quality content to reel in more traffic and get the best backlinks. His real-time email analytics tool has helped businesses to monitor team productivity, identify the best performers and get more out of the workforce. Jason has also founded Kwippy, a photo-based app for both iOS and Android, to make photo-posting for themed challenges easy.
These are the posts by Jason that caught our attention on https://emailanalytics.com/:
•https://emailanalytics.com/email-bounce-rate/
•https://emailanalytics.com/email-testing/
6. Julia McCoy
Do you know what $75 and a dream can do? Create a super-successful content marketer and entrepreneur like Julia! After deciding to drop out from college, Julia came up with Express Writers, her content marketing agency. Since 2011, she has never looked back. And why would she? Her agency earns revenue worth more than $5 million and there are 90 employees on the payroll. With thousands of clients and over 100,000 monthly visitors, Julia’s venture is an example of what strategy, words, passion and advanced SEO knowledge can accomplish. She has been recognized by Forbes as a thought leader, and has authored books like So You Think You Can Write? The Definitive Guide to Successful Online Writing. Julia has also appeared as a guest author on Content Marketing Institute. You will find free guides, courses and podcasts on her website. Julia’s client base includes names like Johnson & Johnson, Splenda, Bank Austria, Nordstrom, and Gucci.
Take a look at Julia’s posts that we loved on https://expresswriters.com/:
•https://expresswriters.com/how-to-make-a-high-converting-landing-page/
•https://expresswriters.com/marketing-strategist/
7. SujanPatel
When you land up on Sujan’s website, apart from his marketing charisma, you will notice his love for speed and risk and the quirky rocket logo in his name! Yes, the author of 100 Days of Growth first used his passion for SaaS businesses to hack the content marketing space. Sujan’s successful ventures include Mailshake, Right Inbox and Web Profits, and he has been featured in Forbes, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and Entrepreneur. Expedia, Zillow, LinkedIn and Mint are among the clients he has helped to grow, get more visitors and boost sales. Sujan also inspires and motivates business leaders, professionals and dreamers with his engaging storytelling, actionable insights and crisp ideas. This data-driven marketer will speak in Dublin, Brazil, Las Vegas and San Francisco in the upcoming months.
Sujan’sposts that got us interested on https://sujanpatel.com/:
•https://sujanpatel.com/marketing/start-career-digital-marketing/
•https://sujanpatel.com/marketing/become-an-influencer/
8. Joanna Wiebe
Everyone knows how crucial good copywriting is for content marketing. But have you ever come across someone who has not just aced copywriting, but also hand-holds and teaches startups and freelancers to find their foothold? Well, Joanna does that! Copyhackers, founded by her in 2011, offers tons of resources, tutorials and courses for freelancers, digital growth marketers, and of course, copywriters. Whether you are new to this field or a pro, Joanna can always teach you something new. Before you know it, you will become adept at writing smashing emails, quizzes, case studies, and figure out how to generate leads and get repeat customers. Shopify, Sprout Social, and Canva are among her clients. Also, more than 50,000 people have already signed up for her newsletter!
Here are the posts by Joanna that we loved on https://copyhackers.com/:
- https://copyhackers.com/2020/01/breakthrough-or-bust-emails/
- https://copyhackers.com/2016/06/writing-facebook-ads/
9. Stacy Minero
There is a reason why Stacy is the Global Head at Twitter ArtHouse. With 12 years of content marketing experience to back her up, Stacy is a creative genius who knows who to keep customer experience at the forefront. Working with brands like Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble and American Express has given her all the skills and know how needed to navigate the digital marketing landscape with style. Since 2014, Stacy has been helping Twitter to create content that attracts and engages. Her aim has always been to boost brand credibility and use content to motivate consumers. She has also appeared as a speaker at events like Digital Summit, Advertising Week and Cannes.
Here is a video and an interview that show why you need to follow Stacy:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dIkFLPpnJA
10. Ann Smarty
Ann is not just the brand manager at Ninjas Marketing, but also the founder of start-ups like Viral Content Bee and MyBlogU. Her innovative and actionable content marketing ideas have helped Ann get featured in Mashable, Search Engine Land, New York Times and Entrepreneur. Ann has also been recognized by Moz as a contributor to search engine rankings factors and she regularly speaks at Pubcon Marketing conference. Her website grabs attention easily with various interesting and educational courses for digital and content marketers. And her Viral Content Buzz Course is offered for free! Ann specializes in website design, reputation marketing, link building, marketing tools and social media marketing too.
Take a look at these intriguing guest posts by Ann:
•https://smallbiztrends.com/2020/07/covid-pandemic-marketing-trends-small-business.html
•https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-convert-more-instagram-traffic-3-tips/
The 10 marketers mentioned above are not the only ones who can help you make the most of content. Remember to go through the JustWords blog as well, for cool insights and doable tips.
Check out our favorite blogs right now –
1. Google does not want these 13 mistakes in your content
2. 11 things you should know before hiring a content agency
3. Find content proofreading boring: Here are 7 brilliant ways to get the job done