When you work as an inbound marketer, it’s inevitable that you’ll spend a lot of time online. And when your job duties include being your company’s social media manager, it’s also inevitable that you’ll spend a lot of time finding content to share on your various social channels.
That being said, as someone who’s currently in charge of the social media duties at our inbound marketing agency, I sift through a lot of inbound marketing content each day looking for the best articles to share with our Twitter followers.
As a matter of fact, in the past year alone, I’ve read or skimmed through at least 2,500 blog articles that relate to inbound marketing. And while I wouldn’t quite put myself near expert status, it’s worth noting that I’ve spent a considerable amount of time reading content from inbound marketing experts.
As time goes by in a job like mine, you start to notice a few things when searching for content. When you keep finding and sharing high-quality content from the same source, you start to remember that author’s name, website/blog, Twitter account, etc. And even as someone who’s seen over 2,500 blogs in the past year, there are still some authors that find a way to stand out from the rest.
Rather than making you read through thousands of blogs to find these reliable sources yourselves, however, I’ve already done the dirty work for you. Whether you’re just starting to learn about inbound marketing or you’re an experienced vet, every inbound marketer can learn a thing or two from the people on this list. And when you notice an article is written by one of these authors, you already know you’ll want to pay attention, share, and follow for more.
1) Neil Patel
@neilpatel
Apart from blogging on his own QuickSprout website, Neil has been featured on several other blogs, including HubSpot’s. His blogs usually focus on improving website traffic, and he uses plenty of real world examples to make his case. Forbes has called him one of the top 10 online marketers, and it’d be hard to disagree.
2) Jeff Bullas
@jeffbullas
If you’ve searched for inbound marketing content before, chances are you’ve seen an article by Jeff Bullas. Not only does he cover a wide variety of various blogging and social media topics, but his well-written, comprehensive articles are always spot on when it comes to providing solutions. You won’t be reading the same, old Facebook tips you’ve seen 10 times before; you’ll be reading 27 Facebook tips that’ll make you want to hop on your account right away and start making changes.
3) Barry Feldman
@FeldmanCreative
When I first noticed Barry’s work, he was a leading contributor on Social Media Today. However, as I spent more time looking for content, I quickly realized that he was all over the place! Apart from his own blog, he’s been featured on more than 20 different sites, including HubSpot, Copyblogger, and Social Media Examiner. His articles cover a wide variety of inbound marketing topics, and his expertise and experience shine through in his writing.
4) Rand Fishkin
@randfish
You can’t make a “Who’s Who” list of inbound marketing bloggers without including the founder/Wizard of Moz, Rand Fishkin. As someone whose been working with SEO since the early days of inbound marketing, his experience and general knowledge of the subject make his blogs must-reads. And given the success and reputation of Moz, you know he’s worth listening to.
5) Matt Cutts
@mattcutts
As the leader of Google’s Webspam team, Matt Cutts is the go-to source for anything that deals with SEO penalties and algorithm changes. And though he’s currently taking an extended vacation away from his desk, if you want to get your Google SEO news directly from the source, Matt’s the guy you need to be following. While he’s away, however, you can get all your news from Google’s Webmaster Central Blog.
6) Heidi Cohen
@heidicohen
If you’re looking for a blog that’s specifically geared towards improving your inbound marketing skills, you have to be reading Heidi’s blog. Described as an “actionable marketing expert,” nearly every article she publishes provides excellent tips and ideas for improving your inbound marketing. Not only does she explain what your business should be doing, but also how to do it as well.
7) Ann Handley
@MarketingProfs
Though MarketingProfs publishes the work of a handful of different inbound marketing bloggers, Ann Handley is the Chief Content Officer and a key contributor. Apart from just writing for MarketingProfs, however, Ann also shares her marketing expertise on sites like Mashable, Huffington Post, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Her content specializes in helping you rethink and improve your marketing strategy, and she was even named “the most influential woman in Social Media” by Forbes.
8) David Meerman Scott
@dmscott
As one of today’s leading marketing and sales strategists, David Meerman Scott travels all around the world speaking at conferences (including INBOUND 2014) and educating audiences about marketing, leadership, sales, and social media. He’s a bestselling author of 8 different books, and you can find other examples of his work on sites like MarketingProfs and Huffington Post.
Did we miss any others? Who else would you include to round out the Top 10? Share your recommendations in the comments!
Originally published Sep 22, 2014 10:00:00 AM, updated January 19 2023
Topics:
Content Marketing