• A LIST FROM AN SEO CONTENT WRITING SERVICE

30 SEO Influencers to Follow NOW

By: David Tile| VP of Operations @ Article-Writing.co
Posted On: March 31, 2016
SEO is the bread and butter of any content marketer. Sure the marketing tool is useful for other aspects of your business, like optimizing your site copy and digital marketing plans, but it’s arguably most important in any content you’re trying to push for traffic and leads. This means that whether you’re an SEO content writing service or just a business owner trying to craft content on their own, it’s extremely valuable to know a lot about search engine optimization.
The problem with SEO in general is that it isn’t a stagnant marketing form. There are a lot of rules in marketing that don’t generally change, but SEO is one tool that has gone through major upheaval recently. Anytime Google changes their search engine algorithm, you have to change your SEO strategy – and that’s just a major example of when this is necessary. It’s important to constantly stay on top of SEO trends so your own keyword and optimization attempts can be updated with the times.

One of the most important methods of learning about SEO trends and updates is by paying attention to industry insiders and influencers. While they may not be calling the shots at Google and literally changing how SEO works, these 30 SEO influencers are your best source for up to date information, strategies and tips about all things SEO.

1. Rand Fishkin

Founder of powerhouse analytics and more company Moz.

2. John Doherty

Founder of GetCredo; SEO and growth expert.

3. Ed Fry

General Manager of Inbound.org and SEO expert.

4. Wil Reynolds

Founder of SEO business SEER Interactive.

5. Danny Sullivan

Founder of both Search Engine Land and Marketing Land, both marketing and SEO businesses.

6. David Mihm

Expert on local SEO.

7. Jordan Kasteler

Digital Marketing Strategist for GET MWI and is versed in social media, SEO and content marketing.

8. Dan Shure

Moz associate and owner of EvolvingSEO.com.

9. Marissa Mayer

CEO of Yahoo!.

10. Bruce Clay

Active SEO expert since 1996.

11. KISSmetrics

One of the best and most respected analytics companies online today.

12. SEER Interactive

Wil Reynolds’ business focusing on SEO and analytics.

13. Tom Critchlow

Founder of Fiercely Curious and SEO expert.

14. Distilled

Intelligent and emotional marketing business.

15. TJ Welsh

Stryde Marketing Director and SEO expert.

16. Raven Tools

Brand and SEO marketing business.

17. PubCon

Convention for all things SEO, analytics and business news.

18. Shane Barker

Digital strategist and prolific writer on SEO topics.

19. Matt McGee

Editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land and Marketing Land.

20. Danny Dover

Viral social media sensation who speaks on entrepreneurial topics like SEO and social media marketing.

21. Barry Schwartz

Rusty Brick CEO and content marketing expert.

22. Neil Patel

Quicksprout, Crazy Egg and KISSmetics co-founder.

23. Ann Smarty

Co-founder of Viral Content Buzz and brand manager for Internet Marketing Ninjas.

24. Kristi Hines

HubSpot and Inbound marketing certified who often writes about SEO and marketing topics.

25. Avinash Kaushik

Founded marketing site Market Motive and writes books on analytics topics.

26. Search Engine Land

One of the leading sites in SEO and small business news and information.

27. Aaron Wall

Founder of SEO Book and personal SEO coach.

28. Ash Buckles

InterContinental Hotels Group’s Global SEO manager.

29. Michael Gray

SEO expert since 1998, CEO of Gray Wolf SEO.

30. Moz

Powerful analytics tools and SEO resources for all businesses.

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The ultimate goal of content marketing is offering your target audience information and materials that will engage them and motivate them to choose your business. 

Seems easy, right? 

Often, companies will simply share general content to please everyone. But let’s be honest: you can’t win them all. And that’s okay! 

Rather than throwing a line and hoping the fish will bite, create Thought Leadership content strategically catered to your target market. Consider the people who would genuinely need or care about what your business offers, rather than wasting time, effort, and resources on creating general, unfocused content. Successful content marketing involves promoting your products and services to the people interested in the subject matter, who will read the content, click on your company website, and take action. 

As an executive of an organization, you are a valuable piece of the brand. Consumers want to know about the human presence leading companies, in order to understand more about the company’s values and goals. 

Take advantage of your position as an industry expert and share extra content to attract more attention to yourself as an industry leader and your company. Your quality content will build your reputation as a reliable voice to earn your consumer’s trust. However, if it’s not focused on your target audience, you won’t earn many conversions from your content. 

Consider these techniques to guide your Thought Leadership content so it can expand and strengthen your loyal consumer following:

  • Identify your target audience by reviewing your current consumer data and identifying who is investing in your business or reacting to your thought leadership materials so far. Look for trends to find why these people are interested and if others like them haven’t been reached yet. 
  • Conduct customer research to learn how they will respond to your thought leadership content. Request participation in surveys, polls, social media comments, and more to learn about your existing impression on your audience and how you can improve your platform. 
  • Create target audience character profiles. Identify their interests, demographics, pain points, needs, and desires, and write to them.
  • Find where your current and potential audience is active online.  Catch their attention by being active and sharing your content marketing materials on these platforms.
  • Pull inspiration from other Thought Leader examples. Research other executives within your field who implement successful content marketing through their personal platforms. Learn what qualities make their content attractive and why readers respond to it positively. These examples can offer a base for you to visualize what you want to achieve. 
  • Recognize your strengths as a Thought Leader. Often, leaders aren’t necessarily aware of the unique talents that give them an advantage in their industry until asked. Reflect on what topics you know best and how to input your insights to humanize your materials, make them original and more engaging for your audience. 

 

Case Study: How Strategic Content Marketing Can Broaden Your Audience

In our client strategy calls, our team will interview our expert clients to learn about their industry expertise and find out what’s meaningful to them, their business, and then identify who we believe to be their target audience. We use these insights to inspire our content subject matter and tone to create impactful content for their current and potential consumers.

Dr. Desai’s COVID PreCheck App Content Marketing

For example, our client, Dr. Nitin Desai, approached our strategy team to create content to promote his COVID Pre-Check app. His innovative software is intended to help employers ensure their employees who enter the office are COVID-free, providing a safe environment by eliminating the chance of spread. 

Our team of strategists recognized that with Dr. Desai’s thorough professional knowledge around the COVID-19 virus, he had the potential to become a reliable voice in a culture of people seeking answers. We created content for Dr. Desai that focused on sharing COVID-related insights to reach a wider audience, which has been a successful mission. Our thoroughly planned content reflected his industry expertise, which brought him attention from various media outlets and publications, including Forbes. 

By reaching out to our professional content marketing team, Dr. Desai achieved his goal of promoting his groundbreaking app, while also positioning himself as an authoritative voice in his field. Our team learned about his voice, discovered what was meaningful to him and his target audience, and optimized this to create focused, engaging content that broadened his consumer scope. 

Ready to Invest In Your Article-Writing.co Thought Leadership Package? 

At Article-Writing.co, we understand that you have a lot on your plate. Let us share your voice on your behalf, so you don’t need to add more time to your busy schedule to write your own content marketing. Our strategists and creators will develop a plan to create engaging materials to represent your Thought Leader brand through your own specialized Thought Leadership Package. 

Let us help you strengthen and broaden your consumer base for continued professional success. Book a call today.