Social media platforms are constantly coming and going, shifting and changing. So, keeping up with marketing trends and optimizing your social media strategies for success can become challenging. That’s where social media experts come in.
Social media experts are always up-to-date with the latest trends, changes, and features, helping you ensure your marketing strategies are relevant and successful. They can recommend ideal social media solutions and provide marketing tips to keep you ahead of the competition in the crowded digital space.
But with thousands of experts claiming to be the best, who should you follow for digital marketing advice? You can start by checking out these diverse voices leading the charge in innovative social media tactics and thought leadership.
How can someone be a social media marketing expert?
First, let’s talk about what makes a person a social media marketing expert. Anyone can claim to be an SMM guru—and plenty do—but how do you determine who’s actually worth listening to?
You can start by looking at their impact on the industry. A social media marketer should have a significant influence on the industry, both through contributions as a thought leader and successful campaigns. Other marketing leaders should recognize their work as influential and innovative.
The novelty of their strategies is also essential. They should have unique social media marketing techniques that stand out from the competition and deliver clear, provable results.
Finally, they should show continuous follower engagement and growth. Engagement highlights their ability to reach their target audience, while follower count represents their popularity and trustworthiness.
The top 18 social media experts, influencers, and trendsetters to follow
Following industry leaders can be beneficial if you want to learn how to run successful social media campaigns and keep up with current best practices and trends. Not every so-called expert is worth listening to, but these top social media influencers, experts, and trendsetters really deliver value.
(Note: All influencers discussed below were found during our online research for this article.)
1. Zaria Parvez
If you want to become a better social media strategist, Zaria Parvez is one of the most influential voices to follow. As Duolingo’s senior global social media manager, Zaria is renowned for next-level marketing strategies across social media platforms.
Zaria has become a Gen Z social media sensation, proving the power of creative freedom and trust. In her managerial role, she has scaled Duolingo’s TikTok account to over 6 million followers.
Since starting her role at Duolingo, Zaria has been named one of Forbes’ 30 under 30, Ad Age’s Social Marketer of the Year, and in Adweek’s Creative 100.
2. Neal Schaffer
Do you want to learn how to leverage influencer marketing to increase social media ROI? Consider following Neal Schaffer. He’s an expert in influencer marketing and social media strategies for businesses, and he offers practical advice on leveraging social media for brand growth.
As a founder of PDCA, a digital marketing consultancy, Neal has become an authority in helping brands transform their marketing campaigns. He’s also the author of the sales and marketing books Maximize Your Social and The Age of Influence, which redefine the use of social media to expand your business’s digital influence.
3. Mari Smith
Also known as the “Queen of Facebook,” Mari Smith’s insights into Facebook marketing strategies and engagement techniques are invaluable. Smith is a trainer, author, consultant, and Forbes Top Social Media Power Influencer.
As an influencer with a massive following, Mari coaches businesses on how to create a positive, passionate, and enthusiastic face for their products and campaigns. Following Mari Smith can help you learn how to improve your marketing techniques on Facebook to achieve measurable results.
4. Guillaume Huin
Guillaume Huin is the force behind McDonald’s USA’s success on social media. Closing in on 11 years at the franchise, Huin has become the senior director of marketing. The social media expert broke the internet during the 2023 Grimace shake trend that got over 145 million views on TikTok.
The award-winning director leads a marketing team that engages customers and encourages user-generated content. By leaning on his expertise in social media, you can get impactful insights on how to increase your social media engagement and create a sense of community.
5. Nathan Allebach
Do you want to keep up with the latest marketing trends? Consider following Nathan Allebach. The social media strategist is known for personifying the “Steak-umm” on Twitter, featured in USA Today and the Washington Post.
In 2022, Nathan made a viral video about the importance of third places, which gained over 1 million views on TikTok and 4 million on Twitter (now X). Today, he talks about different types of content creation (memes, words, and video content) social media strategies, and brand development.
6. Macy Gilliam
Macy Gilliam is a social video producer for the Morning Brew podcast. Together with the company’s marketing director, Macy creates B2B and B2C videos on personal finance and entrepreneurship. She also uses videos to tell stories relevant to her target audience, often covering inspiring small business owners.
If you want to integrate videos into your social media marketing, following Macy Gilliam can help you learn:
- How to write scripts that set the pace for success
- Best practices for creating short marketing videos on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or X
- How to edit your videos like a pro
7. Bri Reynolds
Bri Reynolds is a social media manager at Lyft. She shares valuable insights on things like finding the best social media manager for your business and how feedback from your social team can grow your brand.
She also hosts the How I Posted This podcast, which focuses on breaking down the maze behind the post button. In her podcasts, Bri invites other social media experts to discuss the secrets behind their success.
So, if you want to learn more about effective social media management, follow Bri Reynolds on LinkedIn and listen to her podcasts.
8. Marketing Millennials
Created by Daniel Murray, the founder of Authority B2B, the Marketing Millennials podcast provides insights from industry leaders. They invite guests running and managing businesses with large communities to share insights on various topics like building strong portfolio newsletters and scaling on social media platforms.
If you’re looking for a place to network and learn from the fastest-growing brands across the globe, consider listening to their podcast. You can also enroll in their content creation course to improve your digital marketing skills.
9. Sam Wells
Sam Wells is a social media director, brand builder, and content creator. He focuses on creating evangelistic brand communities and building strong social media experiences and presence for business growth.
As the head of social at Nutrabolt, Sam spearheads the brand’s success through digital marketing strategies like influencer marketing and paid ads. He also shares interesting LinkedIn posts revolving around social media marketing.
Follow Sam Wells to learn how to use influencers and paid adverts to achieve your social media goals.
10. Mark Schaefer
Mark Schaefer is a leading keynote speaker, marketing strategist, and author who focuses on the intersection of marketing, technology, and humanity. His work on content shock and the importance of personal branding on social media has been revolutionary.
As the director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions, Mark has helped numerous businesses develop effective digital strategies. He has also taught companies and leaders how to improve their marketing campaigns through training and workshops. In addition, his Grow blog has been recognized as one of the leading marketing blogs worldwide.
Mark also runs the Marketing Companion podcast, where he shares great ideas and insights that can help marketers elevate their game. Connect with Mark Schaefer to learn about personal branding, discover how to develop an effective marketing strategy, and listen to inspiring keynote speeches.
11. Ann Handley
Ann Handley is a content and digital marketing strategist presently serving as a Chief Content Officer for Marketing Profs. She is also a co-founder of ClickZ.com, a resource for marketing news, advice, and commentary. Ann is a keynote speaker and the author of the best-selling book Everybody Writes, among others.
Forbes has cited Ann Handley as the most influential woman on social media and listed her among the top 20 women bloggers in ForbesWomen.
Ann creates engaging content about digital marketing and offers helpful ideas on creating compelling social media narratives. Follow Ann on LinkedIn or her personal website and learn how to create marketing content your target audience will love.
12. Kim Garst
Kim Garst is a renowned keynote speaker, marketing strategist, and best-selling author. She emphasizes the power of live video on platforms like Facebook and Instagram for building authentic connections and delivering engaging content.
Kim has been at the forefront of leveraging technology in marketing solutions. She helps businesses train AI to suit their unique voices and brand messages and use it to reach more audiences.
Whether you are an entrepreneur or a marketing professional, Kim can help you learn how to integrate AI into your campaigns for tangible results.
13. Jay Baer
Jay Baer is a B2B influencer, keynote speaker, business growth and customer experience strategist, and author. Global Gurus named him the #1 Global Marketing Guru and #2 Customer Experience Expert in 2024.
Jay advocates for the importance of customer service through social media, highlighting how to turn complaints into opportunities. He also advises businesses on increasing their customer base while maintaining relationships with already acquired clients.
By following him, you can learn how to turn your target audience into customers and repeat clients.
14. Madalyn Sklar
Do you want to know how to create tweets that engage your target audience? Follow Madalyn Sklar, a social media evangelist known for her expertise in Twitter (X) marketing. She has previously ranked as the number one social media power influencer in Houston, Texas, and made Search Engine Journal’s list of 50 Incredible Women to Follow.
Madalyn hosts #TwitterSmarter chats that bring marketers together to discuss topics revolving around smart marketing techniques. She also shares actionable tips for increasing engagement and visibility on X.
15. Brian Fanzo
Brain Fanzo is a digital marketing specialist and keynote speaker. He’s the founder and CEO of iSocialFanz, a digital media company helping brands leverage influencer marketing and technology to engage clients and grow their impact. He has been recognized as a business leader of the future and a leading digital transformation influencer.
Brian speaks on digital transformation and the future of social media. Following this expert provides an opportunity to learn about the latest industry trends and the role of technology in personalizing experiences with your customers.
16. Tommy Clark
Tommy Clark leads Compound Content Studio, a digital marketing agency that helps businesses launch an organic social media presence that generates product demands and increases revenue.
He is also the author of Social Files, a newsletter discussing how B2B companies can develop product demand and attract customers with social content.
Follow Tommy Clark for B2B social media marketing tips, tricks, and insights.
17. Rachel Karten
Rachel Karten is a social media consultant who helps businesses create value-driven, delightful social strategies. As a social media associate director at Bon Appétit, she led the social media team to win the Webby and National Magazine Awards for best social.
Rachel is also the author of the popular newsletter Link in Bio, which compiles interviews with marketing professionals on different industry topics. Connect with her to access marketing strategy tips, mini-essays, weekly social posts, and chats with newsletter interviewees.
18. Annie-Mai Hodge
Annie-Mai Hodge is a social media expert and the founder of Girl Power Marketing, which aims to keep you updated on the evolving marketing world. Annie also posts the latest news and trends on each social media platform on LinkedIn.
Follow Annie-Mai to gain valuable insights into content curation, social media monitoring, and audience management.
Use Bitly to empower your marketing strategy with expert insights
Social media marketing is an essential part of any business strategy, but keeping up with industry trends can be challenging. By following these social media experts, influencers, and trendsetters, you can gain tips and insights that will help you develop successful marketing strategies.
And when it comes to effectively implementing your new strategies, Bitly can help! Bitly doesn’t just provide branded, shortened links. With the Bitly Connections Platform, you have access to powerful marketing tools that can elevate your SMM campaigns: Short URLs, QR Codes, Link-in-bios, analytics, and more!
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