18 Marketers, Influencers, & Thought Leaders You HAVE to Read on Medium

— December 23, 2016

For digital marketers, there’s no better social network than Twitter. However, despite being the most popular social media channel for marketing professionals by far, Twitter does have its limitations – most notably, the platform’s trademark brevity. Twitter is perfect for catching up with the latest news from the ever-changing world of digital marketing, but when you’re craving content with a little more substance, where do you go?


Medium.


Best marketers on Medium


The burgeoning blogging platform has grown hugely popular during the past couple of years. In addition to giving thousands of independent bloggers a platform upon which to build their burgeoning content empires, many major publications have migrated to the platform due to its popularity with audiences and its intuitive social functionality. For readers and content creators alike, this is great news, as it’s easier than ever before to get your content in front of new readers.


In today’s post, we’ll be taking a look at the 18 digital marketers, thought leaders, and influencers you need to be reading on Medium and why. Oh, and if you’re wondering why a certain person wasn’t included, it’s because they’re either not on Medium or haven’t posted yet!


Anil Dash


Anil Dash isn’t just one of tech’s most well-known and widely respected figures, he’s also one of the funniest, most insightful writers on Medium. Anil’s posts run the gamut, from topical takes on developing tech news to broader, yet no less interesting, ruminations on everything from Game of Thrones to workplace culture.


Larry Kim


It would be remiss of me to omit WordStream’s Founder and CTO Larry Kim in any round-up of must-read Medium writers. Since joining the platform fairly recently, Larry has become incredibly prolific, writing original content and syndicating existing content, offering plenty of material for readers to get their teeth into. Essential reading for PPC marketers everywhere.


Best marketers on Medium Larry Kim


Rand Fishkin


It’s safe to say that Moz’s Rand Fishkin is among the most beloved figures in SEO, social, and search. Rand is renowned both for the depth and insight of his content, but also for his candor. I’ve been a regular reader of Rand’s work for some time, but really got into reading him after he spoke candidly about his struggles with depression, and he brings that same authenticity to his Medium posts – a rare and wonderful thing these days.


Ann Handley


Marketing Profs’ Ann Handley is arguably the leading content marketing expert in the world. A well-known author and speaker, Ann should be on everybody’s reading list. Not only is her content remarkably useful and insightful, it’s also extremely entertaining and easy to read. Miss at your peril.


Guy Kawasaki


Few public figures in tech can command the kind of respect and admiration that Guy Kawasaki can. The former Apple evangelist is an expert in just about every field that’s relevant to marketers you can imagine, from how to grow an ecommerce business to the ethics of modern technology. Admittedly, Guy is much more active on Twitter, but he’s definitely worth following on Medium, too.


Brian Clark


Brian Clark is, without a doubt, one of the smartest and hardest-working people in digital media. In addition to founding the (excellent) Copyblogger, Brian is also CEO Rainmaker Digital, host of the (also excellent) Unemployable podcast, as well as the curator of Further, another promising digital media brand. With this much experience, it’s no wonder Brian is so highly sought-after.


Mari Smith


Describing Mari Smith as a “power influencer” is quite a disservice. Few people in the world are as influential or skilled in the field of social media as Mari, and she regularly shares her insights and expertise with her considerable audience. If you like smart, actionable social strategies, you won’t be disappointed.


Best marketers on Medium Mari Smith


Shelly Kramer


Brand strategist Shelly Kramer has been at the forefront of digital media for years, and brings this experience to bear in her writing. Shelly’s expertise is extraordinarily diverse, meaning there’s something for all tastes, and she definitely isn’t afraid to make bold statements or ask tough questions, a reminder to all of us that we can do better.


Dharmesh Shah


HubSpot’s charismatic Founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah is one of the best-known names in digital marketing. Not only does Dharmesh’s considerable experience in the world of tech make for compelling reading, his surprisingly modest, down-to-earth attitude is a genuine pleasure in a world of grating, self-styled experts. The real mystery is how Dharmesh finds the time to write anything.


Will Critchlow


I first encountered Distilled Founder Will Critchlow at the Searchlove conference when it rolled into Boston last year. As I later learned, Will’s distinctive speaking style and considerable expertise in SEO and search translates very well to his writing – the only thing that’s missing is Will’s classically British accent. Always an informative and entertaining read, Will should definitely be on your must-read list.


Best marketers on Medium Will Critchlow


Courtney Seiter


As someone who reads a lot of content, one of the things that saddens me the most about web content is how instantly forgettable most of it is. This cannot be said of Courtney Seiter’s work. I still remember some of Courtney’s posts today, several years after they were first published. Courtney frequently manages to combine several disparate topics into a cohesive whole (which is much more difficult than it sounds), and provides her readers with genuine insight and depth. It’s always a pleasure to read Courtney’s work, and I’d strongly advise you start.


Erica McGillivray


Erica McGillivray is one of the most singularly awesome people online, period. The former Community Manager at Moz, Erica writes about some of the most urgent social problems facing the tech industry today, and has long been a champion of marginalized groups, the LGBTQ community in particular. If you want to learn more about forming and maintaining inclusive communities, look no further.


Amber Naslund


Life as a digital marketer can be tough, but surprisingly little is written about work-life balance for marketers. That’s what makes Amber Naslund’s writing so compelling. Amber often writes about issues that are just as important – if not more so – to marketers besides new tools and workflows, and her work is very accessible and straightforward.


Best marketers on Medium Amber Naslund


Danny Sullivan


Few people have covered and reported on the rapidly changing world of search longer or more comprehensively as Third Door Media’s Danny Sullivan. As the founding editor of Marketing Land and Search Engine Land and one of search’s best-known figures, Danny frequently examines pressing concerns in search from a wider perspective, providing readers with an in-depth, analytical take on changing technologies and trends. If you’re in search, you need to be reading Danny Sullivan – period.


Aleyda Solis


If you’ve ever attended one of Aleyda Solis’s presentations at a conference, you already know that she doesn’t pull any punches. Aleyda’s no-nonsense approach to digital marketing is what makes her writing so compelling, and the diversity of the topics she covers is as broad as her considerable knowledge of everything from SEO to social media. Time for a reality check? Read Aleyda first.


Reshma Saujani


Reshma Saujani is the Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, an organization that advocates for greater gender equality in tech. In addition to founding and running such an ass-kicking organization, Reshma frequently publishes really great posts about a wide range of topics related to tech, digital entrepreneurship, and more.


Best marketers on Medium Reshma Saujani


Gary Vaynerchuk


Gary Vaynerchuk knows more than a thing or two about PPC – as well as virtually every other aspect of digital marketing. The author, entrepreneur, and podcaster shares some of the most actionable content I’ve read of any marketer on Medium, and his writing style is both accessible and entertaining. If you’re new to digital marketing or thinking of striking out on your own as an entrepreneur, Gary is the ideal guide.


Matt Umbro


The #PPCChat hashtag on Twitter is the place to discuss everything paid search, and Matt Umbro created it. Matt, who works at Hanapin Marketing, is one of the most active PPC experts on Medium, and his years of experience in PPC are clearly evident in his content.


Who’s your favorite marketer on Medium? Get at me in the comments with suggestions on who else we should be reading regularly.

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Author: Dan Shewan


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