The Top 25 Social Media Power Influencers
Social Media helps people to influence others. Done well, social media influencers gain power that allows them to gain ground with marketing. Indeed in describing the importance of social media, number one on the list of Top 50 Social Media Power Influences, Sean Gardner, stated that:
“Social media is not just an activity; it is an investment of valuable time and resources. Surround yourself with people who not just support you and stay with you, but inform your thinking about ways to WOW your online presence”
Quote by Sean Gardner. IntelligenthqUnderstanding what these influencers do and precisely how they do it can help you to build your own strategy for success with social media. In 2013, writing for Forbes Haydn Shaughnessy produced the list of the Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers which can assist with this process. The list was developed by using the social pull metric on PeekYou which reviews the number of people in second degree networks that are active. While Shaughnessy himself identifies that this list is not perfect since it addresses popularity rather than influence per se, Haydn Shaughnessy argues that it is very difficult to extrapolate influence and popularity from one another, opining that the list is valid. To further validate the list, where writers would have been included but where it was impossible to tell if the followers of those people were actually real people or not, these influencers were excluded. Additionally, Shaughnessy excluded people who generally only followed those that follow them, since in this case sphere of influence would be low regardless of the actual numbers.
The following provides an outline of the top 25 power influencers from Shaughnessy’s list:
1.Sean Gardner – writing for the Huffington Post, Sean Gardner provides insight of messages about social media that is considered to be inspirational by many. @2morrowknight
2.Ann Tran – Ann focuses on the travel industry as well as hospitality and was the number one female social power influencer. @anntran_
3.Jessica Northey – music is the focus of Jessica’s social power influence. @jessicanorthey
Jessica Northey. Intelligenthq4.Mari Smith – Mari Smith is renowned for her expertise on marketing on Facebook. She has also published a book, “The New Relationship Marketing”. @marismith
5.Aaron Lee – Lee offers good advice on his website which helps people to start out in social media. @askaaronlee
6.John Paul Aguiar – John provides advice on a range of different social tools as well as on blogging and Twitter, to help people to monetise social media. @johnaguiar
7.Liz Strauss – Strauss has a successful blog aptly named “successful-blog.com” which is worth a look. @lizstrauss
Quote By Liz Strauss. Intelligenthq8.Warren Whitlock – Warren focuses on making money out of social media and is also the host of Blog Talk Radio’s Social Media Profit Show. @warrenwhitlock
9.Ted Coine – Ted Coine works with Shawn Murphy to run a blog named Switch and Shift. @tedcoine
10.Pam Moore – this social media influencer focuses primarily on Google + and Facebook but also looks at social business. @pammktgnut
11.Jeff Bullas – Bullas does not just focus on social media expertise, and he also brings in tips for online marketing. @jeffbullas
Quote By Mari Smith. Intelligenthq12.Renee Blodgett – Renee has been recognised as an expert in social media by the broader media. She has a great deal of social media knowledge to share. @magicsaucemedia and @weblogtheworld\
13.Ted Rubin – Ted extends social media out beyond narrow confines and looks at it within the realm of the broader business environment that organisations operate within. @tedrubin
14.Eve Mayer – there is advice specific to LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and Google + available from Eve Mayer whose main area of focus is LinkedIn. @linkedinqueen
15.Glen Gilmore – Glen offers an interesting focus on Social Media Law, as well as Digital Marketing and Crisis Communications. @glengilmore
16.Paul Barron – Barron’s focus of social media power influence is in the restaurant industry. He has a TV channel that has achieved considerable success (Turn and Burn) as well as a website, digitalcoco. @paulbarron
17.Dan Schawbel – Schawbel helps people to achieve personal success through the use of social media. @danschawbel
18.Kim Garst – this writer has a focus on different tools such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Google Hangouts, among others. @kimgarst
19.Lori Ruff – Lori is an expert on LinkedIn and consults to help organisations use this excellent business tool. @loriruff
20.Ann Handley – Marketingprofs is Ann’s site and this churns out helpful social media information. Ann is also an expert in content marketing. @marketingprofs
21.Chris Brogan – Chris delivers courses that help individuals to learn and grow. @chrisbrogan
22.Gary Vaynerchuck – VaynerMedia is a social media and brand consulting agency that was the brainchild of Gary who began discussing social media as it relates to the wine industry. @garyvee
23.Chris Voss – Voss has a radio show and a broad range of social media content. @chrisvoss
24.Pam Dyer – patterns and trends in social media are Dyer’s core focus. She is the marketing manager at SolutionsIQ. @pamdyer
25.Laura Fitton – Fitton’s focus is Twitter but she is also an exceptional online marketing expert. @pistachio
Paula Newton is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Paula’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Paula has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Paula has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
