The social media landscape is changing all of the time thanks to constant innovation and new challengers entering the marketplace on an almost daily basis. It can be difficult for brands to keep up with the rapid pace, and B2B brands in particular have historically found it difficult to adapt to new technologies and methodologies.
That’s why it’s so important to follow thought leaders in the space who are able to provide actionable advice on how to best make use of the different platforms that are now available. It’s almost impossible to predict exactly how social technology will continue to develop, but there are certain trends that tend to hold true and which can be expected to continue.
Identifying those trends is a job for an expert. Here are just two of the best.
Jeff Bullas
Jeff Bullas was able to grow website traffic from zero to over five million visitors a year, and social networking played a major role in that. Better still, he gives away a free toolkit that includes the resources that you need to follow in his footsteps, which means you don’t even have to pay to benefit from his knowledge.
Bullas is also one of the most dedicated bloggers on the web when it comes to social media marketing. He’s been at it for years, and most of his content is evergreen – so even if you finish reading his latest articles, you can dig back through his archive to continue your education.
If you’re simply struggling for a little inspiration, there’s nowhere better. He also offers a bunch of downloadable ebooks and even a “what type of marketer are you?” quiz, and if you get a chance to see him speak at a conference then we highly recommend it. He’s undeniably passionate about what he does, and that passion is contagious.
Find out more about Jeff Bullas.
Travis Wright
Travis Wright is a “keynote speaker, marketing technologist, columnist, futurist and smart ass” who delivers presentations all over the world on technological and marketing related topics. In fact, Wright mostly focusses on the intersection of marketing and technology, where new tools can be used to level up marketing efforts and to make a bigger impact.
What’s interesting about Wright is that he doesn’t limit himself to any particular field. For example, while he’s mostly thought of as a marketer, he also has plenty to say on the topic of social recruitment and social selling. He appreciates that the modern business is a fully rounded creature that absorbs new technology into the way that it runs – instead of using it in isolation in different departments.
Wright hasn’t updated the blog on his site for a while, but he does pour a lot of effort into his social networking presence and so it’s worth giving him a follow there for his insights on marketing and modern business. Better still, catch one of his keynotes – on top of everything else, Wright is a stand-up comedian, which means he also knows how to entertain an audience.
Find out more about Travis Wright.
Dane
Dane Cobain is a published author, freelance writer, book blogger, poet and (occasional) musician from High Wycombe, UK. Before going freelance, he worked as a social media marker, now specialising in writing about publishing, technology and marketing.