Best LinkedIn Marketing Experts Everyone Should Follow

Staying on top of marketing knowledge means learning from the best — LinkedIn marketing experts. In this blog, we explore individuals who’ve honed their skills engaging and influencing on LinkedIn that can help your team elevate your LinkedIn presence, boost business growth and overall brand awareness. These trailblazers are not just skilled in networking — they're innovators in crafting strategies that resonate deeply with diverse professional audiences. 

1. Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvaynerchuk) 

Gary Vaynerchuk is the CEO of VaynerMedia and a digital marketing pioneer known for his expertise in social media, branding and entrepreneurship. His longstanding career, forward-thinking approach and ability to predict trends make him a go-to source for marketers. 

2. Ann Handley (@AnnHandley)

Ann Handley is the Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs. She’s an early adopter and a pioneer in digital marketing and content creation, who’s renowned for her insightful approach to content marketing, often emphasizing the importance of storytelling and engaging content to entice and retain your audience. 

3. Neil Patel (@NeilPatel)

If you’re immersed in the world of social media and SEO, Neil Patel is probably a familiar name. Patel is the co-founder of Neil Patel Digital and a well-known figure in digital content marketing. Neil is known for his ability to simplify complex SEO concepts and for creating tools and resources like UberSuggest or SEO Analyzer, these tools and actionable advice help make him a favorite among marketers.

4. Seth Godin (@SethGodin)

Seth Godin is an author and entrepreneur, known for his longtime career in marketing. Godin is known for his thought-provoking insights and his focus on the human side of marketing, often encouraging marketers to be authentic and innovative — a concept that resonates with marketers (and consumers) who want to avoid overtly ‘sales-y’ language and concepts traditionally associated with marketing. 

5. Rand Fishkin (@RandFishkin)

Rand Fishkin is the co-founder of Moz and SparkToro and a key figure in the SEO world. His understanding and explanations of search engine algorithms and user behavior make him a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their online visibility and stay on top of search trends via LinkedIn. 

6. Kim Garst (@KimGarst)

Kim Garst is the co-founder of Boom! Social, and is known for her expertise in personal branding and social selling. She aims to teach businesses how to use social media to connect with customers authentically.

7. Jay Baer (@JayBaer)

Jay Baer is the founder of Convince & Convert, and author and a digital marketing and customer experience expert. He's known for his insightful analysis of consumer behavior and how to create marketing strategies that resonate with audiences, and has acted as an advisor to over 700 brands. 

8. Mari Smith (@MariSmith)

Mari Smith is an author and marketing professional who’s often referred to as the ‘Queen of Facebook.’ As a leading expert in Facebook marketing, she's known for her comprehensive knowledge of Facebook's advertising platforms and how to use them effectively for business growth.

9. Brian Dean (@BrianDean)

Brian Dean is the founder of Backlinko, a website that helps brands with their SEO strategy, and Exploding Topics, a trend-spotting software. Dean is an SEO expert known for his in-depth research and data-driven approach. His link-building strategies and content optimization are highly regarded in the SEO community.

10. Shama Hyder (@ShamaHyder)

Shama Hyder is the founder and CEO of Zen Media, a global marketing and digital PR firm, known for their B2B strategies. Hyder is known as a visionary in digital marketing, particularly in integrated and agile marketing strategies. Her focus on leveraging technology for marketing makes her a key resource for understanding digital trends.

11. Lia Haberman (@liahaberman)

Lia Haberman is a self-employed digital marketing expert who specializes in an audience-first approach to digital marketing — she consults for brands including AT&T, Riot Games and even teaches influencer and Social Media Marketing at the UCLA Extension school. She also runs a popular newsletter called ICYMI, which offers marketing tips, insights and updates on industry trends.

Tap Into Brand Performance With Dash Hudson

Brands can tap into their LinkedIn performance with Dash Hudson’s LinkedIn Insights — here, you can compare your LinkedIn performance by itself, by post or against your other brands, in any given time period. Your team can also source your top-performing posts on LinkedIn, so you can quickly discover which content resonates best with your audience. 

FAQs

What is a LinkedIn Marketing Expert? 

A LinkedIn Expert could be anyone adept at leveraging LinkedIn to share their professional knowledge and boost brand visibility, but it’s also a separate designation from LinkedIn itself. A LinkedIn Certified Marketing Expert is someone who demonstrates a high level of knowledge surrounding the platform and has passed one or more certification exams through LinkedIn Marketing Labs. Becoming a LinkedIn Certified Marketing Expert gives you access to different perks at different levels. At Level One, you’ll gain access to a certificate for your profile. At Level Two, you gain access to virtual events, participation in the LinkedIn Marketing Insiders group and an attendance stamp for each event you attend. At Level Three, you can earn access to Certified Marketing Expert networking events, a Certified Marketing Experts badge and be featured on LinkedIn Marketing Lab’s site. 

How do you become a LinkedIn Marketing Expert? 

To become a LinkedIn Certified Marketing Expert, you must pass one or all three levels of the Certifed Marketing Expert via the LinkedIn Marketing Labs. However, applications open once a year — in the meantime, hopefuls can take free courses provided by LinkedIn to make sure their LinkedIn and marketing knowledge is up-to-date.