7 Social Media Influencers You Can Learn From

"The only mistake in life is the lesson not learned." - Albert Einstein

In the digital age, social media is one of the most influential forces when it comes to engaging with prospects and raising brand awareness.

In fact, 81% of millennials check Twitter at least once per day and 22% of the world’s total population uses Facebook - and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Social media influences the way we connect with one another and is becoming more ubiquitous in everyday life each year.

If you want to keep your finger on the pulse and continue to evolve your digital skills; follow these social media influencers for daily inspiration and insight into the world of digital marketing.

Gary Vaynerchuk

Twitter closes the six degrees of separation to one degree of separation.

A serial entrepreneur, founder of Vaynermedia, and author of bestselling marketing book ‘Crush It’ - Gary Vee understands the value of digital marketing and online sales in today's world.

Gary is passionate about what he does and spreads his marketing efforts across a variety of social media platforms including Medium, Twitter and YouTube to offer his followers regular tips, insights, and actionable career lessons.

By following Gary on social, you'll not only benefit from honest, practical digital marketing advice on a variety of subjects, but you'll also be able to understand the power of video in today's digital climate. With a YouTube following of 636,891 and counting, Gary's video content offers clear insight into how a winning formula works when it comes to producing videos for your target audience.

Follow Gary on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Shelly Kramer

No doubt about it, you need to serve your customer's phenomenal digital experiences to foster better outcomes for your business—that’s a no-brainer.

Shelly DeMotte Kramer is a CEO, marketing veteran and social media influencer with a passion for digital transformation.

An expert on helping businesses leverage digital platforms and practices to their advantage, Shelly is the person to follow if you're in the process of applying fresh thinking to your digital marketing strategy. Shelly's Twitter feed alone boasts 105k followers and is filled with a mix of her own articles as well as carefully curated posts focusing on the power of influencer marketing and digital transformation.

27% of senior executives rate digital transformation as now being “a matter of survival.” Follow Shelly if you want to understand what you can do to compete in the fast-paced realm of digital and stay one step of the pack.

Mari Smith

The secret to social media success is to think and act like a member first, and a marketer second.

Hailed by Forbes as one of the world's top social media power influencers, Mari Smith is now widely regarded as the Queen of Facebook.

Smith is meticulous about the content she posts and believes that all content should inform, entertain and inspire.

One of the most striking things about Mari's social media presence, particularly on Facebook, is the fact that she mixes her professional life with her personal life in her posts - this authentic approach to her social channels has helped to earn her more than 350,000 followers.

Speaking to the media, Smith explained one of her keys to social media success...

"Engagement doesn’t pay the bills. Be strategic: Get the leads and convert the leads into paying customers."

Although engagement is critical to Mari, she warns that to be a success, you must focus your efforts on lead generation and converting users; by following her Facebook feed and reading her content, you'll understand how to do so in no time.

Follow Mari on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Jessica Zollman

Instagram Stories is a huge game changer – it’s brought authenticity back to highly curated, portfolio-esque Instagram feeds.

Primarily, Jessica is a photographer, but as a social media influencer, she is a force to be reckoned with.

As Instagram's fifth employee and community manager until 2013, Jessica is adept at using the platform and has used her expertise to promote her work and build a huge following, which now spans Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

As a millennial herself, Jessica can step into the shoes of her target audience with ease. Jessica speaks with her photography and leverages the power of Instagram Stories to connect with people with visually stunning, beautifully crafted snippets of her work, as well as of her life. Jessica may dazzle with her visual campaigns, but she also understands the value of analytics:

"Most large influencers have analytics, and you can see the reach/impact the content they share has on their audience. You can see who has viewed the piece of content on Instagram, and even unique accounts who saw the post. Brands aren’t asking for that number and they should."

If you'd like to understand how to master marketing through Instagram, following Jessica's movements is a must.

Follow Jessica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Dan Schawbel

Brand yourself for the career you want, not the job you have.

The author of New York Times bestseller 'Promote Yourself' and founder of Workplace Trends, Dan Schawbel is an advocate of career progression, company culture, and business branding - and he is massively influential on both Facebook and Twitter.

A Columbia University study shows that staff turnover level at companies that foster a positive company culture is a mere 13.9%, whereas the rate of staff turnover at companies who do not prioritise company culture stands at 48.4%. In short, company culture affects how a business operates at its most fundamental level.

Dan regularly updates his Twitter and Facebook feeds with his Forbes articles on improving company culture, focusing your learning efforts in the right places and studies on pioneering workplace trends. If you want to understand how to boost your career prospects and help improve your working environment, following Dan is a must.

Follow Dan on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Aaron Lee

These days, social media waits for no one. If you’re LATE for the party, you’ll probably be covered by all the noise, and you might not be able to get your voice across.

Ranked fifth on Forbes' 2013 50 Top Power Influencers List, Aaron Lee is revered by his peers - and he's a shining example of the power of personal branding.

Brand messages are re-shared 24 times more frequently when posted by an employee as opposed to the brand’s social media channels. Aaron's Instagram and Twitter feeds tie in with his personal lifestyle blog Short of Height seamlessly and his razor sharp personal branding skills have won him an astonishing 815k followers on Twitter.

Aaron is very active on The Huffington Post, Social Media Examiner and Mashable, among others, and his articles are packed with valuable advice on branding, social selling, lead generation, and connecting with people online.

For a masterclass on how to generate leads and gain exposure by creating an individual brand that complements your company's core message, following Aaron is a no brainer.

Jason Eng

As the Digital Optimization Community Leader for IBM, Jason Eng is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to connecting with prospects on a personal level - and his various social media feeds are filled with intriguing insights on branding and successfully launching a thriving online community as part of your digital strategy.

80% of consumers say authentic content influences whether or not they follow a brand - and online communities offer a great way of sharing valuable content with your target audience and in turn, increasing conversions. If you want to know more about the subject, Jason's social media feeds won't disappoint.

Follow Jason on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In the world of digital marketing, knowledge is everything. By following these social media influencers, you'll help to ensure your skills evolve to meet the demands of an industry that is constantly evolving and enjoy long-term success in your field.

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