I didn’t become truly interested in Twitter until last year (I know, I’m very late to the party). Before that, I thought it was just a place for big companies to advertise their products, or for upset customers to complain to those companies.
My perspective changed when Larry Kim, a self-proclaimed Twitter enthusiast, showed me how useful the platform can be. He helped me realize that Twitter is an incredibly effective tool for connecting with other search engine marketing (SEM) professionals, staying updated on the latest pay-per-click (PPC) trends, and getting advice on managing client accounts. In fact, I’ve learned that the most valuable way to use Twitter is to follow individuals rather than businesses.
With countless SEM experts active on Twitter, who should you be following? Here are the top 15 PPC specialists I suggest keeping an eye on!
1. Matt Umbro, @matt_umbro
Matt is well-known in the PPC community, not only for his expertise in SEM but also for founding #ppcchat, a weekly discussion that all dedicated PPC professionals should participate in or at least catch the recordings of. Matt excels at choosing diverse topics for these conversations, encompassing strategy, tactics, and industry news, and he prepares insightful questions that stimulate engaging online discussions.
2. Kirk Williams, @PPCKirk
Kirk, the owner of ZATO Marketing, has risen to prominence in the SEM world largely because of his amusing PPC-themed memes. Whenever a new AdWords or Bing product is released, you can count on Kirk to create a relatable meme. His memes perfectly capture the range of emotions experienced by account managers, from client-induced stress to the thrill of success. If you need a laugh, take a look at Kirk’s complete meme collection here.
3. Ginny Marvin, @ginnymarvin
Ginny, who covers all things paid media for Search Engine Land, is like the Katie Couric of PPC. Following her ensures you stay informed about every single update in the PPC world. She not only provides summaries of upcoming changes, but also offers valuable insights into the reasoning behind each update. Save yourself the effort of constantly checking the AdWords Insights blog and just follow Ginny. You’re welcome.
4. Maddie Cary, @maddiemarketer
I recently started following Maddie after her impressive presentation at SMX West a few weeks ago. Although she’s relatively new to the industry, it’s evident that she’s a highly skilled professional and a rising PPC star. Following her on Twitter gives you insights into the experiments she conducts on client accounts, new PPC strategies, and the daily happenings at her agency, Point It.
5. Larry Kim, @larrykim
I may be a bit biased as Larry is both my boss and mentor, but his Twitter feed is undoubtedly worth checking out. He consistently shares content on a range of topics from SEM to general business advice, along with plenty of humorous marketing memes and comics. If you’re considering starting your own SEM agency or are an aspiring startup entrepreneur, this is the account to follow. As a bonus, he occasionally posts pictures of his adorable son, Julian, also known as #ppckid.
6. Elizabeth Marsten, @ebkendo
Elizabeth recently accepted the position of Director of PPC at Mercent, a subsidiary of CommerceHub. Her Twitter feed is one of my favorites among PPC-related accounts because of her self-deprecating humor. I’d estimate that 75% of her tweets are links to blog posts outlining advanced techniques, while the remaining 25% are funny observations about the industry.
7. Frederick Vallaeys, @siliconvallaeys
Frederick, a former Google employee, is always up-to-date on the latest PPC tactics. He recently founded Optymzr, a tool designed to help agencies implement AdWords scripts and generate automated progress reports. This makes him a leading authority on AdWords scripts.
8. Melissa Mackey, @Mel66
Mel was voted the #1 most influential SEM professional in 3QDigital’s 2015 bracket, surpassing 63 other PPC experts. If that alone doesn’t convince you to follow her, she is also incredibly active on Twitter and her blog, and frequently participates in #ppcchat. Furthermore, she has extensive agency and in-house experience, giving her a well-rounded understanding of account management.
9. Christi Olsen, @ChristiJOlsen
I met Christi at a marketing conference recently, and I was immediately drawn to her unique personality and passion for the PPC industry. You’ll likely feel the same way when you follow her on Twitter. Christi has a wealth of experience in online marketing, having worked in-house for major brands before becoming the Director of SEM at Point It in Seattle. Additionally, she’s an Excel expert and shares numerous PPC-related Excel tips on her blog, Search Marketing Corner.
10. Jen Slegg, @jenstar
With over 15 years of industry experience, Jen is a regular speaker at marketing conferences and a leading SEM blogger. In fact, she’s so immersed in the world of internet marketing that she launched her own online publication, The SEM Post, which covers everything from PPC to SEO.
11. Luke Alley, @lukealley
Luke, the Director of PPC at Avalaunch Media, is rapidly gaining recognition as a rising star in the paid search industry. He’s a prominent voice in the #ppcchat community (he even hosted it a few weeks ago!), and his recent presentation at SMX West was a resounding success. Luke’s career is undoubtedly one to watch in the PPC world.
12. Margot da Cunha, @chappymargot
Margot is another up-and-coming professional who honed her PPC skills while working on the Customer Success Team here at nexus-security. She now focuses on developing industry-specific content to provide guidance to advertisers in specialized fields like travel and healthcare. If you work in a challenging sector, following Margot can provide valuable insights and help you optimize your accounts.
13. John Gagnon, @jmgagnon
John, known as “the Bing guy” in our office, is the face of Bing Ads. He presents at almost every industry conference and frequently shares his data and presentation slides on Twitter. Not only is he an expert on Bing Ads trends, but he also reliably shares any updates released for the platform. If you’re advertising on Bing, keeping an eye on John’s Twitter feed is a must. (And don’t miss this interview we did with John on five things you didn’t know about Bing Ads.)
14. Julie Friedman Bacchini, @neptunemoon
Julie is the founder and president of Neptune Moon marketing agency and another regular participant in #ppcchat. She possesses extensive knowledge of PPC, SEO, and web design, and what I appreciate most about her is her relatable personality. Her most popular blog posts are humorous AdWords rants (this one’s my favorite) that resonate with the frustrations many PPC professionals experience. I should also mention that whenever someone new to PPC asks a question on Twitter, Julie is often one of the first to offer assistance.
15. Anonymous, @drunkPPCgirl, @ppc_cat
Let’s be honest, SEM can be a bit dry sometimes. So, how can you add some fun to your Twitter feed without completely disconnecting from the industry? Follow Drunk PPC Girl and PPC Cat…I’ll let you discover what they’re all about.
Now that I’ve shared my top Twitter recommendations, I’d love to hear yours! Which PPC experts do you suggest following on Twitter?