AI in content marketing is one of the key drivers of change in the industry.
In fact, we polled over 200 marketers using our AI Score for Marketers assessment tool and out of 60 common use cases, content marketing activities constantly topped the list as the most valuable.
Why is that?
Because every single business has to read, analyze, and create content to promote their company. And it takes an enormous amount of time, resources, and skill to do so successfully.
This is where artificial intelligence comes in.
AI has the ability to make predictions using large datasets and then improve from user inputs.
Meaning, it can read, write, and suggest content, sometimes far more effectively (and quickly) than its human counterparts.
For the content marketers that get started now, AI can be your competitive advantage. It can enable you to brainstorm, create, promote, and optimize content like never before.
We’ve already shared tips on how to do better content marketing with AI, companies to demo, and AI tools for content strategy.
But, who better to learn from than our peers?
This is why we created a list of 14 influencers dominating the content marketing and AI space.
Whether you are a content marketer just getting started with AI or a seasoned professional—this list will not disappoint.
1. Christopher S. Penn, Co-Founder & Chief Innovator, Trust Insights (@cspenn)
Penn is an authority on all things analytics, digital marketing, marketing technology, and AI. His ability to apply these skills across a variety of industries and verticals makes him a solid follow on every network.
2. Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman, VaynerX, (@garyvee)
It’s actually impossible to have a list of content marketing influencers without including Gary Vee. As Chairman of VaynerX, CEO of VaynerMedia, and a five-time New York Times bestselling author, Vaynerchuk has built a media empire entirely on hustling out content (all while maintaining contact with the commonfolk. Go ahead and email him, I dare you.).
3. Jeff Coyle, Co-Founder, MarketMuse (@jeffrey_coyle)
Coyle is co-founder of AI-powered content strategy tool MarketMuse, so he's got an expert perspective on how artificial intelligence is transforming content marketing as we know it.
4. Hannah Fry, Associate Professor, UCL, (@fryRsquared)
Not only is Fry the host of one of our new favorite podcasts, DeepMind: The Podcast, she’s also the author of Hello World: How to Be Human in the Age of Algorithms. She does an exceptional job of speaking to the human side of AI and showcasing the people behind the science.
5. Neil Patel, Co-Founder, Neil Patel Digital, (@neilpatel)
Patel has been deemed a top marketing influencer by the likes of The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and more. Even better, he gets AI and machine learning and shares specific tips for infusing them into your marketing efforts.
6. Larry Kim, CEO, MobileMonkey, (@LarryKim)
As CEO of Facebook Messenger chatbot company MobileMonkey and founder of AI-powered advertising tool Wordstream, Kim has generous experience combining AI and content marketing. Also, it’s rumored he can go viral on social just by breathing...
7. Michael Brenner, CEO, Marketing Insider Group, (@brennermichael)
For years, Brenner has been recognized as a top influencer in the business world. His past experience as CMO at CONCURED, content marketing tool that uses AI to create content strategies that prove ROI, makes him the perfect candidate for our list.
8. Joe Pulizzi, Founder, Content Marketing Institute, (@JoePulizzi)
Often referred to as the Godfather of Content Marketing, Pulizzi is a content marketing expert with a strong understanding of the importance of AI. Adding him to your network will boost your content marketing knowledge tenfold.
9. Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, Marketing Profs, (@marketingprofs)
As the world’s first Chief Content Officer (and founder of two digital marketing startups), Handley knows a thing or two about building success from the ground up. Not to mention, Forbes listed her as the most influential woman on social media. 😉
10. George Banis, Engineering Lead of Machine Learning, HubSpot, (@gbanis)
If you’re looking for an expert engineering perspective on AI and machine learning, Banis is your guy. We highly recommend his Twitter feed if you enjoy geeking out on deep learning and neural networks.
11. Gerry Moran, Global Head of Social Media, Cognizant (@gerrymoran)
Moran uses his role of social media lead at Cognizant, an AI-powered digital service provider, to improve the world with better content. Plus, he’s full of useful social tips (like what words not to use on your LinkedIn profile).
12. Jay Baer, Founder, Convince and Convert, (@jaybaer)
Baer is no stranger to innovation. His content marketing expertise has enabled him to found five multi-million dollar companies, author six best-selling business books, and be inducted into the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame. Baer knows his stuff.
13. Jim Yu, Founder and CEO, BrightEdge, (@jimyu)
As BrightEdge’s founder and CEO, global leader in SEO and content performance marketing, Yu brings fresh insight on search intent discovery and optimized content performance to our timelines.
14. Paul Roetzer, Founder and CEO, Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute, (@paulroetzer)
As the founder of an inbound marketing agency, AI content hub for marketers, and a marketing AI conference, Roetzer understands the current and future potential of AI to completely transform the industry.
Want to follow them all? Find the full list on Twitter here.
Ashley Sams
Ashley Sams is director of marketing at Ready North. She joined the agency in 2017 with a background in marketing, specifically for higher education and social media. Ashley is a 2015 graduate of The University of Mount Union where she earned a degree in marketing.