Who to follow on LinkedIn if you work in Advertising or Marketing

If you're looking to expand your network, seeking a new job or simply want to boost your career there's no denying the power of LinkedIn. But to get the maximum benefits from the platform, you can't stop there - it has long been argued that following industry influencers will give your career an additional edge.

Initially LinkedIn opened it's publishing platform to a select few influencers to share their original content, but in 2014 they gave every member the ability to publish posts. Since then professionals and 'thought leaders' all across the globe have seized the opportunity to communicate with a business audience. Many LinkedIn members, including me, have embraced the chance to share their insights with others around the world (which is where the algorithm sometimes allows your content to go).

Following someone on LinkedIn allows you to pick up on their insights and expertise, access any articles they write, as well as the engagements he or she has with other members. But actually finding these influencers to follow who you feel you can genuinely learn from is easier said than done. In my experience it's not as simple as entering keywords into a search field.

Below I've pulled together a list of influencers I would recommend you follow if you work in Advertising or Marketing having found each of them over recent times.

My criteria for narrowing this list down was simple: These influencers post original content I find relevant and compelling as an Ad man (with no self-improvement fluff) and they must write and share articles semi-regularly.

Based on this, see below who I would recommend you follow on LinkedIn if you work within the fields of Advertising or Marketing. I've included a link to each of their profiles and some examples of their writing under each name for your perusal and consideration:

1) Tim Williams - Business model and pricing strategist

• Why Timesheets Are Innovation Killers
• The Fatal Flaw in Full Service
• You Know Your Costs, But Do You Know Your Value?

2) Bernard Marr - Internationally best-selling author; keynote speaker; leading business, technology and data expert

• How Artificial Intelligence Is Improving Chatbots For Businesses
• 30+ Practical Uses Of Blockchain Technology You Should Know
• 8 Business Lessons You Can Learn From Playing Fortnite

3) Avinash Kaushik - Author, Blogger, Digital Marketing Evangelist

• Stop Exceeding Expectations, Suck Less First.
• AI Enters University. Your Move Humans!
• Brand Marketing: Metrics to Love.

4) Kevin J. Walker - Brand strategist. Creator of brands that yield real value.

• Of Storytelling And Storytellers
• Have Your Brand Take A Selfie
• The Purpose And Proper Use Of Key Messaging

5) Mark Ritson - Adjunct Professor of Marketing

• The Big Seven Marketing Challenges for 2018
• Why fascination with Millennials says more about the marketer than it does the generation
• We Have to End this Death Cult in Marketing

6) Tom Goodwin - EVP, Head of Innovation, Zenith, Author "Digital Darwinism"

• Making sense of 2018 - what could technology bring?
• What the iPhone X should have been
• Advertising is simple and more exciting than ever. A rant.

7) Mat Baxter - Global CEO at Initiative

• TV Ads Finally Put Viewers In The Spotlight
• What does the repeal of net neutrality mean for brands?
• Finding Balance Among Advertising’s Indulgence

8) Sue Unerman - MediaCom's Chief Transformation Officer, author The Glass Wall

• 3 rules to simplify media
• What everyone needs to understand to cut through
• Kids don't want jobs in advertising or marketing

9) David Sable - Global CEO at Y&R

• Royal Wedding: Is Disruption By Love Possible?
• What Donald Trump Understands About Branding
• Does Brand Purpose Drive Brand Value?

10) Tara Hunt  - CEO + Partner at Truly Social Inc.

• The Agency Model is Broken
• Metrics are a Lie
• Can Brands be Truly Social?

11) Jason Miller - Content & Social Marketing & Author

• Seth Godin’s 7 life-changing ideas for marketers (and everyone else)
• Why the Best Marketers are Rule Breakers
• The Path to Becoming a True Global Marketer

12) Brian Solis  - Principal Analyst, Author of X: The Experience When Business Meets Design

• Retail Innovation: 5 Ways to Stay Ahead of Disruption
• Once Upon a Digital Time; How to Tell Amazing Stories When Everyone is a "Storyteller"
• Artificial intelligence makes marketing more human - oh the irony!

13) Mary C. Long - Promotional Writer, Digital Strategist

• Innovation Challenges That Affect Your Bottom Line
• Your Marketing Spend May Require Readjustment
• What Smart Cities of the Future Will Look Like

14) Sergio Brodsky - Brand, Media and Innovation Strategist

• Don't fool yourself thinking advertising is about behaviour change, aim for context change instead! 
• Why leading in culture means leading in business
• Shared Value meets Citizen Consumers

15) Denise Yohn - Brand Leadership Expert, Speaker, and Author of the Bestselling Book "What Great Brands Do"

• Does Your Culture Support Your Brand Aspiration?
• The Secret To Superior Customer Experience
• Brand and Culture Are Misaligned at Most Companies

16) Al Ries - “The Pioneer of Positioning,” Best-Selling Author and Marketing Guru

• Five Revolutionary Changes in Marketing Since the Turn of the Century
• Upgrade Your Marketing With Verbal Imagery
• Don't Cheapen Your Brand by Under-Valuing Your Position

17) Martin Lindstrom - Branding Expert & Consultant | Consumer Branding Expert

• “The only way to beat the competition is to stop trying to beat the competition”
• Do you want to create the brands of the future?
• Predicting the Future: How to Spot Trends Before They Even Happen

18) Marty Neumeier - Author of THE BRAND GAP, THE BRAND FLIP, ZAG, and other books on branding

• How to build a brand ecosystem
• Is it time to ditch the "rational" design process?
• Design thinking vs. business thinking

19) Richard Shotton - Deputy Head of Evidence at MG OMD

• Why the cobra effect blights marketing decisions
• How our expectations about a brand influence our experience of it
• If you want to earn consumers’ love, flaunt your flaws

20) Colin Shaw - Customer Experience Thought Leader

• Latest Trend That's Killing Customer's Trust
• Customer Loyalty Isn't What You Think It Is!
• How To Uncover Your Customer's Hidden Needs

21) Andrew Baxter - Chairman, Publicis Communications Australia & NZ

• What's your company's "why" - the power of a good Brand Purpose
• You can't drive long term growth with short term marketing campaigns
• Why marketing and creativity is the go-to lever for topline growth of successful companies

22) Adam Ferrier - Founder THINKERBELL / Consumer Psychologist / Chief Strategy Officer

• Two Speeds of Media: Simple or Wonderful (and Occasionally Both)
• Psychologists Believe in Change
• If Businesses Are Trying To 'Humanise', Why Are They Doing It With Robots?

If I've missed anyone out (and I'm certain I have), please let me know in the comments! My list is far from exhaustive so I'd be delighted to welcome and additional recommendations.