Top Digital Marketing Blogs to Follow in 2017

The key to success in marketing is recognizing and respecting that our industry is one that is ever-morphing. When you work in an industry that can change overnight it’s vital to stay informed, inspired, and on top of your game. One of the most important resources for any budding marketing expert is the vast selection of top-quality digital marketing blogs online.

But where to begin? SEO marketing is completely separate from content marketing, as social media marketing has little in common with conversion optimization. One stop simply won’t do it – that’s why have combed through the best digital marketing blogs on the web to bring you our favorite picks for blogs to follow, in every major category of digital marketing. Enjoy!

SEO

Quick Sprout

Neil Patel has been blogging about digital marketing and SEO for well over a decade. With over 175 pages of blog entries, Quick Sprout contains endlessly useful tips and techniques for driving traffic and converting more visitors. Patel is a truly gifted and enthralling writer – his distinctive voice and style make every entry a blast to read.

Patel combines succinct information with plenty of graphs and data and loads of humor and honesty. Check out his pitch for focusing on one marketing channel at a time to see what Quick Sprout is all about.

After you’ve visited Patel’s blog don’t forget to follow him on Twitter and like his Facebook page.

Google Webmaster Central Blog

When you want the latest news and updates for SEO, you can’t beat firsthand details from the almighty engineers of the big daddy search engine. With a signature clean layout and no-nonsense approach, this blog run by Google Webmasters is a necessity for anyone who wants to stay plugged in to the latest tools and approaches that Google utilizes.

This blog is purely driven by information, and won’t romanticize certain features or waste your time. Read their farewell to Content Keywords for an example of their concise approach to blogging.

Bookmark the blog, then head over to the Google Webmasters Twitter account and YouTube page for regular updates.

SEMrush

One of the leading competitive research services for online marketing, SEMrush is a highly-regarded tool in the industry for analyzing and understanding your website or corporation’s SEO efforts. In addition to their services the marketing experts at SEMrush run an insightful blog that shares advice on converting customers through SEO, email marketing, social posts, and much more.

The posts at SEMrush are designed to for digital marketers who need real answers to current questions in the industry. Browse over 240 pages of posts, including this blog exploring the ideal page load time.

If you can’t get enough of their blog you can become a fan of SEMrush on Facebook and Twitter.

Email Marketing

Vero

Known as the “data driven way to manage your email experiences,” Vero is an event-driven email platform that boasts a robust and, frankly, marvelous blog in addition to their features and services. Experts on personalizing email marketing and on email analytics, the writers at Vero provide solutions to common email marketing quandaries that are backed by data.

When there’s a new blog on Vero, you’ll want to pay attention – winners like this lengthy breakdown of ideas to improve your emails are must-reads.

Once you check out Vero’s website, head over to their Twitter account and Facebook page.

SendGrid

The contributors at SendGrid love all things email. Whether you’re searching for API tutorials, email deliverability best practices, or hackathon highlights, the content you crave is only a couple of clicks away. You can dive right in on their blog homepage, or filter posts by category to hone in on a particular topic. Like many of these sites, SendGrid offers email solutions and services in addition to their blog content.

API knowledge is a particular strong suit of SendGrid (and why shouldn’t it be? You can’t beat the APIs SendGrid offers). SendGrid’s blogs about APIs showcase their depth of understanding.

Bookmark the SendGrid blog, then see what’s new on their Facebook page and Twitter account.

Emma

As expected, Emma is first and foremost an advanced email marketing automation suite for agencies, universities, franchises, and nonprofits alike. But don’t let their terrific product distract you from their truly exemplary blog content. Encompassing email marketing tips, digital marketing strategies, successful campaign examples, and fun collections of favorite GIFs, there’s something for everyone on Emma’s blog.

The tone and warmth of the writing can’t be overstated – to get acquainted with the refreshing take on email marketing at Emma, read this breakdown of brands that defy the odds.

Once you’ve dug into their blog, find Emma on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Content Marketing

Copyblogger

According to VentureBeat, Copyblogger is “the bible of content marketing.” Founded by Brian Clark (who’s been in the game since 1998, before anyone even called it content marketing), Copyblogger is now known as Rainmaker Digital. Their blogs help you focus on the big picture of content marketing, keeping you up-to-date with what’s relevant and proven to work today in the industry.

You’ll find constructive guides on building online courses or starting podcasts, and you’ll also discover insightful examinations of content structure and intrigue when you check out their blog.

Once you’ve had your fill of their website don’t forget to follow them on Twitter or on Rainmaker Digital’s Facebook page.

Contently

Priding itself on being more than a content or marketing company, Contently specializes in technology that helps various brands create great content to scale. The beautifully designed blog page breaks down posts and articles into the categories of media, brands, ROI, social, voices (primarily interviews), and news from the UK and Europe. Each blog is a crash course on a pressing content marketing topic.

Being a content marketing company generally translates to creating excellent content – take a peek at the useful editorial workflow post, or the hilarious description of Facebook as a hotel.

If you love Contently’s blog, you should also take a look at their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

Content Marketing Institute

You’ll find a little bit of everything at Content Marketing Institute: practical how-to guidance for justifying a content budget, insight and advice from experts via guest posts, and an engaged community with whom you can discuss the latest news in the content marketing industry. With a focus on keeping content light and fun while delivering valuable information, Content Marketing Institute is a needed antidote to droll number crunching.

CMI also boasts a magazine, a podcast, and many live events, but you can’t beat their original and featured content – for starters, read this nifty formula that anyone can use to calculate their content marketing ROI.

After you’ve explored their website, find Content Marketing Institute on Twitter and Facebook.

PPC Marketing

PPC Hero

The best blogs offer indispensable tips from professionals in an easily digestible format. PPC Hero, then, is simply one of the best blogs out there. The writers at PPC Hero love their job, and help readers navigate the realities of online marketing in an engaging manner. As PPC Hero puts it, they didn’t set out to “add another vanilla blog to the SEM blogosphere.” On that front, they can rest assured they succeeded.

Explore trending or recent articles, or you can break the entries down by topics (including search, mobile, display, social, and more). For a taste of their style, peruse their tips for effective dayparting.

We’re big fans of their blog, but don’t stop there – you can also like their Facebook page or follow their Twitter account.

Google: Inside AdWords

We’re back to Google! It’s no surprise that the shaper of our industry would feature multiple times on our list. After all, the official AdWords blog contains crucial tips, news, and advice that a PPC marketing expert can’t live without. With hearty sources and research to back up every sentence, the posts on Inside Adwords should be considered PPC marketing scripture.

While many of the blogs and posts advertise new Google tools and products, the insights and advice for app marketing and more highlight the necessity of visiting often for the latest PPC scoop.

Read the blog, and check out what’s new on the Inside Adwords Facebook page.

Bing Ads

We’re just devious, aren’t we? But if anyone is going to know the ins and outs of PPC marketing, it’s going to be the heavy hitter search engines. The blog at Bing Ads details helpful product news and information relating to Bing and search ads, but it also contains many detailed articles that help small businesses and marketers reach their true potential. It’s a breeze to read, and full of astute nuggets of wisdom.

Don’t take our word for it – get your hands dirty and explore everything the blog at Bing Ads has to offer. Instead of scrolling through pages of entries, start with this crucial guide for tax software and services digital marketers.

The blog is topnotch, but don’t stop there. Head to Twitter and Facebook for more from Bing Ads.

Social Media

Social Media Explorer

The writers for Social Media Explorer perhaps fittingly call themselves explorers, but consider themselves renegades. The articles on Social Media Explorer help you craft original and refreshing content and allow you to “discern the marketing wheat from the withering chaff,” in their own delightful words. Revolutionize your social media presence with helpful tips and advice from Social Media Explorer.

Social Media Explorer actively seeks to cut through the noise and pursue that elusive “it” factor that makes great social media content stick. Check out their guide for success in 2017 and beyond.

After you’ve explored (sorry, we had to) their website, find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Social Media Examiner

Possibly the largest social marketing resource online, Social Media Examiner thrives with its daily email newsletter filled with exciting social media marketing tips and tricks. The site is certainly signup oriented, but by registering for their updates you can download free social media marketing industry reports that are so exhaustive you’ll be surprised you’re not paying for them.

The explanations on Social Media Examiner are thorough, and each article (like this guide to creating a social media content calendar) is complemented with intuitive videos and images that render every concept actionable.

See what’s new on the website, then check out their social media profiles, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

General Marketing

Seth’s Blog

Dubbed “the ultimate entrepreneur for the information age” by Business Week, Seth Godin is the author of ten best-selling books that seek to ignite change in the world of marketing and entrepreneurship. His blog entries vary from short and sweet with a powerful message to evaluations of the fundamental concepts of business. Another (mostly discontinued) blog, and corresponding book, of his is entitled “All Marketers Are Liars,” and his work only gets better from there.

Godin’s keen insights into the world of business speak for themselves – read his take on “in stock” vs. “on demand” here for an example.

Once you’ve taken a look at Seth’s blog, see more of his content on Facebook and Twitter.

Wpromote

One of the biggest names in digital marketing, Wpromote offers integrated services to its high-profile clients. Meaning, frankly, that the writers and contributors are experts on virtually every front. Whether you’re looking for the latest updates and advice for Google Analytics, SEO, social media marketing, or getting the most out of your creative team, Wpromote’s blog will serve as a source of inspiration.

These bloggers approach every topic with unbridled enthusiasm and a wealth of experience – chew on their advice on how to A/B test like a pro to see their trademark style in action.

Once you’ve bookmarked their blog, you can follow Wpromote on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Distilled

Just like Wpromote, Distilled loves to help businesses thrive online. Taking a holistic approach to digital marketing, the blog at Distilled covers a wide array of intriguing topics that relate to the industry. In addition to their regular updates, Distilled is home to some amazing educational resources: you can learn the basics of SEO and more with DistilledU, their online training platform.

The blog entries at Distilled cover common topics like SEO and PPC marketing, but they also delve into questions frequently absent elsewhere, like in this guide to fixing self referrals in Google Analytics.

After you read some of their posts, keep up with Distilled on Facebook and Twitter.

Conversion Optimization

Unbounce

This may come as a shock, but Unbounce’s primary objective is to help digital marketers increase conversion both in their campaigns and on their websites. The Unbounce blog is utterly delightful both in design and execution, making the process of researching and discovering new ways to improve online marketing campaigns downright fun. Who says you can’t work and play simultaneously?

The writers at Unbounce aren’t afraid to get critical in service of the greater good – as this critique of multiple brands’ Cyber Monday and Black Friday landing pages indicates, they know their stuff and aren’t afraid to show it.

The Unbounce blog is a blast, but so are their social media accounts – find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Behave

Formerly known as WhichTestWon, Behave is a publication completely dedicated to enhancing performance-based and behavioral marketing. They take the concept of A/B testing to a new level with their regular “tests” that present case studies to back up certain marketing and copy choices. The Behave community encourages experimentation among peers to promote next-gen optimization tactics.

In addition to the weekly case studies, Behave is home to a ton of helpful conversion content and resources that are essential to any marketer, like their e-books and manuals that go beyond the basics.

Love the Behave website? Then go ahead and become a fan on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

WiderFunnel

The experts at WiderFunnel developed their initial ideas regarding conversion rates into a highly refined Conversion Optimization System that puts them ahead of the pack. There is almost an abundance of topics to choose from on their blog, including optimization strategy, B2B, A/B testing, segmentation, value proposition, navigation, and marketing psychology.

The amount of research put into each blog post is obvious – when you read their entry on compliance gaining as a method of getting users to take action, you’ll know you’re in good hands.

Once you’ve looked through their blog be sure to follow WiderFunnel on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The business of marketing is constantly evolving – in order to succeed tomorrow, you need to know what the entire industry is creating and changing today. Everything moves at high speed online, but with these websites bookmarked you won’t lag behind. By following these outstanding bloggers and thinkers you’ll keep your pulse on the future of digital marketing.