Among the absolute coolest things about being part of the digital marketing community is the fact we are TRULY a community. In many instances, we compete for business – sometimes fiercely. But the lines quickly blur between competitor, partner, complementary player, respected adversary and all points in between.
We are oftentimes more community than industry, so it’s always a personal, humbling, joyful experience to receive industry recognition. Most recently, 25 of us were named to the annual PPC Hero “Top 25 Influential PPC Experts.” The good people at Hanapin Marketing carefully craft this list each year. This year marks the sixth time I’ve had the honor of being named to this list alongside many people I deeply admire.
The Top 25 list varies year-to-year, but always represents many of the best pay-per-click pros who continually blaze new trails. Some are multiple recipients of this honor, such as Purna Virji and Christi Olson of Microsoft, Larry Kim of Mobile Monkey, Brad Geddes of AdAlysis, Elizabeth Marsten of CommerceHub, as well as AIMCLEAR client Frederick Vallaeys of Optmyzr. Lists of all honorees through the years along with some rising stars in PPC can be found at PPC Hero.
It’s humbling to be among the other 24 pros on the Top 25 list – entrepreneurs, writers, speakers, data scientists, executives – people who reshape the face of marketing every single day. We see each other at great conferences from the Zenith Digital Marketing Conference that we host in Duluth to SMX, Pubcon, UnGagged, and dozens of other conferences from San Francisco to London, Sydney to Portland, and all points in between.
Working alongside so many talented people allows us all to push one another and elevate the science and art of PPC. We learn from each other’s innovation. We dust each other off when things don’t go as planned. We celebrate successes – as competitors and friends.
Like many of the others on this year’s list, I’m there, in large part, because of the amazing team around me. It’s easy to shine bright when enveloped in brilliance every day. I know many of my peers on the list feel the same about their respective organizations. There’s a whole lotta greatness going on! Let’s keep it going.
