15 experts creating the simpler, smarter, better future of social media marketing

73% of marketers believe social media marketing has been "somewhat effective" or "very effective" for their business. Moreover, the same study found that social media marketing is the second most effective digital marketing tactic after email marketing.

With billions of people using social media platforms every day, businesses that fail to invest in social media marketing risk missing out on a massive audience and potential revenue stream. That's why it's critical for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends and insights.

At Sprinklr, we believe that social media marketing should be more than just an afterthought — it should be a core part of every business strategy. That's why we're passionate about highlighting the best and brightest minds in the industry who are challenging the limits of social media marketing and exploring new frontiers, creating novel ways of engaging audiences that were once thought impossible. These visionaries are shaping the future of marketing and customer experience as we know it. But we don't just admire them from afar – we study their every move, dissect their strategies and extract the insights that can take your social media game to the next level.

From the early adopters who pioneered the art of social media to the trailblazers who are inventing the future of marketing, our list of 15 visionaries represents the pinnacle of social media innovation. Whether you're a seasoned social media marketer or just starting out, these visionaries will inspire you to think simpler, smarter and better about your social media strategy.

Jay Acunzo, Author, Show Host, Brand Consultant, Unthinkable Media

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Jay Acunzo's on a mission to be "the Anthony Bourdain of workplace storytelling." He's got a bunch of gigs under his belt, including hosting the “Unthinkable” podcast, being a marketing coach and co-founding Creator Kitchen as their Chief Creative Officer. The coolest thing about Jay is that he tells stories with a purpose — to show how unconventional choices can lead to amazing and unique work. Plus, he was an early player in the rise of content marketing, and he knows his stuff when it comes to the industry. But wait, there's more! Jay is also helping the next generation of social media marketers learn what's up with all this new stuff. He's definitely a guy to keep an eye on.

Austin Armstrong, CEO, SocialtyPro and Syllaby

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Austin Armstrong is a TikTok marketing expert, and he's phenomenal at what he does. He actually tripled his own company's business by offering TikTok consulting services, and he's helped tons of other service-based businesses do the same thing. But he's not keeping his expert advice to himself. He shares it all the time on social media! Austin knows his stuff when it comes to TikTok, and he's happy to spread the love. Austin points out that TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform ever, so his expertise is only getting more valuable by the day. If you're looking to up your TikTok game, this is the guy to follow. Trust us — you won't regret it.

Jay Baer, Business Growth & Customer Experience Strategist, Researcher & Author

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Jay’s pretty much a legend in the business world. He’s founded five multi-million dollar companies! On top of that, he's written six best-selling books on business, is in the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame and advises a ton of big-name brands on how to use social media to get more customers. But that's not even the coolest part. Jay also runs a global marketing firm called Convince & Convert, and he's got this sick bi-monthly newsletter called “The Baer Facts.” He gives expert advice on the future of social media, business and get this: tequila! If you want to know what's coming up before it even happens, you need to be keeping an eye on Jay Baer and his wisdom-filled newsletter.

Ann Handley, Founder and Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs

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Forbes just dubbed Ann "the most influential woman in social media," and she's the real deal. This digital marketing pioneer is the founder and Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, a marketing education company that works with some of the biggest corporations on the planet. Ann is also an amazing author. She's written some of the best-selling books on writing and social media, and her newsletter is, hands down, the quirkiest of them all. Ann knows what she's talking about, and she's not afraid to share it with the world. If you're into social media and not following Ann Handley, you're seriously missing out.

Larry Kim, Founder, Customers.ai

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Larry Kim is a legend in the world of digital marketing. He founded WordStream, Inc., which is like the top dog when it comes to AdWords, Facebook and keyword tools. Then he went on to create MobileMonkey, Inc., which manages ad spend for over ten thousand customers worldwide. Larry is also getting into AI now with his latest project, Customers.ai. If you want to hear more from Larry, he's also a big deal on Medium — he's like the eighth most popular author on the platform — where he talks about everything from Facebook Ads to entrepreneurship.

Pam Moore, Founder and CEO, Marketing Nutz

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Pam is a social media powerhouse! She’s been killing it on social media since before it even had a name. With 15 years of experience in corporate America, she’s a pro at developing social media strategies for businesses big and small. Since becoming an entrepreneur in 2010, she’s helped tons of companies achieve their business goals using social media. And it’s paid off, big time — she’s a Forbes Top 5 Social Power Influencer with over 2 million followers! If you want to learn how to use social media to grow your business, Pam Moore’s your go-to person.

Lee Odden, Co-Founder & CEO, TopRank Marketing

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Lee Odden is a social media superstar, and he's been promoting B2B marketing on social media for years. As the CEO of TopRank Marketing, Lee has helped numerous B2B brands all over the world with their marketing strategies. He's also an author, podcast host and international public speaker, and he's always up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in B2B social media marketing. If you're looking for inspiration and insight into the world of social media, Lee's your guy. Ann Handley, who worked with Lee on a major social media content piece, even called him efficient, professional, stylish and substantive — what more could you want?

Rachel Pedersen, Founder & CEO, The Viral Touch

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Rachel Pedersen was a single mom who took a huge gamble by starting up two businesses back in 2016. One of those companies was Social Media United, and the other was The Viral Touch. Fast forward a few years, and Rachel’s become famous as “The Queen of Social Media.” She’s used her social media smarts to grow both businesses into multi-million dollar powerhouses. But she’s not done yet. Rachel’s constantly sharing her expert insights on the future of social media and how you can make the most of it. She’s an educator, consultant, strategist and influencer all rolled into one!

Rebekah Radice, CMO, Rebekah Radice Media, BRIL.LA

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Rebekah Radice is a master of all things social media and customer experience. She's the founder and CMO of two companies, Rebekah Radice Media and BRIL.LA, both focused on helping businesses maximize the lifetime value of their customers. Whether you're a social media newbie or a seasoned pro, you wouldn't want to miss her expert insights on how to get the most out of your digital presence. But Rebekah doesn't just share her expertise online — she also answers community questions every day in her newsletter "Hey Rebekah." It's like the Morning Brew but for entrepreneurs!

Viveka von Rosen, Co-Founder and Chief Value Officer, Vengreso

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Viveka von Rosen’s a co-founder of Vengreso, a sales and social media marketing training company that’s all about helping clients win business through social selling. Viveka’s been putting in countless hours to help sales and marketing teams maximize their efficiency, and she’s even got a tool called FlyMSG® to make things easier. Plus, if you’re looking for expert insights on social media, marketing and technology, you’ve got to check out her social media accounts — she’s always sharing great content!

Mark Schaefer, Executive Director, Schaefer Marketing Solutions

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Mark is a total rockstar in the world of marketing! He's a top-notch keynote speaker and marketing strategy consultant who has worked with some of the biggest brands on the planet, like Adidas, Dell and Microsoft, to help them perfect their digital strategies. He's also a prolific author with nine books under his belt, including the first-ever book on influencer marketing, "Return on Influence." On top of all that, he hosts one of the most popular marketing podcasts on iTunes, “The Marketing Companion.” Basically, Mark Schaefer is the real deal when it comes to shaping social media strategy, and we can't wait to see what he does next.

Neal Schaffer, Fractional CMO, NealSchaffer.com

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A “Fractional CMO” is a marketing consultant who works directly with businesses, offering expertise honed over years of experience with different enterprises of all sizes and goals. Neal Schaffer, the founder of Fractional, is actually the one who came up with this idea, and he’s been building social media consulting and management expertise all over the world for nearly two decades. With all of his experience, Neal is now one of the most sought-after social media marketing coaches in the world. He even shares his expertise on his weekly podcast, “Maximize Your Social Influence.”

Mari Smith, Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author, Facebook Trainer

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Mari Smith is the queen of all things Facebook. Forbes even crowned her as the “preeminent Facebook expert” and Facebook itself reaches out to her for advice. She used to lead Facebook’s Boost Your Business series of events and is always consulting with them on their Blueprint Certification programs. Mari is a top-notch speaker, presenter and host who knows how to harness the power of social media platforms like Facebook to take businesses to the next level. If you want some amazing insights, just check out her social media channels.

Michael A. Stelzner, CEO & Founder, Social Media Examiner

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Meet Michael Stelzner, who's got your back in the constantly evolving social media world. He's the founder of Social Media Examiner, where he and his team create tons of original content, including daily guides that teach you how to rock social media marketing. And don't miss his weekly “Social Media Marketing” podcast, where he interviews other marketing gurus. Mike knows his stuff, and his insights are pure gold for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman, CEO, VaynerX and VaynerMedia

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Gary Vaynerchuk, or simply “GaryVee,” is an expert in identifying what’s coming up next. He has a unique talent for recognizing new and emerging trends and predicting how they will affect businesses, and then showing his clients how to use these insights to their advantage. You can catch him sharing his predictions on social media platforms like LinkedIn, X, formerly Twitter and his popular podcast, “The GaryVee Experience,” on a daily basis. With his uncanny ability to anticipate what’s around the corner, GaryVee is the go-to person for preparing yourself and your business for what’s to come.

Learn more about how Sprinklr Social is helping bring about the simpler, smarter, better future of social media here.