Who makes a great social media keynote speaker? When finding the right speaker for your marketing event, it is important to ask yourself several questions. These include:
- Does the speaker know social media at the technical level including corporate ownership and development?
- Do they use social media effectively in their own marketing and outreach?
- Have they expressed themselves effectively through other media such as publishing?
- Do they bring some fresh angle or experience to the industry?
- Are they performative enough to provide a keynote address that is engaging?
To boil this list down to only the 10 best social media speakers, we chose those who brilliantly combine the above elements. The following list also chooses from speakers who exemplify the diversity of subfield specialties within the industry.
Mari Smith
A prolific author and highly in-demand speaker, Mari Smith may be the world’s leading expert on marketing with Facebook. Though accomplished across social media platforms, this focus adds to her direct, concise style. Attendees at her classes and speaking engagements will come away with a list of impactful takeaways to use in driving their social media campaigns. Her expertise as a brand ambassador and leading influencer makes her one of the most trusted experts in the field.
Erin King
Erin King excels in digital persuasion. This expertise encompasses not only sales, marketing and brand development, but even the growing need to communicate effectively in the emerging hybrid workplace. A successful three-time entrepreneur, her Highlight with Erin King podcast provides a sample of her engaging, energetic style as an international keynote speaker. From social media marketing and selling to live streaming and content hacks, Erin King can motivate your team and help you guide it to the next level.
Erik Qualman
Best-selling author Erik Qualman has spoken in more than 55 countries. Named a Top Digital Influencer by Forbes, he has delivered exhilarating and informative keynotes for companies as diverse as Sony, Raytheon and Starbucks. He has also spoken at more than 200 universities, and his background includes serving as a sitting professor at MIT and edX at Harvard. His technological expertise served him well in founding Equalman Studios which has produced projects for companies including Disney, CompuCom and IBM. You don’t want to miss him, and he’s easy to spot with his iconic, neon green eyeglasses.
Michelle Poler
Digital media offers an abundance of tools for developing and selling your brand. But whether live streaming or attempting to develop your Instagram brand, it’s often not technical knowledge that holds your marketing team back. It’s their uncertainty, introversion or general discomfort with putting themselves out there. Michelle Poler can help. Author of Hello Fears: Crush Your Comfort Zone and Become Who You’re Meant to Be, this dynamic and highly seasoned speaker will inspire your listeners while challenging them to overcome self-defeating fears.
Shama Hyder
As CEO of Zen Media, Shama Hyder has taken global, digital marketing to the next level for her clients including Chase for Business, AdRoll, ATB Ventures and NASA. Referred to as the “Millennial Master of the Universe” by FastCompany, she brings her leadership skills and authentic expertise in digital marketing to every keynote address. Businessweek named her among its “Top 25 Entrepreneurs Under 25” in 2009, and she has authored best-sellers such as Social Media Marketing 2020 and Momentum: How to Propel Your Marketing and Transform Your Brand in the Digital Age.
Lucy Bloom
Professional speaker Lucy Bloom has brought her electrifying brand of humor, business experience and social media knowledge to as many as 200,000 viewers per month. She served as CEO of two charitable organizations, Sunrise Cambodia and Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, with transformative results. Her leadership experience and expertise in social media that appeals broadly through its humanity has made her a highly sought consultant for fundraising and progressive causes worldwide.
Amy Jo Martin
Motivational keynote speaker Amy Jo Martin understands the dynamic world of social media. Her book Renegades Write the Rules: How the Digital Royalty Use Social Media to Innovate outlines the strategies she used in building her own company, Renegade Global. A prolific podcaster, she is also an influential and highly sought-after public speaker. Some of her current topics include: “Renegades Write the Rules,” “Humanize to Monetize,” “There’s No Finish Line to Innovation” and “Humans Connect with Humans (Not Logos).” While an engaging entertainer who will capture and hold your audience’s attention, her strategies are tactical, actionable and transformative.
Guy Kawasaki
No social media keynote speaker list for the past decade can be complete without Guy Kawasaki. Known for popularizing the notion of secular evangelism, he has delivered keynote addresses for Apple, Nike, Gartner, Audi, Google and many other major brands. Social media remains one of his most popular topics, drawing from his experience in innovation, transformation and technical expertise. Now serving as Chief Evangelist for Canva, Kawasaki has authored numerous books considered essential reading in the industry including The Art of Social Media and Rules for Revolutionaries.
Photo courtesy of Erin King
