As a small business owner, sorting through the thousands of voices in the sea of social media can be a job in and of itself. Each voice claims to be an expert with “7 Tips for….”, 15 Way To….”, “30 Best….” and so on. So how do you find the voices serving up the most drilled-down, relevant information meant to help you grow your business? Here’s a great starting point with reporters, content providers and entrepreneurs who get it right and consistently provide valuable content.

Neil Patel @neilpatel

I like this guy…a lot. Neil Patel provides concrete, super useful information and advice. He does his research, is an active entrepreneur and provides real insight in a conversational tone without fluff.  Neil founded KISSmetrics, Crazy Egg, QuickSprout & Hellobar. He is an entrepreneur, investor & influencer as well as a columnist for Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post & more.

Some tweets from @neilpatel

How to Do an SEO Audit Using Google Search Console | Ep. #145

A Step-by-Step Guide to Dominating Any Keyword You Choose

 

New York Times Small Business @NYTbusiness

This one doesn’t really require much explanation…it’s The New York Times…small business. It connects you to excellent articles ranging from taxes, social media, health insurance and more.

Some tweets from @NYTbusiness

More and more companies are forgoing building technology in-house and acquiring start-ups

“Crowdfunding is all about storytelling.”

 

Hootsuite @hootsuite

Hootsuite is a powerhouse social relationship platform and more, providing the tools to both streamline and up your social media game. Their content creation is on point, providing excellent social media news and tips. Great example of a product leveraging their vast knowledge to provide value and create a community.

Some tweets from @hootsuite

Hidden tricks that will make your YouTube video an Oscar-worthy production http://ow.ly/S9iQ301ZUcs  5 YouTube secrets

Snapchat hacks   22 tricks and features you probably didn’t know about

 

Mari Smith @MariSmith

If you are interested in marketing on Facebook for your business, Mari Smith is your source. If she hasn’t talked about it or written about it and it has to do with Facebook, you probably don’t need to know about it. Not only does she provide excellent original content, she shares impactful social media from all over covering multiple platforms.

Some tweets from @MariSmith

Facebook Ads That Actually Work (and why), The Facebook Funnel and More http://ow.ly/T1Db306YFZa  | Read the Social Scoop!

12 Gorgeous Ways to Style Your Products for Social Media http://ow.ly/hIyJ306jB6J  via @AdobeSpark | Love this!

 

Mark Cuban @mcuban

You know who Mark Cuban is. Serial entrepreneur, investor, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and more. If you’ve ever read an interview with him, seen him on Shark Tank or caught him live, you know that he shoots it’s straight. That’s what you want. Big bonus: he really interacts with his followers.

Some tweets from @mcuban

Cardiovascular imaging startup to map cardiac disorders backed by Mark Cuban http://medcitynews.com/2016/11/cardiovascular-imaging-tool-developer-identifying-cardiac-disorders-backed-mark-cuban/

If im a geek looking to make money. I would start a business setting up 2 step authentication. 20 bucks a device.

 

Social Media Today @socialmedia2day

Social Media Today provides best practices and social media tips from the expert. I’m a big fan of their emails too. They cover every platform from every angle and skill level. One of the top sources of info ranging from “how-tos” to industry reporting.

Some tweets from @socialmedia2day

Snapchat vs Instagram – Which Platform is Better for Your Brand? (by )

How to Market to Each Generation on Social Media

 

Written by Pasqualina DeLucia-DeBoer – Assistant Regional Director of the NJSBDC at Brookdale Community College