With all that is being said about SEO since the Google Helpful Content Update, the emergence of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), and the growing influence of AI search engines such as Perplexity and ChatGPT search, search engine rankings and search engine optimization as a whole might be undergoing its biggest disruption since its inception.

This upheaval is why whose advice you follow and which blog posts you read going forward might make or break your SEO efforts.

If you are already well-versed in SEO and search engine algorithms, you already know which posts written by which experts in the SEO industry you will buy into. If you are on the outside looking in, I wanted to offer you my own suggestions as to whose word I follow when it comes to SEO influencers.

It goes without saying that staying current with SEO trends and best practices is crucial for anyone looking to grow an online presence. Following these top SEO influencers and reading their recommendations offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from experts who share valuable insights, strategies, and updates on the latest SEO developments.

In this guide, I’ll introduce you to the 15 most influential SEO experts that I recommend you follow in 2025. These thought leaders are not only shaping the industry; they are also providing actionable tips and resources to help you succeed in your SEO efforts in a variety of ways through speaking, podcasts, interviews, blogging, social media posts, and even writing books.

Why Following SEO Influencers is Valuable

Influencer marketing is a huge industry, but influencers do not only shill lifestyle products or encourage followers to make purchases. While there are B2C influencers, there are also B2B influencers who touch on important SEO strategies and deliver insights into the world of search engine optimization.

Following people with actual user experience can help you create your own successful SEO strategies, and can help you score big in “search engine land,” no matter your initial familiarity with the subject. 

• Learning from Industry Experts: Following SEO influencers can help professionals stay up to date with the latest SEO trends, including algorithm updates and best practices of the day. Experts have a wealth of knowledge regarding how to use SEO to improve your business, and you can benefit tremendously from following their lead. 
• Access to Proven Strategies: SEO experts share tested SEO strategies with their target audience, delivering data-driven insights and case studies to illustrate exactly how followers can most effectively implement the strategies they go over. While it is always a good idea to complete your own research, industry experts can usually be trusted to deliver reliable information. 
• Building Connections: Networking opportunities are invaluable in the SEO community, and following SEO influencers can help connect you with those networks. Industry insights are another important boon as you follow SEO influencers on social platforms, as they allow you to engage with other influencers in your niche. 

Top 15 SEO Influencers to Follow

Before you ask, let me respond: there is no scientific methodology to this list. These are the people that I have learned from and been exposed to in a variety of ways, whose advice has yielded the best results. The ranking order was only my best guess at trying to internalize who has been more or less influential to me.

By no means are there only 15 people I would recommend–there are many that I wanted to but couldn’t include on this list for the sake of brevity–but the people listed below are the 15 whose expertise I trust to regularly deliver valuable content.

Remember that not all information delivered by SEO experts will apply to you, and if something does not seem to work for your needs, you can simply set it aside and pursue your most effective marketing efforts. Disclaimer aside, here are the 15 top SEO influencers that I recommend you follow and learn from in 2025:

1. Neil Patel

• Overview: Neil Patel is the co-founder of Neil Patel digital, and is renowned for his extensive SEO knowledge and his powerful approach to digital marketing strategies. 
• Notable Contribution: Patel is the creator of Ubersuggest, an increasingly popular SEO tool used to conduct keyword research, find relevant keywords in your niche, and audit your sites. You can use his tools or simply follow his advice to see improved SEO practices. 

I am a current Ubersuggest user myself!

2. Rand Fishkin

• Overview: Rand Fishkin is the co-founder of both Moz and SparkToro. Fishkin is known for his ability to provide deep insights into search engine optimization and audience research, and translating those insights into functional tools. 
• Notable Contribution: Fishkin pioneered Whiteboard Fridays, a YouTube series that successfully simplifies complex SEO topics to help marketers improve their SEO efforts. He explains complex topics in a way that allows his audience to quickly implement his suggestions. 

SparkToro is a fantastic audience research tool that you should check out if you haven’t already.

3. Brian Dean

• Overview: Brian Dean is the founder of Backlinko, and he specializes in link-building and content marketing strategies to help improve search volume and develop high-quality social media content. 
• Notable Contribution: Dean developed the Skyscraper Technique for creating high-ranking content, which uses a 3-step process to create high-quality content that will continually encourage backlinks and increase your search rankings. 

Brian is so influential that SEMrush acquired his website!

Further Reading: What are SEO Backlinks? Why are They Important? And Where Can We Get Them?

4. Barry Schwartz

• Overview: Barry Schwartz is the CEO of RustyBrick and the founder of Search Engine Roundtable. Schwartz is also the news editor at Search Engine Land, and reports on search engine marketing news. 
• Notable Contribution: Schwartz provides timely updates on upcoming algorithm changes and identifies industry trends across marketing channels and social media platforms. These reports can be used to develop your own content. 

Further Reading: The 16 Best Free SEO Tools You Need to Know in 2025

5. Loren Baker

• Overview: The founder of Search Engine Journal, an industry-leading SEO publication, Loren Baker is also a brand advisor and runs a digital marketing agency. 
• Notable Contribution: Baker is known for making major contributions to SEO education and content creation, which can be used to improve your content quality and subsequent SEO performance. 

6. Joost de Valk

• Overview: Joost de Valk, the founder of Yoast (or Yoast SEO) one of the most popular SEO plugins used for Wordpress sites, is known for his straightforward and innovative approach to SEO.
• Notable Contribution: Joost de Valk’s most notable contribution is his development of Yoast SEO, which has helped millions of people optimize websites directly from their Wordpress sites, to create well-functioning, reputable websites. 

I use the paid version of Yoast and recommend it to anyone running a WordPress website.

7. Danny Sullivan

• Overview: A Public Search Liaison at Google, Danny Sullivan is known for helping the general public understand search and Google updates to improve their digital marketing efforts. 
• Notable Contribution: Sullivan knows advanced SEO techniques inside and out, and is among the digital marketing experts responsible for communicating major search updates and algorithm changes. Understanding these changes can help you develop your marketing strategy. 

8. John Mueller

• Overview: John Mueller is a Google Search Advocate, and he brings the finer points of Google to the broader SEO community to help understand SEO rankings and how to achieve higher ones. 
• Notable Contribution: Mueller provides clarifications on Google’s search policies and algorithms; because many of the changes made to Google search can be difficult to follow, Mueller’s advice is a valuable asset to improve your understanding of Google search. 

Further Reading: The 17 Google SEO Tools You Should Have Been Using Yesterday

9. Aleyda Solis

• Overview: The founder of Orainti, an international SEO company, and an SEO consultant, Aleyda Solis specializes in technical SEO and global strategies to improve followers’ understanding of search engine optimization. 
• Notable Contribution: Solis is the creator of the #SEOFOMO newsletter, which is a go-to resource for top SEO news and resources to improve organic search. In addition to the company and consultant services, Solis can be relied upon for having newsletters absolutely packed with valuable SEO information. 

10. Eric Enge

• Overview: Eric Enge is the founder of Stone Temple Consulting (now acquired by Perficient), and is an SEO thought leader and co-author of the definitive SEO textbook The Art of SEO. 
• Notable Contribution: Engle is known for the research he conducts regarding SEO and online content, and continually delivers data-driven SEO insights via Twitter (X) and YouTube.

11. Marie Haynes

• Overview: The founder of Marie Haynes Consulting, Haynes focuses her attention and energy on Google algorithm updates and recovery from penalties found in your online strategy. 
• Notable Contribution: Haynes provides in-depth analyses of different core updates to Google, and champions E-A-T principles (expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness) within the digital marketing industry. 

12. Lily Ray

• Overview: SEO director at Amsive Digital, Lily Ray specializes in E-A-T principle application and algorithm analyses within the digital marketing industry. 
• Notable Contribution: Ray regularly offers insights into the quality updates undertaken on Google, and how those updates impact search rankings. These insights can be powerful tools when taken in and applied to marketing campaigns. 

13. Cyrus Shepard

• Overview: Cyrus Shepard is the founder of Zyppy, which focuses on content optimization and on-page SEO, to help SEO efforts across a range of platforms. He has also been billed as a speaker for SEO efforts, and can be found at different industry events, giving talks on SEO principles and implementation. 
• Notable Contribution: Shepard provides actionable advice through blogging and Twitter posts to help improve website performance, and increase search visibility to encourage the development of an engaged audience and positive SEO efforts. 

I interviewed Cyrus on my Your Digital Marketing Coach podcast here: SEO and Social: Honing the Skills Needed for a Modern Marketer

Further Reading: On-Page SEO: How to Best Optimize the 4 Main Factors to Increase Search Engine Rankings

14. Glenn Gabe

• Overview: Glenn Gabe is an SEO consultant and founder of G-Squared Interactive. Gabe specializes in technical SEO and algorithm recovery, and creates blogs and podcast episodes designed to help marketers improve their SEO scores. 
• Notable Contribution: Gabe provides deep dives into different algorithm updates and how those updates actually affect websites, to offer guidance to businesses. 

Further Reading: Technical SEO: The 15 Technical Aspects of Search Engine Optimization That You Need to Know

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15. Ann Smarty

• Overview: Known for her many contributions to overall SEO content strategy and effective link building, Smarty is Viral Content Bee’s founder, and Internet Marketing Ninja’s brand manager. 
• Notable Contribution: Smarty is an advocate of ethical link building and content marketing best practices through blogs and courses. These notable contributions can be used to implement invaluable insights from Smarty, and see a bump in your SEO performance.  

Ann has also been a guest contributor to my blog. You can find her articles here.

Further Reading: What is SEO Content? 8 Tips for Creating Content That Ranks for 2025

Conclusion

The 15 SEO experts listed above are trusted professionals in their field. By following them and exploring their tools, you can gain practical tips to improve your SEO and content marketing.

I’ve personally vetted all the names on this list—each one truly offers valuable advice that can elevate your SEO efforts. Learn from the best, and you’ll see better results.

Happy marketing!