#dan smith: deep enough to drown

[femmedplume]

Dan Smith in Distorted Light Beam by Bastille  * * * (please DO NOT repost)

[theessayist]

Movies that have made me cry like a baby

For a movie buff who’s more inclined to the gruesome thrill of horror flicks and the ingenious narration of crime films, I’m pretty in love with emotional movies. It takes a lot for this ENTJ to shed a tear; even on purpose; and in fact, I can only name a few titles that really got these eyeballs of mine watery. 

I think a major part of the reason why I love emotional movies is that the way that I still get affected by them helps me determine if I still have a moral, empathetic anchor... You know... Somewhere deep down there. It gives me solace. 

Moving on, knowing that I’m not an easy shell to break, I can guarantee that the films I’m about to mention will absolutely tear your heart apart. 

S/N I haven’t watched Miracle in Cell No. 7 or any Frank Darabont masterpiece yet, so if they hit hard enough, I might make another list. 

S/N #2 Animated films will be separated. 

5. Marriage Story (2019) dir. Noah Baumbach 

I’m a 17-year-old single girl living with my perfectly stable parents who love each other so much and I’m happy and eternally grateful for that; but why the hell am I crying?! 

Starting off on our list is a movie that made me cry because of the immense confusion I felt as I watched two exhausted, beautiful humans go through a painful separation when they clearly still love one another. 

I think the main reason why this film made a waterfall out of me is because I didn’t know how to feel. I didn’t know if I should side on Nicole, since she was the one who made more sacrifices and considerations; or Charlie- since he was the one who was suffering in the ugly end of the stick. It made me feel frustrated and angry in a way that I wanted to push them back together, and at the same time, pull them both apart. 

I’d like to say more- but now I just want to credit Scarlett and Adam for the most heart-wrenching fight scene I have ever endured in all seventeen years of my life.

4. Train to Busan (2016) dir. Yeon Sang Ho 

I watched this Korean zombie horror flick thinking it was going to quench my thirst for some brutal flesh-ripping, blood and gushing gore. I NEVER got tired of zombies- whether in movies, video games or soap operas, I eat that crap up. And so I dived in ravenous as hell, thinking I was gonna get purely that. 

But instead I got a pretty, pregnant woman and her protective husband, an inadvertently neglectful dad and his adorable child, a hobo, and two teenagers my age who’re just as afraid as everyone else would be. 

Oh, and a scumbag whose selfish deeds are so unspeakable I’d rather say ‘Voldemort’. 

Seokwoo didn’t have to smile like that, you know. It’s little contrasting details like that that make emotional scenes so goddamn irresistible. 

This movie got me by surprise- my unsuspecting self who did not expect any tear-jerker was cut up from behind with a father, and an almost-father, sacrificing for the love of their lives. Who doesn’t cry to that kinda stuff? Please cut their chests open and install a heart. 

3. Titanic (1997) dir. James Cameron 

Oh yes, the popular royal tear-jerker, sitting right next to the campus queen bees, The Notebook and A Walk to Remember (to which I didn’t cry, for what it’s worth). As much as I loved the romance that so beautifully blossomed between Jack and Rose, quite frankly I did not cry because the former died. Although that was really sad, too.

You know what gave me a stuffy nose and two red eyes for three days? The other passengers, for gosh’s sake. 

The guy who got shot by the seaman. That seaman who shot himself afterwards. The band who played through the chaos. The maids that drowned in the ballroom trying to look after everyone else. The lone kid in the hallway who could’ve drowned. The mother tucking her children to bed. And most of all, the old couple cuddling each other as water rushed in their room! 

I don’t think I’ve to explain why that subtly painful montage broke my gold-titanium alloy heart. It didn’t help that the lovable Captain Smith chose to sink with his ship, too. 

2. Forrest Gump (1995) dir. Robert Zemeckis 

Before I watched it, I didn’t know what to expect from this movie. But it had Tom Hanks (who, to me at that moment, was purely Sheriff Woody), and I knew it was iconic; so I sat through, thinking it was another one of those great films that was going to bore me. And boy, was I wrong! 

So, unlike all the other films on this list, Forrest Gump actually made me cry in a heart-warming, happy, beautiful way. We watched this guy persevere through the challenges of his universe, we saw the way he rewrote history, we laughed at his utter stupidity, we lamented the come-and-go relationship with Jenny, we grew to love Colonel Dan; everything about it was amazing and touching and the end was just so incredibly satisfying, I didn’t know films could make me happy that much. 

I was just really, really proud of our boy Forrest and how he lived, okay? Leave me alone. 

1. Scent of a Woman (1992) dir. Martin Brest

So, I’m a really big fan of Al Pacino. Why? Because, like I said- crime is my #1 genre. Specifically, organized crime. And who’s the prince of the organized crime genre? You guessed it- this man. He was Jimmy Hoffa. He was Tony Montana. He was Michael Corleone, for crying out loud! 

As a new, young fan, he has established in me the image of a tough, hard-wired man who would stop at absolutely nothing to achieve what he wants. Not morals, not friends, and definitely not family (F stands for Fredo). So what did I expect when he became the blind, eccentric, women-obsessed war veteran Lt. Col. Frank Slade? I had no idea.

That was why it got me so hard- because I was viewing Al play a largely different role. And what’s astonishing about it is that I didn’t see him as Al Pacino. Didn’t see him as a godfather, a union leader, or a drug lord. I saw him as that in-denial old man- washed up, empty, and feeling unwanted for the things he’d brought about in his life. For half the movie, I was admiring every nuance, the clever dialogue, the relationship-building, the philosophical aspects. The other half, I was crying profusely. 

To be specific, I cried four separate times through the two-hour feature; especially during the Ferrari scene. It’s weird I know, but I cried there the most. The film was a very remarkable experience; and all these is why it is my number one pick for a film that will definitely gouge your eyes out. 

I highly recommend all of these features for both lovers and non-lovers of the emotional aspects of film. Even I, as a crime and horror fan, could attest for the fact that these films are not a waste of your fast-paced time. You will be awed.

[dweemeister]

The Great McGinty (1940)

Ask an American politician or political student with a certain knowledge of older movies and they will probably say that their favorite film on American politics is Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). Starring Jimmy Stewart and Claude Rains, Mr. Smith tells of an individual’s stand against a corrupt political machine, a refusal to succumb to well-financed kingmakers that run much of the show. Preston Sturges’ The Great McGinty probably will not register among many of those politicians and political students. This is not only because McGinty did not set the box office aflame upon release, but that the film is a cynical political satire. Sturges (1937′s Easy Living, 1940′s Remember the Night) became Paramount’s most-prized and highest-paid writer over the 1930s, but he had never directed a film and he wished to direct. The Great McGinty would be Sturges’ directorial debut – the reward for selling the film’s screenplay to Paramount for $10.

The film opens somewhere in a bar in Latin America. Dan McGinty (Brian Donlevy) is the bartender with a hell of a story to tell. An American customer (who, like McGinty, cannot return to the United States for legal reasons) and one of the club’s dancer girls are there to listen. During the Great Depression, McGinty was a city-dwelling vagabond who is offered $2 to vote for the incumbent mayor in a corrupt election. McGinty votes at thirty-seven different locations, and demands to be paid his rightful $74. His complaints are heard by the city’s political boss (Akim Tamiroff, who claims to be in control of both the dominant parties), who hires McGinty as an enforcer – shaking up the nerves of wayward political participants in order to assure their compliance to the political machine. McGinty climbs the machine’s hierarchy, even marrying his secretary Catherine (Muriel Angelus) so it can bolster his political image. But as McGinty assumes greater power, he is struck by his conscience – which ushers his self-imposed exile from the United States.

Political imagery – no matter how popular the politician or how much one agrees with said politician – is always calculated, appealing to populist preferences. But behind said populism are the policy preferences of McGinty’s boss – who wants to provide poorer voters more jobs, even if these job creation programs are unsustainable going forward. He may not live in the mayor’s residence or the governor’s mansion, but he is making all the important decisions and everyone else is being played as a sucker. Even after marrying Catherine for the purposes of political imagery (even now in the United States, an unmarried or single politician arouses suspicion), it takes McGinty ages to come around to his wife’s idealism.

For those who have seen Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, yes, this is yet another romantic interest who assists the male protagonist’s goals (Jean Arthur’s cracking wise, jaded attitude towards Jimmy Stewart gives her the edge over Angelus)! And even Catherine’s idealism is half-baked – addressing an extremely policy problem without having researched the root cause of that problem. In acknowledging the incongruence of his boss’ demands to what he belatedly believes is the right thing to do, McGinty realizes how difficult it is disentangle himself from the political machine. The machine is interwoven into city and state politics to the point that dissent from the machine’s leadership is to invite not only the wrath of the leadership, but of citizens who participate in politics actively and earnestly. Secondarily, McGinty’s budding relationship with Catherine never feels organic in its evolution, although his interaction with Catherine’s children (she is a divorcee) provides plenty of awkward humor.

This does not sound like a comedy, does it? Sturges has enough material for this film to make a straight drama: the protagonist’s political rise from anonymous penury, becoming bedfellows with deep-pocketed political figures, the moral stand against said figures, and the rapid descent from political office because of political bravery. Comedy is far more subjective and complicated to write – ideas can be lost in translation or to time. Sturges, somehow, crafts this material into humor – little of which will send anyone on the floor rolling in laughter (okay, apart from a recurring joke that happens in the back of a car). Yet in Sturges’ screenplay, The Great McGinty’s comedy is rooted in the story’s fundamental pessimism. For The Great McGinty, the comedy is largely situational, not appearing through witty dialogue or subversive entendres; instead, it toes the line between tragic cases of political expediency and the desire to do what is right. How Sturges manages to balance the pathos of McGinty’s situation (the politically averse politician is a popular trope in Hollywood, but it is nothing more than a compelling fantasy) with the absurdity of those surrounding him and the comical moments in between critical scenes is a near-miracle.

Yet, as a student of politics, I could not help but want for more historical specificity from The Great McGinty. In the United States’ Gilded Age, political machines were based out of the major eastern and Midwestern cities and often ran cities, states, and regions of the country without much opposition. Compared to the megadonors for today’s Democratic and Republican parties, the political bosses of the late nineteenth century were less hesitant to boast or flaunt their purchased political power – they, unlike those modern-day megadonors, usually possessed more complete control over a metropolitan or state political system. Akim Tamiroff cuts an intimidating figure, but where is clientelist network? His public, hubristic pronunciations of the political figures he has nurtured over the years? The Great McGinty has no qualms to depict Tamiroff’s character as unforgivably corrupt, but the film is starving for greater menace, clenched knuckles, deathly stares, and sharper teeth (this is not an acting issue as there are good performances across the film, but that of screenwriting).

The Great McGinty does not drown in its own cynicism. Those expecting a film that decries the essence of American representative republicanism (small “r”) as obsolete will not find what they seek. Advocating for authoritarianism or true democracy are both beside the point of Sturges’ film; this is a satirical polemic, not propaganda. What the political machine brings to the unnamed city and state’s respective politics is reprehensible, the movie says, and the actions of the machine will only corrode the strength of representative republicanism in the long term.

Donlevy, as Governor McGinty, and Tamiroff, as the political machine’s boss, would reprise both their roles in another Preston Sturges film – The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1943). But The Great McGinty’s legacy extended behind the cameras. The critical and financial success of The Great McGinty opened the door for many of Hollywood’s best comedic writers to try their hands and directing and writing their own films, most notably with Billy Wilder (1942′s The Major and the Minor, 1959′s Some Like It Hot) as these comedic director-writers used Sturges’ inspiration to juggle their duties while keeping their producers content. Prior to Sturges, Hollywood luminaries like Frank Capra and Charlie Chaplin were regarded as two examples of famous director-writers. But unlike the Capras and the Chaplins, Sturges is considered the first to find success and household popularity as a screenwriter before becoming a renowned director.

Preston Sturges wrote and directed a succession of comedic hits after The Great McGinty. At times flirting with drama, The Great McGinty is also a great example on how to effectively blend hysterical comedy with dramatic stakes. In this, the first film he wore both the director’s and writer’s hats for, he gifts the audience a biting political satire that – though lacking in historical specificity or the most convincing relationships between characters – is one of the best works of his most productive decade. It is arguably his most socially- and politically-minded film, moving away from the pure farcical dialogue of 1930s screwball comedies to find humor even in the main character’s ruin.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found here.

[samuelpboswell]

32 Top Social Media Marketing Influencers To Follow

The social media marketing industry is bursting with innovative professionals — people who push the boundaries of existing social platforms, embrace new ones, and ditch low-performers. With so many fine social media marketers, how do you find new innovators to follow on Twitter and learn from? We've put together a list of 32 top social media marketers that includes a number of fantastic folks who may not already be on your Twitter "following" list, in addition to some industry stalwarts who those new to social media marketing would be wise to follow. We've added a quote, tip, or short lesson from each to help inspire your own social media marketing efforts. List Methodology: For this list we utilize the Traackr influencer marketing platform plus additional criteria including the relevance of the individuals to the topic, the degree to which their networks engage, the size of their networks, along with numerous other factors including online data pulled from blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, SlideShare, other platforms. Many thanks to all the industry professionals who are actively sharing knowledge about social media marketing by engaging and helping others with helpful opinions, insights and expertise on the social web. This brief list is only a starting point to help expand your social media marketing universe.

32 Social Media Marketing Influencers to Follow on Twitter

Beverly W. Jackson @BevJack Corporate VP of Social Marketing, MGM Resorts [bctt tweet="“The most important lesson I’ve learned about leadership is that no one leads alone.” @BevJack" username="toprank"] Brian G Peters @Brian_G_Peters Strategic Partnerships, Shopify [bctt tweet="“The wonderful thing about social media video is that if you do it right, the videos can produce results for your business long after they’ve been posted.” @Brian_G_Peters" username="toprank"] Amy (Schmittauer) Landino @Schmittastic Co-Founder & Owner, Aftermarq [bctt tweet="“True focus comes from believing in yourself. When you are unsure, you welcome distractions. Trust that you’re on the right path.” @Schmittastic" username="toprank"] Amisha Gandhi @AmishaGandhi VP, Marketing & Communications, SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass [bctt tweet="“If we want to connect with the people we want to influence, we need to dial back the business speak and communicate more simply and directly.” @AmishaGandhi" username="toprank"] Marcus Sheridan @TheSalesLion Owner & Partner, IMPACT [bctt tweet="“Whether it's views, shares, watch time, or more — it's the little things that make the biggest difference.” @TheSalesLion" username="toprank"] Caitlin Angeloff @caitlinangeloff Social Strategy Director, Providence St. Joseph Health [bctt tweet="“With unprecedented targeting via the social media platforms, it is essential brands and media companies not take a one size fits all approach with their social video strategy.” @caitlinangeloff" username="toprank"] Tim Schmoyer @timschmoyer Video Strategist, VideoCreators [bctt tweet="“When you find someone who understands your journey and your heart, get together, swap stories, and encourage each other.” @timschmoyer" username="toprank"] Konstanze Alex @Konstanze Global Digital Storytelling, Cisco [bctt tweet="“Co-creating content with influential industry experts is one way for brands to unlock powerful, authentic storytelling that results in valuable brand experiences for customers.” @Konstanze" username="toprank"] Rob Walch @podcast411 VP of Podcaster Relations, Libsyn [bctt tweet="“The biggest shows out there did nothing to promote their show, they let their audience do it.” @podcast411" username="toprank"] Alison J. Herzog @alisonjherzog Senior Director of Brand and Digital, Visa [bctt tweet="“Brands need to manage experience across the entire company. Each person and department owns a piece of the overall #CX.” @alisonjherzog" username="toprank"] Dan Gingiss @dgingiss Chief Experience Officer, The Experience Maker [bctt tweet="“Remember, when customers are reaching out with suggestions on how to improve your product or service, generally it means that they really care and that they're brand loyal.” @dgingiss" username="toprank"] Zontee Hou @ZonteeHo President & Chief Strategist, Media Volery [bctt tweet="“To build trust, you have to understand human motivations.” @ZonteeHo" username="toprank"] Andrew Pickering & Pete Gartland @AndrewAndPete Co-Founders, Andrew and Pete [bctt tweet="“Social media is a tool we use to keep connected with the people in our lives. It’s a way to strengthen relationships and to make new ones.” @AndrewAndPete" username="toprank"] Jenn Herman @jenns_trends Social Media Strategist, Jenn's Trends [bctt tweet="“I'm a BIG proponent of a clear strategy for content, posting frequency, messaging, and branding. Keeping it clearly focused on your target audience is the key.” @jenns_trends" username="toprank"] Jon Loomer @jonloomer Facebook Marketing Strategist, Jon Loomer Digital [bctt tweet="“Keep experimenting and trying different things. You never know what the perfect combination is for you — there really is no one formula that works for everyone.” @jonloomer" username="toprank"] Sandy Carter @sandy_carter VP, Amazon Web Services [bctt tweet="“Data is at the heart of EVERY major tech trend in the coming decade.” @sandy_carter" username="toprank"] Justin Levy @justinlevy Director of Social Marketing, ServiceNow [bctt tweet="“You have to move from looking at marketing tactically to looking at it strategically.” @justinlevy" username="toprank"] Scott Monty @ScottMonty CEO & Principal, Scott Monty Strategies [bctt tweet="“There's so much focus on the latest platform, trend or technology. But true storytellers know that the medium isn't the message.” @ScottMonty" username="toprank"] Brian Fanzo @iSocialFanz Digital Futurist & Founder, iSocialFanz [bctt tweet="“Stop talking with a logo, start talking with your employees.” @iSocialFanz" username="toprank"] Shannon Paul @ShannonPaul Vice President, Digital Line of Business Marketing Director, Fifth Third Bank [bctt tweet="“A key driver in any successful strategy is going to be organizational and operational alignments.” @ShannonPaul" username="toprank"] Larry Kim @larrykim CEO, MobileMonkey [bctt tweet="“The ability to be a team player is one of the most important employee skills of 2020.” @larrykim" username="toprank"] Heidi Cohen @heidicohen Chief Content Officer, Actionable Marketing Guide [bctt tweet="“As a key element of your marketing strategy your blog supports content marketing, social media, search and audience and customer acquisition.” @heidicohen" username="toprank"] Donna Moritz @SociallySorted Founder, Socially Sorted [bctt tweet="“More than ever, it's important to survey your audience to find out what they need and how you can help them.” @SociallySorted" username="toprank"] Mari Smith @MariSmith Facebook Marketing Expert, Mari Smith International [bctt tweet="“Those first few seconds of your video are gold. Make sure you're following a strategy that keeps people watching.” [bctt tweet="“Those first few seconds of your video are gold. Make sure you're following a strategy that keeps people watching.” @MariSmith" username="toprank"] Ian Anderson Gray @iagdotme Founder, Ian Anderson Gray [bctt tweet="“The Internet is a sea of helpful tools, and with so many options, it can feel like you’re drowning.” @iagdotme" username="toprank"] Ann Handley @MarketingProfs Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs [bctt tweet="“It’s incumbent on all of us in B2B marketing, whether you are a writer, or a marketer, or whatever role you play to take some risks and just get out of the box and throw an ax at that target.” @MarketingProfs" username="toprank"] John Lee Dumas @johnleedumas Host, Entrepreneurs on Fire [bctt tweet="“It’s not always about doing as much as you possibly can - it’s about choosing the right things and going all-in on those.” @johnleedumas" username="toprank"] Mark Schaefer @markwschaefer Executive Director, Schaefer Marketing Solutions [bctt tweet="“Good enough today isn't good enough tomorrow if you want to keep growing.” @markwschaefer" username="toprank"] Jay Baer @jaybaer Founder, Convince & Convert [bctt tweet="“Customer experience is not only about removing friction and minimizing mistakes and calamities but also about delivering something the customer didn’t see coming.” @jaybaer" username="toprank"] LaSandra Brill @LaSandraBrill Head of Integrated Digital Planning, NVIDIA [bctt tweet="“Don’t say no. Instead tell me how you get to yes. Being able to identify and communicate the tradeoffs is 'strategic thinking.'” @LaSandraBrill" username="toprank"] John Hunt @Smead_JohnH Senior Manager of Digital Marketing, Corporate Brand Communications and eCommerce Content, Smead Manufacturing Inc. [bctt tweet="“Today there are no more secrets. You've got to prove you can help, and not just say it.'” @Smead_JohnH" username="toprank"]

Piece Together Your Social Media Marketing Knowledge & Execution

Statistical analysis, no matter how well-researched and deep, can only go so far in surfacing people you’ll find the most helpful and influential in your daily professional marketing lives, which is why we’d be delighted if you would share the name of social media marketers that influence you most in out comments section below. We hope that you've found at least a few new-to-you social media marketing influencers on this list, and gained a smattering of inspiration from their quotes. To further your own social media marketing expertise, here is a bonus list of our best relevant recent articles:

13 Top B2B Social Media Marketing Trends & Predictions for 2020

How B2B Marketers Can Build Their Personal Brands on Social Media

Our 10 Top Social Media Marketing Posts

Social Media Secrets: 5 Under-the-Radar LinkedIn Features for Marketers

Spotlighting Organic Social Media Video Success: Your Guide to Metrics and Specs

Finally, there's no better way to meet new B2B social media marketers than attending industry events, and you can catch our CEO Lee Odden at an array of upcoming in-person and streaming online conferences and webinars: March 9, 2020 Webinar Panel Are you ready to transform your B2B marketing? Featuring Joel Harrison for B2B Marketing, Doug Kessler from Velocity Partners, Lee Odden, and Mark Bornstein from ON24 Registration info here March 19, 2020 Convergence Summit Minneapolis Lunch Keynote: In Search of Trust: How Authentic Content Drives Customer Experience Agenda and registration info March 24, 2020 Pubcon Florida B2B Influencer Marketing Workshop Register here March 25, 2020 Webinar Top B2B Marketing Challenges, Trends and Best Practices for 2020 Register here April 22, 2020 - ContentTECH Summit How to Optimize Content Performance with Influence  Session info and register here April 23rd, 2020 - Content Marketing Conference How to Optimize Customer Experience with SEO and Influence Conference info and register here May 13 - 14, 2020 - Ceros Experience Matters How to Optimize for Customer Experience with Interactive Content Event and registration info here May 27-28, 2020 - B2B Ignite USA Keynote - In Marketing We Trust: How to build influence with the C-Suite and on the street Conference agenda and registration info here

The post 32 Top Social Media Marketing Influencers To Follow appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

from The SEO Advantages http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineMarketingSEOBlog/~3/bnyOUYfuxZo/

[ralphlayton]

32 Top Social Media Marketing Influencers To Follow

The social media marketing industry is bursting with innovative professionals — people who push the boundaries of existing social platforms, embrace new ones, and ditch low-performers. With so many fine social media marketers, how do you find new innovators to follow on Twitter and learn from? We've put together a list of 32 top social media marketers that includes a number of fantastic folks who may not already be on your Twitter "following" list, in addition to some industry stalwarts who those new to social media marketing would be wise to follow. We've added a quote, tip, or short lesson from each to help inspire your own social media marketing efforts. List Methodology: For this list we utilize the Traackr influencer marketing platform plus additional criteria including the relevance of the individuals to the topic, the degree to which their networks engage, the size of their networks, along with numerous other factors including online data pulled from blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, SlideShare, other platforms. Many thanks to all the industry professionals who are actively sharing knowledge about social media marketing by engaging and helping others with helpful opinions, insights and expertise on the social web. This brief list is only a starting point to help expand your social media marketing universe.

32 Social Media Marketing Influencers to Follow on Twitter

Beverly W. Jackson @BevJack Corporate VP of Social Marketing, MGM Resorts [bctt tweet="“The most important lesson I’ve learned about leadership is that no one leads alone.” @BevJack" username="toprank"] Brian G Peters @Brian_G_Peters Strategic Partnerships, Shopify [bctt tweet="“The wonderful thing about social media video is that if you do it right, the videos can produce results for your business long after they’ve been posted.” @Brian_G_Peters" username="toprank"] Amy (Schmittauer) Landino @Schmittastic Co-Founder & Owner, Aftermarq [bctt tweet="“True focus comes from believing in yourself. When you are unsure, you welcome distractions. Trust that you’re on the right path.” @Schmittastic" username="toprank"] Amisha Gandhi @AmishaGandhi VP, Marketing & Communications, SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass [bctt tweet="“If we want to connect with the people we want to influence, we need to dial back the business speak and communicate more simply and directly.” @AmishaGandhi" username="toprank"] Marcus Sheridan @TheSalesLion Owner & Partner, IMPACT [bctt tweet="“Whether it's views, shares, watch time, or more — it's the little things that make the biggest difference.” @TheSalesLion" username="toprank"] Caitlin Angeloff @caitlinangeloff Social Strategy Director, Providence St. Joseph Health [bctt tweet="“With unprecedented targeting via the social media platforms, it is essential brands and media companies not take a one size fits all approach with their social video strategy.” @caitlinangeloff" username="toprank"] Tim Schmoyer @timschmoyer Video Strategist, VideoCreators [bctt tweet="“When you find someone who understands your journey and your heart, get together, swap stories, and encourage each other.” @timschmoyer" username="toprank"] Konstanze Alex @Konstanze Global Digital Storytelling, Cisco [bctt tweet="“Co-creating content with influential industry experts is one way for brands to unlock powerful, authentic storytelling that results in valuable brand experiences for customers.” @Konstanze" username="toprank"] Rob Walch @podcast411 VP of Podcaster Relations, Libsyn [bctt tweet="“The biggest shows out there did nothing to promote their show, they let their audience do it.” @podcast411" username="toprank"] Alison J. Herzog @alisonjherzog Senior Director of Brand and Digital, Visa [bctt tweet="“Brands need to manage experience across the entire company. Each person and department owns a piece of the overall #CX.” @alisonjherzog" username="toprank"] Dan Gingiss @dgingiss Chief Experience Officer, The Experience Maker [bctt tweet="“Remember, when customers are reaching out with suggestions on how to improve your product or service, generally it means that they really care and that they're brand loyal.” @dgingiss" username="toprank"] Zontee Hou @ZonteeHo President & Chief Strategist, Media Volery [bctt tweet="“To build trust, you have to understand human motivations.” @ZonteeHo" username="toprank"] Andrew Pickering & Pete Gartland @AndrewAndPete Co-Founders, Andrew and Pete [bctt tweet="“Social media is a tool we use to keep connected with the people in our lives. It’s a way to strengthen relationships and to make new ones.” @AndrewAndPete" username="toprank"] Jenn Herman @jenns_trends Social Media Strategist, Jenn's Trends [bctt tweet="“I'm a BIG proponent of a clear strategy for content, posting frequency, messaging, and branding. Keeping it clearly focused on your target audience is the key.” @jenns_trends" username="toprank"] Jon Loomer @jonloomer Facebook Marketing Strategist, Jon Loomer Digital [bctt tweet="“Keep experimenting and trying different things. You never know what the perfect combination is for you — there really is no one formula that works for everyone.” @jonloomer" username="toprank"] Sandy Carter @sandy_carter VP, Amazon Web Services [bctt tweet="“Data is at the heart of EVERY major tech trend in the coming decade.” @sandy_carter" username="toprank"] Justin Levy @justinlevy Director of Social Marketing, ServiceNow [bctt tweet="“You have to move from looking at marketing tactically to looking at it strategically.” @justinlevy" username="toprank"] Scott Monty @ScottMonty CEO & Principal, Scott Monty Strategies [bctt tweet="“There's so much focus on the latest platform, trend or technology. But true storytellers know that the medium isn't the message.” @ScottMonty" username="toprank"] Brian Fanzo @iSocialFanz Digital Futurist & Founder, iSocialFanz [bctt tweet="“Stop talking with a logo, start talking with your employees.” @iSocialFanz" username="toprank"] Shannon Paul @ShannonPaul Vice President, Digital Line of Business Marketing Director, Fifth Third Bank [bctt tweet="“A key driver in any successful strategy is going to be organizational and operational alignments.” @ShannonPaul" username="toprank"] Larry Kim @larrykim CEO, MobileMonkey [bctt tweet="“The ability to be a team player is one of the most important employee skills of 2020.” @larrykim" username="toprank"] Heidi Cohen @heidicohen Chief Content Officer, Actionable Marketing Guide [bctt tweet="“As a key element of your marketing strategy your blog supports content marketing, social media, search and audience and customer acquisition.” @heidicohen" username="toprank"] Donna Moritz @SociallySorted Founder, Socially Sorted [bctt tweet="“More than ever, it's important to survey your audience to find out what they need and how you can help them.” @SociallySorted" username="toprank"] Mari Smith @MariSmith Facebook Marketing Expert, Mari Smith International [bctt tweet="“Those first few seconds of your video are gold. Make sure you're following a strategy that keeps people watching.” [bctt tweet="“Those first few seconds of your video are gold. Make sure you're following a strategy that keeps people watching.” @MariSmith" username="toprank"] Ian Anderson Gray @iagdotme Founder, Ian Anderson Gray [bctt tweet="“The Internet is a sea of helpful tools, and with so many options, it can feel like you’re drowning.” @iagdotme" username="toprank"] Ann Handley @MarketingProfs Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs [bctt tweet="“It’s incumbent on all of us in B2B marketing, whether you are a writer, or a marketer, or whatever role you play to take some risks and just get out of the box and throw an ax at that target.” @MarketingProfs" username="toprank"] John Lee Dumas @johnleedumas Host, Entrepreneurs on Fire [bctt tweet="“It’s not always about doing as much as you possibly can - it’s about choosing the right things and going all-in on those.” @johnleedumas" username="toprank"] Mark Schaefer @markwschaefer Executive Director, Schaefer Marketing Solutions [bctt tweet="“Good enough today isn't good enough tomorrow if you want to keep growing.” @markwschaefer" username="toprank"] Jay Baer @jaybaer Founder, Convince & Convert [bctt tweet="“Customer experience is not only about removing friction and minimizing mistakes and calamities but also about delivering something the customer didn’t see coming.” @jaybaer" username="toprank"] LaSandra Brill @LaSandraBrill Head of Integrated Digital Planning, NVIDIA [bctt tweet="“Don’t say no. Instead tell me how you get to yes. Being able to identify and communicate the tradeoffs is 'strategic thinking.'” @LaSandraBrill" username="toprank"] John Hunt @Smead_JohnH Senior Manager of Digital Marketing, Corporate Brand Communications and eCommerce Content, Smead Manufacturing Inc. [bctt tweet="“Today there are no more secrets. You've got to prove you can help, and not just say it.'” @Smead_JohnH" username="toprank"]

Piece Together Your Social Media Marketing Knowledge & Execution

Statistical analysis, no matter how well-researched and deep, can only go so far in surfacing people you’ll find the most helpful and influential in your daily professional marketing lives, which is why we’d be delighted if you would share the name of social media marketers that influence you most in out comments section below. We hope that you've found at least a few new-to-you social media marketing influencers on this list, and gained a smattering of inspiration from their quotes. To further your own social media marketing expertise, here is a bonus list of our best relevant recent articles:

13 Top B2B Social Media Marketing Trends & Predictions for 2020

How B2B Marketers Can Build Their Personal Brands on Social Media

Our 10 Top Social Media Marketing Posts

Social Media Secrets: 5 Under-the-Radar LinkedIn Features for Marketers

Spotlighting Organic Social Media Video Success: Your Guide to Metrics and Specs

Finally, there's no better way to meet new B2B social media marketers than attending industry events, and you can catch our CEO Lee Odden at an array of upcoming in-person and streaming online conferences and webinars: March 9, 2020 Webinar Panel Are you ready to transform your B2B marketing? Featuring Joel Harrison for B2B Marketing, Doug Kessler from Velocity Partners, Lee Odden, and Mark Bornstein from ON24 Registration info here March 19, 2020 Convergence Summit Minneapolis Lunch Keynote: In Search of Trust: How Authentic Content Drives Customer Experience Agenda and registration info March 24, 2020 Pubcon Florida B2B Influencer Marketing Workshop Register here March 25, 2020 Webinar Top B2B Marketing Challenges, Trends and Best Practices for 2020 Register here April 22, 2020 - ContentTECH Summit How to Optimize Content Performance with Influence  Session info and register here April 23rd, 2020 - Content Marketing Conference How to Optimize Customer Experience with SEO and Influence Conference info and register here May 13 - 14, 2020 - Ceros Experience Matters How to Optimize for Customer Experience with Interactive Content Event and registration info here May 27-28, 2020 - B2B Ignite USA Keynote - In Marketing We Trust: How to build influence with the C-Suite and on the street Conference agenda and registration info here

The post 32 Top Social Media Marketing Influencers To Follow appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

32 Top Social Media Marketing Influencers To Follow published first on yhttps://improfitninja.blogspot.com/

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Bastille - survivin' (Live From One Eyed Jack’s)

And I'm not gonna lie Say I've been alright 'Cause it feels like I've been living upside down

What can I say? I'm survivin'

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Bastille - The Weight of Living Pt. I (Greek Theatre, 10/12/19)

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Bastille - 1 Evil Live (Greek Theatre, 10/12/19)

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Bastille // Those Nights

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Bastille // Joy + Vossi Bop // The Lateish Show

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The Tunnel // Bastille // Joy (Live)

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Watching this on repeat until it goes away.

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Bastille @ the Wiltern (aka How Dan Smith Kissed Me)

Okay friends, strap in, this is gonna be a ride -- partially because I’s super excited, and partially because this is my ONE CHANCE to get revenge for the millions of SPN Con breakdowns I’ve had to read over the years, lol. ((BUT, because I am a nice nice Stitch, I shall put a read more break and you can scroll to the bottom if all you want to read is the kiss part lol.))

To start off, dis me and mah buddy Mikey ( @gnaist​) 

We have known each other since fucking JUNIOR HIGH, and (as I told him last night,) there are v v few people I enjoy enough to tolerate them for over twenty years, let alone still actively want to see them. Dis guy? He dat guy. :) And he also puts up with me with minimal complaining. 

Mikey and I share a birthday week, and we usually do something together (just us) during September to celebrate. This year, he was sweet enough to agree that our Birthday Shenanigans™ should take place at the ONE gig Bastille’s playing in LA -- not because he's a fan, but because I am. #FriendshipGoals

So first, I got all dolled up, with fancy pink and purple hair and Bastille-themed nails:

(That’s 00:15 for their song Quarter Past Midnight, a ∆ , and a letter for each member of the band: Charlie (guitar), Woody (drums), Will (bass), Kyle (keyboards), and Dan (lead singer))

Then, I drove to Mikey’s and gave him his half of our newest tradition: Birthday Socks!! One for me and one for him. 

We had dinner at this awesome patisserie close to Mikey’s awesome new place (shoutout to him for Adulting and buying his first condo!) We also got cake because Birthday Shenanigans™.

The food was super tasty, and the cakes were CHOCOLATE AF (don’t talk to me about my allergies, okay? Is mah BIRTHDAY)

We were running late, so we actually ate in the Lyft (the driver was nice enough to let us, and we were careful not to spill.) We got to the Wiltern at 7pm, JUST as they started letting people in.

Once we got in, we got overpriced (but very tasty) drinkies (Birthday Shenanigans™)

And then Mikey informed me that if we were going to a concert, we were getting merch. (Mikey is v v wise and a literal doctor, so I 100% believe anything he tells me.) We got shirts!

He got a cute Quarter Past Midnight shirt (that was also unusually soft and high quality,) and I got the tie-dye one that’s based off Dan Smith’s actual shirt. I’mma cut up the collar like I do with all my shirts because I hate t-shirt collars.

Then we went inside the actual theatre, which is an Art Deco beauty. They’d taken out all the seats, but the orchestra section has many shallow levels/risers, and people could basically choose which section they wanted to stand in. There was a bar INSIDE the theatre. The lighting was too low for good pics, but you can sorta see in this:

The very front pit and center section were filled with people who hadn’t sauntered in four hours late with chocolate mousse cake -- but there was space off to the right where we could stand and only two people were in front of us. YAY!

Then we waited. And waited. AND WAITED LIKE WTF PEOPLE?? I figure the Wiltern wants to give people time to buy drinks and stuff, but two HOURS???

Finally, about 9pm, the support act came on: a female singer named Fletcher? Anyone heard of her? Anyway, she was really good, had a gorgeous voice -- although we couldn’t understand what she was singing, but that was more because of the mic set up. 

(Das her. V petite and blonde and has a looooot of songs about breakups, lol.)

Once Fletcher finished her set, there was another break while the road crew set up Bastille’s equipment. It was sort of fun to watch, because they’re all English blokes so they’re chatting away in cute accents while they’re doing the setup.

And then, FINALLY, Bastille came on stage. 

And it. 

Was.

WORTH IT.

They went hard from the moment they stepped on stage, and kept the energy up the entire time. 

I cannot fully express to you how electric they are live -- but let’s just say that all the good pictures are Mikey’s because  a) he is the bestest of friends and played cameraman for the evening -- but also b) I was too busy jumping around with Dan to get any actual images of Dan jumping around

He even raced up to the balcony during Flaws, WHILE SINGING and dancing. (I was a bit disappointed he didn’t come by where we were standing, but I was also happy for the balcony peoples because you don’t normally get to interact much in the balcony. Also: ART DECO!!!)

Dan Smith’s voice was PEAK HONEY, and he did all the songs I hoped he would: The Draw, Blame, Quarter Past Midnight...hell, I’ll just show you the set-list, which I got to see after the show:

(The girl holding it was the one who got to keep it -- she was super sweet and a HUGE fan who’d been to tons of concerts but had never gotten a hold of a set-list, so we were all happy she finally got one! :D) 

SIDENOTE: 

During the show, there was this moment in the song Bad Blood where Dan came over to the side of the stage where we were standing. Now, the camera lens makes it seem like we were farther away than we were, like this:

When in reality we could see more like this:

So the band could see our faces, too. So during Bad Blood, Dan’s singing, and I’m singing along with him (like a goober) and I raised my hand like you do when you’re feeling a song...

and he RAISED HIS HAND BACK AND SANG TO ME!

For like, two seconds, but still. It was a MOMENT.

After that, I was floating on Cloud 9 -- so when the concert ended, I was ready to call it a perfect night. But when we went out (the back exit, as it was closer,) Mikey mentioned that because the line had stretched around the far corner of the Wiltern, we’d never gotten a chance to get a pic of the actual marquis. 

So we paused, and I looked back at the theater alley and thought -- huh, I wonder if they might...come out afterwards? Mebbe sign a few things? I has this nice shirt I spent too much money on...mebbe they sign my nice shirt, eh?

So Mikey went to get his pic of the marquis, which came out FABULOUSLY:

And then we settled in to wait at the end of the alley where we thought they might come out. Turns out, we were at the wrong end. So after like, 30 mins of waiting on one end, we (there were like, 20 of us) meandered over to the OTHER end of the alley, where the band’s cars were waiting and the crew was loading out the equipment. 

BTW, the Bastille crew? Super sweet, English and American, and those boys fucking HUSTLED. They were rolling 300-400lb equipment into this semi, basically doing the world’s largest game of Tetris, trying to fit everything in. We was all v v impressed. 

They also brought us water?? Because we’d been waiting for an hour and a half at this point and they felt bad, like...?? AND THEN, they gave us the balloons from the set!!

And all the fans were really nice, and started taking the bunches of balloons apart so that everyone who wanted a balloon could have one (I got a green one, mah favorite color!)

So we’re waiting. And waiting. And WAITING GODDAMN DON’T THEY HAVE CLOCKS IN ENGLAND??

The crew finishes loading, the semi backs out, still we wait. Their manager finally comes out and says that yes they’re coming out, but probably only going to take a couple of group shots with all of us/not sign anything or chat. Why? Because the boys are exhausted. He tells us they’ve flown from England to Sacramento to Vegas to LA in 3 days and played 4 shows, soo... understandable situation. 

EXCEPT for this one fan, who started whining at the manager. “I didn’t wait ALL THIS TIME for some fucking group shot, I want a SELFIE!” “I need Dan to take a pic of me with my SIGN!!” (She kept harping about her sign... is no even a good sign?) 

Then, when it looked for a second like maybe the boys weren’t coming out at all, she snaps “You PROMISED they were coming!!” >:( The tone of this person’s voice, man -- you know the one? Like she’s Sharon at the Walmart and they were out of stock of Pantene Pro-V or some shit and they OWED HER some gotdamn PANTENE and where is the manager?? Ugh.

Anywho, the boys come out. (Except Will. He might have already fallen asleep, IDK lol.) But there was a Dan and a Kyle and a Woody, and they all not ONLY took some group shots, but DID give hugs and stuffs. 

(Dan giving hugs. Woody, who was totally smiley and friendly and not a miserable git like this pic makes him look...right after this moment he ran over and gave the girl next to me a hug. Kyle was off to my right, giving many hugs and taking many pictures.)

(Dan in a taco hat a fan had given him. Woody heading back after giving many hugs.)

(Dan apologizing profusely because someone gave him a shirt for a present and he hadn’t realized that there was an image of a nekkid lady in the art collage on the front, and we were all ladies and he didn’t want us to feel uncomfortable or think he was a misogynist so he covered it up oh god he’s such a cinnamon roll I cannot!)

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for: THE KISS.

So, during the interminable waiting, (literally, TWO HOURS PLUS, you guys!) several of us started chatting -- during the chat, it came up that I has made a Bastille art. I showed the ladies this pic:

because we were all talking about Dan shaving his head and I was trying to convince them it was actually kinda hot, lol. 

They really liked the art!! :D So much so that they convinced me (after many prods and encouragements) to show the art to Dan. And I was gonna do it, honest! I was super brave and not at all terrified.

But then came the whole they’re too tired thing and I was like, eh, mebbe no? 

And THEN, Superbitch Fan was standing right next to me DEMANDING that Dan take a selfie with her and her sign. (Which he did, like a sweetheart.) Then when he went to turn to me, Superbitch decided she didn’t like the first pic, and PUSHED IN FRONT OF ME AND PAST THE SECURITY BARRIER to demand he take another one.

Which he did, like a sweetheart -- but then turned past me, probably so she couldn’t grab him again. So I figured, lost cause, right?

Wrong. As he turned back, I was holding the phone out, but not quite up, kind of undecided -- and it caught his eye. 

Daniel Campbell Smith GASPED, CLUTCHED HIS HEART

and said “Wow.” Looked at the pic, then back to me, said, “Did you...”

And I held it up and said “Um, yes, I made you...an art?” (Because you know, what are words and why would I, a writer, know how to use them?)

And he just gaped, like HE had no words -- and then leaned in and KISSED ME ON THE CHEEK.

And not a peck, either?? Like a firm, full on “you are amazing and so is your art thing thank you so much” kiss for several seconds??

AND MIKEY GOT THE PIC!

TL;DR:

It may be blurry, but there it is! Immortalized for all time, the moment Daniel Cinnamon Roll Smith liked my artwork SO MUCH he had to kiss me to say thank you. 

And then, dear friends, I died. 

I have, in fact, been writing this diary from my condo on the edge of the Lake of Fire in Hades. Because I’m dead. 

BEST. NIGHT. EVER!!**

((Bonus: Mikey is now a Bastille fan! He really liked the concert, and is going to make his own playlist based on the concert’s set list. I’m so freaking happy we got to share that!! :DDDD)) 

((Super-bonus: Look in the right-hand corner of the kiss pic. See that woman looking like she’s having her night ruined? THAT was Superbitch. HA!))

**All credit to @gnaist for taking pictures of the entire night, even when I didn’t know he was shooting lol. 

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credit to @gnaist for filming so I could do the triangle dance thing

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credit to @gnaist for filming whilst I bounced around