It seems to be “list season” in the marketing world, as bloggers and companies merrily link-bait their way through the usual suspects in the hopes of mentions, thank you’s and general reciprocal tongue baths of appreciation. Lists can be great, if they spotlight someone new that might interest you and give you some informative reading. They are also good for boosting the profiles (and egos) of consultants trying to make names for themselves in a crowded field of guru-dom.
However, I sometimes wonder how helpful these lists are. For research, I took a list from a standard source (Social Media Today) and picked an influencer who unquestionably belongs on most marketing “best of” lists, Seth Godin. Here is how his entry looks on the Social Media Today list I found:
Curious about how others compile these lists, I cross-referenced his name with other “best of” compilations. To be honest, I came a way a little confused. Perhaps you can tell me what you think after seeing the examples I found. I suspect there are shenanigans afoot:
