Expert Commentators

Our expert commentators are our regular contributors who do a fantastic job giving advice on best practice and the latest developments in their specialist areas of digital marketing.

Dave Chaffey

Dave is editor of many of the 7 Step to Success guides on Smart Insights. He is a bestselling author, consultant and speaker who enjoys sharing tips, tools and techniques on all things digital, but especially SEO, PPC, Social Media, Email Marketing, Site Design & Analytics! Follow Dave on Twitter for his latest insights or if you prefer connect by Linked In or Facebook. Dave is author of 5 bestselling books on digital marketing including Emarketing Excellence and Internet Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice.

Danyl Bosomworth

Dan is co-founder of Smart Insights and Managing Director of First 10 Digital. His experience spans brand development and digital marketing, with roles both agency and client side over the last 13 years. Creative, passionate and focussed, his goal is on commercial success whilst increasing brand equity through effective integration and remembering that marketing is about real people. Dan's interests and recent experience span digital strategy, social media, and eCRM. You can learn more about Dan's background here Linked In.

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Latest Post: Is Pinterest on your radar?

Chris Soames

Chris Soames is a Smart Insights blogger and consultant, he has worked in digital marketing for over 6 years with the last few years managing international web strategies for a leading travel brand. Now Marketing Director at First 10 Digital, an Inbound Marketing & Digital agency, he helps clients build reach, get found online, drive site engagement and optimise for conversion. Most of all, Chris enjoys working with clients who sit at the coal face, where results matter.

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Latest Post: SEO Agency Research 2012

Guest Expert

This is a post we've invited from a digital marketing specialist who has agreed to share their expertise and opinions. See the details of the author at the bottom of the post. If you'd like to share your expertise or have a story to tell about what has worked or not worked, please get in touch!

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Latest Post: Ebusiness capability benchmarking

Mark Brownlow

Mark Brownlow is a freelance business writer and the owner/editor of Email Marketing Reports, founded in 2001. His "No man is an iland" blog is recognized by the AdAge Power150 as one of the world's best marketing blogs. Mark also edits various email and social media marketing reports for the UK's DMA, and writes the Famous Inboxes series. Connect with him via his blog or on Twitter.

Rene Power

René Power, the Smart Insights Expert commentator on B2B marketing is Account Director with Barrett Dixon Bell, a leading independent international b2b marketing consultancy. He authors The Marketing Assassin blog and consults, talks and trains on the deployment of the full marketing mix within trade b2b sectors including packaging, food, science, construction, engineering and professional services. He specializes in integrating digital with traditional and demystifying digital marketing, social media and content marketing for trade b2b companies. A Chartered Marketer and CIM Cheshire committee member, René's Twitter profile is @renepower and you can connect via Linkedin.

Annmarie Hanlon

Annmarie Hanlon is the Smart Insights expert commentator on online and offline marketing strategies for business. Annmarie is the MD of Evonomie and author of Quick Win Marketing, and co-author of Quick Win Digital Marketing. She runs social media workshops in the UK and Ireland and shares marketing tips and news in her blog, B2B Marketing. You can follow Annmarie on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.

Tim Watson

Tim Watson is the Smart Insights expert commentator on email marketing with particular emphasis on optimisation. He is an independent email marketing consultant providing strategic guidance to deliver improved campaign results. A member of the DMA Email Council where he actively promotes email and how to improve use of the channel. Connect with Tim via LinkedIn or Twitter.

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richardsedley

Richard Sedley, the Smart Insights Expert commentator on Customer Engagement is Commercial Director at Foviance and Course Director in Social Media for the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Richard's Twitter is @richardsedley.

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Latest Post: 10 ideas to make your website more persuasive

Paul Rouke

Paul is our Smart Insights expert commentator on usability and conversion optimisation. Paul is Head of Usability and founder of usability consultancy PRWD (PRoductivity Without Difficulty). He is a usability consultant, trainer and speaker who absolutely loves sharing tips, advice and customer insights to SME’s through to blue chip companies on how they can improve their usability and on-site conversion rates. Paul works with a range of recognised brands including Speedo International, Lakeland, JD Williams, Isabella Oliver, The Royal Mail and The Scout Association, as well as a wide range of SME’s who all recognise the competitive edge they can gain by investing in improved on-site usability to improve their conversion rates. Paul is one of Econsultancies well respected training team, and he delivers two courses, Usability and User Experience and E-commerce Usability and Best Practice. Paul also writes articles for Econsultancies award winning blog, sharing tips, advice and recommendations. Paul’s business PRWD also has a usability blog sharing tips and advice and company news. You can follow Paul on Twitter for his latest insights, links and commentary on all things usability and conversion optimisation, or if you prefer you connect by Linked In.

Marie Page

Marie Page @marie_page is co-founder of Musicademy, a specialist e-retailer teaching contemporary music on DVD and online. She has grown the business partly through social media and savvy use of digital marketing. Marie teaches and examines for the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a number of private training providers in the UK and North America. After many years delivering traditional marketing and PR, Marie has developed a number of specialisms in digital marketing and blogs at UsingConversationalMedia where she has also published an ebook as a practical guide to social media.

Dan Barker

Dan Barker is the Smart Insights expert commentator on using Analytics for Ecommerce. He is an independent consultant, working across analytics, SEO, conversion optimisation, email, content and more. You can Follow Dan on Twitter or Connect with Dan on LinkedIn

Imran Farooq

Imran Farooq is our Smart Insights expert commentator on the use of rich media/video in Digital Marketing campaigns. Imran is MD of MMC Learning, a successful JV company with MMU Business School and a Senior Examiner for the Diploma in Digital Marketing awarded by the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Imran is experienced in the rapid development of rich digital learning content which is being used to educate business professionals in over 50 countries. You can connect with Imran on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and download the iMarketer iPhone App.

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Mel Henson

Mel Henson is an author, consultant and copywriter specialising in strategy and copy for retail websites and catalogues. She is also head of multi-channel copywriting agency Words That Sell.

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Latest Post: 3 Types of Magic Words…

Matt Clarke

Matt Clarke is the Director of Operations and Professional Services at eCircle. Matt leads the UK Operations team to deliver fantastic solutions and support for eCircle's clients. Previously has worked client-side for over 12 years, most recently with BP where he led usability and design as part of a global web team. During his career Matt has specialised in many areas including Usability, Accessibility, Web Design and SEO. Connect with him via LinkedIn or Twitter.

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Latest Post: Email can work to boost brand awareness too

James Gurd

James is the owner of Digital Juggler, an Ecommerce and Digital Marketing consultancy who retailers develop, execute and evolve Ecommerce strategies and optimise their digital channel. With a background as a Head of Ecommerce and also agency side as Head of Client Development, he has experienced life on both sides of the fence. He has helped companies like A&N Media, Sweaty Betty and Smythson to manage their ITT process and been lead consultant on high profile projects for Salmon, Dymott Consulting and Greenwich Consulting. He is a guest blogger for Econsultancy, for whom he also writes best practice guides, regularly contributes to industry magazines and writes articles for companies like Web Credible. You can connect with James on LinkedIn and Twitter.

J-P De Clerck

J-P De Clerck is a customer-centric marketing consultant and trainer. You can reach him on his website conversionation.net, follow him on Twitter via @conversionation or connect on Google+ via +J-P De Clerck.

Tim Leighton-Boyce

Tim Leighton-Boyce has been using analytics, customer surveys and usability testing to help improve ecommerce webs sites for 15 years. Originally he worked for direct mail companies. These days he's a consultant. Follow Tim on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn. I'm also active on Google Plus.

Emma Durant

Emma is the Smart Insights commentator on developing and implementing International Digital Marketing Strategies. She has worked within the digital arena for 14years, having had key roles with Monster.com and Freeserve in their early days, and more recently working with, amongst others, InterfaceFLOR and Mars (Pedigree). As the creator of the popular blog onlineSoul, her expertise lies in developing a strategic approach to digital marketing, which aligns itself with the company’s overall marketing and brand objectives, as well as the business goals. With over 7 years’ experience of applying this knowledge in a global field, Emma is also an expert in the complicated area of developing, applying and managing a digital strategy internationally. You can Connect with Emma through LinkedIn.

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Latest Post: Completing a Global digital marketing audit

James Bott

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Latest Post: 7 options for mobile marketing

Phil Cave

Phil is the Managing Director and founder of The Online Sales Company. He has worked with many of the leading brands in the World to help develop their digital strategy, realise the potential of their brand online and improve their conversion rates. Follow Phil on Twitter or connect by Linked In.

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Latest Post: Managing Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)

Al Wightman

Al Wightman is the Smart Insights Expert commentator on brand-building through digital media. He is Chairman and Founder of AWA, a leading UK digital agency. Al has 14 years digital marketing experience helping businesses understand and maximise the opportunities digital can offer them, ranging from international brands to regional SMEs including: Western Union, Which?, MTV, Jet2.com, Morrisons, ASDA, Lakeland and Pets at Home. Al has worked across the digital marketing spectrum but has particular interest in user-focused site design, email marketing, eCRM/social CRM, behavioural targeting, analytics and conversion marketing and the role digital strategy plays in business and brand strategy. You can follow Al on Twitter for his latest insights, links and commentary on all things digital or if you prefer connect by LinkedIn.

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Latest Post: Brand-building with digital media

Mike Berry

Mike Berry is a UK-based Digital Marketing Blogger, Trainer and Consultant. You can follow Mike on Twitter or connect via LinkedIn. Mike is Course Tutor on the IDM (Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing) Diploma in Digital Marketing and the IDM's Complete Digital Marketing 3-day professional course; author of ‘The New Integrated Direct Marketing’, (Gower) and a Partner at Aprais, a global agency/client relationship management consultancy. View Mike's company blog at http://mikeberryassociates.com.

Jim Ducharme

Jim Ducharme (LinkedIn) writes on the intersection between email marketing and social media marketing. Jim is the Community Manager with GetResponse, one of the worlds leading email service providers with clients of all types and sizes around the world. Jim’s role is to reach out to people and communities and help answer their questions and help them enhance their email marketing ROI. He's a veteran broadcaster and editor, having launched such brands as PC World Canada and The eMail Guide as editor. He also has a background in technical support and has built and managed online community networks with hundreds of thousands of subscribers. His traditional and new media experience gives him unique perspective and insight regarding integrated email and multi-channel marketing. Jim loves to demystify complex ideas and terms, putting them into context for busy marketing professionals. You can follow Jim on Twitter - @hugeheadca.

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Latest Post: An email marketers resolutions for 2012

John Newton

John Newton (LinkedIn) is the Smart Insights commentator who writes on using Google Adwords for improving paid search marketing and other search-related advice. John is Chief Operating Officer at ClickThrough Marketing. He has been been working in marketing, both online and offline, for 15 years in companies which include Yahoo!, ITV and TNS Global. He is interested in the creative application of common sense and a research-based approach to improve marketing results. John is also a CIM Chartered Marketer and the editor of ClickThrough’s two books on search marketing.

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Latest Post: Reviewing your paid search marketing for 2012

Rob Thurner

Rob is an established mobile consultant, trainer and speaker. With 20 years’ digital and traditional marketing experience gained with agencies and international media owners, Rob helps solve clients’ business problems with innovative mobile solutions. Rob designs and runs intermediate and advanced courses for the IDM, IPM and the IAB , where he was a founding member of the Mobile Leadership Council. He is also course tutor on the IDM digital diploma. Connect with Rob through LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter : @robthurner.

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Latest Post: Mobile design trends 2012

Pritesh Patel

Pritesh is the Digital Marketing Manager for Pauley Creative, a specialist digital marketing agency for the construction industry. Pritesh is responsible for developing and implementing online marketing strategies and measuring the performance of client websites and campaigns to enhance lead generation and brand awareness. Majority of the time Pritesh is blogging about all things Analytics and SEO on the Pauley Creative blog. His experience includes working client side and agency side in the B2B environment. You can follow Pritesh on Twitter and connect on LinkedIn.