12 Bloggers You Really Should Read in 2012

The great thing about blogging is that you get to meet so many smart people. While a post might start the conversation, the comments take it in a whole new direction altogether, and makes a post better for it.

As well as blog comments offering the opportunity to read the views of these smart people, they also allow us to check out more of their writing, thanks to plugins like CommentLuv.

I’ve discovered some really great bloggers through comments left on this blog, and I’d like to share 12 of them with you today.

Each one of them brings a tremendous voice and point-of-view, as well as something to learn from every time. And you can’t ask for more than that.

So, without further ado and in no particular order, here are 12 bloggers you really should read and subscribe to in 2012.

One of the original For Bloggers By Bloggers core authors, Judy has long been one of my favourite bloggers from the first post of hers I read. Her Cats Eye Writer blog is one of the best around, period, for writing advice, style, life lessons weaved into blogging and more. If you want to be a better writer, read Judy Dunn.

Craig came into my radar last year, and he’s been there ever since. A fairly new blogger, Craig writes about social media and business, but from a more human angle. His writing style is very warm and incredibly smooth, and flows from one sentence to the other. If you want a business-type blog without the boring corporate fluff, check Craig McBreen out.

Never one to pull punches or walk in territories others would be afraid to, Jayme Soulati writes an excellent PR-led blog over at Soulati-’TUDE. Although there are many reasons to love her blog, her no-nonsense approach to showing what’s wrong in PR and how to improve it make it an essential read for anyone with an interest in public relations.

One of my favourite marketing blogs, because like Jayme above there are no punches pulled, Robert Dempsey’s blog is one of those blogs that has you hooked once you read a post. Knowledgeable; genuine; fearless – if you want a great marketing blog that really tells it like it is, Robert Dempsey is your guy.

There are many blogs that write about life and how to remain positive when the shit hits the fan. Many come across as false, though, and just out for eyeballs. Stuart’s Unlock The Door blog isn’t one of them. A tremendous blog that shines with humanity and real emotion, this is one of the best blogs out there to show you how to really live life, personally and professionally.

The self-penned “Invisible Blogger” because no-one used to read his blog (man, how that’s changed!), Bill Dorman is another blogger who effortlessly seems to bridge the gap between business, life, human emotions and storytelling. That’s not an easy trick to pull off – but Bill does it with ease. Read his blog and you’ll see how for yourself.

Ken Mueller is simply awesome – that’s all you need to know. More? Okay – Ken’s blog is one of the very best at providing solid business and social media views with humour and deprecation. This is a guy that’s not afraid to get the lady clothes on for a video to prove a point – and that’s just one of many reasons why you should read his blog. ‘Nuff said.

A fellow Canadian, Samantha Collier writes about social media for law firms on her blog. In an industry that has to be extra-careful at what can and can’t be said online, Samantha’s blog is a great educational resource, as well as a helping hand for law practitioners when it comes to the social media space. A great read.

I’m not quite sure whether Howie is an alien or human being, or something in-between. One thing I’m certain of, though, is that he’s one of the most-informed people I know when it comes to talking about advertising and social media, amongst other things. While his blog needs a visual makeover (my eyes, Howie!!!), it’s no slouch when it comes to solid information and overviews. Read it and learn.

One of my perennial favourite bloggers, Brankica writes about Internet marketing, SEO, blogging and more over at Live Your Love. Her voice is one of the most vociferous out there when sharing opinion (and that’s a great thing to have), and she also continuously recommends awesome products for anyone looking to create a business online. Required reading.

I found Marya’s blog completely by accident. She suggested a guest post for For Bloggers By Bloggers and I checked out her stuff, and was blown away by the quality of educational content. Much like Judy that started this list, Marya writes excellent blogging and writing tips, and has a great community of commentators over at her Writing Happiness blog.

I always give Dan stick for being a miserable sod – but deep down (okay, on the surface too!) he’s one of the most genuine guys you’ll meet. Dan writes about a lot of topics – social media, people, business, non-profit and more – as well as makes great videos to share them. But despite the multi-topic approach, Dan Perez’s blog is one of the most cohesive and educational/inspiring ones around.

So there you have it – 12 bloggers that you really should add to your reading list in 2012, if you’re not already reading them. Like I say, each one offers something unique to them, and makes blog reading and commenting a delightful lesson.

I hope you check them out – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with any of them.

Happy New Year, all!

image: Kikolani

originally appeared on Danny Brown | Social Media Marketing Blog - The Human Side of Media and the Social Side of Marketing under a Creative Commons license.

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