Follow Friday: 8 Blogs for 8 Different Reasons

So this Friday I’ll still do traditional #FF (follow Friday) on Twitter, but I also wanted to create a list of blogs you should follow (subscribe to their RSS in Google Reader or find some other way to follow them), each for different reasons. I’ve hyperlinked each of their blogs to a post I think you should check out, too, so you don’t have to hunt around for the goods.

Some of these you will recognize and a few you may not recognize at all. Some of these I’ve mentioned before either directly or talked about indirectly. But the common thread in the group is that these are blogs that have impressed me in some way such that I added them to my Google Reader so I can keep up with them, even though they are not all in my niche. Having a varied selection of blogs to follow will help you develop skills your own circle may be lacking. In this way, you will ensure continued growth!

Like the [intlink id="2502" type="post" target="_blank"]5 Great Chick Bloggers[/intlink] post, I plan to do this again but I’m not going to force a fixed schedule. I’ll put together the list as it feels right; that way you are getting my honest evaluation instead of a list I just put up to be frequent.

Other than the first, these are in no particular order.

Photo Credit: Mike G. K. (busy) (flickr)

#1: For fantastic writings:

Rethink, by Ashok Karra. A new blog for me, I’ve decided to list it here and list it first because it serves as a reminder that quality writing is NOT to be compromised for the sake of popularity, unless of course you are only blogging for the money. If you are blogging for any other reason, reading Ashok’s blog will show you how to raise the bar a little for yourself. Now, Ashok is a graduate student and the writing is advanced, but that is OK. How often do we allow ourselves to think hard about something, the way we did back in college? Not often, since most of what we (well, for accuracy, I) read is the “5 Best Ways to do this” and the “10 Worst Things You Can Do for that”, etc. His blog offers a little more than that.

#2 For a reality check WITH useful instruction:

JohnPaulAguiar.com. So… John Paul Aguiar knows how to make money online. If you want to do that, you should probably be listening to him. He’s got a great handle on what’s going on the blog world as well as social media as a whole, and he’s not afraid to ask questions and try something out. He’s incredibly honest, too. Honest bloggers about making money online are almost impossible to find, so definitely check him out.

#3 For solid blogging guidance:

FamousBloggers.net. Yes, you have probably heard of FamousBloggers.net, but if you haven’t, it’s a great blog that should be part of every blogger’s RSS reader. Posts range from commentary, to advice, to step-by-step instruction and I’ve been very pleased with the depth of information presented. Attractive and interesting without being shallow.

#4 For technical tips that are easy to understand:

Webtechwise.com. I like the way that rather technical information is presented in a way that is easy to digest. Occasionally he will add a post or two about great blogging, and that is a bonus.

#5 For SEO and Search Engine everything:

SearchEngineJournal.com. OK so there are many things to love about this blog. This blog is authored by several people, and there are 4, 5 or more updates every day, and this is why it’ll be easier to keep up by adding it to an RSS reader like Google reader. But you will want to (maybe even need to) keep up with this blog every chance you get and stay educated on SEO, search engine, and general blogging and technology news.

#6 For social media commentary:

SocialMouths.com by Francisco Rosales. Great commentary, solid instruction and a no-fluff style of writing. Seriously. This blog along with the other blogs I’m including in the list just has good content and doesn’t need gimmicky titles or contests to draw a crowd. I always learn something from Francisco’s posts and you will too.

#7 For good small business blogging and social media advice:

Big Girl Branding. She’s a great one to read if you would like to take your business blogging or social media to a new level. Not stuffy and certainly not in a grey suit, but it’s solid guidance with no B.S.

#8 For a strange mix of marketing + personal stuff:

Tara Hunt’s Horse Pig Cow. I’ve been following Tara for a couple of years, actually. I think she’s a fantastic writer and is very charismatic, and her blog is just… spunky. I like that she is all fun and all work. She seems to be able to strike the right balance and really understands the social part of social media, to the point where when she does talk about business, you sit up and listen.

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