Top 10 Social Media Blogs of 2010

Social media is the talk of the planet. But where do you go to learn the best tips and tactics? Look no further…

In December, Social Media Examiner solicited nominations for their annual list of the top 10 social media blogs. They received over 150 suggestions, and narrowed the field down to 21 finalists. The judges in the selection process included Scott Monty (Ford), Ann Handley (MarketingProfs), and David Meerman Scott (author New Rules of Marketing and PR), who all carefully reviewed the nominees.

The final winner selection was based on these criteria:

• Quality of posts: A qualitative analysis of the content of posts was examined by the judges. Educational and discussion-spurring posts are more valuable than self-promoting posts (55% of decision).
• Frequency of posts: Blogs that write multiple posts per week scored higher. This is a sign of the blog’s commitment to blogging (15%).
• Reader involvement: Blogs that have regular comments from readers are another sign of a healthy blog. In addition, the numbers of nominations for a specific blog played a part in this (15%).
• Blog ranking: The number of other blogs that link to the blog shows the value of the content (15%). The judges used accepted third-party blog ranking systems for this portion of the score.

The winners were just announced. If you’re looking to reap the rewards of social media, these rich blogs need to be at the top of your reading list.

1. Chris Brogan: The Elvis of social media and the king of common sense, Chris Brogan is in a league of his own.
2. Social Media Explorer: Social media all-star Jason Falls provides a fresh and interesting take on all things social media.
3. Mashable: The world’s source for social media news, Mashable is the place to go for breaking stories.
4. Convince & Convert: Jay Baer provides rich content for businesses seeking to embrace social media.
5. Altitude: Amber Naslund offers a breadth of fresh air with smart, inspiring and personal social media insight.
6. CopyBlogger: The king of engaging content, Brian Clark and his team help businesses persuade in a 2.0 world.
7. Brand Builder: For businesses looking to dive deep into social media discussion, check out Olivier Blanchard’s rich insights.
8. Diva Marketing: Toby Bloomberg’s blog provides a wide array of social media advice.
9. Kikolani: Looking for great “getting started” social media guidance?  Then frequent this blog.
10. Future Buzz: A nice mix of stories and reviews makes Adam Singer’s site one that should be on your radar.

The other 11 nominees are well worth a look, too:

• Blog of Shani Sammons
• Buzz Marketing Daily
• Gray Matter Minute
• Jason Keath
• Jeff Bullas Blog
• Mack Collier
• Meryl.net
• Methodical Madness
• Outspoken Media
• Shannon Paul’s Very Official Blog
• SocialMouths

Congratulations to the winners. Be sure to check out all of these amazing blogs!

Do you frequent any of these blogs? What are some of your favorites?

(Via Social Media Examiner)

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