More than 70% of Web users agree that personal recommendations influence their purchases and selections.

So what better way to find great blogs to read than to LISTEN TO people whom you’ve grown to trust?

Five bloggers who inspire me on my educational journey down Social Media Revolutionary Road

SETH GODIN

Seth Godin is a business genius, who coined the term “permission marketing” [wikipedia entry] whose books have sold millions.

I like reading his daily witticisms because they are typically short, anecdotal, and clearly focused to make one clear point — from a common sense perspective that may too often be overlooked.

This morning I caught up on a few of his recent posts:

• Manuerability: the profitability of quick response
• Amplifying complaints: the profitability of using a positive buffer
• Career Fairs: the unprofitability of the current mode of holding/attending career fairs
• 2 Lemonade Stands: the profitability of offering more than just a product for sale

ADAM SINGER

Adam Singer is my favorite blogger. He’s a Gen-Y-er with a huge amount of experience in online media/marketing strategizing, and he is very creative and hip. Some of his posts I go back to over and over, for example:

• 49 amazing social media stats
• 140-character insights from Twitter
• 19 reasons you should blog and not just tweet
• 44 Buzzworthy marketing interviews

and I particularly like What If

In his most recent post, Tangible Media is Becoming Obsolete, Adam gives nine reasons why digital is better — from ease of use to the building of community.

SUZANNE VARA

Suzanne runs a small business marketing agency from her new home in Las Vegas, and I discovered her blog from a LinkedIn group. Her audience is very similar to mine, i.e., people who are relatively new to marketig online. Her articles are filled with easy-to-read tips on how to get the most out of online opportunities. Here are some of my favorite posts:

• 5 steps for building a small business brand
• 9 ways to build better relationships
• selling your boss on blogging
• 11 email marketing tips

Today she discusses the new news about Google Search, and how “nonspammers” can benefit.

LARRY BRAUNER

This is Larry’s birthday week, and to celebrate he has created an amazing opportunity for bloggers across the globe to share their sites on his Facebook Fan Page.

Larry’s blog covers a broad range of social networking topics, but he is most concerned with building “Best Practices” for collaboration and mutual benefits. He is knowledgeable on a diverse array of strategies and tools, especially when it comes to building a successful blog.

Check out Larry’s article on social media basics for 2010.

ZAHID LILANI

Disclosure: Zahid was one of my star students at San Francisco State, and I can safely say that I have learned at least as much from him as he learned from me. Zahid has guest posted for me, discussing Our Facebook Future.

He loves his Iphone, and loves writing about it, so you can find the latest smartphone information — as it is announced — on his blog. Today he talks about Iphone’s responsive touch screen.

“Tomorrow” [sometime in the near future] he and I will be discussing all the ways that Baby Boomers [like me] will want and need SmartPhones in our lives.

Of course, these five are not the ONLY bloggers I read, but all five are great to check out for “Getting Started”

I purposely left off some really popular people/blogs so that my readers can add their 2 cents, so “have at it.”

🙂