A recent blog post at ProBlogger.com offered new Twitter users a Top 10 list of the most useful and informative people to follow. Chosen for their ability to show people what Twitter and social media is all about, if contained some of the medium’s heavy hitters. So who would make a list of 10 public relations people to follow on Twitter?

Twitter is without a doubt one of the more popular social media tools or applications. For making new friends on a personal level, to networking and meeting new business contacts on a professional level. But it can also be a lot of fun, with different users finding different ways to entertain people. Tweetbomb is just the latest and possibly one of the best – so what’s it all about?

One of social media’s defining messages is that it’s all about the sharing – helping each other become better at what we do by being selfless and looking out for each other. But does this message transfer itself to the real world? This weekend’s tragic Black Friday events suggest this may not be the case. Are we really losing our sense of worth?

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, trying to encourage businesses to get into social media often feels like hitting a brick wall. You can show benefits, why it’s important, what tools are best for each company, etc, but all to deaf ears. What if there was a really simple way to explain it?

This is a guest post from my wife Jacki. I thought it’d be interesting to get the views of someone who has no real interest in social media and let them explain why. And one thing I love about Jacki is her no-nonsense approach to everything. To learn more or connect with Jacki, please visit her blog Just Kickin’ It. I was recently asked my views on social media and all the glorious tools therein. Truthfully, my mind went blank….

The days of high retainer fees are long gone – or at least they should be. PR, marketing and advertising agencies need to realize what their clients already have – it’s a results-driven market. As money belts are tightened by businesses everywhere, agencies need to move with the times and offer alternatives. Does yours?

Blog carnivals are a wonderful way to take readers on a trip through undiscovered and underrated blogs. Centered around a central theme, they offer a host of similar yet also different blogs to read, all under one roof. Join me for the Social Media Goes Gonzo blog carnival early next year – will you be part of it?

Social media is many things to many people. For some it’s simply a way of connecting and making new friends online. For others, it’s an essential tool in their strategy of online brand building. With this in mind, I offer a series of interviews where different people share their views with me on how they use social media. Sharing her thoughts this time around is Mary Higgins, a UK writer now living in Canada who is writing her first novel.

There’s an old saying that the customer is always right. It’s usually reserved for retail but it can be put to pretty much any business. Yet this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, as much as the client would like to be involved, they need to stand back and let your expertise take over to help you help them.

The Canadian Blog Awards is an annual event on the Canadian Blogosphere in which Canadian Bloggers and Blog Readers vote to decide which blog is the best – either overall or within a category. I’m honoured to say I’ve been nominated for two categories.