Recently I wrote about why I was moving my #followfriday recommendations from Twitter to this blog. So, without further ado, here are my recommendations for this week.

I hope you check them out – they’re all worth getting to know.

1. Community. John Haydon (@johnhaydon). John is a massive influence on me. From his sterling non-profit work to his social media smarts, and his incredibly friendly demeanour, he’s the true spirit of community. He also plays a mean guitar. One of my “must meet in 2009″ people.
2. Ladies of Twitter. Gina LaGuardia (@GinaLaGuardia). Did you know Gina has Mafia connections? Granted, it’s the Twitter Mafia, but still… Gina is an editing genius – so much so that she’s known as the Content Pimp. Got typo issues? Speak to Gina! She’s also funny as heck, as her exchanges with people on Twitter testify.
3. Gentlemen of Twitter. David Holliday (@_djh). David is one of these guys that everyone should know. He has a hand in many pots – photography, marketing, social media and it’s all mixed up with dry UK wit. His Twitter feed is a mix of laughs, questions and information. Which makes David great for Twitter parties.
4. Non-Profits. Mark Lovett (@GlobalPatriot). Mark is incredibly inspiring, both on and off Twitter. I’ve spoken to him many a time and always come away revitalized. He’s a Californian on a mission to end poverty and hunger, and offer sustainable solutions to many charitable problems. Basically, the guy’s a saint.
5. Marketing. Maria Reyes McDavis (@websuccessdiva). For anyone that relates Internet marketing to spam emails and pyramid schemes, let me introduce you to Maria. Brilliant online and offline marketer, Maria is a bundle of great information and tips that will help anyone looking for marketing advice and business success. Oh, and she’s a really nice person too.
6. Public Relations. Dave Fleet (@davefleet). Another Brit in the list yet deservedly so. Dave is to PR what Industrial Light & Magic are to George Lucas – inseparable. A genuine expert in both traditional and social media-led public relations, Dave also has one of the must-read PR blogs around. He’s also probably one of the fittest Twitter users I know. The swine.
7. Social Media. Scott Henderson (@scottyhendo). Incredibly knowledgeable due to his wide-reaching travels, Scott approaches social media from not what it can do, but what it can achieve (and there is a difference). He’s a connector in the truest sense and will help you see social media uses that will surprise you. Underrated star.
8. The “Everyone Should Know” WildCard Entry. Patrick Badstibner (@PBadstibner). Pat is one of life’s good people. He hardly has a harsh word to say; he obviously loves his family; he never fails to offer help wherever he can (both online and offline); and he has a great wit to boot. If you’re looking for a gentle giant on Twitter, Pat is your man.

Cheers guys, for being who you are every day of the week.

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