PLEASE NOTE: this list was created as an experiment for research purposes at a specific moment in time. It is not a long standing recommendation, ranking, or blanket validation of skill sets and level of experience.
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When I speak at events and the topic of Twitter comes up, people often ask me how to build their streams with interesting peers to follow. I build mine starting from all the bloggers I knew first, then looked at the profiles of those they replied to (@reply), then added those who participated in planned chats and conversations.
While there is no steadfast rule on who to follow and what ratio of followers to have - yes, I realize I'm busting another Twitter myth - the noise/signal ration in your stream will depend on the messages of those you follow. So follow wisely and never be afraid of unfollowing someone. Twitter is the most casual of all social networks - the barrier to entry is quite low - and it has the potential of being one of the most useful - when you're not afraid of meeting new people quickly.
The Twitter list of suggested people to follow is not exactly helpful to businesses that are working on learning more about how you do public relations in new media. Since looking up a lot of profiles is hard work, and Colleen just left a comment calling me a collector of people, I thought I'd show you one of my collections on Twitter - that of professionals who do PR right. By that I mean they are helpful and pay it forward.
I'm not going to rank the list, because some of these professionals serve a niche segment or a specific industry. Instead, I will list them in alphabetical order. Some of these people may not meet your definition of Twitter "famous". I chose them because they participate and contribute, on Twitter and to the profession, not because they have a known name - you should do the same.
1. Elizabeth Albrycht (@ealbrycht) consultant, university lecturer, France
2. Ryan Anderson (@ryananderson) founder, Fat Canary Communications
3. Luke Armour (@LukeArmour) digital strategist, FH
4. Constantin Basturea (@cbasturea) director, new media strategies, Converseon
5. Richard Becker (@RichBecker) president, Copywrite, Ink.
6. John Bell (@jbell99) head of 360° Digital Influence team - Ogilvy PR
7. Drew Benvie (@drewB) managing director, 33Digital
8. Jim Bowman (@ThePRDoc) consultant
9. David Brain (@DavidBrain) President & CEO Edelman Europe
10. Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge) author, consultant
11. Danny Brown (@DannyBrown) consultant, founder of the 12for12k Challenge
12. Cathy Browne (@CathyBrowne) veteran PR strategist
13. Stuart Bruce (@StuartBruce) founder, managing director, Wolfstar
14. Shonali Burke (@shonali) consultant
15. John Cass (@johncass) Founding Fellow, Advisory board member, Society of New Communications Research, author
16. Simon Collister (@simoncollister) PR person doing social media and internet stuff for We Are Social
17. Kellye Crane (@KellyeCrane) consultant, moderator Twitter chat #solopr
18. Guillaume du Gardier (@gdugardier) head of digital media, Ferrero, West & South Europe
19. Todd Defren (@tdefren) principal SHIFT Communications, inventor, of the Social Media Release
20. Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) CEO, Arment Dietrich
21. Kevin Dugan (@prblog)
22. Sarah Evans (@PRSarahEvans) founder of #journchat and Media On Twitter
23. Steve Farnsworth (@TheRealPRMan) director with the Silicon Valley Brand Forum and an adviser to Gravity Summit
24. Lauren Fernandez (@cubanaLAF) marketing coordinator at Mensa
25. Kyle Flaherty (@kyleflaherty) communications for Breaking Point
26. Dave Fleet (@davefleet) account director, social media, Thornley Fallis Communications
27. LuAnn Glowacz (@LuAnnGlowacz) consultant
28. Jed Hallam (@jedhallam) senior project development executive, Wolfstar
29. Josh Hallett (@hyku) director, Voce Connect
30. Arik Hanson (@arikhanson) principal, ACH Communications
31. Beth Harte (@BethHarte) community manager, Marketing Profs, moderator #pr20chat
32. Karen Hartline (@khartline) manager of social media events & sponsorships, Porter Novelli
33. Doug Haslam (@DougH) SHIFT Communications
34. Peter Himler (@PeterHimler) founder and principal, Flatiron Communications LLC
35. Neville Hobson (@jangles) consultant, UK
36. Shel Holtz (@shel) principal, Holtz Communication + Technology
37. Lee Hopkins (@leehopkins) Adelaide Hills
38. Kami Huyse (@kamichat) principal, My PR Pro
39. Roger S. Johnson (@PRwise) Founded Newswise in 1991; PRwise focuses on social media and news media for PR professionals
40. David Jones (@DoctorJones) VP, digital communications, Hill & Knowlton Toronto
41. Zoey Jordan (@zoeyjordan) consultant
42. Rachel Kay (@rachelakay) president, Rachel Kay Public Relations
43. Shane Kinkennon (@ShaneKinkennon) consultant
44. Jason Kintzler (@jasonkintzler) founder of Pitch Engine
45. Richard Laermer (@laermer) CEO, RLM PR, author
46. Lindsay Lebresco (@LindseyLebresco) account director, Converseon
47. Geoff Livingston (@GeoffLiving) SVP, CRT/Tanaka, speaker, author
48. Mike Lizun (@MikeLizun) Gregory FCA
49. Marta Majewska (@princess_misia) Porter Novelli
50. Mike Manuel (@mmanuel) general manager, Voce Connect
51. Kelli Mathews (@kmatthews) Univ of Oregon PR instructor and consultant
52. Ben Matthews (@benrmatthews) 33Digital, founder of @brightonecomms, founding member of @twestival
53. Becky McMichael (@bmcmichael) head of corporate and technology division at Ruder Finn, UK
54. David Meerman Scott (@dmscott) consultant, speaker, author
55. Brittany Mohr (@brittanymohr) Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.
56. Jack Monson (@JackMonson) vice president, eNR
57. David Mullen (@dmullen) account supervisor, Mullen
58. Steve Mullen (@SteveMullen) president, Endgame Public Relations LLC
59. Tom Murphy (@tpemurphy) Microsoft Corporation
60. Shannon Nelson (@ShannonNelson) account manager, Pierce Mattie PR
61. Barbara Nixon (@BarbaraNixon) assistant professor of Communication Arts at Georgia Southern University
62. Sam Oakley (@samoakley) social media PR, Wolfstar
63. Lee Odden (@leeodden) CEO, Top Rank
64. KD Paine (@kdpaine) consultant, author
65. David Parmet (@davidparmet) consultant
66. Jeremy Pepper (@jspepper) consultant
67. Christine Perkett (@missusP) founder, CEO, Perkett PR
68. Ike Pigott (@ikepigott) communications, Alabama Power
69. Greg Pitkoff (@gripcommpr) GRiP Communications – B2B and consumer PR for greentech, franchise
70. Catriona Pollard (@CatrionaPollard) director of PR agency CP Communications
71. Joel Postman (@jpostman) principal Socialized, social media for PR
72. David Reich (@davidreich) principal, Reich Communications
73. Cherisse Rivera (@cherissef) consultant
74. Deb Robinson (@debinDenver) Rudy Media
75. Barbara Rozgonyi (@wiredprworks) consultant
76. Steve Rubel (@steverubel) SVP, director of insights, Edelman Digital
77. Karen Russell (@KarenRussell) PR prof at the University of Georgia. Editor of the Journal of Public Relations Research
78. Cece Salomon-Lee (@csalomonlee) director of marketing, InXpo
79. Mike Schaffer (@mikeschaffer) DC sports and entertainment publicist
80. Rob Skinner (@robskinner) financial services PR
81. Charlotte Shaff (@charshaff) consultant
82. Peter Shankman (@skydiver) founder of Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
83. Adan Singer (@AdamSinger) account manager, Top Rank
84. Bill Sledzik (@BillSledzik) public relations educator, Kent State
85. Andrew Smith (@andismit) consultant, UK
86. Brian Solis (@briansolis) principal, FutureWorks, speaker, author
87. Elizabeth Sosnow (@elizabethsosnow) B2B Bliss
88. Paul Stallard (@paul_stallard) PR and marketing professional at Berkeley PR
89. Sherrilynne Starkie (@sherrilynne) consultant, Isle of Man
90. Greg Swan (@perfectporridge) digital strategy manager, Weber Shandwick
91. Joseph Thornley (@thornley) CEO, Thornley Fallis Communications
92. Ron Torossian (@rtorossian5wpr) founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations
93. Paull Young (@paullyoung) Converseon
94. Trevor Young (@trevoryoung) co-founder and principal partner of strategy and communications advisory firm parkyoung, based in Melbourne, Australia
95. Stephen Waddington (@wadds) managing director, Speed, London
96. Matthew Watson (@mpwatson) account executive, Speed, London
97. Martin Waxamn (@MartinWaxman) president of Palette PR
98. Alan Weinkrantz (@alanweinkrantz) consultant
99. Dom Whitehurst (@domw) 3 Digital
100. Sarah Wurrey (@SarahWurrey) public affairs
I write about public relations as well and you can follow me @ConversationAge.
I was very surprised that many who write amazing PR blogs are not on Twitter, yet or have not thought of adding the Twitter link for people to follow them. You also probably guessed that my definition of PR is true public relations, and not just press releases, right?
Who did I forget? Let me know in the comments. Also, if you have a better description of your job, company, or title, add it here.
UPDATE: Neville Hobson created a TweepML list from this one so you can follow the whole list, or as many as you wish to follow from this list.
[image courtesy of Seven Morris]
© 2006-2009 Valeria Maltoni. All rights reserved.