In January of this year, I ventured into the world of blogging. Prior to this, my experiences centered around building portal sites and discussion forums. Venturing into the blogging realm was and remains an exciting experience that is filled with new and exciting people, vast repositories of knowledge, and of course, tons of pitfalls and lessons to be learned.
Until October of this year, I merely dabbled in blogging. I sat at the edge of the blogsphere pool, casually dangling my toes into the cold, uncertain waters. In October, I dove in head first and found that the waters are not so cold and that there are several life guards standing by who are more than willing to help you tread the waters.
In this post, I want to extend a special nod and “Thank You” to 10+1 blogs/bloggers that have been the most influential to me since I dove into blogging head long. These blogs/people have shared a wealth of insight with me, whether they know it or not, and have earned my utmost respect.
In no particular order…
Aaron Wall (SEOBook) — I first ran into Aaron’s blog when I was brushing up my SEO knowledge. I normally won’t by a book on a topic, but after reading Aaron’s blog for several months, I bit the bullet and bought his book. That was one of the smartest investments I made in 2007. Beyond providing an excellent blog and book on SEO, Aaron has earned my respect as a human being. Aaron has shared much of his story through his blog and book and I can relate to him all too well. We both come from dark pasts and have worked our tails off to turn our lives around. While I have not had the monetary success that he has had, I have achieved an even more valuable wealth in my family. Aaron, my hat is off to you man!
Andy Beard — I don’t even know where to begin with Andy. His blog has influenced me in so many ways. His writing style, his coverage of Google, his tips on marketing, blogging and social media – all of it has been instrumental in helping me to achieve my goals in blogging. Andy was also one of the first “A-List” bloggers to give me a nod and participate on this blog. Andy and a few other exceptional bloggers have recently started a collaborative blog called Collective Thoughts. This new blog is quickly becoming one of my favorites and I expect it will be one of the most influential blogs for me in 2008. To Andy and the group at Collective Thoughts, keep up the excellent work!
Lyndon Antcliff (Cornwallseo) — Lyndon aka: Lyndonman is great! Whether he pisses you off, makes you laugh or provokes you to thought, the fact remains, this guy knows Linkbaiting. Lyndon doesn’t update his blog very often, but when he does, it’s a must read. Lyndon was also one of the first “A-Listers” to give me a nod on StumbleUpon, thus propelling me into a love affair with that social media service. Be forewarned though, Lyndon tells it how it is. I like that! Keep up the great work man!
Copyblogger — Between Brian Clark and his host of excellent guest bloggers, I have learned a lot about effective copy writing. While I’m still far from being a writer, the great tips from Copyblogger have truly helped me to improve my writing skill and have been inspiration for me to further pursue a career in blogging. I would strongly suggest to anyone considering blogging, either as a vocation or avocation, that they subscribe to the Copyblogger feed and visit that site regularly. The small investment in time reading that blog will pay dividends in becoming a better blogger. To all at Copyblogger, keep up the excellent work! You’re helping many of us “non-writers” make our way into the blogging universe.
eMoms at Home — Ok, since I’m a guy, this one may seem a little bit strange. However, since I’ve been a work-at-home man for the last year, this one isn’t so strange at all. Wendy and the whole crew at eMoms at Home really delve deeply into the issues and concerns of being a work-at-home professional. While I have not implemented a lot of what is suggested there (and I really should!), I have found that site to be a sort of chicken soup for the work-at-home professional. With every visit, I’m revitalized and inspired to continue my career as a work-at-home professional. If you are seriously considering a career as a work-at-home professional, whether in blogging or not, I highly recommend subscribing to the eMoms at Home feed and following it closely. To Wendy and all to contribute to eMoms at Home, thank you!
Blog Herald — The Blog Herald is one of those blogs that I consider a source of best practices for bloggers. While I don’t agree with everything I’ve read there, over 90% of what I’ve read on the Blog Herald has been useful in my blogging efforts. I like the wide range in of posters presented there. It seems that no matter what level of skill you are at in blogging, you will find useful information there. To all at Blog Herald, thank you for blogging to a higher standard and showing us the way.
Dosh Dosh — Maki delves into the world of affiliate marketing with great detail. While Maki’s posts are not as frequent as many surrounding affiliate marketing, they are packed full of useful information. Maki truly is a master of quality over quantity. If you are considering monetizing your site, blog or not, you owe it to yourself to subscribe to and follow Dosh Dosh. I have learned a great deal from following that blog and I know you will find it equally rewarding. Thank you, Maki for providing such a useful, and profitable service to the blogging community.
SEOmoz — SEOmoz is one of those blogs that is a center for buzz surrounding the Search Engine Optimization arena. Nearly every day I find new and interesting news and views from Rand and all who contribute to SEOmoz. I’ve also enjoyed some very stimulating conversations there. I have not been as active on SEOmoz as I would like to have been. This is one of my goals for 2008. Still, what activity I’ve had has been rewarding in one way or another. Whether you agree with the information you find on SEOmoz or not, it is a must follow blog that will help keep you in the SEO mix. To all at SEOmoz, thank you for your excellent work!
Search Engine Guide — Much like SEOmoz, Search Engine Guide is another hub of useful information that I follow regularly. Again, I don’t always agree with everything there, but I’ve found nearly all of it interesting or useful in one way or another. Because SEO is such an important factor in online success, I try to keep up with the cutting edge of the industry. Search Engine Guide is yet another resource that helps me do just that. To all at Search Engine Guide, thank you for your contributions to the SEO industry!
Courtney Tuttle — Courtney Tuttle’s blog is, to me, the buzz hub for Internet Marketing. If there is a new program or widget out there for bloggers, chances are Courtney will be one of the first to tell you about it. While Courtney’s blog is heavy on the marketing aspects and there are times it comes across too heavy for my tastes, I have to admit that I visit Courtney’s blog every day. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what is new and hot in the blog marketing industry, Courtney’s blog is a must subscribe. Thank you Courtney for providing such a useful service!
ProBlogger — Darren Rowse and his team of gifted guest bloggers are to be credited with getting me hooked on blogging. ProBlogger.net was the site that I first started researching blogging through and is the site that has lead me to all the other sites listed above. I can’t even begin to summarize the amount of valuable insight that I’ve gained through following Problogger on a regular basis. Yes, there is a lot of marketing on Problogger, and I don’t always agree with some of the things done on that blog, I cannot deny that Problogger is in my top 3 favorite blogs about blogging. To Darren and all to contribute to Problogger, the service you are providing to the blogging community is invaluable. Thank you for doing what you do!
The Plus 1 or, the “odd ball” 
The Ominous Comma — Considering that all the other blogs that have inspired me the most this year surround the SEO, SEM, or Affiliate Marketing, The Ominous Comma really is the odd ball of the bunch. The Ominous Comma doesn’t teach you about marketing or even blogging. The Ominous Comma is a humorist blog run by Brent Diggs, a wickedly funny guy who is extremely talented with his humor and manipulation of the English language. How Brent has inspired me this year is in his unique approach to blogging and through his outstanding wit. Ever since first stumbling upon his blog, I have been hooked and visit daily. In following his blog, I have laughed so hard that my eyes have watered, and that’s saying a lot because I normally don’t laugh out loud. Most importantly, by observing Brent’s style of writing and his interactions with his readers, I have found my own style of writing that mixes the seriousness and professionalism of the 10 other blogs listed here with a healthy dose of humor and creative use of words. Thank you, Brent for inspiring me to use humor in my blogging. I can never get enough of your blog and your writing style. Keep up the great work!
To all of the bloggers I’ve mentioned here, you have my most sincere appreciation for what you do. Whether you have angered me, inspired me, provoked me to question my own values, or made me laugh until I cried, each one of you has influenced me in one way or another and has helped me to break into the blogging industry. Thank You!
It is my hope that one day I will have the pleasure of talking with each and every one of you in a more personal setting, beyond just comments on your blogs. If any of you would like to talk via Instant Messenger, please do contact me. It would be an honor and a pleasure to get to know you all better.
To all who are reading this post, if you are seriously considering blogging as either a vocation, or as an advocation, I strongly recommend visiting each of the above sites. Moreover, I would hope that you would subscribe to their feeds and follow them regularly. I can assure you that you will be rewarded with vast amount of knowledge in doing so.
To all, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
You have read my two cents. Now have your say!
What blogs or bloggers have been the most influential for you this year?
What emerging blogs do you feel show potential for being influential in 2008?
Well, not quite yet, but still, I’m honored and surprised none the less. Apparently those “special brownies” I shipped to 
