A list of the top 70 social media blogs in the world for 2012

Every year, we like to make a list of the social media blogs that inspire us and that we read on a daily basis. We've moved direction to more original content here on our own blog, but with this bumper list you will have every bit of news, inspiration and analysis covered for the next year. Check them all out as they are all brilliant.

Adverblog

adverblog.com

Adverblog is dedicated to advertising and scours the world for the most innovative and eye-catching ads all for your viewing pleasure. Established in 2003, Adverblog founder Martina Zavagno and her growing team post multiple ads a day and are constantly in search of ads that stand out. Oh, and its Facebook cover photo features Jon Hamm as Don Draper, so you know they're sound.

PSFK

psfk.com

PSFK seeks to be on the cutting edge at all times, aiming to be the first to comment on the latest development with regards to design, digital, marketing, media and technology. PSFK report on a vast array of stories, sometimes interesting and informative, sometimes flippant and funny and should be a primary destination for those in search of the next big thing or the newest fleeting quirks.

Digital Buzz Blog

digitalbuzzblog.com

The intersection between social media and advertising is especially interesting to the folks at Digital Buzz Blog, who regularly report on the latest outlandish attempts at going viral made by the world's biggest companies. If you're company is well-known and practically screaming out for attention, then DBB will hear and make sure you get noticed; the bolder and brasher, the better.

Creativity Online

creativity-online.com

Creativity Online has an eye for the weird and wonderful that digital advertisers have to offer and will bring the finest agency work to your attention. CO don't give much in the way of analysis, but they take a truly global approach to their work and are seemingly tireless in their pursuit of the best social media advertisements and web diversions around.

Marketing Pilgrim

Always offering its opinion on the latest events and happenings on social media, Marketing Pilgrim will always give its two cents about Facebook and all the other big players and is all the better for it.

Brandflakes For Breakfast

Always featuring any campaigns that are interesting, different or just plain weird, Brandflakes For Breakfast's posts are always short, sweet and never boring.

The Verge

If you want a masterclass in design and production values, look no further than the tech news site The Verge. It has perhaps some of the most comprehensive and astute review sections on the Web and its design is magnificent.

ReadWriteWeb

When it comes to discussing the major events and stories in the tech world, ReadWriteWeb is nothing less than insightful as it dissects social media and everything around it.

Ars Technica

There's comprehensive analysis and then there's the coverage so detailed, you find yourself sucked in. Ars Technica level of coverage and research on certain topics is impressive and can sometimes make all other coverage seem shallow by comparison.

Copyblogger

With numerous tips and tricks to improving your blog and marketing, Copyblogger always provides the kind of tips and tricks that will keep you coming back for more.

Niemans Journalism Lab

While it focuses on journalism (hence the title), it regularly looks into the roles the Web and social media play in the media. Always insightful and intriguing, Niemans is always an intriguing read no matter what the topic is.

Social Media Examiner

An invaluable source of information if you're in any way involved with social media marketing.

Inside Facebook

Considering its the biggest social media platform in the world, it's no surprise that there are numerous blogs dedicated to it. Inside Facebook is one of the best examples, always up to date with any developments or updates on the platform.

HubSpot Blog

Always offering good marketing advice and interesting findings, Hubspot's blog is a treasure trove of info and always has something that you'll find useful.

The Next Web

No social media/tech blog list would be complete without a mention of our friends at The Next Web. Going from strength to strength, the best tech stories are usually found here and with it breaking stories on a regular basis means they are a must-read.

GigaOM

If you're looking for unbiased, comprehensive tech reporting, GigaOM is one of the best out there. The great thing about the site is that its business model isn't dependent on page views so you won't find any cynical articles created solely to generate more page views. GigaOM stellar content and columnists means that it should be the first thing you should read every day.

Social Media B2B

If you're specialise in B2B marketing, then this is an invaluable resource in how to improve your business. Anything you can think of that would relate to B2B marketing is found here and is worth bookmarking if you specialise in this area.

PandoDaily

Only starting up at the beginning of the year, PandoDaily is offering an alternative look at the world of technology with a focus on analysis. Covering the lesser known startups in Silicon Valley, and boasting some major backer, PandoDaily will be one to watch for the rest of the year.

Paris Lemon

Always opinionated, but never over the top, TechCrunch columnist MG Sielger is always on the money be it about Apple, Twitter or any of the big social media stories going around.

Marketing Land

Always covering the major and important topics and issues, Marketing Land's analysis is never less than comprehensive and is a great resource for keeping up with the latest developments in social media advertising.

Seth's Blog

Seth Godin's blog is always insightful and though provoking, no matter the topic or length.

Search Engine Land

Created by the same group who is responsible for Marketing Land, but it's still a valuable resource in its own right. If you're in any way interested about SEO or Google AdWords, you won't find a better resource.

Engadget

With quick, easily digestable news pieces, Engadget is a great site for dipping in and out of content, but that doesn't mean it's only good for that. It's reviews provide the best of both worlds with quick summaries and more extensive analysis, depending on what you're looking for.

Chris Dixon's Blog

The Co-founder and CEO of Hunch (later acquired by eBay) and investor in numerous tech startups always provides an insightful and interesting opinion about anything and everything tech related.

We Are Social

The UK-based social media agency We Are Social keep an impressive blog which covers more analysis around social media trends and topics as opposed to breaking news. Blogging about clients is kept to a minimum, leaving you with insightful posts often containing original research to dig a bit deeper into social media for brands.

Emarketer

This just about qualifies for the â€˜blog' category, as it is also a premium subscription site where you can access in-depth reports into digital marketing trends. But its free articles section is regularly updated with interesting research compiled for external sources. If you're looking for stats, this is the one for you.

2d code

Stepping outside of the area of general social media, 2d code is a useful blog that features practical and creative applications of QR codes, often by brands. If you're looking for a bit of creative inspiration into how QR codes might feature in a campaign, this is a useful resource.

Creative Review

Whilst not focusing exclusively on digital media, Creative Review is a publication that also has an active blog on its site, where it features stunning and inspirational creative works. It often feature digital campaigns that won't be covered elsewhere and it's a great resource if you're stuck for a bit of inspiration, or if you want a place to go and look at stunning work.

The Cool Commentator

While the frequency that The Cool Commentator is updated can be a bit hit and miss, the team behind it are very impressive in unearthing hidden links to some incredibly creative campaigns. As you might expect, their general focus is on stuff that's cool, with a heavy emphasis on digital/social

Web Strategist

Industry analyst Jeremiah Owyang is a regular speaker on the tech conference circuit and maintains an incredibly interesting blog that is full of deep analysis into how social media is affecting businesses. The posts will often be lengthier than standard blog articles, making for a nice break from shorter bursts with less insight.

Louis Gray

When it comes to opinions in social media, Louis Gray is about one of the most enthusiastic, optimistic people you could hope to find. With extensive experience in working in the digital sector, Louis is a particularly good authority when it comes to all things Google.

Charman-Anderson

This collaborative blog maintained by Suw and Kevin offers an interesting insight into how social media and digital technology affects contemporary journalism and the publishing industry. You'll find more analytical pieces than breaking news, which are often in the form of longer style posts with excellent, clean analysis of pressing industry issues.

Cool Infographics

Doing pretty much what it says on the tin, this is useful collection of infographics that focus on business and social media. If you're looking for some cool stats that are easy to digest, this is pretty much the blog you want.

Econsultancy

Another premium site here that actively maintains a blog - Econsultancy offers paid for reports that contain original research across various marketing disciplines. Its blog focuses more on digital marketing, covering breaking news and industry analysis more than personal opinion pieces. A great resource for stats and industry trends.

Mobile Marketing Watch

A really useful site focusing exclusively on mobile news. They feature a range of topics offering useful stats for brands across the mobile marketing industry, as well as accessible articles into mobile hardware and software changes, allowing you to easily digest what's happening in the industry.

Envisioning Tech

The blog of â€˜futurologist' Michell Zappa and his Envisioning Tech company, this is the site for you if you're looking for the future thinking stuff of digital and social media. Going way beyond what you would normally find on social media blogs, this is a treasure trove of articles and presentations that take an intelligent look at where digital technology will take us, and the very real impact it will have on our lives.

Social Commerce Today

Covering everything in social commerce from mobile payments to platform developments, this is an excellent resource for brands and individuals that want to learn the latest about social commerce and how you can really make it work.

Mobile Internet of Things

If you want to learn more about the â€˜internet' of things, then this blog written by Florian Michahelles is worth visiting. You'll need to approach the site with some knowledge of this concept as this isn't exactly beginner stuff, but provides thought-provoking analysis into what is still a very young industry.

Search Engine Watch

Focusing on search and social search, this is a great site, particularly when it comes to their guest contributors. You can expect to find niche, expert analysis often combined with practical tips and advice for brands on how to navigate round SEO and impacts on search.

Clickz

An extensive blog covering many different aspects of digital marketing and the digital industry. A great one for uncovering brand campaigns and case studies that look at the real business impact of digital marketing campaigns.

Social Media Explorer

This site benefits from a healthy network of community bloggers that contribute excellent practical posts. This is more one for beginners and particularly small businesses who are looking for tips and advice they can apply to their own marketing campaigns.

Social Fresh

An incredibly useful blog maintained by David Spinks and Jason Keath, this is a great site for frequent updates and analysis from the world of social media. Focusing more on the practical impacts of digital technology for businesses, this is great for following breaking news and digital campaigns in particular.

Social ROI

Unfortunately this blog isn't maintained very often, but the material in the site makes it worth including. Looking at social business and social entrepreneurship, Social ROI looks at the positive impact social technologies can have on businesses with great case studies and interviews that make for inspirational reading.

hkotadia

Big data is the phrase on every marketers lips at the moment and this blog has pretty much everything you could want when it comes to this emerging practice. Again this is one where you will need to approach it with an understanding of the discipline, as this isn't about easy â€˜how to' articles, but contains deeper insight into the impact of big data and where the opportunities are for companies and individuals.

Shel Israel

Shel Israel's blog on Forbes is well worth going to every day for his unique insight into developments in the digital industry, particularly from a business perspective. This is less about case studies and marketing campaigns and more on the bigger picture of the changing digital industry.

Renaissance Chambara

The blog of industry professional Ged Carroll, this is a fascinating blog for unearthing interesting links that you probably wouldn't have found elsewhere!

Social Media Today

A great collaborative social media blog that is an excellent resource for small businesses looking for tips and advice from industry experts. Guest authors include the likes of Shel Holtz, so you can be guaranteed a good, authoritative read.

Blogging With Amy

Amy Lynn Andrews keeps an impressive blog, which also has a very active community. Amy speaks from experience and covers the kind of topics that are useful for both small businesses and marketers alike.

Arduino.cc

Another one of those niche blogs, covering an emerging area of technology. The internet of things is dominated by Arduino technology (essentially enabling you to connect real world objects to the internet) and this blog is a useful resource for tracking latest projects.

All Things D

All Things D regularly breaks news from the tech world, particularly focusing on Silicon Valley and the world of social business and startups. An impressive news site with a healthy contributor community, you can expect to find All Things D regularly referenced as a breaking news source.

Chip Hazard

Focusing predominantly on Apple and Google news, this is a useful blog for covering mobile technology in particular, where they'll often be the first with stories and reviews on the latest mobile developments. More on the tech side than the mobile marketing side.

Silicon Alley Insider

An offshoot of Business Insider, Silicon Alley Insider does pretty much what you'd expect it to - bringing you all the latest news from the Valley. Looking at startups, mobile, tech and more, this should be a first destination on your daily blog visits.

Hack a Day

A great one for tecchies here, this blog - maintained by Tim Caswell - features all the sexy tech stories you could ever want. The articles vary from the more advanced to featuring videos and projects that are more accessible.

Laughing Squid

The blog of this web hosting company is great for uncovering some of the more inane corners of the web. Focusing heavily on brand campaigns and projects that use digital technology in new ways, it's great for finding inspiration or simply passing the time.

The Inspiration Room

A collection of some of the best ad campaigns around the world that are, as you'd expect, pretty inspiring.

Hypebot

One for musicians out there looking for the latest in digital technology and what it means for the music industry. Hypebot has a good mix of analytical articles that take a serious look at the future of music in a digital world, as well as new tips, tools and campaigns that are useful for musicians or record labels.

Jake Levine

Sadly Jake isn't blogging regularly anymore, but the archived content on his site makes it worth including alone. Jake covers unusual angles on the social media industry, often asking compelling questions that make for great reading. Definitely worth giving his Twitter account a follow as well. Acting as general manager of Digg, it makes for pretty interesting reading (and explains the recent lack of blogging).

Cloudblog

The blog of Salesforce covers a range of interesting topics from the world of cloud computing. With guest authors ensuring a good range of content that goes way beyond Salesforce, it explores the challenges facing cloud computing, where it's heading and how it can benefit your business.

Knight Digital Media

Focusing on journalism and the newspaper industry, Knight Digital Media has a number of blogs that looks at the impact of digital media on journalism today. Well worth visiting every now and again to catch up on this area, make it a regular stop on your blog travels.

Eileen Brown

The author of Working the Crowd: Social Marketing for business, and columnist at ZDNet, Eileen keeps an interesting blog that contains a good mixture of â€˜tips' posts along with industry analysis.

Stefan W

Internet entrepreneur Stefan W keeps an interesting Posterous which is great for following short updates and finding interesting links. It isn't updated all that frequently, but you can get lots of extra goodness on his Twitter account, which is regularly updated!

Turing Film

With this being the year of Alan Turing's centenary, I recommend you follow this blog to find out the latest news and events to celebrate one of the founding fathers of computer science as we know it today. If there's something going on to commemorate Turing, you'll likely find it on this blog.

Mari Smith

Mari's blog is an excellent resource for all things social media, focusing on Facebook in particular. Her articles are accessible and packed full of advice and tips for smaller businesses that want to learn how to use social tools for themselves, as well as industry changes that are useful for larger businesses or marketing agencies.

Master New Media

This blog by Robin Good has some excellent insight and articles about social media for business. The articles follow a wide spectrum of issues around new media, while Robin himself focuses on design and curation.

Robin Wauters

As European editor for The Next Web, you can follow his latest articles and insight via his personal blog, which contains links to the latest news on TechCrunch and TNW.

Brand Republic

This site focuses on news for the marketing industry from a UK perspective. Head to its digital section to find out how companies are using social media and how digital media is affecting businesses

Empty Age

The Tumblr site for Mat Honan is packed full of good links, posts, infographics and general thoughts on social media that will have you scrolling for hours..

Simply Viral

OK so we finish the list off with one of our own blogs, but if we didn't make the top 70, things would be bad. Simply Viral is where you will find all the best viral marketing on a daily basis.

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The Bumper List Of 70 Social Media Blogs Worth Reading In 2012