Did you just take the big leap and open your first Twitter account? Is it for work, business, or pleasure?

A few months ago I joined Twitter, primarily as a way to network, but also to help people, and as a way to promote Train for Humanity and my small business.

When you start using Twitter for the first time it can feel a bit overwhelming, almost like entering a really crowded train station during rush hour on a Friday afternoon. There are lots of conversations and commotion going on everywhere, but you are in the station by yourself, an outsider, and certainly not a participant.

Of course, I went through the usual routine that I assume most newbies go through. I started following some names and faces that I recognized from around the web and I also added some of my early adopter, real life (i.e. non-internet) friends.

However, I quickly realized that if I was going to make the most of this new tool then at some point I would need to know who the thought leaders and trust agents were and begin to follow them. Perhaps, even more importantly, I was going to have to engage in tweet conversation with them.

Where do you begin?

Twitter can be an amazing networking tool, nevertheless, the problem most people face when they first sign up is they don’t necessarily know who they should be following or where they should look to find the leaders (Tweaders?).

Additionally, the thought of connecting with the major Twitter players can be semi-intimidating at first, but even to this day, I am consistently amazed at how accessible people on twitter are. (Even those users with over 20,000 followers.)

To help make your transition into Twitter a bit more welcoming, below I have listed ten people that all Twitter beginners should be following.

The individuals on this list have not been statistically quantified as the most influential, however, they all have large followings and the messages that they tweet are typically filled with value.

In no particular order, they are as follows:

1. Guy Kawasaki: @guykawasaki – Twitter Bio Online magazine editor.
2. Jeff Pulver: @jeffpulver – Twitter Bio Technology Anthropologist”; Entrepreneur; Early-Stage Seed Investor; speaker, Living in Social Media.
3. Chris Brogan: @chrisbrogan – Twitter Bio Social media type, but love the emerging enterprise tech space, too.
4. Liz Strauss: @lizstrauss – Twitter Bio Social Web Strategist – I show businesses & universities how to choose and use social media tools to make business growth faster and easier.
5. Jim Long: @newmediajim – Twitter Bio New media soul trapped in an old media body.
6. Brian Solis: @briansolis – Twitter Bio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Solis
7. Laura Fitton: @Pistachio – Twitter Bio Much excitement and geekiness about where this all leads.
8. Steve Rubel: @steverubel – Twitter Bio (from website) Exploring how emerging technologies are revolutionizing marketing communications.
9. Robert Scoble: @scobleizer – Twitter Bio Tech geek blogger @ http://scobleizer.com.
10. Gary Vaynerchuk: @garyvee – Twitter Bio I do this: http://tv.winelibrary.com and I care about this: The health and happiness of my Family and Friends. Keep it simple!

As an added BONUS, you probably ought to follow Darren Rowse @ProBlogger, too!

What do you think? Do you agree that beginners should follow the ten people listed above? Feel free to add your beginner “must follow” recommendations in the comments.

Update from Darren – the many comments below inspired me to issue a challenge – Construct Your Own Top 10 Must Follow List as it Relates to Your own Niche. Looking forward to seeing your lists!

© 2008 TwiTip Twitter Tips.



Ten People All Twitter Beginners Should be Following