Friday Five: Showin’ the love

Here’s a little pre-Valentine’s link love for five of my favorite higher ed blogs.

Each of these five blogs provides terrific content, consistently, on matters of interest to me, and I think you’d like to read what they have to say, too. I also think each of these sites flies under the radar. They need a little more press. So being the good PR guy that I am, I’ll do my best to give them some.

(Note: If your blog is not included in this Friday five, it’s not because I don’t love your blog. But I’ve only got so much love I can share on a Friday. Maybe next Valentine’s Day Weekend.)

1. Ron Bronson’s blog serves up a smorgasbord of ideas about web design, communication, leadership, office politics and, on many Fridays, some decent music. But even his non-musical posts offer sound advice — or else just interesting observations about whatever’s on his mind. Good stuff.
2. Michael Stoner is no stranger to higher ed. A veteran marketing and PR guy, he’s been posting his thoughts about marketing, branding and education on his mStonerBlog since 2003 — way back when many of the latest crop of higher ed experts were creating their first Livejournal or Xanga sites. For some reason, a lot of people don’t seem to know that. Too bad for them. Michael’s posts are consistently thoughtful, entertaining and well written.
3. Jessica Krywosa’s blog is a recent discovery, and I’m just sorry it took me so long to find it. I really like her fresh take on a variety of topics. Her conversational tone is always enjoyable.
4. Paul Redfern is a relative newcomer to the higher ed blogosphere, but in less than a year he’s built up a solid following, and for good reason. I like to think I had a bit to do with his decision to become a blogger. (We worked together at last April’s CASE Conference on Communications, Marketing and Technology, and it was during that conference that Paul launched his blog.) Like other stellar higher ed bloggers, Paul is a consummate professional. He knows his stuff when it comes to all things web. But he’s also interested in talking about other topics, and isn’t afraid to veer off into uncharted territory.
5. planetB612 is the creation of Jason Gorss. He calls it his “home on the World Wide waste of Time,” but it is anything but that. It’s nice to see a kindred spirit from the PR/media relations side of higher ed marketing get in there and mix it up with folks from other disciplines.

So there you have it. A bit of blog love for Valentine’s Day.

If you’re a blogger, why not follow my lead in the spirit of the holiday? Show a bit of blog love to those you admire. I’m sure they’ll love you right back.

And even if they don;t, don’t sweat it. It’s like Paul McCartney said: “And in the end the love you make is equal to the love you take.” Or something like that.