I never really planned on creating a Top People list of X when I started blogging. You see them all the time, and it’s generally hugfest city. I guess one could argue this list is a hugfest. Yes, I do know all of these people and have directly engaged with them all. How else could I form a list if I didn’t have communication with people I’m highly recommending to follow on Twitter? Many lists I see are 50 or 100 of the Top X. It’s as if they don’t want to leave anyone out. This list was kept short on purpose. With a list of 100, each individual is diminished because of the size. These 8 people are Twitter Powerhouses in their own right. This list isn’t for them, this list is for you.

If you have an interest and tweet about Social Media, Technology, Marketing, Business, Leadership, or Blogging these are 8 people you need to follow today. Why? They know what they’re talking about. There’s a high probability that they’ll follow you back. There’s a high probability that they’ll tweet back to you, and yes they have followers. They care about the Twitter platform and their topics of interest. You can build relationships with them, and it would be to your benefit to take advantage of their knowledge and accessibility.

Sharon Hayes – @SharonHayes – Marketing Strategy, Email Marketing, and the Domain industry are Sharon’s bread and butter. Sharon is a consummate professional, with a work ethic second to none. Long hours just a day in the life. Sharon is the CEO of Domainate . Domainate offers domain names and other domain related services. Sharon has been on several Top Twitter lists over the years, so this is nothing. Speaks her mind. With almost 130K followers and approaching 75K tweets Sharon has an incredible amount of Twitter experience, and should be followed now.

Ted Coine – @tedcoine – Ted is such a Pro. You see it in his writing at Switch & Stiff. A true authority on business, leadership, and motivation. A former CEO, Ted is an author and speaks on leadership. Ted also has a very transparent mantra on “following” on Twitter. Ted’s follow-back policy is definitely one you should seriously consider for yourself.

John Paul Aguiar – @JohnAguiar – John really has a handle on making money online, coaching, blogging, and twitter. John has a ton of valuable content on his site John Paul’s Blog – Dummy Money that will make you an efficient and powerful twitter user and blogger. You could spend days on John’s site consuming quality content. He’s definitely taught me a lot about twitter and how to make the most of the platform.

Michael Q Todd – @mqtodd – Michael eats Social Media for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I wonder sometimes if there is more than one of him, as he seems to be everywhere online. His passion for Social Media is off the charts. He’ll really help you anyway he can. He wants you to be better online. Michael leads many Tweetchats, including #EavChat and #Toolschat. Check out Michael’s blog to learn more about Twitter strategies and best practices.

Daniel Zeevi – @Dashburst – Just an unbelievable amount of valuable content on Daniel’s twitter account that includes: Social Media, Marketing, Business, Technology and Art. Daniel has a strong hold on these topics, and is another workaholic that brings this information to his audience non-stop. Daniel’s site Dashburst, which will focus on Social Media and Web Analytics, will be launching soon.

Neal Schaffer – @NealSchaffer – A Social Media veteran who has authored two terrific books on Maximizing LinkedIn. Neal works with companies on their Social Media strategies, has spoken at over 100 events worldwide. Somehow Neal still manages to run a superlative Twitter account.

Robert Caruso – @fondalo – Robert is a firecracker. He has no problem speaking his mind, regardless if it’s the popular view. That’s refreshing, and welcomed by most. He gets it, and you get a good feel of his persona after seeing about ten tweets. A lot of back and forth with other tweeps. Social Media, Marketing, and Technology is his forte. Robert is the person behind Social Content Management System BundlePost

Roseli Bakar – @EzyBlogger – Roseli might be the nicest person on the planet. I’m not kidding. He’s just an unbelievably kind person, and that goes for online and in-person. A Social Media junkie with an emphasis on blogging. The content on blogging that Roseli uncovers blows my mind. He brings it day after day. You can learn more on Roseli’s blog EzyBlogger.

I look forward to your comments. Please share 1 or 2 people that are must follows on Twitter for you in the comment section below.