Freelancefolder

20 Not-So-Obvious Blogs For Freelancers

Posted September 7, 2009 in Business, Tools/Resources 20 Comments »

Blogs are a great source of information for freelancers and entrepreneurs. They help us become better at what we do, they help us increase our productivity, and they help us leverage different marketing platforms.

We’ve previously published lists of blogs for writers, designers, developers, and entrepreneurs. This time, I want to think outside the box, and take a look at some blogs you might not consider when you think about freelancing.

Here is a list of not-so-obvious blogs that will help you with those less-talked about areas of freelancing. You’ll find some resources that will help you think outside the box, and hopefully take your freelancing business to the next level.

20 Not-So-Obvious Blogs for Freelancers

Here are 20 different blogs that don’t have freelancing as their primary focus, but that do offer very valuable resources for any freelancer or small business owner.

1. Seth Godin: I’m sure most of you already know about Seth Godin, and if you don’t, you do now. Seth is one of the most influential marketer/branding experts of all time. His blog provides short but to the point articles on marketing and branding.
2. Dan Zarrella: Dan calls himself “The Social Media and Viral Marketing Scientist” and although the title might sound off-putting at first, reading his blog will show you that it is a very appropriate title. This blog is all about analyzing different social media platforms.
3. Chris Garrett: Chris Garrett is one of the most influential bloggers, and co-author of the book “ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.” Chris has been able to build a successful blog and forum, and is someone you would want to listen to when it comes to blogging, new media, and online marketing.
4. Social Media Rockstar: As freelancers, it has become necessary for us to participate in different social media platforms to engage clients. This blog provides you with some amazing case studies, tips and interviews with some of the most influential social media users.
5. Chris Brogan: If you are active in social media space, you know Chris Brogan. Social Media and Chris Brogan have become synonymous over the past few years. His blog is a must read for anyone trying to build a community around their blog or business. Chris recently released a book called “Trust Agents” along with Julien Smith.
6. Zen Habits: If Chris Brogan is synonymous with Social Media, Leo Babauta is synonymous with productivity. As freelancers, we sometimes find hard to manage time and boost our productivity level. Read Zen Habits and follow what Leo has to say, and you will soon find your productivity levels reaching new heights.
7. Search Engine Journal: No matter what industry you’re in, your placement in search engines matters. Even if you have no idea about search engine optimization right now, it is never too late to start. Go ahead and read this blog to get your feet wet in this area.
8. Persuasive: In order to succeed you need to learn persuasive communication. Persuasive.net is a blog where you will find ways to sharpen your communication skills and learn to be very persuasive.
9. The Trump Blog: This is the official blog of the real estate tycoon Donald Trump. Sure, he may not have anything to do with freelancing, but I am sure you will find tips and advice from him that will help you one way or the other. Definitely a person you would want to stand up and listen to.
10. Killer Startups: Killer Startups is a user driven internet startup community. Entrepreneurs, investors, and bloggers are all kept informed on up-and-coming internet startups using this platform, where internet entrepreneurs submit their startup and get feedback from visitors and other enrepreneurs.
11. The Simple Dollar: If you have been working as a freelancer, you know all about finance problems we sometimes face. The Simple Dollar is the leading blog when it comes to managing personal finances. Learn tons of tips and tricks about money by following this blog.
12. Brent Csutoras: This is the personal blog of Brent Csutoras where he talks about SEO, social media and online marketing. You will find everything from case studies to news about new things that are happening in the social media space.
13. All Facebook: Can you really afford not to use Facebook? You probably could, but as a freelancer it’s very beneficial to be seen on different platforms, and Facebook surely is one of best. All Facebook, as the name says, is all about Facebook. Learn marketing tricks, news and anything that is related to Facebook.
14. SEOmoz: One of the leading blogs on Search Engine Optimization. Besides search engine tips, SEOmoz provides you with many tools that will help you optimize your site for better placement on search engines.
15. TwiTip: I am sure almost everyone reading this blog uses twitter (I hope so). Twitter is an amazing networking and marketing tool. TwiTip helps you by providing useful tips and information about how to leverage this platform to your advantage.
16. Duct Tape Marketing: If you haven’t been reading or following this blog already, you are missing out on some of the best marketing techniques out there. Duct Tape Marketing talks about marketing strategies that are cheap and effective. You can find useful guides, tools, and other resources to take your marketing to the next level.
17. Shoe Money: When it comes to online marketing, ShoeMoney is one of the best blogs there is. Filled with killer tips and tricks, this blog serves as a personal blog to Jeremy Schoemaker, who talks about some of the ways he has been able to utilize the web to make money. A must read if you want to diversify your income.
18. Search Engine Land: Search Engine Land is a blog that you certainly don’t want to miss. Get tips and ideas on how you can rank better inn search engines. This site is led by Danny Sullivan who has been covering search for more than 11 years.
19. Six Pixels Of Separation: A very thoughtful and engaging blog where Mitch Joel talks about digital marketing, new media and personal branding.
20. Gary Vaynerchuck: Gary Vaynerchuck is one of the most influential web celebrities. He is often referred to as the mastodon of social media ;-). Gary shares his insight on marketing, social media and his passion through his blog. A must read.

These are 20 of the not-so-obvious blogs that I find very valuable — but what about you? Please take a moment to share some of your favorite blogs/sites that may not be directly related to freelancing, but provide valuable resources in other related areas.

About the author: Ritu is a freelance writer who has been involved in social media for several years. At the moment he is working on a variety of projects, but is always open to new ideas. Contact him at email(at)ritubpant(dot)com or follow @ritubpant on twitter.