11 Feeds to subscribe immediately, when you start blogging

The blogosphere has some zillion blogs, websites and e-books focused on helping freelancers, sofa-entrepreneurs and bloggers, who are trying to make a living online. But if you mean your online business seriously, you will surely have limited time to read these blogs, simply because you will have to focus your time and energy on your own business. These 11 feeds, however, are really the ones you must follow right from day one (hint: count ZsoltBalla.com in as #12).

1. Problogger

Darren Rowse’s Problogger (good ol’ Problogger, as someone dubbed it, I don’t remember where) is the ultimate alpha and omega of making a living off blogging. Darren has been a full time blogger for more than four years. He launched some 25 blogs, made his mistakes, learned his lessons, and now focuses only on three projects blogs, one of which is Problogger. Problogger is both a great source for ideas, tips, tools to use for blogging, and and abundant source of finding fellow bloggers or building relationships. Furthermore, Darren writes in a very consumable, interesting style, while his ethical and quality standardsmake him the blogging hero of many of us.

Last week’s favorite post: How to launch a second blog

2. Top Ten Blog Tips

I love Ben Barden’s Top Ten Blog Tips because of it’s simple, transparent and clear style. When we started talking, it turned out that we have a lot in common with Ben, maybe that’s a part of the reason I enjoy his blog so much. (Maybe people, who start writing with a structured, IT background tend to pile up things into lists of 10 or eleven, like his posts are, or like this one is.)
Anyway, if you want an easy-to-read, straight-to-the-point style of guidance in the world of blogging, Top Ten Blog Tips is always there for you.
Last week’s favorite post: 10 things I’ve learned about blogging by actually doing it

3. Search engine journal

You can’t over-emphasize the importance of networking and getting to know your fellow-bloggers, but still, a big chunk of your traffic will come from search engines. I mean, from Google. Although Search Engine Journal might sound geeky at times, but it’s useful to keep in mind that blogging always has a geeky part, too. If you’re not the IT kind of guy, you may just want to skim through the headlines, to stay tuned, but if you are more into tools and widgets and robots.txt, you will never be able to resist the temptation to dive right into the details.

Last week’s favorite post: Some fun tools to learn Internet jargon

4. Techcrunch

If you don’t read Techcrunch (at least occasionally, because there are really a plenty of posts up there), you’ll never be able to keep up with the ever changing world of internet startups, hypes and trends. I use Techcrunch mainly as a source of inspiration: while most of the posts are from well-known companies and services like Twitter and Facebook, you’ll always have the wittiest and brightest startup ideas blogged by the Techcrunch staff. Be prepared for the I-should-have-thought-of-that-earlier feeling!

Last week’s favorite post: Skip The Virtual Shots: Give Real Lets You Send Your Friends Some Actual Booze

5. Personal Branding Blog

There’s more to business on the Internet than blogging and web development. Dan Schawbel’s Personal Branding Blog will help you establish yourself as a name in any business. Although some of his posts focus on online strategies (such as the use of social media sites), but most of the methods he suggests can be utilized offline, too. Anyway, thinking of yourself as a “brand” is a fun thing to do, and Dan will provide you with the essentials to do this in a professional way.

Last week’s favorite post: The Real Way to Get a Job Using Social Media Revealed

6. Get Rich Slowly

There are so many websites out there that suggest, you will be able to make a fortune online, that it is really useful to remind yourself from time to time that most things appearing too nice to be true are, in fact, too nice to be true. Get Rich Slowly focuses on personal finances (on and offline), also considering ethical issues, such as the importance of charities and donations during an economic crisis. I use this blog to stay connected to the real world, while dreaming up a virtual online empire

Last week’s favorite post: Why Charitable Giving is Even More Important During an Economic Downturn

7. SEO 2.0

Search Engine Optimization, is nowadays both a hype, and a must, as well as a dirty-word in the eyes of many. SEO 2.0 focuses on traditional techniques of SEO (the methods you would use if search engines didn’t exist, as they put it), namely: content. Although the name in my opinion is just a witty marketing tool, the blog is a useful read, and provides thorough and deep content on the usual questions of blogging, providing content and services online.

Last week’s favorite post: 7 Rules of Ethical SEO You Ignore Probably as a White Hat

8. Thoushallblog

Yan Susanto’s Thoushallblog aka. Blog for Beginners is one of the most important and useful reads for the first weeks of your blogging experience. His posts cover basic subjects concerning all areas of blogging (from themes to writing strategies) in a clear, transparent way. Furthermore, Yan offers one-on-one help on his website (for free), which is a unique opportunity for every newbie in the blogosphere. Even more importantly, although I don’t know him personally, based on his blog posts and comments, he’s a really amicable guy.

Last week’s favorite post: 10 Reasons Why You Should Subscribe to thoushallblog.com

9. Copyblogger

Copyblogger is another one of the must-read mammoths of the blogging-on-blogging scene. Author Brian Clark focuses on copywriting skills, saying that in most cases this is the weakest link to curb people from succeeding online. Brian has also co-authored several books, and his blog is an infinite source of tips and information on every tiny detail of copy and writing.

Last week’s favorite post: Shorter is Better

10. Visionary Blogging

Easton Ellsworth’s Visionary Blogging may not be a real authority yet, but it is a very useful source both for new and for established bloggers, and therefore, deserves to be an authority on the long run. Visionary Blogging is especially good to read because of its personal style.

Last week’s favorite post: 7 Strategic Blog Improvement Questions for 2009

11. Sparkplugging Business Blog Network

The various feeds of Sparkplugging.com (formerly called eMoms at home) is a great source of inspiration not only for blogging, but generally for freelancing and for other forms of working from home. I like to read it because of its womanish viewpoint and found inspiration from many of its articles. I have always had a soft spot for self-irony, and these gals have a large dose of that, I can assure you. Choose either one of its sub-channels or the general feed, Sparkplugging Business Blog Network will be an ultimate source of your everyday roundup.

Last week’s favorite post: 13 Inspiring Entrepreneurial Women in Technology

Do you have other ideas? Are there any must-subscribe feeds that I have forgotten about (let alone I don’t even know about)? Share them with me, and with others in the comments section!

Also if you have enjoyed this piece or found useful resources, consider adding ZsoltBalla.com’s feed to your reader as #12. Thanks!