Possibly Australia’s first professional blogger, and now one of the most successful in the world, Darren Rowse developed an entire business ecosystem around his various blogs. His main venture, ProBlogger, is a collection of ideas and lessons on how to improve your own blogging. eBooks and videos help round out the collection of valuable resources here but Rowse makes his main income from his Digital Photography School site.
Branding is such a broad concept to write about, it’s a rare blog which can actually see through the chaff and find some good ideas. Brand consultancy The Story of Telling is a master class in figuring out both how to develop your own brand, but also how to separate bad ideas from good. The concept of brand goes far beyond your logo, and the Story of Telling does a good job of incorporating aspects of social media and customer service into the branding conversation.
While the Deloitte blog may toot its own horn from time to time, it’s nevertheless a solid resource for information on everything digital. Not only does the blog explore issues like how industries are adjusting to online, but even more complicated topics like exploring APIs and the importance of different design ethics. This isn’t just a blog for the marketing team; it’s something every web-savvy business owner should be reading.
Corporate advisor Jason Bresnehan runs the Pursuit of Luck blog, which covers a very general “strategies and tactics to get lucky in business and in life” mantra with practical, down-to-earth posts. A more general approach than the other listed blogs, Bresnehan overcomes that hurdle by focusing on practical, motivational tips. Current posts include titles like “five online business tools to enhance your productivity”, and “embrace anxiety”.
Retail is undergoing one of the most dramatic shifts in business, with bricks-and-mortar being forced to adapt to a new way of selling. The New Retail Blog seeks to chronicle not only this shift, but some of the best examples in retailing around the world. With posts exploring the globalisation of Black Friday, and the recent Click Frenzy sale in Australia, the New Retail blog is a must-read shot of motivation for those in the retail industry – whether in-store or online.
Reading about tax isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but if you’re a business owner then it’s essential to keep up to date. Accounting North runs a regularly updated blog with important information and updates on data matching, the latest legislative changes, and even practical posts with lessons and tips for managing your own tax.
This blog focused on running a successful small business places a key emphasis on “storytelling”, managing a brand and keeping your business in the good books. The posts are fairly comprehensive takes on everyday business problems, such as “what happens when someone copies your business”. Some good reminders for everyday business acumen not covered by some of the more specific blogs make this a blog worth reading regularly.
A blog dedicated to professional women, the herBusines blog is run by the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. There aren’t many resources available for working, professional women in the blogosphere but there are plenty of resources here to make up for the shortfall, including video blogs and business lessons on a range of topics.
All businesses, no matter what industry, should become familiar with how to leverage digital marketing. Blue Wire Media provides a huge amount of resources on using digital tools to help market your business, in simple, easy-to-understand language. A recent post, “how to market using Vine”, is a great example, providing steps on how to use Twitter’s latest video feature to your advantage. If you’re into digital marketing, or want to be, then check out this blog.
Many of the blogs listed here have quite a niche touch to them, focusing on a particular subject. The MacroBusiness blog does exactly what its title suggests – gives a good summary of what’s happening in the big picture. Posts on regular data and statistic updates provide a good snapshot for the financial and economic situation of the country, which is always beneficial.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
