The internet is the greatest educational tool ever invented. Largely, in part, because smart people share their advice on blogs like this.
As an internet entrepreneur, it’s important to take advantage of this free information, but you have to know which blogs to follow. So I’ve listed the top 25 blogs that every internet entrepreneur should read, many of which I read on a daily basis.
Note: The subscriber counts came directly from the corresponding sites and are accurate as of September 2011.
Blogs for Building Websites
The first step in becoming an internet entrepreneur is building a website. All five of these blogs have helped me considerably when it comes to setting up WordPress and building a custom theme.
WPBeginner
WPBeginner.com is one of, if not the most complete resource in the world for setting up a self-hosted WordPress website. If you Google a WordPress question, more often than not, WPBeginner will come up on the first page. They even offer a free WordPress setup.
Subscribers: not listed
Yoast
What WPBeginner is to WordPress beginners, Yoast.com is to WordPress professionals. Once you have your site up and running, start reading Yoast to find more in-depth WordPress tweaks, tools, and strategies to help build out your site.
Subscribers: 50,000+ (as of June 2011)
The Thesis Statement
The Thesis Statement is a website building and marketing blog run by the folks at DIY Themes (the creators of the Thesis Theme). I’ve read every word this blog has published in the last several months as I strive to refine my own Thesis-based blogs.
Subscribers: 21,248
Tuts+
If you’re looking to learn anything about creating anything for the internet, you’ll probably find an incredible tutorial on one of the Tuts+ blogs. If you want to refine your skills as an internet entrepreneur, start with the Tuts+ Dashboard.
Subscribers: 413,671 (across the 12 sites in the Tuts+ Network)
Build Internet
BuildInternet.com is becoming one of my favorite blogs. They host an extensive series of jQuery tutorials and plugins, but they also share their wealth of knowledge as freelance web designers and developers.
Subscribers: 11,963
Blogs for Getting Traffic
Once you have a site, it’s time to focus on getting traffic. Each of these blogs will teach you the fundamentals and complexities of content marketing, social media, and search engine optimization.
Copyblogger
Copyblogger.com is the web’s foremost resource for copywriting and content marketing. I read Copyblogger every day because I believe the ability to craft words to communicate and convince is the most important skill for any internet entrepreneur to have.
Subscribers: 149,572
Problogger
Alongside Copyblogger, Problogger.net has become the web’s leading resource for blogging and making money as a blogger. I put it in the getting traffic category because that’s essentially what a blog does.
Subscribers: 157,000
Social Media Examiner
SociaMediaExaminer.com is widely considered as one of the top social media blogs in the world. You’ll find the latest information and tips about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and any other social media platforms that matter to your business.
Subscribers: 107,474
SEOmoz Blog
SEOmoz.org is one of the premier search engine optimization blogs on the net. This was the first site that taught me the basics of SEO and I carry those fundamentals with everything I write. I find their Whiteboard Fridays to be especially edifying.
Subscribers: 88,695
Think Traffic
At just over a year-and-a-half old, ThinkTraffic.net is a relatively new site, but they’ve done a fantastic job of developing a loyal audience and consistently growing their blog. They reveal monthly reports detailing their traffic stats, where it came from, and what they did to get it.
Subscribers: 5,000+ (March 2010)
Blogs for Converting Leads
Now that you have a website that gets traffic, it’s time to start converting that traffic into leads. These blogs take a long-term approach to relationship building and lead generation, and they’ll teach you to do the same.
KISSmetrics Blog
The KISSmetrics Blog is becoming one of the web’s largest databases of web marketing infographics. Since their service focuses on analyzing your website to increase conversions, most of their content will teach you exactly that.
Subscribers: not listed
Social Triggers
SocialTriggers.com specializes in how to use psychology to encourage people to become more involved on your site. You’ll find plenty of tips on the small things that you can do with your site to drastically increase conversions.
Subscribers: not listed
Conversion Rate Experts
Conversion-Rate-Experts.com is a service with clients like Apple, Google, and aforementioned SEOmoz. By working with so many high-end clients (and their aim to work with more high-end clients), they’re able to develop content that attracts bigwig companies and is based on big time results.
Subscribers: not listed
Blogs for Making Money
Having a website, traffic, and leads doesn’t necessarily turn into money. Read these blogs to find out how to generate passive income streams from your websites.
Smart Passive Income
One of the first things you’ll notice when you visit SmartPassiveIncome.com is how Pat Flynn says, “No, I’m not a millionaire, but I am living off of a passive income made online.” Consistent with Colin’s post last week, this site will help you create a modest internet lifestyle where you can do whatever you want.
Subscribers: 29,708
ViperChill
ViperChill.com is one of the top young entrepreneur blogs in the world. Now 22, Glen Allsop has been building websites since the age of 15 and has been making a full-time income since 19. He has a no-ad approach to making money online that I think you’ll find interesting.
Subscribers: 16,775
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
IWillTeachYouToBeRich.com is an extension of Ramit Sethi’s New York Times bestselling book, I Will Teach You To Be Rich. The lessons aren’t necessarily geared towards making money online, but they will help you keep and multiply your money once you have it.
Subscribers: not listed
Passive Panda
Similar to Think Traffic, PassivePanda.com is a relatively new site that’s already making a splash. It was founded earlier this year with a smart approach to the five pillars of making more money: freelancing, employment, entrepreneurship, investing, and awards.
Subscribers: not listed
Blogs for Running a Business
Once you have revenue, you have a business. But you need to learn how to nurture that business in order for it to grow. These blogs will show you how.
Quick Sprout
I read every word on QuickSprout.com, minus the comments. Neil Patel is one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in the world, and we’re very fortunate that he’s willing to share his advice so freely.
Subscribers: not listed
OPEN Forum
I consider OPENForum.com, by American Express, to be the top corporate blog in the world. They have a brand that’s been able to recruit the top entrepreneurs (including Neil Patel from Quick Sprout and James Clear from Passive Panda) to share their best entrepreneurial tips.
Subscribers: not listed
4-Hour Workweek
The 4-Hour Workweek, by Tim Ferris, will become a classic as one of the first books to explain the fundamental differences between pre and post-internet work. FourHourWorkweek.com/blog is Tim’s complimentary blog that features more advice and case studies from companies that have implemented the revolutionary concepts in his book.
Subscribers: 25,000+
Blogs for Entrepreneurial Development
The next step up from being a business owner is becoming an entrepreneur, but that requires a new mindset. The final five blogs in this list will help shape you into a well-rounded entrepreneur.
Seth’s Blog
Seth Godin is widely considered the world’s most intelligent marketer. And Seth’s Blog is the #1 marketing blog in the world according to AdAge. If you want to absorb even a sliver of his knowledge, start reading his blog every day.
Subscribers: 486,750 (according to FeedCompare.com)
On Startups
OnStartups.com is a blog by HubSpot founder, Dharmesh Shah, that updates about once a week with content for entrepreneurs that almost always goes viral.
Subscribers: 30,165
Retire@21
If you’ve noticed that IncomeDiary is posting more regularly, you’d be right. Michael is committed to quality content on this site and his site for young entrepreneurs, Retireat21.com.
Subscribers: not listed
Mixergy
Most of Mixergy’s interviews require a premium membership to watch, but there’s still plenty to pick up on the blog. The nice thing about Mixergy is you can watch most of its content.
Subscribers: not listed
Both Sides of the Table
Mark Suster isn’t going to win any design awards with BothSidesoftheTable.com, but he’s become one of the top blogging venture capitalists in the world. If you aspire to sell your business to a venture capital or private equity firm, you need to read this blog.
Subscribers: not listed
The Importance of Reading Blogs
I spend the first hour of every work day (basically every day) reading the blogs that I’m subscribed to.
By doing this, I’m able to learn from the smartest people in the world on a daily basis.
Think about that. Some of smartest people in the world give free advice on those blogs and you probably aren’t reading all of them.
If you aren’t, you should start today.
Did I miss any of your favorite entrepreneurial blogs? If I did, mention them in the comments below so other people can benefit them as well.