Drea Knufken
This is a blog post by Drea Knufken.
What defined business in 2009? Bankers and bailouts, for one. The proliferation of social media. A radical shift in the ways we find and accept jobs. A redefinition of the real estate, credit, and media markets.
In a word, 2009 was full of fluctuations. And nobody covered, commented on, and analyzed them better than the 75 blogs on our list.
This year’s 75 Best Business Blogs cover a variety of categories, from accounting to SEO. Those we selected have useful and timely content. They’re updated regularly. Their commentary, analysis, and tips are consistently relevant to their target audience.
Most importantly, they’re some of the highest-quality blogs in their respective fields. Every single one of these blogs is worth reading. We categorized them by topic to help you find those most relevant to your field. If you find something missing, or want to show off your own blog, we encourage you to comment.
Bloggers, keep up the good work!
ACCOUNTING
1. re: The Auditors
Covers the business of the Big 4 accounting firms. Essential updates on accounting industry regulation, auditing, strategy, and more. High-quality independent journalism and a wide scope of corporate accounting issues make re: The Auditors an outstanding resource.
2. CPA Success
Written by the Maryland Association of CPAs, the blog helps accountants succeed in their careers. Chock full of useful tips, news, analysis, and even accountant humor.
ADVERTISING
3. AdvertisingAge
Advertising Age’s prolific blog covers ad industry news, campaigns, and commentary. Digest it daily to stay up on the ad world.
4. AdFreak
Another magazine-sponsored blog, this time from AdWeek. The bloggers present ad images and clips on each post, followed by a background and commentary. They have a penchant for finding really interesting content, about ads, companies, and people in the industry.
BUSINESS: GENERAL
5. The Atlantic Business Channel
News and current events coverage related to business, the economy, and government. The bloggers offer good, comprehensible analysis and commentary on daily events.
6. Stanley Bing’s Blog
Stanley Bing is a business writing legend. He says it like it is—and sometimes it’s damn funny. Don’t miss his blog.
BUSINESS LAW
7. The Conglomerate
Five law professors weigh in on law, business, education, and a variety of other topics. Their expert analysis on business law is not only helpful for understanding events from a legal perspective, but also very readable.
8. Corporate Governance
In the Harvard Law School’s corporate governance and financial regulation blog, more than 100 experts talk about regulation, strategy, M&A, governance, and more. Get the latest on such legal topics from the leading minds in the industry.
BUSINESS MEDIA POLICE
9. Beat the Press
Economist Dean Baker debunks economics media claims on a daily basis. His posts are short and easy for non-economists to understand. The fact that he has so much to debunk makes this an essential media supplement.
10. Brad DeLong
This Berkeley economics professor provides deep-level understanding on what’s behind modern debates, media claims, and claims politicians make. It’s a good place to find insight and understanding on today’s debates.
CAREER
11. The Career Doctor Blog
A useful Q&A/advice column covering a variety of career-related topics. Chances are, a few of them affect you. The Career Doctor offers cogent, useful advice for people facing the gamut of career concerns.
12. Brazen Careerist
Penelope Trunk’s unique, brilliant, and direct commentary on both her career and personal life make this blog a classic. You’ll react to something in her blog, guaranteed.
CONSUMER ISSUES
13. Consumerist
The definitive source on customer service, how-tos, shopping, investigations, any other consumer-rights issues.
ECONOMICS
14. Econlog
Economists Arnold Kling, Bryan Caplan, and David Henderson comment on a wide range of subjects, from finance to history. They get readers to think about how economics affects each topic.
15. Marginal Revolution
Economists Alex Tabarrok and Tyler Cowen talk economics, markets, trends, and about other economists. A good place to read about current news from an economics perspective.
16. The Becker-Posner Blog
Nobel laureate and University of Chicago economist Gary Becker and US Court of Appeals judge Richard Posner analyze the current economic situations and national policies. These two heavyweights offer an unparalleled perspective on current policies and economic events.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
17. Toilet Paper Entrepreneur
Full of tips, discussion, videos, and other resources for new entrepreneurs. TPE sets the standard for informing and supporting its venture-hungry readers.
18. The Entrepreneurial Mind
Professor, entrepreneur, and consultant Jeff Cornwall has a birds-eye approach to entrepreneurship. Catch up on issues, statistics, findings, and policy relevant to entrepreneurs here.
GREEN BUSINESS
19. Triple Pundit
Triple Pundit covers news, commentary, and analysis about the triple bottom line, which has to do with sustainable business and the environment. Covers a range of relevant issues, from what companies are greenest to new products to foreign affairs. Consistently insightful and interesting.
20. EcoGeek
EcoGeek covers the space where technology meets nature. And tech innovations help make a more environmentally-friendly economy. This blog is a useful resource for keeping abreast with green developments that might affect your industry and business.
FINANCE: GENERAL
21. The Big Picture
Author, financial commentator, speaker, and businessman Barry Ritholz and others share brief, informative daily commentary on finance and the economy. Written clearly enough for anyone to understand, but with unique, informed insights.
22. Naked Capitalism
A variety of contributors, some from other prominent finance blogs, make Naked Capitalism a one-stop shop for current events and in-depth analysis relating to events in the financial world, most of them having to do with the government and policy.
23. Zero Hedge
One of the ultimate insider finance blogs. Zero Hedge regularly shares the financial news that the mainstream media is too slow (or involved with outside corporate forces) to catch. Written anonymously and in the spirit of informational freedom, Zero Hedge is a must-read for anyone interested in raw truth. Note that some information isn’t for financial novices.
24. Calculated Risk
An excellent place to get your daily smart finance news commentary fix. Concise posts, good links, smart commentary make this a finance blog classic.
FINANCE: LINK BLOGS
25. Real Clear Markets
Nicely laid out information on finance, economics, and business, largely covering good content from the mainstream media. Easy to get good articles, fast.
FINANCIAL CRISIS
26. Credit Writedowns
This excellent blog evolved into something even better in 2009. Edward Harrison and other bloggers cover finance and economics in informative daily posts. Refreshingly, they don’t neglect the foreign sector. Their credit crisis timeline is a unique and useful resource. This year, their compilation of healthcare links is another excellent place to figure out what’s going on.
27. Baseline Scenario
Written by economists, entrepreneurs, consultants, and financial experts—all in three talented people—The Baseline Scenario comments on today’s financial crisis issues, from the national debt to healthcare. They use evidence and sound reasoning to comment on topics of the day.
28. Financial Armageddon
As the blog’s name suggests, this isn’t an optimist’s view on the financial crisis, or how it is being handled. But author and blogger Michael Panzner cuts through spin to cover the American situation in all its hardship, social, economic, and financial.
FRANCHISING
29. The Franchise King
This blog shares news, contests, commentary, and tips for franchisers. His posts are consistently short, interesting, and relevant.
FREELANCING
30. Freelance Switch
Chock full of useful tips for freelancers, this blog speaks to workers who do it themselves. Bonus: Comics, contests, and anecdotes.
GENERATIONAL
31. GEN Y
Young Successful Entrepreneur
This entrepreneurially-focused blog, written by Gen-Yer Jun Loayza, describes one young entrepreneur’s journey from startup to success. Loayza, a talented writer, offers tips, stories, and useful details from his own experiences.
32. GEN X
Generation X Finance
This useful blog covers financial issues that apply to Gen Xers. Focused on topics like establishing a career, building wealth, and getting out of debt. Generation X Finance is full of useful tips, analysis, and commentary.
33. BABY BOOMER
The Boomer Blog
Though it’s focused on a wider variety of topics than just business, the Boomer Blog covers marketing, retirement, finances, small business, and economy-related issues relevant to the age group. Its Daily Digest, which covers news that affects boomers, is also a very useful resource.
HUMAN RESOURCES
34. Gautam Ghosh
HR consultant and social media strategist Gautam Ghosh offers interesting comments on people, organizations, and using social media in an HR content in this diverse, fascinating blog.
35. Evil HR Lady
Quite simply the best, most blunt HR Q&A out there.
INTERNATIONAL
36. International Business—General
Global Edge
Two dozen contributors cover both international and country-specific business/economic issues. Their unique reports cover everything from Tehran’s first hypermarket to the fine art industry as a global economic indicator. An excellent place to catch up on general business happenings across the globe.
37. Africa
Timbuktu Chronicles
Emeka Okafor’s incredible range of business experiences include starting companies, co-running a food/beverage company, managing a PE fund, and directing the 2007 TED global conference in Tanzania. In Timbuktu Chronicles, he covers entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainability, technology, and more. His inclusion of individual people’s stories and entrepreneurial ventures lets you know the African business world through individual stories. A valuable blog.
38. EU
A Fistful of Euros
Commentary on economic, business, and current news in the EU. 15 authors cover both individual countries and EU-wide news, as well as commentary on more remote countries, like the US.
39. Middle East (specifically the UAE)
Emirates Economist
News, links, and analysis about the UAE economy. The perfect English-language destination to get your Gulf news fix.
40. China
China Briefing
This blog offers China-related business news with professional, magazine-quality reportage. Its sister publications, Vietnam briefing and India briefing, are also worth reading.
41. Latin America
For Latin America, we came up with a tie. The first blog, Latin Americanist, isn’t quite as business/economy-focused as we’d like for the purposes of this list. The second, Double Handshake, focuses only on Latin America-China relations. Both, however, are excellent.
Nine contributors cover business, politics, and culture in Latin America. Coverage is consistently good, as are the links to current news. An ideal place to load up on Latin America, in English.
Double Handshake
Covers news and business related to the China-Latin America relationship in a succinct, relevant, and entertaining way.
42. India
WATBlog
Web, advertising, mobile, technology, funding, startups…WATblog covers a substantial portion of India’s business world. How does it do so? With news, reviews, interviews, tools, and features. It’s a satisfying and readable mix.
43. Australia/NZ
The Australian Small Business Blog
Author and small business expert Dr. Greg Chapman’s useful, concise posts help small business owners market, strategize, grow, and manage their small business. An excellent digest to consume a few times a week.
INVESTIGATIVE
44. Deep Capture
The people behind Deep Capture want to expose how regulators, politicians, the media, and intellectuals have been influenced by other powerful people and institutions. That translates to posts with topics like SEC complicity in naked short selling, what hedge funds are manipulating markets and how, and the false media story around the death of Bear Stearns. Get behind the lies—or just find a different version of the stories you read.
INVESTING
45. Seeking Alpha
Seeking Alpha isn’t so much a blog as a financial website containing a bunch of blogs, but it’s so good that we had to include it. It’s a one-stop shop for stock market analysis, opinion, and commentary. They publish around 250 fresh articles per day, so whether you’re interested in commodities or day trading, you’ll be sated.
46. Abnormal Returns
Excellent daily investing and finance links, many to quality blogs and new media sites. You’re bound to find something interesting and perhaps lesser-known through a daily peek at the links here. Also includes commentary on current investment trends and events.
MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP
47. Management Craft
Consultant and management expert Lisa Haneberg shares perspective and advice on issues that managers face. Her posts, which appear several times a month, should be read slowly and savored.
48. Leadership Now
Leadership Now uses book reviews, articles, links, research summaries, multimedia, and more to give you a complete leadership resource. Its material helps you establish and solidify the mentality that you need to lead effectively.
49. The Harvard Business Review Blogs
Maybe this one is so obvious that it doesn’t need to be on this list. Then again, it’s so good that it should be on any list. The folks at the Harvard Business Review provide timely, crucial information and analysis on issues facing all managers and leaders.
MARKETING
50. Duct Tape Marketing
Geared at the small business crowd, this essential marketing resource offers news, tools, tips, and commentary relevant to SMB. The site also has an excellent podcast, books, and other resources.
51. Seth’s Blog
Seth Godin is a guru of sorts. His frequent, to-the-point insights make you both ponder your own outlook, then improve. Utterly essential.
52. eConsultancy Blog
The eConsultancy blog offers useful tips, information on trends, and news related to the digital marketing space. Especially useful for digital marketing and ecommerce professionals.
53. Copyblogger
The go-to resource for copywriting, content marketing, and successfully building an online presence. Follow Copyblogger regularly to increase your skillset in these areas.
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
54. DealBook
The New York Times’ DealBook consistently has superior details, background, and reports on the M&A space. Not that this should be your only resource, but it’s definitely one of the best.
PERSONAL FINANCE
55. Get Rich Slowly
GRS helps you save money, time, and headaches by compiling tips, how-tos, lists, and anecdotes. The blog is not only a quality daily digest, but an excellent resource on topics ranging from savings accounts to insurance.
56. The Simple Dollar
As its name suggests, the Simple Dollar offers simple ways to manage your personal finances. Blogger Trent Hamm, after having his own financial meltdown, created this useful resource to explain and explore how to simplify your personal finances. Book reviews, an advice column, and link posts round out the content.
PHARMA/HEALTH
57. Pharmalot
Written by longtime pharma journalist Ed Silverman, Pharmalot covers pharma news, trends, and issues. It’s really well-written, and could be considered a niche newspaper. A quality resource.
58. Café Pharma
Daily links to news relevant to those in the pharmaceutical business, especially salespeople. You’ll find a large selection of news headlines, most from the mainstream media, that will keep you up to date with the pharma biz.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
59. PR 2.0
PR agency principal Brian Solis writes about PR and social media news, trends, and events. His posts are short, and he updates frequently, making this a good blog to read in tasty bites.
60. Naked PR
Blogger Jennifer Mattern calls Naked PR a “spin-free zone…dedicated to cutting through the crap in online public relations…issues.” That’s just what she does, and she does it well. Her bluntness refreshes and informs.
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
61. The Cranky Product Manager
Entertaining and well-written, The Cranky Product Mananger documents the experiences of a fictional product management professional at a software company named DysfunctoSoft. For a fictional story, CPM’s posts sound mighty real, but put that aside for now. Her frank, honest, snarky posts make for a fun read, whether you’re a product manager or not.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
62. Fear No Project
Bruce McGraw combines observations, experiences, and analysis to address issues that project managers face. It’s the kind of blog with in-depth posts that appear several times a month. Savor and absorb his posts—they’re good.
REAL ESTATE
63. Bigger Pockets
Covers real estate news, investment, marketing, sales, technology, and landlord issues. Useful articles both for seasoned pros and beginners. The blog also has a good networking component, via forums, groups, bulletins, and a resource directory.
64. Altos Research
Want to know the current state of the real estate market? Catch it at Altos Research’s blog, which relays real-time real estate data. Charts and reports give you hard data to back up your next move.
SALES
65. Score More Sales
Sales consultant, author, and coach Lori Richardson shares sales tips and tricks in a readable, engaging blog. She weaves stories into her tips, making them more accessible.
SEO
66. Search Engine Land
This journalist-led SEO news and info site offers professional, compelling industry coverage.
SMALL BUSINESS
67. Small Business Trends
This complete small business resource offers a host of excellent tips for the SMB crowd. In addition to tips, they write book and product reviews, research roundups, host a radio show, and host forums. It’s a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs.
68. Small Business Brief
Small Business Brief “fetches” small business news, which means it provides you with useful SMB links almost every day. Scroll down to find the quality article that suits your needs. They have lists for Sales/Marketing, Finance & Legal, Website development, entrepreneurship, and management. A great place for a regular news fix.
SOCIAL MEDIA
69. Mashable
Perhaps the ultimate social media resource, Mashable covers the gamut of social media news, tips, lists, and how-tos. It’s an extensive social media resource that you should bookmark and check at least weekly.
70. Chris Brogan
Tech and social media expert Chris Brogan blogs about social media, online marketing, new technology, digital trends, ideas, and more. It’s an interesting take on social media by a highly-regarded opinion leader. He hosts good videos, too.
SPORTS BUSINESS
71. Sports Biz
Writer Darren Rovell reports on sports news from a business perspective. He covers the gamut of sports business, from endorsements to promising young players. An excellent daily read.
TECHNOLOGY/IT
72. Ars Technica
Ars Technica is a vast resource for IT pros. Its posts, which appear multiple times per day, cover hardware products, software tools, infrastructure, industry trends, security and more. The business section is an especially good place for IT managers to catch up on the latest.
73. TechCrunch
News from the hardware/software/IT space, including new products, IPOs and funding, companies, campaigns, research, people, industry news, and more. Consistently good and on top of the tech game.
VENTURE CAPITAL
74. Ventureblog
August Capital partner David Hornik updates this blog several times a month with analysis, commentary, and insights for those in the VC world.
75. A VC
Longtime New York City VC Fred Wilson (Union Square Ventures) covers company moves, public policy, investor behavior, media, tech, and a whole lot more. His brings insight and a human touch to all of his topics.
Drea Knufken is a freelance writer, editor, ghostwriter and content strategist. Her work has appeared in national publications including WIRED, Computerworld, National Geographic, Minyanville, Backpacker Magazine and others. For more information, please visit www.DreaKnufken.com. You can also find Drea via her blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
