When it comes to news about internet startups, web trends and innovations, blogs are a better source than traditional media.
If you want to know what’s happening on the web, there are some key blogs that should form part of your daily reading.
Here is a list of the blogs I read daily. They are the true thoughtleaders on web innovation and online business:
• ReadWriteWeb
( href=”https://www.readwriteweb.com/” mce_href=”https://www.readwriteweb.com/”https://www.readwriteweb.com/)
It’s an intellectual take on social media trends, exploring web technology, news, reviews and analysis. It’s one of the top 10 blogs in the world according to Technorati, and boasts an email and RSS subscriber base of more than 250,000. It’s strong on web 2.0, the new semantic web wave, and future online trends.
• The Bivings Report
( href=”https://www.bivingsreport.com/” mce_href=”https://www.bivingsreport.com/”https://www.bivingsreport.com/)
An in-depth blog on technology and online strategy by a Washington Dcbased internet communications firm. Its core philosophy is that the power of the internet lies not in the technology, but its strategic use. The blog has incisive analysis on the American elections run-up from an online and social media point of view. It also covers traditional and online media quite extensively.
• TechCrunch
( href=”https://www.techcrunch.com/” mce_href=”https://www.techcrunch.com/”https://www.techcrunch.com/)
A blog “dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing new internet products and companies”. It’s obsessive alright and a very cool read.
It’s one of the most influential blogs in Silicon Valley, tracking web 2.0 startups. TechCrunch is listed by Technorati as the world’s second biggest blog,and has around a million subscribers according to Feedburner. If there is a new web launch in Silicon Valley, then TechCrunch will know about it.
• Mashable
( href=”https://www.mashable.com/” mce_href=”https://www.mashable.com/”https://www.mashable.com/)
A blog that reports on social networks, social media news and innovations on the web. It ranks as one of the largest blogs on the net.
• Poynter Tidbits
( href=”https://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31″ mce_href=”https://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31″https://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31)
A group blog of online media experts and commentators from around the world. Hosted by the respected Floridabased journalism college, it provides bite-sized comment and analysis about online journalism and general online media news.
Disclosure: I am a contributor to this blog.
• paidContent.org
( href=”https://www.paidcontent.org/” mce_href=”https://www.paidcontent.org/”https://www.paidcontent.org/)
Founded by journalist Rafat Ali in 2002, it covers the economic evolution of digital content that is shaping the future of the media, information and entertainment industries.
The site operates on the belief that in the near future, all media will be digital media. It’s worth bookmarking.
• GigaOM ( href=”https://gigaom.com/” mce_href=”https://gigaom.com/”https://gigaom.com/)
Provides news about the key influencers in the technology market place, delivering news, analysis and opinions on topics ranging from broadband and online games to web 2.0.
For a local perspective, there are a few group blogs and personal blogs that analyse web trends – worth keeping an eye on:
• !_LT_STRONGVincentmaher.com!_LT_/STRONG ( href=”https://www.vincentmaher.com/” mce_href=”https://www.vincentmaher.com/”https://www.vincentmaher.com/) is run by former Mail & Guardian Online strategist, now head of social networking at Vodacom. It’s an intellectual take mixed with dry wit about the local and international social media scene, online media and mobile trends.
• !_LT_STRONGGottaQuirk !_LT_/STRONG( href=”https://www.gottaquirk.com/” mce_href=”https://www.gottaquirk.com/”https://www.gottaquirk.com/) is a group blog run by an internet consultancy called Quirk eMarketing, with insights into online business, advertising and marketing. It also tracks local web trends.
•!_LT_STRONG Mikestopforth.com!_LT_/STRONG ( href=”https://www.mikestopforth.com/” mce_href=”https://www.mikestopforth.com/”https://www.mikestopforth.com/), run by a local web entrepreneur and consultant of the same name, is another blog worth following. His blog looks at how businesses can extract real value from web 2.0 to create smarter businesses.
• !_LT_STRONGBandwidthblog!_LT_/STRONG ( href=”https://www.bandwidthblog.com/” mce_href=”https://www.bandwidthblog.com/”https://www.bandwidthblog.com/) has regular news and analysis about South African and global startups by entrepreneur Charl Norman. It often breaks big stories.
Matthew Buckland is the general manager of publishing and social media at 24.com. Read his blog at href=”https://www.matthewbuckland.com/” mce_href=”https://www.matthewbuckland.com/”https://www.matthewbuckland.com/.
!_LT_UL
!_LT_LI
This column first appeared in The Media magazine (October 2008).
!_LT_/LI!_LT_/UL
