It seems like every day there are new blogs from business owners, people who serve small business and those who monitor small business trends. Blogs are often written by people who have "been-there and done-that", and it's good to know what's being talked about in the small business blogosphere. But how do you figure out which ones are worth your time to read? While you can't keep up with them all, there are easy ways to browse the best ones. By browsing small business blogs, you can:

1. Stay up-to-date with the latest business trends, opportunities and news.
2. Get timely advice from business coaches, marketing gurus and accounting experts.
3. Keep an eye on the competition and get ideas for your own business or blog.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get an overview of the latest trends, opportunities and tips

Start at high profile business blogs that have a lot of traffic and are consistently updated by well-known bloggers.

I recommend: Small Business Trends includes coverage of technology that affects the small business market. Get marketing tips from the Duct Tape Marketing blog or BIG Marketing for Small Business, and find out about business networking online at Virtual Handshake. Two up-and-coming entrepreneurs share their personal experiences at Slate's BizBox. Others worth a look include Business Opportunities Weblog and The Entrepreneurial Mind. The eVenturing Entrepreneur's Viewpoint Blog links to useful business articles around the Web on topics from going global to staff management. Find out how to go from "corporate prisoner to thriving entrepreneur" at Escape from Cubicle Nation. Carnival of the Capitalists has links to the most interesting business-related blog posts, hosted on different blogs each week.

Discover the best blogs from actual small businesses

Gain a unique perspective into the lives of people starting and running all kinds of small businesses through their blogs.

I recommend: USA Today's Small Business Connection blog often features small business blogs. Pajama Market highlights a small business blog of the day and interviews bloggers about the impact blogging has had on their businesses. Other interesting reads include Aldo Coffee, The Bloomery Florist, Sharma Jewelry Designs, Sheepdog Print and Design, and Kendrick's Billiards.

Find other small business blogs on blog directories

To find a coffee shop blog, for example, type in 'coffee shop'. You can also subscribe to keyword search feeds to find the latest blogs in your area of interest. Search on your own company name to see if it's being mentioned in the blogosphere.

I recommend: Try Google Blog Search or Technorati's business directory, or simply search for a business type or topic you're interested in from the top pages of Google Blog Search or Technorati.

Use RSS readers to get summaries of updates to your favorite small business blogs

RSS or RSS feed refers to a way for sites to syndicate their content, and allows you to read the highlights of all the blogs you like to read in one place.

I recommend: You can subscribe to a blog's RSS feed from the blog itself. You'll get a special URL and then you'll need to view it in an RSS reader or aggregator, such as My Yahoo, Google Reader, or Bloglines.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you've found a good blog, a way to find more quality blogs on a similar topic is to look at the blog's sidebar to see what other blogs the author has recommended.
• •  Commenting on an interesting blog post is a way to voice your opinion or add some useful information, but it can also let more people know about your URL or expertise.
• •  Some top blogs that don't deal specifically with small business, but cover topics such as technology, may also be useful for you to track.

Business blogs provide personal insight into the minds of business owners and industry leaders. These blogs are a creative and inexpensive marketing tool that allows customers to connect with business owners and business owners to connect with each other.

When asking how blogs for my business work, consider both reading and publishing. Posting a blog on your company's site allows you to demonstrate your experience and knowledge to potential customers before they even contact you. By reading other industry blogs, you gain the perspective of other business owners who are dealing with the same challenges as you. When venturing into the world of online business blogging, consider the following:

1. Find ideas for your business blog and keep up on the latest industry trends by subscribing to other companies' blogs.

2. Publish your Internet blogs with a reputable blogging company.

3. Hook new readers by being the first in search engine results.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read other companies' business blogs

Reading blogs published by other companies in your industry allows you to stay on top of current trends and industry gossip. Subscribing to various business blogs and posting comments on the entries builds an informal camaraderie among business owners. These blogs are also often your best resource when gathering ideas for your own business blog.

I recommend: Find links to high-quality small business blogs at Forbes.com. The magazine searches for the best business blogs on the web and features them on its website. Browse through the blog directory at iBlogBusiness. The directory is by industry so you can easily find relevant blogs. Create a "Blogs I Should Read" list and subscribe to your favorites so new posts come directly to your inbox.

Find a host for your Internet blogs

Publishing online blogs requires a certain amount of computer knowledge, but many companies offer user-friendly interfaces that allow you to simply click and publish. When searching for a host for your business blog, consider the ease of use, designs offered, pricing and the ability to handle traffic.

I recommend: Squarespace offers software that allows you to easily customize and publish your blogs online. The company charges for its services, but guarantees your site won't crash even with large amounts of traffic. To publish your business blog online for free, sign up with Moguling. The company's blog interface is user-friendly and you can choose from thousands of layout designs. For another free option, create an account with Blogger.

Get your blog information noticed in search engines

Your online business blog is a marketing tool, and it won't work if your blog doesn't attract readers. In order for your blog to generate large amounts of traffic, it needs to rank high in Internet searches. Readers begin with the first page of results when finding blogs. Search engine optimization, frequently referred to as SEO, is the result of placing highly searched keywords in your blog and boasting plenty of informative links.

I recommend: Purchase search engine optimization memberships, guides and training videos from SEOmoz. These products teach you how to keep your blog on top in search engines rather than providing a one-time service. For a free keyword tracker, visit Digital Point Solutions. The tool tracks your designated keywords and provides you with historical data.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To optimize your industry blogs for search engines, include a highly-searched keyword in the blog's domain name as well as periodically throughout the site. The keyword should be relevant to your industry rather than simply your business' name.