I track the questions I get asked by clients through my sites or various other areas online where I spend some “give back” time. A common question that I am asked is how I find all the information that I share. Suffice it to say I read — a lot.
I Read So You Don't Have to…
The next question asked is if I wouldn't mind making a handful of recommendations for required reading. Those who ask certainly don't want a list of all the resources I rely on daily; that would freak them out. But, sure, I can prioritize a handful for you!
I'll leave out the over techie stuff, the multitude of WordPress, Marketing, SEO, and Social Media feeds that land in my inbox every day and make it easy for you by narrowing it down to the Top 5. So instead, let's focus on your “need to know,” okay?
The Top 5 cover the basics you have to keep on top of. Security, Search, Social Media, Content — and then a little inspiration! Yes, inspiration. There will be those days where your frustration levels kick in, and you feel like tossing in the towel. This is where mindset matters, and that is just as important as everything else.
Start with These 5 Resources
As a site owner, subscribing to the following resources and adding them to your reading list will help keep you in the loop on minimally what you need to pay attention to.
- For the Latest on Security Issues: Sucuri | The Blog @ Sucuri is on top of anything security-related that you need to know about.
- For the Best in Social Media: Social Media Examiner | Subbing to SME and you get the whole ball of social media wax.
- For the Scoop on Search Engines: Search Engine Land | Gives you a once over of the latest SEO trends, discussions, and strategies.
- For the Best on Content Creation: Copy Blogger | Let's face it if you can't write great content, you are at a major disadvantage! Honing your writing skills * is a necessary, ongoing, and never-ending process.
- For a Little Daily Inspiration: Seth Godin's Blog | We all need to step back and put things in perspective. Seth is my daily reality/levity check.
Add to the above your particular industry sites and specific interests (marketing, branding, podcasting), and you can quickly become overwhelmed. Time to prioritize!
Prioritize What You “Need to Know”
“Need to know” is different for everyone. Experience and priorities will determine what is most important for you to track and learn. And that list will evolve as it should.
You may find that there are other sites in the Top 5 that better meet your goals. That's fine; subscribe to them instead.
The key is to not overwhelm yourself by subscribing to too many “resources.” That produces many emails that end up taking up space in your inbox and your time to delete them. (Email organization is imperative to your efficiency.)
Be sure to block out some time on your calendar at least once a week to read and bookmark. Once you've read a newsletter *, delete it. You'll often never refer back, and information gets outdated so fast it isn't worth hanging on to.
Chose Wisely and Enjoy!
Work towards subbing to those resources that you find you truly enjoy and look forward to receiving. Only sub if you know you can benefit from the information provided. If it turns out to not be your cup of tea or doesn't provide value, unsubscribe. The sooner, the better to keep your inbox clear of fluff and time wasters.
I still learn new things — all the time. I've been at this 26 years, and there are a bunch of resources I've been subbed to for years. At the same time, others fall by the wayside when I no longer find them helpful, useful, or fresh. If I bypass an email 3 times because apparently, it is not important enough, I unsub.
When you narrow down your subscriptions to the core 5 or 10 you really need and enjoy, you'll find you are more apt to learn from and apply that information to your program.
At your service,
