100+ RSS Feeds for the Reading List of the Well-Rounded Freelancer

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:30:34 GMT

I am an RSS feed nut. I subscribe to hundreds of RSS feeds and the list is growing all the time. If I come across a blog or a site that appears to have interesting resources that are relevant for me, I subscribe to their feed without hesitation. Every morning I open up my Google Reader with a cup of coffee just like I used to do with my daily newspaper, only now the latest headlines are from my chosen sources and related specifically to my interests.

For freelancers, RSS feeds can be a great way to stay on top of the latest news and developments in your specific area of expertise. They can be utilized to continue your education, strengthen your skills and keep you on the forefront in your line of business. However, many people stop at only reading the feeds of their specific genre, rather than branching out and gathering knowledge in a number of other areas that, should you choose to learn about them, could broaden your capabilities and increase your offerings as a freelancer.

This post will look at a more elaborate approach to using RSS feeds in an effort to expand your understanding and knowledge in ways that can contribute to the growth of your freelance business. The idea is that you can never learn too much, and RSS feeds can be a valuable tool in the ongoing education of the well-rounded freelancer.

Freelance Folder’s Recommended RSS Feeds

Freelance Folder has published several articles focusing on RSS feeds for specific genres. Make sure to visit each of these to add to your feed reader:

My suggestion is that you go ahead and subscribe to at least a few, if not all, from each list. I am a strong believer that the more you can read that has any relevance to your field whatsoever, the more you will gain.

Suggested Feeds to Expand Your Horizons

The following feeds are some of my personal favorites, ranging from freelance to social media to SEO. It doesn’t matter what type of freelance work you specialize in, you will benefit from reading these feeds and keeping your finger on the pulse of what is going on in each of these areas. Think about it. Every freelancer should have a website and/or blog, which in turn will improve if you are at least a little knowledgeable about best design and development practices and search engine optimization. Every freelancer should be utilizing some type of social media to network, so it is important to keep up with the latest trends and resources in the field. The obvious conclusion: the more you read in any related field, the better off you and your freelance business will be.

Clicking on any of the links will take you directly to the feed subscription.

Digital Influence Mapping Project
A real, hard look at the latest in digital innovations and how they apply to business.
MediaShift
PBS.org’s guide to the digital media revolution.
Posts from the Econsultancy blog
Digital marketing – GREAT hot topic and timely subjects.
DailyBloggr.com
Covers a range of topics from Search, Online Media, Blogging, Social Media, Technology, Trends and the like. Anything that’s of interest to an average web surfing technology enthusiast.
Social Business
ZDNet’s social media blog.
Social Media Examiner
A relatively new site with lots of good posts and resources.
Social Media Today
What I consider one of the primary sites for keeping tabs on what’s going on in social media and people’s thoughts about it.
Search Engine Journal
Specializes in a community approach to the reporting of search engine news & the sharing of Search Engine Marketing knowledge & tactics.
Search Engine Land
A news and information site covering search engine marketing, searching issues and the search engine industry.
SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog
The most current News, Tips & Highlights from the search marketing industry.
SEOptimise
More SEO news and insights.

Other Freelance Sites

Google News Feeds

Did you know you can keep up with the latest news on your topic of choice by creating your own feed from a search on Google News? It’s a very simple way to automate something you may tend to search for or look up often, saving time, increasing productivity, and strengthening your education and awareness. Simply go to Google News, enter your search term, and then scroll down to the bottom of the results page and click on the RSS link or icon. Some of my favorite search terms are Facebook, Twitter, branding and social media. Here are the quick links to these feeds to save you some time:

Shameless Plug Feeds

Last but not least, this list would be incomplete without suggesting you subscribe to the Freelance Folder feed for all the latest news and resources from real-life freelancers like you and me. While I’m at it, I must also suggest my own personal blog at bkmacdaddy designs, where I share my thoughts and experiences in design, social media, freelancing and more.

Your Feed Favorites?

Do you use RSS feeds? Do you try to read about other related or unrelated fields? Perhaps you already have amassed a list of your own feeds you would care to share with the rest of us, or there are one or two that you think should be added to this list. Please be sure to share your thoughts and add your feeds in the comments below.