Marketing doesn’t work in a vacuum: even the best marketers spend some time every day keeping up with new information in the field.

That used to mean subscribing to industry magazines, going to marketing conferences and using other resources that were only affordable if you were doing marketing all day, every day. With the advent of blogs, though, there is plenty of marketing information available immediately and freely.

Even better, it’s already broken down into articles short enough that a small business owner can read a few over the course of a busy day. There are thousands of quality marketing blogs available, but there are six that we’d particularly like to recommend reading every day .

1.       Influential Marketing Blog


Rohit Bhargava is the blogger behind the Influential Marketing Blog. He knows marketing inside and out: as a senior vice president at Ogilby’s 360 Digital Influence, Bhargava is out there pioneering digital marketing techniques every day. Among his other credentials, Bhargava wrote a book last year, titled Personality Not Included: Why Companies Lose Their Authenticity And How Great Brands Get it Back.

2.       Church of the Customer


Ben McConnel and Jackie Huba — the founders of the Society for Word of Mouth — blog at the Church of the Customer. They specialize in covering marketing topics related to word of mouth marketing, but they also include posts with a wider focus. For those of you who don’t primarily rely on word of mouth as a marketing strategy, it’s worth reading the Church of the Customer to understand how word of mouth can still affect your overall marketing plan.

3.       OPEN Forum


While not precisely a marketing blog, American Express’s blog for small business owners routinely has great posts regarding marketing. If you go to the Marketing section of the site, you can see videos from such marketing experts as Seth Godin, as well as find blog posts and articles from a variety of marketing specialists. On OPEN Forum, you get information from a variety of leading business experts.

4.       Copyblogger


If you write the marketing copy, press releases and other communications for your business, Brian Clark’s Copyblogger is a must read. It has article after article about taking the writing you do for your business to the next step, and each one is a must read. Even if you outsource such projects to a freelance writer, Copyblogger is a key resource: the blog can give you ideas on new approaches and techniques, as well as give you the skills to evaluate the work that freelance writer is sending you.

5.       Seth’s Blog


Seth Godin literally wrote the book on permission marketing, as well as ten other marketing books. For the most part, his blog posts are very quick reads. Each post is a concrete idea: Godin will tell the story of a successful marketer, describe an idea or mention a relevant link. Reading Godin’s blog can ensure that you’re constantly getting new ideas about how to market your own business.

6.       www.themarketingblog.co.uk   

Now regarded by far the most influential marketing blog in the UK. Great coverage of both news and products and services meaning you can keep up to date with your marketing objectives.
Reaching over 40,000 decision makers and influencers twice a week it also provides a route for you to get ongoing conversations going with your prospects. Call Will Corry 01784 434 412 for details of the highly successful Guru Guest Issues