I launched the Leaving Work Behind 100 this time last week, and it has proven to be a great success. I am really excited to say that a lot of people seem to have taken a lot of value out of it.
However, quite a few people have commented on the sheer number of blogs listed. And I get that – few of us have the time to go through 100 blogs. That is why I broke the blogs up into categories, so that you can pick from the topics that interest you the most.
But today I’d like to take that a step further by recommending my pick of the LWB 100. The original list was based upon a ranking algorithm and didn’t reflect my personal opinion of where blogs should be ranked, so I figured it would be remiss of me not to let you know which blogs are my favorites.
If you don’t have the time to trawl through the full list, the following 10 blogs (in no particular order) are the ones that I couldn’t be without.
Smart Passive Income (Internet Marketing)
Without wanting to come over sounding too dramatic, discovering Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income was a pivotal moment for me. That was the point at which I realized that it was actually possible to make money online in a legitimate manner. That you didn’t need to be an expert or a “guru” – you just needed to work hard, work smart, and persist.
Although there is no doubting the quality of Pat’s content, I think the biggest draw is his story. He wraps his personality around the blog in such a way that not only has us rooting for him, but also makes us realize that success is possible.
Three of the Best
- Getting Started with Smart Passive Income
- The Best Of Smart Passive Income
- The Only 100 Words You Should Read Today
Social Triggers (Marketing)
I have got a lot of time for Derek Halpern’s blog. Unlike many bloggers out there, when an argument is put forward by Derek, you know that a great deal of thought has gone into it. Every argument he makes is backed up meticulously by studies and research.
Moreover, he provides you with direct and actionable advice that you can put in place with immediate effect. I know that, because I have taken many of Derek’s suggestions on board with this blog. The feature box on the home page? The uncluttered sidebar? The “Resources” links? All ideas inspired by Social Triggers.
Three of the Best
- How to Increase Blog Conversion Rates
- The “Content is King” Myth Debunked
- How to Increase Online Sales By 600%
Think Traffic (Marketing)
I would happily include Corbett Barr’s blog in this list on the back of one blog post alone: Write Epic Shit. Out of the hundreds of articles I have read over the past several months, that is one of the few that has stuck in my mind.
But Think Traffic has so much more to offer, not least the Million Dollar Blog Project, a fascinating real-time case study of how to build a successful blog. It is no great surprise that Corbett’s own site for that project, Expert Enough, is doing fantastically well.
- Write Epic Shit
- 21 Quick Actions You Can Do Today to Set Your Blog Up for Massive Success
- How To Get Over 50,000 Visits to Your Blog in the First Month
Steve Scott Site (Affiliate Marketing)
Steve happens to be one of the nicest guys in the internet marketing niche, but that is not why his site is on this list. The reason it is on this list is simply because of the number of strategies I have learnt from his blog that I have successfully applied to my own.
All too often blogs are full of hot air, with no real actionable advice. That is not the case with Steve Scott Site. Not only does he provide you with actionable advice, he gives you full disclosure on his own progress – which in itself often reveals valuable lessons.
Three of the Best
- The Most Important Post You Will EVER Read
- How to Get 1 Million Website Visitors in ONE Year
- How to Get 5293 (Automatic) Monthly Twitter Visitors
The Sales Lion (Marketing)
Marcus Sheridan of The Sales Lion is an absolute legend. There, I said it. But it’s the truth people. He covers the topics of content marketing and social media with unparalleled enthusiasm – you can’t help but get involved. I have commented on more blog posts of his than I have any other blog.
As is the case with many of the bloggers on this list, it is his story that makes his blog as special as it is. He used the power of content marketing to turn a failing business into one of the biggest in its region.
Three of the Best
- 9 Lessons I Learned From the Biggest Blogging Jerk Ever
- 10 Ways to Get Tons of Massive Comments on Your Blog Every Time
- Massive Blog Growth: Do You Really Have the Time it Takes?
Niche Pursuits (Niche Sites)
If you are interested in building niche sites, you will find Niche Pursuits to be a seriously valuable resource. Spencer Haws cuts through the fluff and gets right down to the nitty gritty of what is required to build successful niche sites. And most remarkably, he does it all without charging you a penny.
Forget the multitude of paid courses and eBooks that there are out there – I firmly believe that Niche Pursuits offers you all of the help you need in order to set up a profitable portfolio of websites.
Three of the Best
- Why Niche Websites Are A Great Business Model
- Search Volume and CPC Criteria of a Winning Keyword
- How to Analyze the Top 10 Google Competition for Your Keyword
AdSense Flippers (Niche Sites)
This is another must-read site for niche site builders. Justin and Joe offer a different perspective on the niche site business model, as their primary aim is capital gains from the sale of niche sites (as opposed to ongoing income).
Although they produce quality articles on a regular basis, the jewel in the AdSense Flippers crown is the podcast. Subscribe, listen, and learn.
Three of the Best
- Content Sourcing And Creation For Niche Websites
- Ad Unit Layouts And Strategies
- Our Keyword Research Strategy (Part 1 | Part 2)
Sparring Mind (Marketing)
When it comes to crafting blog posts of real quality and substance, Greg Ciotti of Sparring Mind can teach us all a lesson or two. His site is quickly becoming one of the best current resources for blogging strategy.
I can’t remember the last time he produced a post which I didn’t get some sort of value out of – although most bloggers are guilty of producing “duds” every now and then, Greg works hard to deliver the goods every time.
Three of the Best
- Blog Design On A Budget: The Complete Guide For Creating A Beautiful, High Converting Blog
- 15 Easy Ways To Speed Up WordPress: Why Slow Page Load Equals Slow Blog Growth
- Facebook Marketing: How I Grew A Fanpage To 6,683 Fans In 4 Months
Freelance Switch (Freelancing)
This list certainly wouldn’t be complete without a freelancing blog, and Freelance Switch really is the best of the best. Far too many people feel that self-employment is out of their grasp, but this site shows you how it is possible for you to quit your job and work for yourself.
Three of the Best
- A Comprehensive Guide to Starting Your Freelance Career
- Nine Factors to Consider When Determining Your Price
- 101 Ideas to Get More Freelance Work and Generate New Client Leads
Copyblogger (Marketing)
When it comes to crafting engaging content and marketing it in an effective manner, there are few better resources than Copyblogger. I have learn more from this one blog than most others combined (present company excepted) – especially when it comes to the art of crafting engaging content.
Three of the Best
- The 7 Deadly Sins of Blogging
- Why No One Links to Your Best Posts (And What to Do About It)
- The 4 Words That Will Get Your Email Opened
What Are Your Picks?
So there you have it folks – my favorite 10 blogs out of the Leaving Work Behind 100. I can’t say that it was easy picking just 10 out, as there are so many fantastic resources to choose from. I am sure that many of you would have picked a different top 10 – what blogs do you not see above that you think are worth of inclusion? Let us know in the comments section!
Creative Commons image courtesy of yoppy
Gush away about Smart Passive Income, I could spend days on that site! It is unbelievably helpful. I’m really appreciating your posts about your favorite resources. It’s leading me to fantastic sites and constantly bringing me back to yours. Mission accomplished, right? Thanks Tom.
Mission accomplished indeed Christelle – now to turn my focus onto other things…
Tom,
What can I say, you are so generous to share these great sites. I really appreciate being included in your list. You rock man!
Marcus, Corbett, Derek and Brian are all great Bloggers (as i am sure are the rest) who I am proud to be included with.
I will definitely be checking out the ones I am not as familiar with!
You’re welcome Steve – you take a deserved spot 🙂
Great list Tom, thanks!
I’ve started from Pat Flynn’s blog about year ago, now I’m a constant reader of 5 of 10 listed blogs… and yours of course 🙂
Thanks you for more awesome resources to get the ideas, useful info and inspiration.
Glad to hear you’re a regular reader Michael 🙂 it’s my pleasure.
Damn Tom, you are too kind my man.
I just launched the podcast today, and it reminded me that whenever you get the time, we need to do a little collab!
BRB, sharing the heck out of this great resource.
Absolutely; just drop me a line when you’re ready.
Nice work on the podcast – gotta get a transcript done though! I like to read 🙂
Another excellent post Tom! I have 9/10 blogs you mentioned above in my list. I just want to add few more blogs which I like:
1. Virtuarl Business Lifestyle (VBL) by Chris Ducker – http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/ : VBL is definitely the best resource to learn about outsourcing and entrepreneurship.
2. Outsourcing Live by Tyrone Shum- http://www.outsourcinglive.com/: OL is about outsourcing too, I like Tyrone’s videos. They are not only informative but also practical.
3. DBPMarketing by Dror Bekerman – http://dbpmarketing.com/ : Dror is not a famous blogger but what he brings to his reader is awesome. This is almost a product-review blog but Dror is a very kind person. HIs review is honest and helpful. I’ve learned a lot from him.
Hi Tung,
Thank you! I love Chris’ blog – it is in the LWB 100. I haven’t heard of DBP Marketing, so will have to check that out. As for Tyrone Shum – he has a bit of a patchy reputation, so I am not comfortable with endorsing his blog.
Cheers,
Tom
Great list. I read many of them too and they are all really great. I would also like to add http://www.tropicalmba.com to the list. Dan writes some great stuff, too.
Thanks for the suggestion Michal 🙂
Great list, Tom. Those all are awesome blogs and SPI is my favorite.
Btw. How could you forget to include your blog ;)?
Some people might consider that a bit self-serving Dev 😉
Tom – you rock man, thanks so much for featuring me in your top 100, and now your top 10! Amazing, thank you!
And thanks to Christelle, Michael ad Dev for the shout outs here in the comment section too. You all rock! 🙂
We’re just a big bunch of SPI-loving guys and girls over here Pat 😉
In all seriousness though, your site is an inspiration to so many, and I am sure that will continue to be the case for a long time.
Thanks for stopping by; I appreciate it 😉
I’m a big fan of Niche Pursuits and Adsense Flippers and slowly becoming a big fan of Sparring Mind.
With that said 2 of my favorites are Noob Starter (http://www.noobstarter.com/) and Zen Duck Dave (http://zenduck.me/). Neither one of them make a ton of posts, but when they do it’s a good idea to pay attention.
Quality is often better than quantity 🙂
Thanks for the great list. I see why you chose those ones. They are really cool and I’m a fan of a few of them (like Smart Passive Income). Those guys are doing great jobs. I like especially those who make podcasts because you can consume their ideas while doing something else. That’s a great time saver.
Podcasts are great – I used to listen to them all the time on long car journeys. Now that I no longer do long car journeys, I tend to read the transcripts instead. Either way, I love them!
Great list, Tom. I find that there are so many good places to read (your blog included) that I’ve actually had to impose self-bans on these sites just so that I can get work done, lol. It’s too easy to get lost in good content. Every so often I pull my head out of the trenches just to see what’s up.
I aspire to make it into one of your Niche Sites list some day. Wish me luck. 🙂
Just keep doing what you’re doing Andre 🙂
Awesome list Tom and I totally agree with your pick! I don’t read few of them, but they are bookmarked and I’ll make sure to add them to my already busy daily schedule!
I know choosing this top10 had to be difficult, but even if Viperchill isn’t posting as much as others, the quality and depth of everything’s written on this blog is truly amazing and making me think he would have deserved a top10 mention 🙂 Awesome list anyway though, thanks Tom!
Hey Job,
ViperChill got very close to a mention but ultimately didn’t because Glenn’s focus is elsewhere at the moment. There’s no doubting the quality of articles he has published though.
Cheers,
Tom
This is an excellent compilation. I’ve been following Corbett Barr and I recently found Smart Passive Income. I just listened to Smart Passive Income’s podcast and I must say it’s pretty good – A-class quality. Corbett has other sites too aside from think traffic and I’m following his blogs around.
Spatch Merlin
From More Web Site Traffic Guide
Hey Spatch,
Can’t go wrong with those blogs! They were amongst the first two I started reading.
Cheers,
Tom
Hey Tom — thanks for including me here. Much appreciated 😀
My pleasure Derek! 🙂
Tom, well dang bro! You’re too kind my man 🙂 But I do appreciate it!!!!
My pleasure Marcus 🙂
I am a big fan of many them, commenting regularly….
the awkward moment is when i read some posts of the again because the way you introduced the posts made me say ” i might missed something “.
In a nutshell, it doesn’t matter if these folks are successful what matters is why they are successful and how can we benefit from that
Quite right Yassin 🙂