One of the most important communities in telecom sector includes channel partners. Succeeding in these businesses means staying agile, researching industry trends and new developments, and savvy networking. Blogs are one of the most effective resources for all of the above: they are free, accessible 24 hours a day, and constantly updated. With so many blogs to sift through, however, tracking down your favorites can be a time-consuming proposition. We wanted to give you a leg up by sourcing the very best blogs on channel related topic.
We scoured the blogosphere for the highest quality content, looking at factors such as the relevancy of the subject matter and the level of reader engagement, authorship credibility, including the amount of social shares, social activity, and the amount of reader commentary. Here’s a list of the top 20 blogs out there bringing tremendous value to channel partners, VARs, MSPs, and various other tech resellers.
1. CRN
A huge clearinghouse of information, CRN brings together the combined expertise of many industry leaders, with posts ranging from breaking news to detailed reports and reviews, as well as sophisticated how-tos and strong multimedia content such as slideshows and video. Topics regularly covered include business continuity, carrier services, cloud, automation, virtualization, UC, security, and much more.
2. The VAR Guy
Hosted by a mysterious and seemingly all-knowing anonymous writer who sounds suspiciously like an aggregate of two or more experts, The VAR Guy blog is another wide-ranging resource offering up to the minute news and insights on the VAR space. In-depth posts by a stable of industry insider contributors cover everything from top news stories, guides, and advice to clever commentary on the state of the industry.
3. MSP Mentor
This blog has the tagline “The Ultimate Guide to Managed Services” and looking at the breadth of the content, it’s hard to argue with that. It’s got insight rich posts from many industry thought leaders, covering the latest tools with strong research and thoughtfully presented advice on running your own MSP business.
4. Talkin’ Cloud
With a strong focus on everything cloud, this blog offers a wide variety of topics, including lots of spot-on advice about dealing with customers. A free sign-in is required to access some material, but we think it’s worth the effort. Frequent webcasts and other helpful resources make this a must for anyone seeking rapid development.
5. Channel Insider
Up-to-the-minute news, analysis and information presented in a wide range of formats. You’ll find articles, reports, reviews, slideshows, podcasts, and videos, all focused on the needs of VARs. There’s a strong careers focus in much of the content, which makes this blog especially relevant to those interested in personal career growth.
6. ChannelPro UK
Though directed at the United Kingdom market, much of the valuable information here will be of use to channel professional around the world. The journalist team contributing to this blog provide global coverage of the entire channel space. A healthy mix of industry news and how-to guides.
7. MSP Alliance Blog
Run by the International Association of Cloud and Managed Service Providers, this blog’s pedigree goes back to 2000, making it a wonderfully mature and nuanced source of industry information. Once a week posts offer in-depth examination and analysis of cloud and channel related news and topics, including strategy, security, and market trends.
8. Continuum Blog
The simple layout and clear focus of this blog make it a haven in a world of information overload. A variety of insightful authors tackle relatable topics such as case studies, management, market analysis and customer relations, often with a light, readable touch.
9. Channelnomics
Covering the US and Europe, this blog has an international team of journalist bringing you all the latest developments in the industry, along with smart commentary and helpful guides to business development. The Vendor Q&A series is an especially valuable feature.
10. MaxFocus
With its sights squarely set on marketing, sales, and productivity for channel professionals, this blog has a friendly professional tone which should appeal to businesses of all sizes. There are lots of tips, reviews, news features and insights from other MSPs who have many years of experience in the industry.
11. Channel Vision Mag
Operated by one of the industry’s premier publications, the Channel Vision Mag Blog is keenly focused on offering its readers the type of valuable information which will give them a boost in the marketplace. With a view to exploring rapidly changing business models and tracking developments in the sector, they highlight all the current channel news.
12. MSP Today
The latest headlines share space on this excellent blog with expert features, opinion pieces and interviews, many of them in video form. For the most part, the articles are short, focused, and easily digestible, making the blog an excellent lunchtime resource for busy channel professionals.
13. Channel Pro Network Blog
Directed especially towards channel pros who serve small and medium businesses, the content you’ll find on this blog is sharply focused on actionable advice, along with smart analysis, considered opinion, and all the very latest news. A smart design makes it easy to identify content type at a glance, so it’s easy to pop in for a quick shot of information.
14. 2112 Group
Run by an expert business strategy firm, this blog offers practical advice to anyone involved in the channel, along with breaking news and analysis. You’ll find strong writing on topics including general business management, growth potential, and channel forecasting.
15. Partner-Path
This blog brings together the most relevant and interesting posts, articles and videocasts about the channel, cloud, and related technology from around the web. It’s a well-curated one-stop shop for staying informed about news, trends, and the latest strategy conversations.
16. Reframe Your Clients
Intelligent how-to’s with a special lens on client relationships and developments are a mainstay of this blog, which also offers in-depth reports and commentary on the state of the industry. There’s a strong forward view to the content, which pays close attention to sector developments and trends. Recent features have focused on consultancy and the rise of the virtual CIO.
17. VAR Coach
As you might expect from the title, this blog is dedicated to offering targeted advice on the day-to-day challenges of a VAR business, with articles ranging from advice on public speaking to marketing, sales prospecting, and general small business management. A good all-in-one stop for VAR business development.
18. CompTIA
The sophisticated content on this blog takes a careful look at everything going on in the channel community, with an expansive scope which takes in the effects of public policy and law making as well as industry trends. Great coverage of current news sits alongside practical advice on topics such as structure, strategy, and talent acquisition and retention.
19. Channel Partners Online
An excellent place to keep your finger on the pulse of the channel, this blog has a great mix of comprehensive industry news coverage, advice, and opinion pieces from highly regarded experts in the field. They have a valuable focus on the ways that moves by big network players can shake things up for the SMB owner.
20. Xerox Channel Partner Blogs
Some of the content is Xerox-focused, but there’s much more to discover on this blog, which benefits from the well-written contributions of several authors. You’ll find good information on bidding, selling, and marketing, with a wealth of valuable tips and insights from highly experienced professionals.
Whether you’re talking about managed service providers, consultants, vendors, system integrators, referral partners, value added resellers, or other channel professionals, these services play a huge part in the adoption and spread of the newest technology. It’s good to know that the community is so well-served by these publications and bloggers, who bring a constant stream of rich information out into the open. Add a few of these blogs to your daily reading, and you’ll always be a few steps ahead of the game.
