I have always subscribe to the idea that if you want to do something, always compare yourselves with the Best. If not, there isn't really much of a reason you do the things you do. So much so that I even ask myself why bothered at all? I mean, if you are not confident to be the best (at least the top few), why even try?

Can't just talk, action is must! So, one of the first few things I did when I started Revotra.com and Blog.ShoutOutLounge.com is to check out the best blogs out there and what make them tick. I checked out the top 20 blogs(from Technorati) and compile a list of what they do, and how they do it. Then I picked up the best of them and put it into the my project list which I will work on when the time comes.

Here we go, top 20 blogs in the world.

Best. The Huffington Post
The Internet Newspaper: News Blogs Video Community
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Content generally about : Politics

Second. Gizmodo
The Gadget Guide
http://gizmodo.com/
Content generally about : Technology, Gadgets

Third. TechCrunch
http://www.techcrunch.com/
Content generally about : Technology

Forth. engadget
http://www.engadget.com/
Content generally about : Technology, Gadgets

Fifth. BoingBoing
A Directory of Wonderful Things
http://www.boingboing.net/
Content generally about : General Stuff

Sixth. Lifehacker
Tips and Downloads for getting things done
http://lifehacker.com/
Content generally about : Technology, Software

Seventh. ars technica
The art of technology
http://arstechnica.com/index.ars
Content generally about : Technology

Eight. Daily Kos
The State of the Nation
http://dailykos.com/
Content generally about : Politics

Ninth. The Official Google Blog
Insights from Googlers into our products, technology, and the Google culture
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/
Content generally about : Technology, Google specific

Tenth. TravelPod
The web's original travel blog
http://www.travelpod.com/
Content generally about : Travel Locations

Eleventh. Smashing Magazine
We shash you with the information that will make your life easier, really.
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/
Content generally about : Technology

Twelfth. I can has cheez burger
Lolcats n Funny Pictures
http://icanhascheezburger.com/
Content generally about : Funny Pictures

Thirteenth. ReadWriteWeb
http://www.readwriteweb.com/
Content generally about : Technology

Fourteenth. Mashable
All That's New on the Web
http://mashable.com/
Content generally about : Technology

Fifteenth. Gawker
http://gawker.com/
Content generally about : Celebrities

Sixteenth. Gigazine
http://gigazine.net/
Content generally about : General Stuff, Games

Seventeenth. Seth's Blog
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/
Content generally about : Entrepreneurial

Eighteenth. PostSecret
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
Content generally about : Funny Pictures

Nineteenth. TreeHugger
A Discovery Company
http://www.treehugger.com/
Content generally about : Environmental

Twentieth. Kotaku
http://kotaku.com/
Content generally about : Games

Here are some interesting notes I made when I was compiling these.

• Majority of the best are focusing on technology. 45%, 9 out of 20 best blogs are all technology based.
  
• 2nd most topic are about : Politics, Funny Pictures and Games
  
• 65%, 13 out of 20 best blogs has advertisements at the top center of the main page
  
• 80%, 16 out of 20 best blogs has advertisements at the side of the main page. Out of which 25% is on the left, 62.5% is on the right and 12.5% is on both sides
  
• 25%, 5 out of 20 best blogs has advertisements at the bottom center of the main page
  
• 15%, 3 out of 20 best blogs does not have advertisements at all. They must have other business strategy. They are Google's Blog, Seth's Blog and PostSecret.
  
• 55%, 11 out of 20 best blogs are designed with 1024 screen-width
  
• 30%, 6 out of 20 best blogs are designed with 800 screen-width
  
• 15%, 3 out of 20 best blogs are designed with 1280 screen-width
  
• 20%, 4 out of 20 best blogs actually used the same design template! There must be something with the template that makes it so attractive. See for yourself.
  
• 90%, 18 out of 20 best blogs has a search function on the main page. 33%, 6 of which are using Google Search service.
  
• 10%, 2 out of 20 best blogs used Blogger's template. (In other words, did not change templates) Google's blog is understandable (they own Blogger.com) and PostSecret.

Well, I have learn a lot from this listing activity, and I hope the listing helps you as much as it helps me.