Brand blogs are one of the main ways companies can gain content marketing traction. Virtually every company has a brand blog these, a place where they can post news, comment on industry updates, and tell user stories. But which brand blogs are redefining the medium?
Whether it's through format, interactivity, or unusual post series, these blogs are giving users new and exciting reasons to visit their sites.
1. GE
You might not expect GE to have a fun and quirky blog, much less a Tumblr... but they do. And it's great. Full of GIFs and exciting images, their blog posts rely on minimal text and maximum visual appeal, catering to the viral nature of Tumblr. Their Tumblr links to a number of external blogs including the popular #EmojiScience, launched by Bill Nye. Aside from it's somewhat unusual platform, GE's blog stands out because of its particular attunement to popular media trends, despite being an ancient company.
2. Microsoft
Microsoft's Stories blog is full of just that: stories. Microsoft itself features in many of them, to be sure, but the company often takes the backseat to the inspiring people the articles feature. Many of the stories profile industry people like engineers and software developers, but there are also stories that have very little to do with tech. This post is not only a beautiful story, it's also accompanied by animated illustrations and an atmospheric track that immerses the reader into the sights and sounds of the story. Seriously, check it out. It's a stunning post. Using powerful emotion and atmosphere to draw readers in, Microsoft's Stories blog is a notable island in a stream of tech industry blogs.
3. Warby Parker
The Warby Parker blog positions their brand as 'fashion put into action'. Their posts are divided into categories: To See, To Read, To Buy, To Meet, To Do. Keeping in line with the theme of vision, their blog has a beautiful design with the dictionary definition of each action at the top of each section. The content is also geared towards vision-related activities, with many blogs featuring books, memorable sights, and quirky illustrations. The seamless theme of all things sight that weaves throughout their posts makes their blog particularly cohesive and pleasant to read.
4. Hubspot
Hubspot's blog is divided into three streams: Marketing, Sales, and Agency. But that's not the main thing that sets them apart from other brand blogs. Their keen focus on eye-catching visuals - both static and moving - makes their content uniquely engaging and exemplary of many of the step-by-step guides and quick tip pieces they publish. They also frequently publish guest posts written by industry influencers, allowing them to truly live up to their name as a "hub" for digital content.
Do you follow any brand blogs that are doing something outside the box?
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