Blog Icons: 4 Companies Worthy of Admiration

As a business owner, you always want to err on the side of originality. Outlandish tagline? Bizarre color scheme for your website? No problem... so long as you’re the only one doing it.

Sure, it’s noble to be a trailblazer, and ideal to avoid pure imitation of others, but it can sometimes pay off to acknowledge what others have done right.

If you have a company blog, or are planning to launch one, take a look at how successful companies have handled their sites. Here are four examples of blogs to stir up your creativity and point yours in the right direction.

Fabletics

The athletic wear company, Fabletics, founded by actress Kate Hudson has to compete with the likes of active wear giants like Lululemon and Victoria’s Secret. As this is hardly a small feat, all prongs of the company’s marketing must be on point.

Not only do posts alternate between providing tips for healthier eating and workouts, but it also switches authors.

Consumers get some actionable advice for their lives and health, and also get to experience a few different voices behind the brand (including that of Kate Hudson herself).

The content of the blog doesn’t stop with nutrition advice or new workout trends, but also covers reviews of fitness apps, local business stories and issues like taking care of a family. The lesson here?

Switch it up. Use different authors and cover a variety of topics.

Intelligentsia Coffee

It seems you can’t turn a street corner without seeing another coffee shop, and if you browse the coffee aisle in the grocery store, your options seem endless.

So how does Intelligentsia Coffee separate itself from the pack? One of the ways is by providing useful, relevant content to its buyers through its blog.

The Intelligentsia blog uses this space to highlight product news and educate visitors.

With posts like a recent one that explores the Flat White coffee trend, readers can consume some information along with their cup of Joe. If you want to do your blog right, use it as a way to educate your readers in fun and entertaining ways.

Lifelock

Lifelock is an identity theft protection company, so you might think its blog would be chock full of stories meant to scare you into buying its products. Not true! Instead, the company centers on first-person stories that humanize the brand, along with preventive measures you can take to protect yourself against identity theft.

By connecting the dots between its products and events in the news, Lifelock’s blog is a valuable resource to consumers. If you want to be similarly esteemed, do your buyers’ homework for them.

Think about the questions that are most likely to plague them, and address those via your blog. Your customers will soon find you to be a wealth of information and comforting resource.

The Container Store

Some company blogs use a post every so often to showcase philanthropic efforts, but others devote their blog entirely to this. The Container Store is one of these companies. Its blog is called What We Stand For and its purpose is to enlighten readers about worthwhile causes and self-improvement.

With posts about the importance of gratitude, ways to heighten mental clarity and how your shopping dollars make a statement about what you support, the blog provides a deeper look at charity and inner reflection.

While you don’t necessarily need to mirror the direction of The Container Store’s blog and make your own revolve mostly around altruism, it’s a good idea to inject posts and themes about the greater good. Consumers will respond favorably, and you’ll cast your business in a positive light.

As you evaluate your company’s blog, or go about creating one for the first time, consider what image you want to project about your brand and the people behind. Seek to be a valuable resource, and make sure your posts are educational and relevant to what’s on your buyers’ minds.

Keep the design tight from the get-go, and don’t forget about revealing some of your company’s soul as you go about posting. Your blog will become an ally, to your customers and your business’ growth.