You get it…
Blogging is an important part of your content strategy.
Businesses that blog get 126% more lead growth than those that don’t.
Fortunately, there has been plenty of information published about how to ’create’ a great blog; what type of content to produce and how often. But one thing that there isn’t as much information on is how to ‘design’ a great blog.
Creating and designing are two different things and serve two different purposes. Creating a great blog is focused on your content and making sure that readers have access to relevant information. Designing your blog is centered around how your readers consume the information that you’re producing as well as generating new leads for your company.
We wanted to take this concept and run with it, by showing you how the top 50 marketing blogs (as decided by Inbound.org) design their blogs.
Each of these companies are focused on both education and growth, and clearly they’ve all found the perfect mix for their goals!
The Top 50 Marketing Blog Designs
1. Search Engine Land
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What we like about this design:
- Emphasis on visuals
- 10 different content links (SEO, SEM, Mobile..etc) for users to select
- Call-to-action (CTA) that generates interest for events, newsletters and subscribing
2. HubSpot
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What we like about this design:
- Three separate blog offerings in one place (marketing, sales, agency)
- Subscribe CTA offers under each of the three blogs
- Scrolling list under each blog showing the last 50 posts and publish dates
3. Social Media Examiner
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What we like about this design:
- Hero image offers users the latest social media marketing industry report
- Scrolling feed shows introductions to blog posts for easy user browsing
- Prevalent CTA offers for events, social media, newsletter and podcasts
4. Seth Godin
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What we like about this design:
- Consistent blog posts, users know exactly what to expect
- Easy social media button selection and sharing
- Subscription CTA offer and content history displayed on left-hand side
5. Moz
What we like about this design:
- Box design for each post displays neatly for a consistent design
- ‘Subscribe Now’ CTA in the middle of the page, below the first few posts
- Each post is shown with visuals, title, author, date, CTA and social activity
6. readwrite
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What we like about this design:
- Box design theme for each post with title and publish info overlayed
- Content category shown in the top left of each post title (red box)
- Emphasis on visuals throughout the entire homepage
7. Search Engine Watch
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What we like about this design:
- 10 different content links (PPC, Social, Local. etc) for users to select
- Live comments and upcoming events displayed on the right-hand side
- ‘Subscribe’ CTA offer for both daily and weekly newsletters
8. MarketingLand
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What we like about this design:
- Emphasis on visuals
- 10 different content links (SEO, SEM, Mobile..etc) for users to select
- CTA usage generating interest for events, newsletters and subscribing
9. VerticalResponse
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What we like about this design:
- Consistent emphasis on brand colors
- Blog updates, breaking news and popular posts content/CTA offers
- Blog posts displayed with a combination of box design and text links
10. Content Marketing Institute
What we like about this design:
- Initial 2 posts shown visually with intro content, followed by text link posts
- Emphasis on training and certification for additional visitor engagement
- 8 how-to guides offered for download along with a click-to-play video CTA
11. Search Engine Journal
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What we like about this design:
- Instant pop-up notification offering users access to an upcoming webinar
- Guides, videos, Ebooks offer users more than just blog posts
- Blog posts broken out into 3 sections – featured, latest and most popular
12. ProBlogger
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What we like about this design:
- Visual emphasis and placement on the feature post
- 9 links to various themed content throughout the blog
- Multiple CTA offerings, each promoting different topical content
13 & 14. Inside Facebook and AllFacebook
(both acquired by AdWeek, currently residing under Social Times)
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What we like about this design:
- Clean, consistent and visual blog feed, showing most recent 10 posts
- Email subscription and learning courses CTA offers displayed on the right
- Easy access to AdWeek’s entire blog network of 10 separately themed blogs
15. Brian Solis
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What we like about this design:
- Not afraid to use video throughout the course of the entire blog
- Live Tweets and recent comments update throughout the day
- 2006 – present content archive with links across 15 content categories
16. Convince and Convert
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What we like about this design:
- Newsletter pop-up notification CTA for users that want email updates
- Most recent 3 posts featured with large visuals and content introduction
- Daily newsletter CTA offers different themed content each day of the week
17. Sprout Social
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What we like about this design:
- Fixed toolbar that remains visible as users scroll down the site
- Content offered in 3 categories – articles, resources and events
- 5 most recent articles displayed on the homepage with captivating visuals
18. Social Times
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What we like about this design:
- Clean, consistent and visual blog feed, showing most recent posts
- Email subscription and learning courses CTA offerings displayed on the right
- Easy access to AdWeek’s entire blog network of 10 separately themed blogs
19. Unbounce
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What we like about this design:
- 13 content themed links on the right-hand side displayed as buttons
- Subscription CTA featured in the hero image section (shows confidence)
- Two column box theme design showing 10 most recent blog posts
20. GetResponse
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What we like about this design:
- CTA offers include Ebooks, social media access and email newsletters
- Keyword search box for easy content discovery
- All authors shown with pictures and bios for users to browse
21. Social Media Explorer
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What we like about this design:
- They have a blog article counter currently showing 2076 posted articles
- Box design showing most recent blog posts, videos and CTA offerings
- Blog posts displayed with introductory paragraph and a read more option
22. ClickZ
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What we like about this design:
- 11 content topic categories for users to select from on the blog
- 20+ most recent articles displayed featuring title, intro, author, social
- Subscription CTA, upcoming events and white paper offers
23. ReelSEO
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What we like about this design:
- Focus on visual design both in the header box design and proceeding posts
- Email subscription pop-up CTA offers users daily or weekly emails
- Video everywhere! Yes, they’re a video blog but we still love to see it!
24. John Chow
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What we like about this design:
- Noticeably sized title font for all blog posts that commands attention
- CTA offers for eBooks, whitepapers and training placed all over the site
- Social media tracker displaying 300,000+ people reading the blog daily
25. Bigcommerce
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What we like about this design:
- Clean design, combining consistently displayed content and whitespace
- Pop-up subscription promotion appears when users first exit the site
- Links to popular posts, news, resources, social media, content categories
26. NRF
What we like about this design:
- Focus on visuals throughout the entire blog with content overlays
- Scrolling box design featuring intros and a theme for each blog post
- Live Twitter feed showing user activity and tweets related to NRF
27. Creative Market
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What we like about this design:
- Free “goods of the week” offers users free designs/graphics for download
- 10 most recent articles displayed with intros and visuals
- Subscription signup and popular posts featured on the right-hand side
28. Kim Garst
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What we like about this design:
- A members only section offering users “full” access to all things Boom
- Each individual CTA offer is focused on learning and education
- 10 most recent articles displayed with large intros and visuals
29. Contently
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What we like about this design:
- Heavy emphasis on white space, giving the blog a simple navigation path
- Pop-up email subscribe offer appears after spending a few minutes on site
- Visually captivating Ebook offer that focuses on education and learning
30. Unmarketing
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What we like about this design:
- Focus on brand colors throughout the blog
- Access to podcasts, speaking engagements, creative teams and email subscribe
- Each blog post features an intro paragraph and a subscribe on iTunes link
31. Jeff Bullas
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What we like about this design:
- Full blog posts featured on the homepage for users to scroll and click
- Links to popular and recent articles, as well as content by category
- Pop-up promotion offering ebooks focused on education and learning
32. SEO Roundtable
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What we like about this design:
- 6 different content categories for users to access
- Inclusion of a permanent video content placement, updated weekly
- All blog titles feature an introductory paragraph and a “read more” link
33. CMO.com
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What we like about this design:
- Geo-focused content sections including Europe and Asia Pacific
- Posts tagged with content themes from online media to strategic planning
- 8 different content themes for readers to access across the site
34. Mari Smith
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What we like about this design:
- CTA offers listed throughout the site, ranging from training to reports
- Social media buttons and sharing data listed on the left-hand side
- Blog title content displayed in red with large font to capture the eye
35. Marketing Profs
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What we like about this design:
- 11 most recent blog posts aligned on the left with imagery and the intro
- 50+ direct links to resources, community and marketing topics
- Site takeover promotion (it’s aggressive, but perhaps it works well?)
36. Econsultancy
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What we like about this design:
- Left aligned box design theme, displaying visual blog article titles
- Trending posts section, right aligned, offers the latest and greatest
- Popular tag links offers readers themed content such as email or Twitter
37. Inbound.org
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What we like about this design:
- Number of collective community votes decide the article rank
- Additional sections include trending, top and latest articles posted
- 30+ articles fit on the homepage by only displaying title/author per post
38. BufferApp
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What we like about this design:
- Center aligned content with zero distractions on either side
- Unintrusive pop-up CTA encouraging users to try Buffer
- Social media login buttons instantly displayed upon arriving on site
39. Cision
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What we like about this design:
- Strong focus on visuals and clean design throughout the entire blog
- Links to featured, best practices, media updates, top, influencers, trends
- Article offers include title, author, visual, intro and a “read more” link
40. Amy Porterfield
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What we like about this design:
- Access to 4 different types of content including podcasts and webinars
- Visual link to Amy’s Facebook page showing 150,000+ likes
- Left aligned posts that include social, visuals, author and intro paragraph
41. Shoe Money
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What we like about this design:
- Article offers include image, title, author, intro and a read more link
- Right aligned links include access to FB, most viewed photos and archive
- Personalized skin, featuring Jeremy solidifies the tone of the blog
42. Heidi Cohen
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What we like about this design:
- Content themes separated and distinguished by bold red font
- Links to the top 8 most popular blog posts on Heidi’s blog
- Pop-up offer visitors free actionable marketing tips with an email signup
43. Digital Marketer
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What we like about this design:
- Each post offers features title, visual, social, intro, and a read more link
- Strong focus and consistency across graphics used for blog imagery
- Right aligned links to podcasts, ebooks, training, and most popular posts
44. Jon Loomer
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What we like about this design:
- Left aligned articles and right aligned visual CTA offers
- Everything featured on the site is laser focused on Facebook marketing
- Heavy emphasis on brand recognition (images of Jon)
45. Oracle
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What we like about this design:
- Box design, showing the most recent 10 blog articles
- All article offers include a visual, title, read more and share option
- 8 different content themes for readers to select from specific to marketing
46. TopRank
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What we like about this design:
- Left aligned posts feature large visuals to capture the reader’s attention
- Blog intros offer substantial content before needing to click “read more”
- 8 links to different content themes and right aligned CTA offers
47. InstantShift
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What we like about this design:
- Blog articles feature red and bolded titles and large images
- 10 content theme links available including “freebies”
- Right aligned links to “our friends” and “useful links”
48. KissMetrics
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What we like about this design:
- 9 most recent articles include brief intros and a read more CTA button
- Subscribe CTA and pop-ups are featured on both sides of the page
- Product offer featured at the top of the page by entering website URL
49. Ducttape Marketing
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What we like about this design:
- First two posts featured in full, followed by links to the next six most recent
- Left aligned blog posts and right aligned education based CTA offers
- Fixed social media button placement regardless of where user scrolls
50. MailChimp
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What we like about this design:
- Center aligned content with zero distractions on either side
- Strong focus on large and noticeable imagery throughout the blog
- Homepage doesn’t overwhelm, only showing the five most recent posts
That’s it!
What’s refreshing to see about these top 50 marketing blogs is that even though they are in the same industry writing about similar topics, there isn’t one design style or template that fits all. Some blogs have decided to go with a conservative design style with others being a bit more creative, but all of the designs perfectly match the audience they’re meant to serve (while meeting company lead gen needs).
Even if you’re not in a position to redesign your blog, there are a bunch of little changes you can make (as seen in this list!) that may improve performance.
Examples of design elements you can try testing include:
- Publish date
- Link to author
- Social media buttons
- Newsletter sign-up overlay
- Alignment
- Additional content download links
- Contact us link
- Additional links to your content broke out by theme like “SEO” or “PPC”
- Imagery
- Videos
- Font type and font size
- Popular articles section
- Search box
- Careers page
There’s most likely one thing in each of the 50 designs that you could identify and test on your own blog!
As you think about designing your blog, redesigning your blog or just giving it a little refresh, stay true to your mission, your audience and your creative desires!
Access all 50 of the featured marketing blog designs here!
Guest Author: Dan Slagen from Crayon. Crayon is the most comprehensive marketing design search engine on the web. It’s the new way for marketers to get inspired and get great ideas about what to build.
The post How the Top 50 Marketing Blogs Rock Design appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.
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How the Top 50 Marketing Blogs Rock Design
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