Five brands that do blogging the right way.

There are two ways that brands use blogs and social media. The first way is, for want of a better word, cynical. They are companies that sporadically post content – usually only when they have a new line or product to promote – and rarely reach out to their consumer-base, save for the occasional dry corporate message when someone raises an issue which could be deemed to be hazardous to their reputation.

The second way, and by far the best way, is those who seek to market themselves in a genuine way, by providing their supporters with engaging, informative content that isn’t all about the hard sell. These companies know that the human touch is king in terms of both their content and interaction, and they usually come hand in hand with a well-managed social media presence.

The former group are so often screened out of peoples’ web experience, along with the demanding advertising and overly dry social media accounts. The latter, more often than not, find their brand becomes known for being relatable, reliable and not always wanting anything in return – and they benefit from the increased brand loyalty and visibility which goes along with it.

Here are five of our current favourite brand blogs that we think are doing it the right way.

Amara Luxpad

First up is Luxpad, the blog run by luxury homeware store, Amara. Here you’ll find plenty of current content covering a wide range of subjects, all of which are relevant to the brand’s user-base.

You’ll find news articles, product reviews and interviews with interesting folk who have carved out a name for themselves in the areas of creation and design. Amara also maintains an active social media presence across all platforms.

Avis Inspires

Inspires is the blog run by car rental giant, Avis. It’s a well maintained, accessible blog, stocked full of interesting and fun content across a number of subjects, including sport, fashion and, of course, travel.

Much like Amara’s Luxpad, there’s no hard sell here. Just up-to-date articles, written in a personable, engaging way – which is excellent to see, given the size of the company.

English Heritage

There’s fun and engaging content aplenty on English Heritage’s award winning blog and, frankly, we’d expect nothing less. There’s tons of stuff to read, including things to do, stories and, as you’d expect, plenty of history.

English Heritage also maintain an active social media presence with plenty of user-outreach on Twitter and Facebook, and a fascinating YouTube channel, full of well-constructed, informative and fun video content.

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Professional services goliath PricewaterhouseCoopers maintains more than one helpful, up-to-date blog and each one is full of useful and relevant content that directly connects with the needs and interests of its customer-base. While the content on offer here covers a range of, at times, esoteric corporate subjects, it’s kept punchy and informative, which is no small achievement!

Berghaus

Outdoor clothing brand Berghaus may sound distinctly European, but it is in fact English, and the spirit and tone of the company’s outdoor pursuits-based blog is, too. On it you’ll find informative and engaging content, including guides, features and how-tos, and it’s all put together in a way that doesn’t seem too bogged down by sales figures and the next big product launch.

There are links to products and services here, as there are with all of the other blogs featured here, but they’re more a side thought. Content is kept front and centre, and they’re better off for it.

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