Do you ever get the sense that life is just one big series of lists, an unfurled scroll cascading down across days, weeks, months, and decades like a dropped roll of toilet paper with words on it, armorized as a Slinky?
We’ve got our to-do lists and grocery lists. Our guest lists and our bucket lists. Our sh*t lists and, thanks to Hall & Oates, I suppose our lists with kisses on them, too. This time of year, of course, there are the conquering hordes of Christmas lists and best-of lists. We are a list-driven society; a civilization addicted to lists. Rank it hard, we say. Rank it with feeling.
Please: Don’t say you’re better than lists, because you know you love them. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. Lantern is a company that blogs for businesses via original content campaigns – you knew you’d find lists on our website! You’re visiting us hoping to find a list just laying around that you can look at, pretending to listen to us as a friendly gesture. Well, you’re in luck: We’ve spent an entire year compiling the best company blogs, and we’re ready to reveal them.
The 10 Best Company Blogs
Full disclosure: We have not worked for any of these companies, but we have worked with a few them. Our rankings are based on the quality of their optimized content, their execution of best practices we preach to niche clients, the dedication with which they undertake their blogs, and their sense of adventure in doing so. We believe these (mostly small) businesses can teach you something, if you’re looking to learn. Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments if you’ve found other great sources of inspiration!
1. Wistia
Shocker! It’s no secret we’re big fans of this video-hosting crew, so bow down, everybody: You are in the presence of true greatness. Wistia combines strong, practical posts with a sense of whimsy and community. Non-Sequitur Fridays are especially fun. And we even found Marketing Genius on their message board.
2. CoSchedule
CoSchedule has put North Dakota on the map. Seriously, North Dakota was not on the map before. Their product, which syncs your blog and social media, is next-level, but their blog is an absolute tour de force, full of interesting angles and useful tidbits.
3. Catchafire
Catchafire matches professionals with nonprofits, a worthy mission if there ever was one. Their eclectic blog reflects the vast possibility of that mission, with great design and navigation.
4. The Middle Finger Project
Where to begin with The Middle Finger Project? Hilarious, helpful, and accessible. A must-read. This irreverent bunch lays out a B2B banquet – you just have to pick a place at the table.
5. Close.io
Close.io owns the word “actionable” – their posts are 100% tried and true. Not a lot of bells and whistles, just straight to the legit content.
6. Marriott
This is our one allotted corporate slot. Marriott is all over the place, and that’s not a travel pun. Nor is it meant in a negative way, as the phrase sometimes implies. Nor are we trying to score a free hotel room – although it should be said that we wouldn’t reject one out of hand. They combine crazy ambitious campaigns with homespun yet sophisticated content on multiple blog fronts. And this year, they’ve done the one thing all companies must do to stand out.
7. Unbounce
Unbounce will stop at nothing to make the efficacy of landing pages a part of your permanent consciousness. Their awesome blog is not for the faint of heart. They are an all-business team built on intensity and know-how. Just look at this headline: Everything You’ve Been Told About Copywriting Is Complete Nonsense. That could intimidate some people. Are you ready to step to that? You better be.
8. The Creative Group
Here’s what we wrote back in November regarding TCG: “Befitting their name and target audience, The Creative Group runs an exceptional blog with stylish design and a strong marketing perspective. Every element of their content delivery is airtight. This useful article – which provides a service to freelancers and contractors – draws on advice from multiple professionals, each of whom is shouted-out alongside their company’s website. There are links to white papers, well-placed sharing buttons, and an overall welcoming niche vibe.”
That should about cover it!
9. Buffer
Buffer is all about the relevant blog content funneling into the service. People are searching for smart social media scheduling solutions, but there are a good number of smart social media scheduling solutions already out there. These posts do a great job of showing you how to integrate this product – and why you need to integrate it – while maintaining a soft sell and conversational tone. They help tell Buffer’s story and separate the company from the pack.
10. TaxACT
Last but not least, here’s what we had to say about TaxACT back in early December: “TaxACT is an online service that can work for anyone in any profession, but their blog segments potential customers into niche audiences like this one using SEO and well-calibrated (and well-written) content. We put a heavy emphasis on audience here – every BuzzAudit we conduct includes a customer personas report –so we appreciate seeing it in action.”
We stand by those comments!
That’s our show, everybody – congratulations to all of the winners! We’re leaving the Honorable Mentions up to you. Who did we leave out of our Best Company Blogs? Please let us know in the comments! We’ll add each one you nominate to our list.
Are you looking to make the list next year? Working with us will help you get there, but our contractual agreement and conflict of interest will unfortunately disqualify you from eligibility. Maybe a bigger audience and higher sales will serve as consolation?
