I chose to look at Disney’s blog first, probably because even though I am 30, my Mother still asks me if I want to go to Disneyland. She hasn’t given up on the idea, so I wanted to see what the hype is all about.  Disney’s blog design is simple which is often best. I can’t help but think the blue color scheme was used to give off calming vibes. As expected, one of the ways Disney interacts with its consumers is via videos and games. But as far as “attracting audiences” is concerned, Disney captures people through its Archives and Celebrities sections. Popular names such as Christina Aguilera, Whoopi Goldberg, Mira Sorvino and Susan Lucci encourage customers to travel. Under the archives section, many tags were listed, but the ones that stood out the most in terms of bringing in revenue were: Music, weddings, garden, food, wine, Christmas, golf and American Idol. These words resonate with communities by targeting children, men and women. Disney offers the opportunity to subscribe, to attach RSS feeds and email.  

Wegmans’ blog was the second to be reviewed. I felt the usage of the “photo gallery” was brilliant in that it supports the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Instead of adding a ton of blogs, they decided to let the customer see with their own eyes what makes them competitive. The About Authors section helped add a “friendly” tone to the reading. I went down the list to see if I knew any of the employees from our local Wegmans. Danny Wegmans was even included in the list with a photo – he wasn’t just represented as the owner behind the scenes. They list being on Twitter, YouTube and there are available RSS feeds. Under the Categories section, immediately my eyes connected with 3 separate links: Special Diets, Kid-Approved and Weeknight Meals Made Easy. These three told me that Wegmans is one of the ultimate trust agents, they recognize not everyone can eat the same foods, that children are important and that each customer’s time is important. Wegmans provides a family-like environment which keeps me returning almost every 2-3 days.

Southwest’s blog was by far my favorite out of the three selections. As soon as the page loaded, it was almost as if you heard music playing. Again, there is a blue color scheme, almost symbolic to water, or tranquil currents. At the top there is a spot ‘Join Our Community’ and ‘Connect Via FB’. The first approach to staying connected with customers. Then there’s a huge graphic that says, NUTS ABOUT SOUTHWEST, which to me indicates assurance. They want you to know you will be thrilled with their service. To the right, the Twitter field reads “Southwest Social Stream” and I thought how original, they are taking a different approach to social media. It’s like social media with a twist. They have a spot for special offers because everyone needs a discount now and then. You can book a trip or you can reflect on their banner that says they’ve won “Best Corporate Blog” for 2007, 2008 and 2009. They were in the Hall of Fame in 2010. But judging by their supreme layout, you wouldn’t need anyone to tell you that. Along the top, they display ways to stay in-touch with their service through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, and Foursquare.

I searched for a few corporate blogs, but several of them were terrible. I looked at the companies that I currently support monthly – Progressive, Sprint and Old Navy. Sprint’s blog according to Fortune 500 was “discontinued”. I checked ToysRUs because I just knew they would have a good blog, but unfortunately they did not. The best part of the blog was a ‘mission statement’ that read, “Nothing is more important than the safety of your children.” Now there’s a trust agent for you, but the last blog post was in 2009. My thoughts are if you fail to keep up with social media, you don’t care about the people that much. Google’s blog was informative information wise, but in appearance, they didn’t hold any type of design, which I was surprised about. Apparently not every company has the blogging marketing technique down to a science BUT finally I found WholeFoods! The first thing I noticed about WholeFood’s blog was just how much it maintained the integrity of an actual website. It clearly wasn’t a blog simply thrown together for reading purposes, it was very carefully designed. Guess when their last update was??? Give up? It was today! That means they are on top of their information. They are on Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook. They have an audio podcast about natural body care and supplements and they support other companies via a blog roll. The blog is so easy to navigate thru. The recent posts are listed (about 15 at a time) on the front page so there is no scrolling like most blogs. In WholeFoods’ About Us section, they actually describe their staff as “smart” and “passionate” people and if I support any company, I prefer to support those who take care of their workers because that means they will value and support me. Near the ‘join our convo’ section, they have a passage that says, “Of course, what makes this blog really exciting is YOU – so join the conversation!” This is their way of letting you know YOU matter and that they value YOUR thoughts. Socially they know they are nothing without the voice of the people. What really stood out was the title of the blog, “WHOLE STORY”. Their name leads you to think about being honest. Most companies offer you ½ truths, but WholeFoods says in so many words, we are here for you to extend the best health and information we can provide. They engage you by giving you their word and that is the best anyone can offer another. They share their strategies via forums, values, recipes and products. They are one of a kind. Now if we can only get them to come to Syracuse!