We are Professional vs. "Check out this cute kitty photo."
January 23, 2009 9:31 AM Subscribe
Design Filter: Does anyone have any good best-of-field examples of corporate/institutional websites that are well-integrated with blogs?
I'm looking for good-looking examples where a (dry, formal, professional, corporate) website is well-integrated with a (topical, chatty, personal-voice) blog, so the blog does not seem glued-on and doesn't conflict with the overall professional look/feel.
I don't mean technically, or how the url(s) are set up: I mean purely from a design standpoint, in terms of how the two coexist within the same navigation or home page links/integration.
My current need is part of researching a marketing plan for a private art school, if that matters, but this is a pretty generic question I've been chewing on for awhile.
In many cases, an organization's "traditional" website has to be safe, professional, non-threatening. But the same time, the vibrancy and marketing power of a blog is important too, in showing (not just saying) why this is a good place to work/live/attend/hire. To make good sense, a blog just cannot seem glued on, in a "click here for our BLOG omgcool" way, I don't think.
So I think this is a pretty general question for any website/blog that needs to both be coolly professional on the one hand, and aggressively marketing themselves on the other, so if you know any great examples in any other fields, that's fine too. A doctor's office, law firm, or private investigator might have the same conflicting goals, I imagine.
I am thinking about it so far as the "voice of the organization", as a sort of more useful replacement for the usual boring "About Our Philosophy" type content. Show us how smart and friendly you are, in other words, instead of just telling us.
I'd like examples if possible, but also general ideas/guidance. Blogs are not my thing.
I'm looking for good-looking examples where a (dry, formal, professional, corporate) website is well-integrated with a (topical, chatty, personal-voice) blog, so the blog does not seem glued-on and doesn't conflict with the overall professional look/feel.
I don't mean technically, or how the url(s) are set up: I mean purely from a design standpoint, in terms of how the two coexist within the same navigation or home page links/integration.
My current need is part of researching a marketing plan for a private art school, if that matters, but this is a pretty generic question I've been chewing on for awhile.
In many cases, an organization's "traditional" website has to be safe, professional, non-threatening. But the same time, the vibrancy and marketing power of a blog is important too, in showing (not just saying) why this is a good place to work/live/attend/hire. To make good sense, a blog just cannot seem glued on, in a "click here for our BLOG omgcool" way, I don't think.
So I think this is a pretty general question for any website/blog that needs to both be coolly professional on the one hand, and aggressively marketing themselves on the other, so if you know any great examples in any other fields, that's fine too. A doctor's office, law firm, or private investigator might have the same conflicting goals, I imagine.
I am thinking about it so far as the "voice of the organization", as a sort of more useful replacement for the usual boring "About Our Philosophy" type content. Show us how smart and friendly you are, in other words, instead of just telling us.
I'd like examples if possible, but also general ideas/guidance. Blogs are not my thing.
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posted by roll truck roll at 4:50 PM on January 23, 2009