If truth be told, there is no such thing as a ‘best’ blog or website, because it all depends on the visitor. If the website doesn’t appeal to the person visiting the site, then it is useless.
We all like certain things. I for one am not a big Instagram user, but if I ever go onto Instagram, I always tend to visit The Cool Hunter. I think it is genius. But why? Because when I see it I am inspired by the designs and the choices that the curator of this Instagram account makes. I love the fact that they have not just built a following, but it is an immensely loyal one.
Websites are different. It’s not just what they look like, but content and navigation is equally as important. I also find that if they have overdone marketing automation, like Marketing Profs, where you cannot read an article without payment, then they quickly lose your interest.
10 Best Websites for Marketers
Be inspired by Behance.net. This website is high quality, relevant, inspirational and above all, creative. Marketers need to be across not just strategy but how the creative will be executed. As a marketer, when you go onto this site, you will see how brands all over the world execute their creative. You will also see some up and coming designers showcase their take on branding.
Advertising Age has been around for a very long time, but the US websites is full of great advertising campaigns that help marketers understand and better interpret advertising as part of the overall marketing mix. With a switch to digital, many marketers are still lagging, so spending time on this site will help. You may also find that you get a few great ideas from what others are doing.
B & T Magazine’s website is as brilliant and creative as their new magazine. I am amazed at how the new team at B & T Magazine have reinvigorated this editorial that has been around longer than I have been in marketing (24 years for anyone who cares!!!!). It showcases the best in marketing in Australia, the goings-on in the space and creative. What I find about B & T today is that as a marketer I find a lot of inspiration just in the way they write copy or design a page. It gives me ideas for other things we do.
Campaign Brief is a must on every marketers list. Don’t be fooled by the fact it is named Campaign Brief as it is more than just about campaigns and I find that this site really isn’t just a PR piece for advertising agencies, but a place all marketers, public relations and advertising executives can go.
Mashable is a stable for marketers and has the right mixture of digital, marketing, and communications. It is one of the most popular websites in the world for marketing, and with good reason.
Copyblogger is another must for any good marketer who has a self-starting attitude. Copyblogger is a well-written blog as you would expect and it caters for all types of copywriting. What most marketers still fail to do is understand the difference between online and traditional copy placement content.
The Marketing Tech Blog is very important for any marketer that wants a long future in the game. Marketing is no longer just about marketing. It’s about technology too and how technology plays an instrumental role in the marketing mix.
The Inspiration Room has been around for a long time. There is a lot to be inspired by on this website. You literally can spend hours just hopping from one feature story to another.
The Loop is another creative website. Never underestimate the value of creative in the marketing mix. You can write the best copy, but it will fail if the creative isn’t any good.
Last but not least, every business needs a Marketing Eye. While this blog is more entrepreneurial in nature than straight marketing, you will learn how to get the most out of your marketing budget, set KPI’s, write strategy, create content calendars, develop a media kit and more.
Notable exclusions:
- Hubspot is too much marketing automation and not enough marketing. While I love Seth Godin, his posts for the past year or so are as if he has lost interest.
- Marketing Profs is just selling courses, and the pop-ups will drive you mad. Payment for subscription to read the most basic story is a bit much. As an educaiton platform it is good, as a blog – it’s a con.
- Smart Brief was excluded just because of look and feel. Uninspiring, however if you dig deep, the content is good.
- Growth Hackers is also not on the list as the layout isn’t great.
- Marketing Sherpa use to be really good. But they failed to keep their marketing up-to-date and their website is out-dated.