Managing a product blog is a unique challenge for marketers. After all, the product is the focus, but we know better than to simply promote it in every blog article.

Buyers today see right through advertising messages in most cases. They want authenticity — and they want to know exactly how your product will be valuable to them in real life.

So how do you meet the challenge? How do you use your product blog to support sales without actually, well — selling?

It requires a balanced approach for sure, and it’s different for every brand. To help you get started, we’ll dive deeper into product blogging best practices in the sections that follow. Then, we’ll go through a list of 6 awesome product blog examples to get you feeling inspired!

Quick Takeaways

• Product blogs publish content with product offerings as the central focus.
• Product blog content supports sales by creatively demonstrating value to the customer.
• Visual content can help readers envision your products in their own lives.
• Emotion-evoking content makes readers feel connected to your products (and more likely to make a purchase).
• Educational content about industry topics establishes expertise and provides high value to readers.
• Product blog articles that showcase real-world use cases of your product build trust with your audience.

What is a product blog?

A product blog is built around a product (or products) as the central focus. Topics, titles, and blog posts all relate back to the products a brand is trying to sell to their customers.

Brands use product blogs to demonstrate how their products can make the reader’s life better — how they add value. Blog content resonates much more authentically with modern consumers than ads or promotional messages, so product blogs are an effective way to build a better connection with potential customers.

Through storytelling and other creative approaches to product blog articles, brands can help consumers envision using the products they sell in their own lives (and likely decide to make a purchase).

Managing a Product Blog: How to Strike the Right Balance

While product blogs aren’t the vehicle for making a hard sell, their purpose is ultimately to help increase sales of a product.

They can include things like links to and photos of products, mentions of products throughout the articles, customer testimonials and more. How can brands incorporate these components without making their blog too salesy?

It requires striking a balance for sure. The thing to keep in mind here is that product blogs don’t just tell customers about products — they show them why a product is important. Identify the topics your audience is interested in, write about them, and find ways to incorporate products into the articles. Much of the time this will be by direct mention, but sometimes it’s just by writing with your brand voice consistently in your articles.

Let’s consider a simple example. Say I’m selling apples. I have a product blog all about my apples. My goal is to make people want to buy more of them. It would not benefit me to write article after article talking about all the things that make my apples so great.

What would be better is to come up with apple-related topics my audience would care about, then incorporate my apples naturally throughout those articles. So, some article titles might be “10 Health Benefits of Eating an Apple a Day” or “Apple Recipes You Need to Try this Autumn” (you get the picture).

Throughout those articles, I could link to product pages, add photos of my apples as examples, and strategically place customer testimonials where my reader would notice them. Now, I’m building a connection with my readers by helping them in ways beyond selling my apples (like sharing health benefits and recipes) while also keeping my apples in their minds.

Okay — enough about my (hypothetical) apples. Let’s look at 6 real product blogs to see how these brands are hitting the mark (and get some inspiration for your own).

6 Examples of Great Product Blogs

Etsy Journal

Image Source: Etsy

Etsy is a well-known ecommerce platform where vendors sell handmade and vintage goods as well as craft supplies. Etsy’s blog, called Etsy Journal, has become a popular destination for lovers of their site as it does a great job of showcasing top products and recommending ways to use them.

Etsy has more than 60 million products being sold on its platform at any given time. To feature as many as possible, they create tons of list posts that recommend products for various occasions (holiday gifts, seasonal vacation gear, home decor, and more). Their list posts succeed because they’re timely and aesthetically pleasing (it’s hard to resist products shown using gorgeous photography in beautiful settings). They’re also legitimately helpful to the reader (who hasn’t needed gift ideas in a pinch?!).

The Etsy lesson: Publish list posts to share a lot of information in one, organized place on your product blog! They’re easy to write, fun to read, and give your audience many ideas for how to use your products.

Adobe Blog

Image Source: Adobe

Adobe may be a software company, but they’ve managed to make their blog a fun and creative space for readers with all kinds of interests. A quick browse through the Adobe Blog homepage shows articles written for designers and other creatives, music fans, corporates, healthcare professionals and more.

Adobe’s blog showcases how the brand powers convenience, digital transformation, and innovation across industries. It’s packed with interesting articles about real-world use cases of Adobe products.

The Adobe lesson: Create niche content! Know your target audiences and include articles on your product blog that are hyper relevant for each. Showcase the diversity of your products by demonstrating how they’re used differently by different customer segments.

Parently by BuyBuyBaby

Image Source: BuyBuyBaby

Parently is baby products retailer BuyBuyBaby’s blog. The blog is full of parenting advice, tips, and of course product recommendations for parents. Topics include everything from what to bring on vacation to improving sleep to child safety to nursery decor and more. Every article mentions products that align with the topic being covered.

One thing Parently does really well is pull on the heartstrings of their audience — parents with new babies and young children. No matter the topic, Parently’s articles feature products that will make life better for both parents and babies, and it’s hard for a parent to resist that sales pitch (no matter how subtle).

The BuyBuyBaby Lesson: Evoke emotion on your product blog whenever possible. Nothing sells products more than an emotional connection to the benefit it can provide.

BARK Post by BarkBox

Image Source: BarkBox

BARK Post is the product blog by pet subscription box retailer BarkBox. It executes on some of the previous lessons we mentioned, like publishing lots of list posts and evoking emotion in their target audience: dog owners. BARK Post is known for its humorous and quirky content.

BarkBox also does an excellent job of providing educational content for dog owners. There’s a lot people need to know about raising a happy and healthy pet. BARK Post covers everything from safe toys for chewers, to avoiding your dog getting lost, to nutritional foods and more. The blog demonstrates BarkBox’s expertise and builds trust with their audience that makes them more likely to purchase products.

The BarkBox lesson: Educate your audience with product content. The more someone trusts your brand expertise, the more they’ll want to make a purchase from you.

Dollar Shave Club

Image Source: Dollar Shave Club

Dollar Shave Club came onto the scene about 10 years ago. They disrupted the market with their sarcastic, laugh-out-loud commercials that poked fun at traditional marketing from razor brands. They’ve carried their edgy tone over to their product blog, where they openly cover topics people would usually save for a private Google (see: Dealing with Ear Hair).

When it comes to featuring products, Dollar Shave Club takes a very on-brand approach — they’re direct about it, and even poke fun at themselves, inserting “Shameless Plugs” that link to products on their site.

By calling themselves out for the plug, they eliminate natural feelings of resistance people feel when they recognize an indirect “sell.” Instead, Dollar Shave Club’s direct approach sends a message that says: yes, we are selling this product, but that’s because you’ll actually love it.

The Dollar Shave Club lesson: People appreciate authenticity. Don’t shy away from being direct about selling your product when it makes sense.

Joybird

Image Source: Joybird

Joybird sells mid-century modern furniture. Their blog focuses on design, featuring articles about how to create spaces for your home that you’ll love. They thread photos of Joybird furniture through every article, demonstrating how their products can bring your design vision to life.

Joybird does a great job of authentically incorporating their products into their blog, allowing them to sell themselves visually. It’s easy to feel like the Joybird furniture you see in each photo is the best option for creating a sophisticated space of your own. As with Etsy, photography can’t go unmentioned here, either — bright colors and beautiful aesthetics make you want to jump into every room you see on the blog.

The Joybird Lesson: Sell a lifestyle. Every article on Joybird’s product blog invites you to not just buy their furniture, but use it to create a home and a lifestyle that will improve your life.

Over to You

Feeling inspired by these awesome product blogs? Give your own blog a boost with content that both showcases your products and resonates with your audience. The team at Marketing Insider Group can deliver you optimized, ready-to-publish content every single week for a year (or more).

Check out our SEO Blog Writing Service to learn more or schedule a quick consultation to get started.

“I feel the most important thing for organizers to embrace moving forward is options, so that we are all able to enjoy and maximize the unique Cannes experience safely, in a way that works for everyone,” said Fiona McKinnon, CEO of mental healthcare specialists The Moment Company. “I have experienced Cannes week as a drinker and a non-drinker, and I have to say my best experience was sober. It wasn’t easy the first time, the peer pressure is real, however, I took the week to fully immerse myself in being there — really there.” 

Here are a few recommendations for ways to have fun at the event — sober style. 

Mocktails for the win

If you’ve never asked for a mocktail in Cannes, try it, you’re in for a massive treat. The bartenders are all prepped and ready and usually have amazing tastes planned, said Tom Jenen, chief revenue officer at measurement platform Brand Metrics. He added: “I remember a Hawaiian blast at the RTL Beach and a classy drink on the Smart yacht.”

For those who want a cute response to the question “why aren’t you drinking?” look no further than these lowkey workarounds. If you want something that looks like rosé without close inspection, try half Pellegrino Blood Orange and half soda, suggested Jenen. Hopefully, however, it won’t get to the point where people feel compelled to know what you are and aren’t drinking — at least based on Jenen’s previous experience. “In my experience, nobody cares what’s in your glass, they just care that you came to have fun with old friends and make new connections,” he added. 

Stock up on fresh, local produce

Make sure that you stop off at some fruit vendors at the beginning of the week to stock up, advised Anthony Lamy, vp of client partners for VidMob’s EMEA business. The melons, strawberries and peaches are particularly excellent in Cannes at this time of year, he continued. Doing so saves you scrambling around each morning for something quick to eat. If you do have time then you could always start the day with a good coffee on a terrasse behind the croisette. There is plenty of shaded seating where you can take in the bustling morning atmosphere, said Lamy. 

There’s also more emphasis on ‘eating like a local’ among those execs who plan on having a sober Cannes. Cherries and apricots are in-season and make for an easy vitamin-packed snack to have while advancing those conversations, said Virginie Dremeaux,  vp of marketing and communications for FreeWheel’s international markets at FreeWheel. She added “And if you are keen to get involved in a discussion about mental wellbeing at work, look up FreeWheel’s schedule, as we’ll be hosting a dynamic conversation on the topic with SheRunsIt during the week.”

A sober Cannes, isn’t a boring Cannes

Far from it. Talk to any ad exec who has experienced Cannes sober and you’d be forgiven for thinking they were talking about somewhere else. The simple matter of waking up in the morning with a clear head seems to make the world of difference to those who’ve traded the cocktails for mocktails. Julia Linehan, founder and managing director of boutique PR agency The Digital Voice, is one such exec. Of the six times she’s been to Cannes, two have been booze free. Guess which was better? The sober one. Hands down, no  contest, said Linehan. “The atmosphere, the sun, the company, the networking, the food, the yachts, the villas, the incredible buzz are all the same,” she continued. “The only things missing are dehydration and headaches.”

Now more than ever it’s easier to enjoy the event in this way. Indeed, the world has changed since the last Cannes and organizers along the Croisette seem to have made a more concerted effort to make those execs who aren’t drinking feel welcomed. 

“Look out for the relaxing meditation sessions hosted by The Moment Company and pack in all the brilliant early morning sessions, such as Good Loop Pretty Green Lies,” advised Linehan.

Remember, water is your friend

Evenings are where things get tricky; the happy hours, yacht parties and liquid dinners mean the peer pressure to drink is never too far away. A top tip for Fiona McKinnon, CEO of mental healthcare specialists The Moment Company, is to carry a bottle of water with you as you head out. Having something in your hand already can be a security blanket, means you don’t have to head out the bar right away, and also makes it less likely you will be asked if you are drinking if you are already taking sips,” she explained. “I found this a huge help and, bonus, also meant I stayed hydrated.” 

Take advantage of a more mindful Cannes

There are more yoga, fitness and wellbeing sessions on the schedule this year. In fact, Outbrain has set up a wellness retreat at the Martinez where visitors can unwind during meditation or enjoy the Cannes sea by paddleboarding. Similarly, Amazon will be hosting morning workout and wellness sessions at its spot on the port throughout the week. If neither of those booze-free options are your thing then there are smoothies at sunrise on the Cognitive yacht for the first three days of the week. 

“This is my fourth time attending Cannes. But even in previous years, many attended bike rides, morning yoga, and other healthy activities,” said Michael Nevins, CMO at ad tech vendor Equativ (formerly Smart AdServer). “We’ve hosted healthy events in the past and had great attendance. But this doesn’t mean people still didn’t drink and dance until 3:00 AM. I drink a lot of water to stay hydrated and sober.”

Whisper it: think of Cannes’ more restorative qualities

This won’t be for everyone, but there’s something to be said about doing at least some prep. Book talks and workshops, with a view to embracing everything the festival has to offer, not just copious amounts of free flowing rosé and late boozy nights. It’s easier said than done, of course. That said, there are hacks to avoiding as many of those situations as possible. 

As McKinnon explained: “I avoided the long boozy lunches by scheduling early afternoon meetings and events, and reminded myself what a privilege it was to be able to hear from world class speakers.  In previous years I had used an afternoon session to enjoy a nap in a dark aircon room – I know I was not alone in this strategy.”

If you’re in need of an afternoon pick-me-up that isn’t an Aperol Spritz or want to avoid the festival’s rosé ice-lollies then why not take a walk into town for some gelato or even go shopping at one of the boutique stores on the Rue d’Antibes — a seven minute walk from the Croisette. No wonder Wavemaker’s global chief strategy and product officer Stuart Bowden goes there each year to break up the day.