Writing and sending postcards is a traditional vacation ritual and, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, can cost you no more than a little time and energy.

Don’t be forced to choose among cheesy print postcards at your vacation destination — use your own iPhone photos with one of these fabulous, free apps that creates electronic postcards you can email.

While your dear old grandma may still prefer a card of the paper variety, next time you’re on a trip away from home, why not drop a line to your friends, family and colleagues using one of these apps?


1. SodaSnap



SodaSnap offers a simple app interface that matches the simplicity of the final product. To get started, choose an image. You can either select a photo from your iPhone's camera roll, snap a pic of your surroundings, or use your location.

Using your location brings up the maps app from which you can screengrab. This doesn't make the most compelling picture postcard, but it may be a useful tool for meetings and invitations.

Once you're happy with your image, you can add text and hit the "Share" button. The way the app is designed, it's pretty much what you see is what you get, so you'll have a good idea of what the recipient will see in the inbox. As well as email, there are options to share to Twitter and Facebook.


2. Photocards


The Photocards app allows you to snap a pic or grab one from your camera roll. When you've sized the photo to fit the frame, you can choose a background.

The available backgrounds display classic stock photography — the sky, greenery, sand, landscapes, etc. — but the pleasant surprise is that the images are actually decent quality. The not-so-pleasant surprise is that you have to pay for some of them.

With your background and picture in place, it's just a matter of penning a few lines before emailing your creation.


3. Montager


Montager is a little different because it acts as more of a photography tool. However, we really like that it lets you get creative with your pics.

It offers a number of templates that allow you juxtapose three images into a mini-montage. You simply double-tap the empty space you want to fill, and then create your triptych either on-the-fly with photos taken with the iPhone's camera, or from pics saved to the camera roll.

Although there's no built-in text options, you can email from within the app, so add your message there.


4. Current Postcards


Once you've snapped a photo or grabbed one from your camera roll, the Current Postcards app lets you select a font (a big bonus in our book) before opening the theme gallery.

Themes categories include Birthday, Special Events, Holidays, Everyday or Just For Fun. While we'd struggle to pick a theme from most of the clipart-esque options, the simple postcard in the "Everyday" category (as seen above) is quite classic.

You can send your Current Postcards creations via email or post to Facebook.


5. Postino


Creating a postcard with the Postino app is a four-step process. First upload a photo from your camera roll or capture one anew with your iPhone.

Next write the message, and then you're onto the really fun step — adding your signature.

You can scrawl your John Hancock on your iPhone screen with your finger. We think this would be a really nice touch if you're sending postcards with a child — although, if your finger writing skills are as rubbish as ours, your signature may end up looking like a child's anyway!

Once you've added that personal touch, email your postcard.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Steve Moses

More About: app store, apple, iphone, iphone apps, iphotography, List, photography
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As the weather heats up for summer, we’ve taken a look at some laptop cooling solutions to help keep your portable PC nice and chilled.
Whether it’s a full-on fan stand or simply a pad to prevent your thighs from getting too toasty, there’s something for everyone. And with prices starting under $10, there are options for every budget as well.
If you’re looking to avoid the burn, take a look through the slides. Let us know in the comments your tricks to curb notebook overheating as the weather warms.
1. Targus Lap Chill Mat With an ergonomic tilt and rubber stops to keep your laptop in place, Targus' Lap Chill Mat boasts a built-in USB-powered fan and an open design to help keep things nicely ventilated.
Cost: $39.99

2. iLap The iLap, specifically designed for MacBooks, is made up of three components: aluminum stand, swivel base and detachable velvet cushion. It's a great solution for both lap and desktop working.
Cost: From $49.90

3. Logitech Cooling Pad N100 Logitech's sleek Cooling Pad comes with a bold stripe of green or pink for a contemporary solution. Its USB fan claims to distribute air "quietly and evenly" under your laptop.
Cost: $29.99

4. ThermaPAK HeatShift This simple solution is more concerned with protecting your lap from scorching than with keeping your computer cool. The fabric pad contains cooling crystals which absorb heat. You can just roll it up and stuff it in your bag when on the go. Now that's portable.
Cost: From $24.99

5. Antec Notebook Cooler to Go The travel-friendly Cooler to Go feeds cold air into your laptop while slightly raising it to expel the hot stuff. Two settings mean you can choose between maximum cooling or minimum noise.
Cost: $34.95

6. Xpad The Xpad is a power-free base for your laptop. It boasts thermal insulation for your lap with air pockets in the construction to help dissipate heat. Simple, but effective.
Cost: $24.95

7. Microsoft Notebook Cooling Base Microsoft's Cooling Base is a competent all-rounder. The flip-up stand has a comfortable typing angle for desk use. Turn it sideways to use on your lap.
Cost: $29.95

8. Bluelounge Cool Feet Bluelounge's "Cool Feet" are perfect for desktop laptop users. The removable feet attach with suction cups and raise your machine at just the right height to allow for better airflow.
Cost: $12.95

9. HandStands Cool Lift Pad Designed for desktop use, the HandStands Cool Lift is a budget way of increasing the airflow around your portable PC.
Cost: $8.99

10. Belkin Cooling Strip Belkin's fun Cooling Strip is another simple solution that will give your laptop the lift it needs to avoid overheating. The spiky design also allows for improved cable management.
Cost: $8.57

More About: accessories, gallery, laptop accessories, List, Lists, office
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Even with the recent news that sitting down will kill you, most of us are unable to make major changes to our workspace set-up. To help you stay healthy, we’ve taken a look at some alternatives to the traditional office chair.
Trying to stay healthy despite a sedentary desk-based career is all about better posture, circulation and most importantly moving more.
We would of course advise seeking expert opinion before you make any major changes to your sitting setup, especially if you’re not in the best of health, but if you do decide to make a change, here are five options to inspire you.
1. Saddle Seats A backless "saddle stool" stops you slumping back in your chair, lowers your thighs, opens up your hips and gently puts your spine into a "healthy lordotic curve." Plus, anything that makes you feel like you're in a Western (rather than the office) can only be a good thing.
2. Kneeling Chairs A kneeling chair is said to help promote an "open and dynamic" sitting position that keeps your spine in its natural curvature, your back and abdominal muscles working and improves breathing and circulation. This is called "active sitting" and fans of the system claim it helps concentration and creativity.
3. Stand Up Stools Stand-up stools have been around for years to help take the weight off workers' feet. The muvman is a modern version aimed at office workers. "The main point is that you keep moving," explains the company behind the stool. Ideal for those who want to alternate sitting and standing, the flexible stool is height-adjustable so you can perch high or low and tilted forward to put you at an optimum distance from your work station.
4. Balance Ball Chairs A bouncy balance ball chair is all about strengthening your core muscles, improving spinal alignment and reducing nerve compression. The balance ball can also be removed and used for in-office exercise, if that's appropriate in your workplace. Whether or not you can also play super-sized office soccer with the ball is for you to find out.
5. Active Dynamic Stools The Swooper promotes "active sitting" by moving in different dimensions -- backward, forward, sideways and up and down too. It's all about moving your muscles with ever-changing positions. Scientific studies suggest you move twice as much on an active seat as on a conventional one, which has got to be a good thing.
Interested in more Health & Tech resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics. Thumbnail image courtesy of Victor Bezrukov
More About: ergonomics, furniture, gadgets, List, Lists, office, sitting
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There are three distinct advantages to making your own drinks from the comfort of your desk. First, it’s cheaper than buying out all the time. Second, there’s less waste and litter. And third, it saves time on fetching and carrying.
Whether you take tea, can’t live without coffee or are partial to pop, we’ve found 10 solutions that will help you provide your own liquid refreshments throughout the working day.
Have a look through the gallery to find your perfect desktop beverage maker and let us know which one it is in the comments below. Cheers!
1. Hamilton Beach Personal Cup One Cup Pod Brewer For the ultimate in desktop coffee convenience, this mini machine uses Senseo coffee pods, so you don't even have to fuss with measuring out the required amount.
Cost: $14.99

2. IngenuiTEA Teapot If tea is more your thing, then this clever 16oz teapot will let you enjoy the finest of fresh brews at your desk. You simply add loose leaves and hot water, wait for it to brew, put the pot over your mug and hit the spring-loaded valve to pour.
Cost: $18.99

3. LED Beverage Cooler This dinky-looking USB-powered fridge boasts cool retro styling. It will chill one can of drink and even has a blue LED light that turns on when you open the door!
Cost: $19.99

4. Aeropress Coffee Maker If plugging in a coffee machine at work isn't an option for you, then consider the Aeropress. It promises to make your coffee less bitter. You simply spoon in your preferred coffee, add hot water, wait a few minutes and then press the plunger for your java hit.
Cost: $25.99

5. Cola Coke Vending Machine Are fizzy drinks your beverage of choice? Then this retro vending fridge has you covered. It can chill and hold 10 12oz cans, ready to be dispensed at the press of a button.
Cost: $179.95

6. Brookstone Single Cup Coffee Maker With a reusable mesh filter and a coffee scoop that's just the right size for one cup of coffee, this machine is ideal for anyone who likes fresh, ground coffee. It comes complete with an insulated mug to keep your coffee warm.
Cost: $39.95

7. Water Cooler-Style Desktop Water Dispenser Save on trips to the water cooler with this mini desktop version that will help remind you to drink your daily water quota.
Cost: $17.45

8. CafeXpress Single Pod Brewer Using Wolfgang Puck coffee pods, this single cup machine will take up little space on your desk and ensure you have a piping hot supply of the good stuff just a few moments away.
Cost: $29.95

9. Sodastream This soda maker will save you money with one bottle of flavor mix making about 12 liters of soda, the equivalent of about 33 cans. It's also kinder to the planet than getting your cans from a vending machine. Plus, it's fun to use -- just remember to put the flavor in after you add the fizz.
Cost: $99.99

10. Margaritaville EXPLORER Cordless Frozen Concoction Maker Finally (and we're kind of having fun with this one), if your office is the kind of cool place that turns from workplace to social club when the clock hits six, then this portable cocktail maker could really liven things up.
Cost: From $269.95

More Tech Resources from Mashable - 10 Boredom-Busting USB Desk Toys - 5 Beautiful Keyboards to Spice Up Your Boring Desk - Top 10 Geekiest Decorations for Your Home or Office [PICS] - 6 Great Gloves for Touchscreen Gadget Lovers - 5 Stylish Computer Mice for the Design Aficionado
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, fotosipsak
More About: accessories, Food And Drink, gadgets, gallery, List, Lists, office gadgets, tech, trending
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The Smarter Products Series is supported by IBM. Find out more about how IBM is working to create a Smarter Planet.
Few teachers are drawn to the profession for its administrative duties. But the reality of attendance taking, lesson planning, grading and parental communications is that they’re a big part of the job.
These tasks, however, need not take over. With help from the many online services and mobile apps designed for teachers, it can be easy to efficiently organize and complete classroom management responsibilities.
Here are five of our favorite virtual tools for tackling some of the most common classroom chores.
1. Digital Gradebook: SchoolCircuit

SchoolCircuit won us over by making its online gradebook easy to access for parents and students, and easy to manage for teachers. By assigning access codes to create accounts, teachers can give students and their parents the ability to check grades, attendance and assignments, as well as messages from the teacher and upcoming events. This feature alone goes a long way in saving time for teachers who are used to fielding inquiries about grades and due dates.
The interface makes it easy to create classes and notifies the teacher when students and parents create their accounts. The grading feature itself is equal parts flexible and easy to use; the teacher can choose his or her own grading scale; choose to make certain assignments weighted; and color code by late, missing or complete assignments.
Another similar free option is Engrade, which also includes options to build online quizzes and create class wikis.
2. Give Feedback Online: Backboard

As more students complete their work on computers, why not skip the paper drafts and give input online? Backboard enables groups to access a shared document and make notes and corrections. It saves time in group projects, draft assessments and even grading.
3. Create and Grade Quizes: ClassMarker

Instead of printing paper quizzes and grading them by hand, teachers can use ClassMaker to make online assessments that are graded instantly. Teachers can choose between five different formats including essay responses (obviously excluded from the “instant grading” feature). They can also randomize test questions and set time limits.
The free version allows unlimited use of the basic functionality. For $25 per year, teachers can remove advertising and also have access to e-mailed results, overall question percentages, overall quiz results percentages and learner score averages.
4. Manage Lesson Plans: PlanbookEdu

PlanbookEdu is a free, online lesson plan book that functions much like a paper book with a couple of important exceptions. First, since it is cloud-based, it’s impossible to forget at home or at school. It also makes customizing and editing easier, and each box functions much like its own tiny text pad. The capability to easily share plans with substitute teachers, colleagues and administrators — probably the biggest advantage — comes only with the $20 per year premium version.
Also worth checking out is TheLessonPlanBook and Apple’s Lesson Planner web app.
5. Take Attendance: Attendance for iPhone

It shows in the features that this $4.99 app was created by a teacher. Instead of typing each student’s name manually, users can upload from an address book or a CSV file. Teachers can snap headshots of the students with their phones or upload them from an address book to display with the names while taking attendance, and the attendance statuses are customizable. A “random student” feature helps teachers avoid calling on the same students to answer questions too often.
It’s also easy to e-mail attendance reports, or other announcements, to particular students or to the whole class. Using the same method, teachers can back up the data they’re inputting on the app during call.
Series Supported by IBM

The Smarter Products Series is supported by IBM. Find out more about how IBM is working to create a Smarter Planet.
More Education Resources from Mashable: - 8 Ways Technology Is Improving Education - The Case For Social Media in Schools - 7 Fantastic Free Social Media Tools for Teachers - 5 Fun and Safe Social Networks for Children - How Online Classrooms Are Helping Haiti Rebuild Its Education System
Image courtesy of Flickr, George Eastman House
Reviews: FlickrMore About: apps, attendance, classroom management, education, gradebook, List, Lists, Smarter Products Series, students, teachers, teaching, tools, web apps
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Here at Mashable, we’ve been putting the iPhone 4 through its paces, and have come up with some handy tips and tricks that can help you get more out of your Apple-flavored mobile.
We’ve covered all kinds of basics, like making search results more relevant, creating shortcuts for your favorite websites, better organizing your apps, and making the most of Maps.
And, as ever, if you’ve got suggestions for more iPhone magic not covered here or in our previous Keyboard Shortcuts post, you know we want to hear them in the comments below.
1. Change the Spotlight Search Result Order

The iPhone’s Spotlight Search functionality is a great improvement from early incarnations, but you can make it even more relevant to you just by tweaking the settings.
In the “Settings” menu, go to “General,” then select “Spotlight Search.” You are then presented with a list of categories. By touching the three bars icon next to each category, you can change the order of how the phone presents search results.

This feature can be an extremely useful time saver, as it prioritizes search results based on what you’re most likely to look for (e-mails, apps, contacts, etc.).
2. Lock the Screen Orientation

A great feature for anyone who reads iBooks in bed, you can now lock the screen on your iPhone to stay in the portrait orientation and avoid that annoying wobble between portrait and landscape you can get in certain situations.
To activate the lock, tap the home button twice, then scroll to the screen on the left, at which point you’ll see a square gray icon with a circular arrow on the far right. Tap this to lock the screen (you’ll see a locked icon in the top right of the display now) and unlock by tapping again.
3. Change the Display to White on Black

This one falls under the iPhone’s Accessibility features as it offers a high contrast, more easy-to-view display, but it can also be employed just to make your phone look a little different.
To make the change, head to “Settings,” then “General,” then “Accessibility” and then toggle “White on Black” to “On.”
The colors on your phone’s display are now inverted, however, the Apple magic that makes this happen must have something to do with the phone’s display, rather than a software change, as you can’t export screen grabs showing this setting. To see the effect in action, you’ll have to make do with our real-life photos.

4. Create a Homescreen Icon for Any Website

This is a really nice option for anyone who regularly visits websites that don’t offer their own app. You can easily add a one-touch shortcut for any webpage to your homescreen in the iPhone’s Safari browser.
Simply load up the site you’re interested in and then press the “+” on the bottom of the screen. Select the “Add to Home Screen” option.

You can then label it something appropriate. Now, as the screenshot below shows, there will be a shortcut icon to the site on your homescreen.

5. Use the Front-Facing Camera for More than FaceTime

The iPhone 4’s front-facing camera isn’t just about FaceTime. You can also use it to snap quick portrait pics (as above) and even record video of yourself.

To access the front-facing camera, go to the main camera and then hit the camera with an arrow icon on the top-right corner. This switches the view to whatever the front-facing camera sees, meaning you’ll be able to see yourself on the screen to press the shutter at the correct moment.
To toggle between capturing stills and video, it’s the same as the main camera — slide the toggle from either icon at the bottom of the phone’s screen.

6. Open and Save PDFs in iBooks

The iPhone offers handy “Quick Look” functionality for viewing PDFs, but what’s even cooler is that you can auto-save them into iBooks and then access and view them from there.
Simply press and hold on the PDF icon and you’ll see the option to “Open in iBooks.” Hit this, and the PDF will be ported over, and be available to view in the app from then on.

7. Turn iBooks Into Audio Books

Another one of the iPhone’s Accessibility options for the visually impaired, the “VoiceOver” feature is a gesture-based screen reader.
Using slightly different controls (double tap to select and three fingers to scroll), VoiceOver essentially reads aloud what is on the phone’s screen.
Aside from the obvious uses for the visually-impaired, this also means that iBooks can become audio books. To activate it, go to “Settings,” then “General,” then “Accessibility” and toggle VoiceOver to “On,” at which point you get options to tweak the settings (the speed of reading) and try out the new controls.
Once activated, if you head over to your iBooks app, VoiceOver will read your selected texts to you. It might not be something you want to employ that often, but tired eyes might appreciate having a book read to them at certain times.
8. Manually Add Pins to Maps to Mark Locations

In the iPhone’s Maps app, you can add pins which make navigating to a point or sharing your location super easy to do.
In Maps, you’ll see a blue Post-It-style note icon on the bottom-right corner. Tapping this will give you the option to drop a pin. Selecting this drops a purple pin in the map, which you can drag to exactly where you want it.

Now that you’ve placed your pin, you’ll see a label that hovers over it. This leads to even more functionality.

Clicking through on the label gives you the options to get directions to that point, from that point, and also share that location via e-mail or text message as well as bookmark it. We think this functionality could be super useful for navigating your way back to your car, or a camp site, for example.

And while we’re on the topic of Maps, here’s a bonus tip. Did you know that hitting the arrow-shaped icon on the bottom-left of your display will activate the phone’s compass and show you on the map exactly which direction you’re facing? Clever, huh?
9. Swipe to Delete

There are some handy features for deleting messages more quickly. The most common way to delete multiple messages in e-mail is to hit “Edit,” select the messages you want gone, and then hit the big, red delete button. Alternatively, you can simply swipe to bring up a delete option.
In your inbox, swipe your finger from right to left across a message and you’ll see a delete button appear. Press it and the message is toast.
Gmail users, however, may only get the option to “Archive,” so if you’re using Gmail you’ll have to tweak your settings first. To do this, go to “Settings,” “Mail, Contacts, Calendars,” “Google Mail” and then toggle the “Archive Messages” option to “Off.” This will now reveal that delete option.
This swiping trick can also be used for phone messages, Notes and more.

10. Add Folders to the Dock

The ability to create folders is one huge improvement brought with iOS4, and is a very popular feature when it comes to organizing and accessing apps. In using folders, there’s a neat trick that will let you have all your most-used apps on your phone’s homescreen.
To create a folder, just press and hold any app until it starts wiggling. Then, drag the app into another app that you’d like to include in the same folder. The iPhone will automatically generate a name for the folder based on its contents. You can edit this name by pressing and holding the folder icon.

Once you’ve got your folders made, if you clear something less useful out of the dock (you can only have four things in at a time) you can drag and drop your folder into the dock for super-fast access.
With clever folder creation (Work, Play, Phone, Tools, etc) you could pretty much have everything you need one tap away from the homescreen, rather than scrolling through endless screens of apps.

More iPhone Resources from Mashable: - HOW TO: Make Free iPhone Ringtones - 10 Useful iPhone Keyboard Shortcuts, Tips and Tricks - 10 Incredible iPhone Portrait Photographs - 10 Incredible iPhone Photographs - 10 Ridiculous iPhone Accessories [PICS]
Reviews: Gmail, SafariMore About: apple, how to, how tos, iBooks, iOS, iOS4, iphone, iphone 4, iphone apps, List, Lists, tips and tricks
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This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.
Creating and maintaining a corporate blog, or a blog of any sort for that matter, isn’t always the easiest of tasks and doesn’t come naturally to most people. There are a lot of considerations to take into account — theme, topics, audience, content, design, writers, multimedia, promotion, writing style, comment policies, and so on. Above and beyond all of that, you also need to consider the blog’s name and URL.
Although the act of creating blog posts can be quite simple, forethought and planning must first go into the creation of a corporate blog in order to keep the processes running smoothly, especially if multiple bloggers are involved.
We recently outlined 10 tips for corporate blogging for businesses hoping to focus on key elements of creating a blog in the corporate world. Now, we’re taking it a step further, presenting 15 excellent corporate blogs that you and your fellow employees can learn from.
Let us know if you follow any other particularly noteworthy corporate blogs in the comments below, and please include some details on what makes them stand out.
1. Squarespace: Choose a Fitting Blog Design
Web design is one of the most important factors in creating a blog that is user-friendly and visually appealing. Corporate blogs are notorious for lacking in design. Whether they are über-branded, overwhelming or uninspiring, business blogs often fall short in the design department.
Squarespace, a web publishing platform, is “one of the best designed corporate blogs around,” according to Grace Smith, a freelance web and graphic designer and contributing writer to Mashable. Smith elaborates:
“Squarespace is a fine example of a creative, yet brand aware corporate blog design. The subtle details of the ruler marks and slight transparency are small but beautiful details. It perfectly sits within the Squarespace brand, with attention to great typography and a simple yet engaging layout. The blog is beautiful, uncomplicated, subtle and successfully engages the reader with a strong company voice.”
Designed by Creative Director Tyler Thompson, Squarespace’s blog is simple and readable, including only the most important details. The minimalist interface includes a feed of posts, icons for each Squarespace team member (which link to author pages), a widget for the most recent company tweet, columns for archived posts and categories, as well as a directory at the bottom of the page, linking off to related product, company and community web pages. And, of course, the blog is published on Squarespace’s platform.
Thompson explained the inspiration and objectives behind his design:
“My main goal was to make the content the focus. By putting only the blog posts in a defined column, I think it helped put them front and center and show their importance … From strictly a design standpoint, I wanted to have lots of subtle details and showcase the author and post date in a unique way. I think a neutral color pallet and a small hint of color, in this case yellow, is [a] fairly timeless and safe design. I wanted to avoid lots of bright colors and patterns that might get old fast, become trendy, or visually fight too much with the information.
“It is all too easy to have information overload on a corporate blog — you always want to make sure your readers know everything that is going on. But with our blog, we wanted to take a quality over quantity approach, and really just showcase the blog posts and make it easy to dig through archives. For me anyway, after I visit a site once and experience the design, the next time I visit I really just want the design to go away so you can read the information. I tried really hard to strike that balance with this design.”
Thompson makes a really great point that web design should enhance the content, not battle with it. When designing your corporate blog, focus on the most useful information and make it the center of your design idea. Your blog will be easier to navigate and the most instrumental content will be highlighted.
2. Dell: Use a Landing Page to Organize Multiple Blogs
Some corporations have more than one blog — this could be a solution that’s useful for you, especially if you have a large business with multiple arms. One of the difficulties of managing multiple blogs is finding a place to house them all. This is where a landing page can come in handy.
Dell has a number of corporate blogs, focusing on many specific topics, including technology, investor relations, products, education, and health information technology. Dell organizes all of its blogs under one landing page, which is used to curate featured content from across the blogs, while also including a feed of the latest blog posts, a directory of blogs, and a search bar that scours content from all the blogs.
With 750 videos and over 5 million video views, Dell has a very active and successful YouTube presence which they call the Dell Vlog. While Dell bloggers often embed these YouTube videos into blog posts, an on-site video player on Dell’s blog could be a great improvement.
3. 37signals Product Blog: Showcase Your Products and Services
Posting updates about your products and services on your corporate blog can sometimes seem too promotional, especially if the information isn’t essential to the audience. 37signals has a great solution; they have two blogs — one called Signal vs. Noise about “design, business, experience, simplicity, the web, culture and more,” and another called The Product Blog, about their products, including Basecamp, Highrise, Campfire, Backpack, Writeboard, and Ta-da List.
If you’d like to keep your main corporate blog focused on industry news and insights, but would also like the flexibility to announce product updates, creating a products blog is a great option.
4. Zillow: Provide Valuable Insights on Your Area of Expertise
When creating any property on the Internet, you must always consider your audience. Think about their needs and put forth content that they would consider valuable. If you stick to your core competency, you should do just fine.
Zillow, a free real estate valuation website, maintains a blog that publishes information on real estate, mortgages, and celebrity real estate. By focusing on their core strength, Zillow creates high quality posts that act as resources for the blog’s audience. For example, they recently posted on top-tweeting real estate pros, questions to ask mortgage lenders, and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne’s oceanfront Malibu home rumored to be up for rent for $40,000 per month. They cover the difficult real estate and mortgage questions, but also keep it light with interesting stories about the high-end real estate market.
5. PlayStation.Blog: Get Ideas From Your Fans
Take note of Playstation.Blog Share, a section on PlayStation.Blog, PlayStation’s blog, where users can submit and vote on ideas for improving PlayStation’s products. Upon writing this, the most popular idea on the site proposes the ability to talk to friends via the PS3 Bluetooth Headset even if they are playing other games; the idea has received over 25,000 votes. Feedback like that is of serious value to PlayStation and its fans.
Does your corporate blog provide ample space for readers to submit ideas and suggestions?
6. Disney Parks: Take Your Fans Behind the Scenes
The Disney Parks Blog is an example of how to take readers behind the scenes. The archives are split into a variety of categories, but one of the largest is marked “Behind the Scenes.” Scrolling through the category, you’ll see posts about dance rehearsals, sneak peeks at new construction sites, interviews with employees, and more.
One of my favorite posts is an interview with Don “Ducky” Williams, a Disney artist known around the company for his brilliant Donald Duck drawings. While he draws all of the characters, he has a fondness for old Donald. Videos like this one humanize a company and make devoted followers out of fans and admirers.

Disney Parks’ Social Media Director Thomas Smith explained why behind-the-scenes blogging was so important for the company:
“On the Disney Parks Blog, we like to go behind the scenes to show the dedication and inspiration that make our park experiences so magical for our guests. People often talk about the “Disney Magic” and ask “how do they do that?” This wonderment applies not only to our attractions and shows, but also the many everyday events that happen at all our destinations. We know it’s our cast members that go the extra mile to make those experiences so special for our guests, and we love to share those stories on the blog.”
7. BBC’s The Editors Blog: Bring Readers Into the Process
Just as behind-the-scenes exclusives give readers a new perspective on your company, posts that allow readers to be a part of the process provide unique value for dedicated supporters.
BBC maintains a blog called The Editors that “aims to explain the editorial decisions and dilemmas faced by the teams running the BBC’s news service — radio, TV, and interactive.”
The blog allows readers to voice their opinions on the way news is being covered, while also weighing in on issues that the BBC News editors are facing. This is something that readers can’t get anywhere else. When planning your content strategy, strive for unique information that others are unable to create.
8. GM FastLane Blog: Keep a Focus
Don’t try to be something that you’re not. If your business is selling cars, talk about cars. It sounds obvious, but without strict content guidelines, a blog can quickly derail into the great abyss. GM’s FastLane blog is a great example of a blog that keeps a niche focus. Some recent posts included a webchat on how to build a Corvette engine and […]