Blog

No matter what industry you work in (or your experience level in that industry), a plain, black-and-white resume written in Times New Roman font just doesn’t quite cut it anymore.

But just because resumes have gotten more creative doesn’t mean you need special design software to make your application stand out — some of the best Word resume templates allow you to develop your personal brand while also communicating your experience and career goals. 

Read on to find the perfect template for your next resume, then learn how to write and create your own resume in Microsoft Word.

Download 12 free, editable resume templates.

Free Resume Template Downloads for Word

1. Monogram Header Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

We’ll start with a simple one. This is a HubSpot exclusive resume template that is simple and clean with attractive monogrammed headers to call out each section of the resume. The rest of the design relies on a simple serif font for easy reading, which is a good thing considering that hiring managers only take 7.4 seconds to evaluate a resume. You want your experience section to be easily scannable.

Recommended For: Freelancers

This resume template is best for freelancers. The project section is great for showcasing the skills that would be most applicable for the industry the applicant wants to enter.

2. Maroon Sidebar Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Pulling your more text-heavy information off to the side in an attractive color-blocked sidebar, this resume lets your experience stand for itself in white space at the top. It’s also easily customizable with no difficult-to-manipulate tables or formatting. The sidebars are in movable text boxes that can even be removed if you wish.

Recommended For: College Graduates

This template is best for young professionals starting their careers. This adjustable resume template can give you full customization options for your first resume.

3. Centered Bar Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This resume takes on a different look than most resumes, centered around a single bar. This makes the resume more visually striking, which could draw attention as hiring managers are evaluating candidates. It also puts emphasis on the objective with your chronological experience supporting it underneath. All of this is in an attractive serif font that is elegant and classy.

Recommended For: College Graduates

This template is great for college graduates to show their most recent accomplishments. The “Objective” section will help you showcase where you are trying to go in your career.

4. Modern Initials Resume

File Type:.docx

Download this template here

The modern initial resume template organizes your experience, education, and skills in a simple, easy-to-digest layout. You can download it as a .docx file. 

Recommended For: Early-state professionals

I like this resume template for early-stage professionals (3-5 years of experience) because it lets you call attention to the key aspects of your experience and briefly summarize the skills that make you a qualified candidate. 

5. Bold Serif Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Speaking of serif fonts — this resume puts forward an element of grace and formality with its font choices. It’s perfect for individuals who are looking for more organic colors than the ones more typically found in resumes, and the colors are also easily changed in Microsoft Word’s theme settings. It also includes a skill-level bar, adding a nice visual touch to the template.

Recommended For: College Students

This template is great for college students to demonstrate their internship experience. The volunteering section gives a rounded viewpoint of your accomplishments if you are just leaving college.

6. Strategist Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

High-level strategy demands a range of skill sets — project management, media, planning, and more. So, strategist resumes need space to hold a lot of information without overwhelming the reader.

This design is clean and pleasing to the eye. It’s easy to scan and customize based on your specific experience.

Recommended For: Project Managers

The “Areas of Expertise” section stands out on this template. This gives you a chance to draw a clear connection between your professional experience and what you’re capable of.

7. Modern Chronological Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This resume template is available from Microsoft itself, and it’s one of many free templates the company has prepared for those who depend on Microsoft Office tools to create content. Yes, it’s written in Times New Roman — don’t freak out.

Designs like this can borrow an old-school typeface and still impress recruiters with a clean layout and subtle use of color. You can also change the font if you wish (and the same goes for every template in our list).

Recommended For: Developers

The “Skills” section is perfect for candidates in the tech industry. A candidate can showcase the languages they are fluent in and show a variety of accomplishments, successfully demonstrating their capabilities as they move into a new industry.

8. Digital Marketing Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

The digital marketing resume below comes from our own collection of resume templates, all of which open directly in MS Word.

Coming with two pages total, this sheet holds a wealth of information and offers the perfect amount of style while maintaining professionalism. Mid-level marketers all the way up to CMOs can find this template valuable.

Recommended For: Mid-Level Marketers

In this resume template, mid-level marketers can effectively showcase a variety of their skills, as well as their portfolio and other media pieces.

9. Black and White Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

The Black and White resume template below suits professionals who prefer using color and shading to add structure to their resume.

The black banner at the top contrasts the applicant’s name nicely to help make him/her more memorable to recruiters. The gray banner just below the header is perfect for a summary or career objective — it makes one’s goals known but doesn’t overpower the experience listed below it.

Recommended For: Graphic Designers

If you’re a graphic designer, this is the resume to showcase your art. This template has a monochromatic color scheme, but if you are a designer, you can easily take it to the next level.

10. Modern Design Resume Template

File Type:.docx

This simple but effective resume template covers everything you want to share in your applications. The basic color choice also helps you stand out. 

Recommended for: College students or interns 

This template lets you outline your objective, skills, and abilities, making it an excellent option for interns and college students who might still need to gain significant working experience but have a skillset they want to call attention to. 

11. Simple Chronological Resume

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This no-frills, chronological resume template places section headers on one side and relevant information on the other, giving you ample space to highlight your experience and expertise. 

Recommended for: Working professionals

If references are relevant to the job you’re applying for, you can keep the section in. Otherwise, you can remove it and use the extra space to add more information about your experience. 

12. Urban Development Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

The illustration on the top-left of this template shows who the designers at Hloom had in mind for this resume: civil engineers. But because it’s a Word document, that graphic is easy to edit and replace with an image that represents your line of work. Are you an analytics buff? Design a clever bar or line graph icon and place it next to your name in blue (or whatever color you’d like!).

Recommended for: Civil Engineers

If you’re a civil engineer who wants to display your accomplishments, this is the template to use. There’s a section that lets you list all of your achievements and notable opportunities that made you grow as a civil engineer.

13. Mandy Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here. 

This resume template stands out because of its simplicity. Sections are clearly laid out and scannable, and the subtle color choice adds a unique flair. 

Recommended for: Industry professionals

I like this resume template for anyone in a unique industry because you’ll be able to summarize your experience right off the bat, making it easy to display your qualifications.

14. Email Marketing Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Red color never fails to stick out on a sheet of paper, especially if it’s included in small amounts. This resume template for email marketers captures that balance.

In addition to the professional title in the top right-hand corner, this template also stands out with a thin sans-serif font, helping make a lot of text easier for a recruiter to digest and read through.

Recommended for: Email Marketers

If you are an email marketer who wants to highlight successes in your previous campaigns without boring the viewer with the details, this resume template is perfect for displaying bite-sized information.

15. Teaching Resume Template

File type: .docx

Download this template here. 

This simple resume template lets educators outline their goals as instructors, key teaching skills, and highlight the important experience that makes you the best fit for the role. 

Recommended For: Teachers or educators

I like this template for teachers or educators because the additional sections for communication and leadership summaries let you expand on how you demonstrate the key expected qualities of any effective instructor.

16. Info Pop Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This one, also from Hloom, gives you exactly what the name suggests: ample space for the info you need, with headers that pop just enough to get your employer’s attention.

Although the template fits a ton of text, its soft color palate prevents the document from seeming overwhelming.

Recommended For: Experienced Professionals

This resume gives a lot of information all at once, which is perfect for professionals with more than eight years of experience. The layout makes it easily scannable and easy for a recruiter to read.

17. Strong Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This resume template features bold sections of color that fill the page. This format is perfect for interns who don’t have a lot of professional experience yet. It’s also useful for roles where a portfolio or other resource is a priority for hiring managers.

Recommended For: Interns

Make the depth of your interest, knowledge, and creativity more important than how long you’ve been working with this template. Sections for education, learning more, and describing yourself and your brand make it easy to share what you’re about.

18. Dark Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Ironically, a dark background could be just the thing to ensure your resume doesn’t fall into the black hole of resumes piled on the hiring manager’s desk.

Using soft, yellow font, the resume template below inverts the usual color scheme of a resume without trying too hard to be creative.

Recommended For: C-Suite Executives

If you have years of experience in an executive position, this design has a bold and unique design that will separate you from the pack. What’s more, it has an area where you can list your achievements, relevant skills, and notable opportunities, allowing you to showcase your effectiveness as a leader.

19. Skilled Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This resume design by Hloom communicates a truly professional tone. The template’s muted colors work well with its clean layout.

Recommended For: Professionals in All Industries

Whether you’re just starting out in any industry or looking to change careers, this template is suitable to highlight your skills and qualifications to propel you to the next level.

20. Inbound Marketing Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Here’s another resume template dedicated to the digital marketer. This sheet offers all the inbound marketing language you need to express your values as a passionate, brand-loyal professional.

Like a few other templates on this list, it also uses just a dash of vibrant color in the applicant’s name at the top (where it matters most).

Recommended For: Communications and Marketing Candidates

This template is great for candidates moving into a communications or marketing role. Aside from its amazing visual appeal, this template creates a sense of connection with the reviewer by adding a personal touch.

21. Smart and Professional Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This is another sharp template that offers a basic but confident design for any professional. The warm-colored panel on the right-hand side is pre-formatted for a written profile, where you can write a summary of your background or a form letter to each employer.

Just be sure to personalize this messaging to each new recipient so it works for the job you’re applying to. This template is available on Freesumes, and is free to users once they share the page to Facebook or Twitter.

Recommended For: Young Professionals

This resume is great for someone starting their career who needs a little guidance on how to best display notable experiences related to the job posting. Also, it’s an editable template that can easily be personalized to appeal to the HR rep reading the resume.

22. Face Forward Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

It’s not typical to add a picture to your resume. In fact, it’s actively discouraged in some industries. But for roles where your image is a selling point, this is a great choice. The photo at the top is small and subtle, but it also makes the simple design stand out.

Recommended For: Models, Actors, and Real Estate Agents

This resume template is especially useful for working professionals with a lot of experience or a range of non-traditional experiences. There’s also room to highlight unique skills and qualifications.

23. Spick and Span Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

There isn’t a better name for the template below. The Spick and Span resume might be the cleanest-looking sheet on this list.

It uses boldface, all-caps, and gray typeface to structure various headers of the document differently and maximize the hiring manager’s reading experience. And all that minimalism makes the professional headshot at the top pop off the page.

Recommended For: Creatives, Designers, and Developers

Resumes that look like this can be the work sample. If you have a background in illustration or design, making your resume stand out will be a great nod to your future employer. Get creative with your resume’s design if you want to work in an illustrative industry.

24. Timeline-Style Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Similar to the Centered Bar resume earlier in the post, Hloom’s Timeline template is a super simple but creative way to tell your story.

You can convey your progression through various jobs you’ve held on one side of the vertical line, and more static elements of your background — such as skills and education — on the other.

Recommended For: Editors and Copywriters

This template has a sleek and clean look that places the focus on the highlights of your experience rather than on the minor details. If you have a background in editing or copywriting, this resume is the perfect way to showcase your skills in a concise and effective narrative — without the fluff.

25. Florist Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here. 

Despite being labeled as a Florist resume, this basic template is easily customizable and suitable for anyone entering the job market. 

Recommended For: New graduates or early-stage professionals 

Even If you have little experience, this resume lets you showcase the unique skills and abilities that set you apart.

26. Content Production Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This basic resume template is suited for content producers at all career stages. By spreading out the header and “Skills” text horizontally, the resume below fits a lot of crucial information comfortably on one page (of course, it also comes with a second page if you need it).

Recommended For: Content Creators and Videographers

This resume will help content creators showcase their biggest projects and most notable accomplishments. It’s great for showing how your scope of work has increased over the years, solidifying your expertise in that field.

27. Fresh Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This is perhaps the most imaginative of all the Word-based resume templates on this list — with both a skills meter and a comic headshot.

The template was designed by Venkata Naresh and comes with 12 different versions of this design. Have you created a Bitmoji of yourself? Do you think your employer would find it creative? Match the template and add it as your photo.

Recommended For: Creative Artists or Digital Marketers

If you need a resume template that will showcase your artistic skills without being too casual or informal, this is perfect for you. You can also add in notes of your accomplishments, relevant skills, and qualifications for the job.

28. CV Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

The curriculum vitae-style resume below flips the typical two-column resume so the basic applicant information is listed across the right side, rather than the left.

Feel free to change the color of this sidebar in Microsoft Word if dark red isn’t your thing — the template can pull off any color you wish.

Recommended For: Graduate Candidates

If you are a graduate student entering the workforce, having a CV-style resume will demonstrate the depth of your knowledge first and showcase how your continued education will contribute to your future work environment.

29. Management Resume Template

File type: .docx

Download this template here. 

Recommended For: Managers or leaders 

I like this resume template for managers or leaders because the unique format lets you call attention to your key career goals and give a timeline of the experience leading to you being a well-qualified leader.

30. Entry-Level Resume Template

File type: .docx

Download this template here.

When you’re early in your career, a customized resume is key. This template is simple, with a clear structure and spaces to highlight important skills, education, and experience.

The design uses accessible fonts to create a clean and professional look that you can personalize for your brand.

Recommended For: Young Professionals and Career Changes

At this stage in your career, it’s essential to add useful data and examples to your resume to show hiring managers what you can bring. The easy-to-read fonts and headers in this template will help you highlight relevant details in your resume.

31. Goldenrod Resume Template

File type: .docx

Download this template here.

This template, also offered on Freesumes, dares to use yellow as the dominant color — but doesn’t sacrifice professionalism in the process.

The document anchors the education section to a thick, bright banner across the bottom, but you can likely change this to a skills section with some simple editing in Microsoft Word.

Recommended For: Architects

This clean-cut design represents a candidate who is all about precision. This template would serve candidates who have experience in architecture or construction.

32. Resume Template With Personal Endorsements

File type: .docx

Download this template here.

What makes this resume unique is the space for references on the lower left-hand side. Does your field need others to vouch for your experience? This resume gives you room for three solid recommendations.

Recommended For: Brand Marketers or Personal Influencers

If you work in branding or have a large social media following, you can show your ability to create a cohesive message with this resume template. Feel free to change the color scheme to suit your brand.

33. Creative Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This one was designed by the stationery experts at MOO and is offered for download by Microsoft. Simple but vibrant, this template hugs the text with an artistic header and footer — great for recent graduates who need to fill empty space on the page.

Recommended For: Photographers and Other Creatives

If you are a photographer who does freelance work, this is a great template to showcase your experience. This will give your hiring manager or client an excellent first impression because it showcases your creative ability without sacrificing the important elements — your accomplishments.

34. Modern Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This resume embraces simplicity with a slight touch of color to make things a bit more interesting. It also nicely sections off Skills and Education notes from the Work History list.

With LiveCareer.com, you can generate a template with your basic information and then download it to add small details.

Recommended For: Young Professionals

This resume gives a modern twist on the resume. It’s perfect for those looking for a fresher look than the traditional resume.

35. Functional Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This NovoResume.com template is colorful and includes a place for your headshot which could make you look both interesting and confident to an employer.

Recommended For: Media Professionals

A colorful format like this one might be great for a media or advertising professional who wants to keep their job application visually memorable to prospective employers.

36. Elegant Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

If you’re looking for simplicity and efficiency rather than something colorful, consider this Elegant Resume Template from Jofibo.

With Jofibo, you can select this or other similar templates on the website, enter your information, and then download it quickly and easily.

Recommended For: Marketing Candidates

If you are a mid-level marketing candidate, use this fun template to showcase all of your expertise and accomplishments. It’s an eye-catching template that displays your creativity and ability to engage.

37. Blue Corporate Resume Template

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

Because of the color and image, it’s pretty memorable. But, for those who prefer a more conservative resume look, this template is fairly simple.

Recommended For: Corporate Candidates

This template is great for accomplished candidates moving into a high-rank position. This layout allows you to fit plenty of accomplishments, and the conservative look organizes the fullness of your career neatly.

38. Concept Resume

File Type:.docx

Download this template here.

This resume is perfect for displaying a clear timeline of your career history. It’s ideal for a seasoned professional who may have a lot of experience and wants to display it on one to two pages.

The template also allows you to highlight your competency level in various areas, giving the recruiter an easy way to spot your expertise.

Recommended For: Candidates in the Tech Industry

This resume is great for people in the technical space because it adds a touch of color and feels more compact, which will allow you to get right to the point about your key skills, certifications, and work experiences.

1. Open Microsoft Word on your computer.

If you have Microsoft Word installed on your computer, open the program and let it load for a moment. There will be a couple of helpful options waiting for you on the first screen, specifically for resume creation.

2. Select either “Basic Resume” or “Bold Resume” from the template menu.

Once you’ve launched MS Word, a window of templates will appear. Scroll down until you see the template options designed for resumes — there will be at least two of them. Double-click the one that suits your style and personal brand, but don’t be too particular about design just yet — you can customize these templates quite a bit.

3. Fill in your name and contact information at the top.

When your resume template opens, you’ll see placeholder text for each line of your resume, starting with your first and last name at the top. Delete this header text and enter your name, as well as any contact information by which you want the recruiter to contact you.

4. Draft a brief summary of your experience and goals.

Use the first line below your name and contact info to describe who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for in your career.

My Recommended Reading:

• How to Write About Your Professional Background
• 27 of the Best Professional Bio Examples I’ve Ever Seen [+ Templates]

5. Enter your school and latest education.

List any relevant degrees or certificates you received through schooling. You can safely exclude secondary education if you’ve graduated from an accredited college.

6. Describe each job you’ve held using the lines prompted on the template.

Your professional experience is frequently the most important section of your resume, so feel free to rank this section above your skills and education, depending on how many jobs you previously held.

My Recommended Reading:

• Resume Tips to Get You The Job You Want, Straight from Recruiters
• How to Write a Simple, Effective Resume (+20 Examples)

7. List all relevant skills.

If you have experience in certain software, exercises, problem-solving, or management techniques, use them to populate your skills. Your resume’s “Skills” section helps reveal what all of your previous jobs or related experiences have in common, based on what they taught you and what you provided them.

My Recommended Reading: 

• 17 Recruiter-Approved Skills for Your Resume That’ll Help You Get the Job

8. Describe any relevant accolades and accomplishments.

Finish out your resume with any personal accomplishments or accolades you think a hiring manager in your industry would appreciate. Although this section shouldn’t include a Most Improved recognition from little league, for example, it should definitely include your Marketer of the Month award from your last position.

Next, let’s talk about another easy way to create a resume in Word — templates.

How to Upload External Templates Into Word

1. Download your template.

2. Double-click on your chosen template.

Your new template will open in Microsoft Word and is ready for editing.

You can also try the following series of steps if the instructions above aren’t working.

1. Download your template.
2. Open Microsoft Word.
3. Click File and scroll to Open.
4. Click on the folder where you downloaded your templates.
5. Open your chosen resume template and begin editing.

How to Find Resume Templates in Word

1. Open Microsoft Word.

2. Click New on the left sidebar.

3. Choose one of the resume template options in Word.

These templates are visually appealing and are ready-made to send with your job application.

If you already have Microsoft Word open on your computer, follow the directions below:

1. Click File in the top left corner.
2. Scroll to New from Template.
3. Choose one of Word’s resume templates.

Next, let’s cover how to format your brand-new resume in Word.

How To Format a Resume in Word

Even the brightest, most beautiful resume template will need some editing to fit your goals and information. We’ll go over it piece by piece.

1. Add your resume text.

Sometimes adding resume text to a template is as simple as copy and paste. Other times, this task can be an exercise in frustration.

To make sure this process goes smoothly, remove any text formatting before you paste your resume text. If you’re working on a Mac, you can clear formatting with a tool like Text Editor.

2. Set the right margins and font size.

Most resumes have one-inch margins on all sides for easy printing. Most Word documents will automatically have one-inch margins, but it’s best to double-check or create them yourself. Here’s how to create one-inch margins for your resume:

1. Click Layout in the top navigation of your Word document.
2. Click Margins.
3. Choose the Normal setting, where it states 1″ on the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the document.

Lastly, choose an easy-to-read font size. 12 pt. fonts are standard for most resumes. But if you have a particularly long CV, you may want to choose a smaller font size to make your resume easier to scan.

3. Create headers.

You should separate each section (such as education or work experience) with a header.

If you’re formatting a basic resume, you can create a header in Word by selecting Styles from the formatting options at the top of your document workspace. If you can’t see this workspace, try clicking Home at the top left.

• Try Header 1 for your first and last name at the top of the page.
• Header 2 is great for the “Education,” “Work Experience,” and “Skills” sections.
• Use Header 3 for employer names and job titles.
• Then, use normal text to fill in the details of your accomplishments, skills, and educational background.

You can also use this feature to adjust the headers in your template.

4. Create dividers.

If you want to visually divide your resume into different parts, you can create dividers to split up the information and make your resume more scannable.

Here’s how to add dividers:

1. Go to Insert.
2. Click Shapes.
3. Select the line icon to draw a line in your Word resume.
4. Use the Format Shape menu on the right to adjust the style of your line.

Another shortcut to create dividers is pressing “=”, “_”, or “*” three times and hitting enter. These shortcuts will create a variety of dividers that can add dimension to your resume.

5. Add bullet points.

The truth is, no hiring manager will read a paragraph of information. So, we recommend using bullet points to list your accomplishments and responsibilities.

You can add bullets using the icons in the formatting window at the top of your document workspace. Check out bullet point styles by clicking the arrow to the right of the bullet points icon. Then, choose the style you like best.

6. Adjust spacing and indentation.

White space on a resume gives your reader visual breathing room. This helps them understand which parts of your resume are most important. To create that white space, use the spacing and indentation tools in Word.

Line spacing options will increase the space between lines in your document. This creates more white space between lines of text.

Use the formatting buttons at the top of your document workspace to add or remove indentation. Keep in mind that you may change more than one section of text if you make indentation changes.

7. Review for formatting consistency.

When you’re formatting a resume, it’s easy to get so involved in what the text says that you may forget how it looks. Another common pitfall is focusing your energy on how to make everything you want to say fit on a single page.

But you need consistent formatting to create a professional first impression for your resume.

Once you’ve finished formatting, do a quick scan of your new resume.

• First, check that all your headers, sub-headers, and text sections are the same font and the same size.
• Next, take a look at your bullet point, dash, and other styles. Make sure that sizes and styles are consistent throughout your resume.
• Finally, scan your resume to make sure that the spacing is consistent. Try squinting at your document to see if some sections have more white space or indentation than others.

These kinds of issues are often easier to notice on a physical resume, so scan a printed copy if you can.

How to Save Your Resume

Remember, once you’ve finished personalizing your resume, you’re not ready to submit an application yet.

Let’s go through the instructions you’ll follow if you’re saving a resume you created from a template for the first time:

1. Click File

2. Scroll to Save As

3. Name and save your new resume.

If you click Save instead of Save As, you’ll save your new resume over the template. So, it’s a good idea to use Save As if you think you may need to start over with the template. If you don’t, you might end up wasting the time it takes to find and download your resume template again.

Once you’re done editing your resume in Word, you may also want to save it in PDF format. This helps you make sure that your resume’s format will stay the same for everyone who receives it.

Tips for Using Word Resume Templates

1. Choose the right template for your industry.

Whether you’re in marketing, sales, engineering, or another field, resume expectations will vary. Check out online resumes from other professionals in your field. Then, choose a template that aligns with those examples to find the right format to showcase your skills and experience.

2. Keep your formatting consistent.

Consistency is key when it comes to formatting your resume. Font styles, sizes, bullet points, and colors should be the same throughout the document. Consistent formatting gives your resume a polished and professional look.

My Recommended Reading: 

• Exploring the Best Resume Formats — The Complete Guide

3. Try advanced formatting features.

Experiment with styles and sections to create a unique resume that stands out. These features offer you more control and consistency as you format your resume.

4. Use headings to organize your resume.

Headings make it easy for employers to scan your resume and find the information they’re looking for. Make headers stand out with a distinct font or style.

5. Experiment with advanced layouts and tables.

Try adding columns or text boxes for visually appealing sections or to highlight key details. Test out different layouts to see what gets the best results.

6. Add a visual timeline.

The hiring manager for your dream role may be more interested in your progression than your job titles. Try crafting a visual timeline using SmartArt or shapes to show your career progression. This can also be an interesting way to show your work history or educational background.

7. Personalize the template to reflect your personal brand.

Templates are an amazing starting point, but don’t forget to personalize your resume to reflect your personal brand.

Add a distinct color scheme, fonts, or a personal logo to leave a lasting impression on potential employers.

Make the Most of Resume Templates in Word

Resume templates can help you unlock the power of pre-designed layouts to create a gorgeous and professional resume. This makes it easy for you to focus on compelling content for a powerful resume. With one simple download, it’s easy to show employers what you’re capable of and stand out with every job application.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated in May 2020 for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.

Are cover letters necessary? I’m not in HR, but I’ve been approached by applicants who wondered whether their cover letter would actually be read.

My answer isn’t very popular: “Sometimes.” Sometimes it will be read. Other times, you can get away with just sending in your resume — like when you network your way into applying for a position.

The truth is, you can’t really predict on a case-by-case basis — and you’re better safe than sorry. For the most part, having a cover letter will give you an upper hand in ways your resume doesn’t.

It allows you to show off your writing skills, provide details that you couldn’t fit on your resume, demonstrate your passion, and show your willingness to put in as much time and effort as possible.

If you’ve ever rolled your eyes or balked at an application that required a cover letter, this guide is for you. I’ll go over how to write a cover letter and provide cover letter templates to help you perfect your own.

Seems fairly basic, right? Cover letters can hold different levels of importance to an employer depending on your industry and the job you’re applying for.

49% of recruiters say sending a cover letter along with your resume boosts your chance of landing the role.

If you do plan to write a cover letter, keep in mind there are certain qualities it should have that are not included in the definition above.

How to Write a General Cover Letter

Job searching can be tedious and timely, so you may find yourself applying for dozens of jobs in the process.

To make this process simpler, I find that having a general cover letter that you can easily tweak to fit different job openings is a game changer. 

Here’s how to write a general cover letter so that you don’t to keep writing a new one from scratch with every application. 

1. Write Your Heading 

Your heading should always include your name and contact information. For years, it was also common to include your physical address and that of the recipient, but nowadays, it may not always be necessary. 

“I used to always include my physical address and that of my employer, but I stopped after realizing it takes up so much room and just feels archaic,” says HubSpot blogger Erica Santiago.

She says, “I’ve never gotten any mail sent to my home from prospective jobs, and I’ve never had to mail my application. So, I just include my city and state in my heading, especially if the job posting explicitly states the company wants some based in a specific region.” 

So, should you include the company’s address in your cover letter?

“This is probably odd, but I always include the company’s address because I like to think it shows I did my research,” Santiago says. “I’ve sent probably over 100 cover letters in my life, and I eventually found myself at HubSpot, so I have to be doing something right (laughs).” 

If you think physical addresses are taking up too much space in your cover letter, then consider omitting them. I’ll touch on contact information again later. 

2. Greet the recipient 

Avoid “To whom it may concern” if possible. I find that greeting the recipient that way gives the impression that you didn’t take the time to research who you should be addressing. 

Instead, try to look up the name of the hiring manager or recruiter. Doing so shows attention to detail and care—qualities employers love to see. 

If you can’t find a name, “Dear Hiring Manager” is fine. 

3. Introduce yourself and explain your intentions.

State early on who you are, what position you are applying for, and why. Often, businesses may be hiring for multiple roles, so you want to ensure whoever is reading your cover letter knows exactly why you’re reaching out. 

4. Highlight your qualifications, skills, and passion for the job.

This is where things get a little tricky. Your attached resume will also include skills and qualifications, so you may think you just need to regurgitate what’s in your resume, right? Wrong. 

Obviously, some information may overlap, but your cover letter is a chance to go into more detail than you could on your resume.

For example, Let’s say a potential employer is looking for a self-starter and results-driven person.

This is a great opportunity to mention when you took it upon yourself to spearhead a project that generated more revenue for your previous or current company. 

Connect your skills and qualifications to your unique accomplishments. 

Finally, show that you are passionate about the opportunity. 

“I once had an interview with a pet insurance company,” Santiago says. “I worked into the cover letter my love for my two cats, how pet insurance grants me peace of mind, and how I want to help give that same peace of mind to others via the job position.”

She explains, “Cover letters are a chance to show your personality, your sense of humor, your motivations, and your passions. All these things can make you stand out from other other applicants.”

5. Leave space for customization. 

Your general cover letter should be designed so that you can easily update it to appeal to whatever opportunity you’re applying to.

So, leave a blank space for the hiring manager or company’s name, and format it so you can add or remove skills and qualifications as needed.

6. End with a  “thank you” and mention how to contact you.

Santiago says she always includes a variation of the following sentence at the end of her cover letters:

“I would love to discuss this opportunity more via an interview. I can be reached via email, LinkedIn, and phone at XXX-XXX-XXXX.”

She explains, “I always hyperlink my email and LinkedIn profiles, along with having them spelled out somewhere in the heading.”

General Cover Letter Example

The above general cover letter example includes many of the same points I made about how to create one.

Notice the company’s address is included but not the applicants and that there are blank spaces for the writer to change information such as the recipient, positions, and skills. 

My only critique of this example is that it could use more personality and a punchier hook (more on hooks later).

What to Include in a Cover Letter

So, what should you include? I covered a bit of this already, but I want to dive a little deeper.

Don’t worry, I’ll let the 11 templates below this list do most of the talking. No matter which one you download, pay attention to the following elements — all of which should shine through in the letter you send to your future manager.

1. Contact Information

Cover letters shouldn’t just carry your contact information but also that of the company to which you’re applying. Contact info includes your phone number, email address, and any social media accounts you’re willing to share and receive connections to.

As I said earlier, home addresses aren’t always required, but they can be a helpful reassurance to the employer that you already live nearby and would have no trouble coming into the office.

Avoid offering phone numbers, email addresses, or actual addresses that belong to your current employer.

Using your personal Gmail address over your work email, for example, ensures your correspondence with recruiters remains separate from all of your current work communication.

2. A Personal Address Line

For as often as you see “to whom it may concern” at the top of cover letters today, do your best to avoid writing this exhausted line.

Address lines that specify a person or company grab your reader’s attention much more quickly, and show the employer that you’ve taken the time to tailor your application letter to them.

Don’t have the name of the hiring manager? “Employers at [company name]” will do just fine.

3. A Hook

A “hook” is a clever introduction that “hooks” your reader into wanting to learn more. Think about yourself as a job candidate — what makes you unique?

What about your career might a recruiter be intrigued by that you can package into an interesting first sentence?

4. Why You’re Qualified

Again, today’s best applications describe why this experience qualifies the applicant for the job they’re applying for.

For example, don’t just state that you spent three years writing for a company blog. Explain that this type of work lends itself to managing your new potential employer’s content calendar every week.

5. General Knowledge of the Business

Grammatical errors could mean your application is thrown in the trash, but that’s not the only thing that could get your letter tossed aside.

Using a generic “one-size-fits-all” cover letter — especially if you forget to change the name of the company — will also hurt your chances of landing an interview.

So, if you take the time to write a cover letter, take the time to comment on the business itself. Why are you applying to this company? What about their business stuck out to you as a professional?

Now, let’s take a look at an example cover letter, what makes it effective, along with 11 templates you can download or draw inspiration from.

 Cover Letter Example

Image Source

The example above illustrates how to write a marketing cover letter using the elements I listed.

Besides the contact information and the address line, the first few paragraphs explain why the candidate is qualified for the position. This example uses specific data to show why they would be a good fit.

Additionally, in the second to last paragraph, the candidate discusses why they’re interested in the specific company, demonstrating general knowledge of the business.

By combining all the elements to a cover letter, this is a great example to use for inspiration.

Featured Resource:5 Professional Cover Letter Templates

Download These Templates for Free

14 Free Cover Letter Templates for Your Next Job Application

Template 1: Basic

Image Source

The example above is a basic (but great) cover letter. The numbered sections are explained in more detail below.

1. Header

The level of formality your header has will depend on the company to which you apply. If you’re applying to a formal business, it’s important to use a formal header to open your cover letter, like in the sample above.

Put your address, the date, and the company’s address. But if you’re applying to a company that isn’t as formal, you don’t need to include yours and the company’s addresses. You can still include the date, though.

2. Greeting

Using “To Whom It May Concern” is okay, but you may want to take the time to research the name of the recruiter or hiring manager online.

If you do your research and aren’t confident you found the right name, then you should definitely use the generic greeting — but if you are sure, then it shows you put in the effort to find their name and it will catch the recruiter’s eye.

If you have the recruiter’s name, do you greet them by their full name, or by their courtesy title (i.e. Mr., Ms., or Mrs.)? Similar to the header, it depends on the company’s level of formality.

If you’re applying to a corporate business, you may want to consider using “Mr. Snaper” instead of “Jon Snaper.” If you’re applying to a start-up or a business with a more casual culture, you can use “Jon Snaper,” as shown in the example.

3. Introduction

Your opening paragraph should, in 1-3 sentences, state why you’re excited to apply and what makes you the perfect candidate. Get right to the point, and don’t worry about explaining where you found the posting or who you know at the company.

This isn’t a place to go into detail about why you’re a great candidate — that’s for the second paragraph. Here, simply list a few key reasons in one sentence to set up the rest of your letter.

Keep in mind that the recruiter may cross-reference your cover letter with your resume, so make sure the two sync up.

4. Paragraph 2: Why You’re a Great Fit for the Job

Next, sell yourself and your experience by choosing one or two concrete examples that show why you’re a great fit for the position. What did you do at a previous company that gave you relevant experience?

Which projects have you worked on that would benefit the new company? How will your prior experience help this company grow? Stay humble in your explanation of credentials while still showing that you would be an asset to the team.

Use this paragraph to show you’re genuinely excited and interested in the position.

5. Third Paragraph: Why the Company Is a Great Fit for You

While it’s certainly important you’re a good fit for the job, it’s also important that the company is a good fit for you.

“A cover letter typically describes why you’re great for a company — but how will you benefit from getting hired?” asks former HubSpot Team Development Manager Emily MacIntyre. “We want to know why our company appeals to you, and how it will be a mutually beneficial working relationship.”

In the third paragraph, show you’re serious about growing and developing your career at this new company. What impresses and excites you about the company?

Is there something that you feel strongly about that aligns with the company’s goals? For example, the candidate in the sample letter used this space to show his personal commitment to environmental causes aligns with the company’s green initiatives.

6. Strong Closer and Signature

Don’t get lazy in the final few sentences of your cover letter — it’s important to finish strong.

Be straightforward about your interest and enthusiasm about the new position, and tell them you’re available to talk about the opportunity at any time. Be sure to include your phone number and email address.

At this point, the ball is (rightly) in the recruiter’s court to decide how to follow up.

Last but certainly not least, thank them for their time and consideration. Use a formal sign-off like “Best,” “All the best,” or “Sincerely,” and finish by typing out your full name. You don’t need to sign it with a pen.

Template 2: Data-Driven Marketing Cover Letter

Get it here.

When applying to a data-driven position, it might be tempting to inject your cover letter with, well, the data to describe what you’ve done for other employers.

But in an application letter — particularly for the marketing industry — how you convey this data is just as important as the data itself.

The cover letter template above, which we created here at HubSpot, can help you present the data that’s most important to you as a candidate such that it’ll matter to your future employer.

Notice the three bullet points near the center of the letter above, preceded by the statement: “… I’ve developed a strategy that has helped the company achieve …”

This setup is important, because while you can add as many statistics as you want to this template, your data points should describe how your current/former business benefited from your work, rather than how you, yourself, benefited.

Template 3: Straight-to-the-Point Cover Letter

Get it here.

Harvard Business Review contributor David Silverman hailed the above cover letter example as “The Best Cover Letter I Ever Received.”

For context, Silverman believes there are only a handful of times when writing a cover letter is actually necessary:

1. When you know the name of the hiring manager.
2. When you know something about what the job requires.
3. When you’ve been referred to the job personally.

Under those three circumstances, a straight-to-the-point cover letter like the one above could be your best bet. Because it’s so concise, however, make a point to add your own letterhead above the message itself.

It might be easy for a recruiter to sift through a short and sweet cover letter like the one above, but it’s just as easy for it to get lost in the shuffle of their application list without a unique design or format.

Template 4: Referral Cover Letter

Get it here.

Just because a friend or colleague recommended you for a job doesn’t mean the company is all set to hire you. Therefore, the cover letter template above is written specifically for referrals.

We made this one here at HubSpot. Download it here (it comes with four other cover letter templates, too).

As you can see in the picture above, the first paragraph of the cover letter is dedicated entirely to acknowledging the circumstances of your applying: You know someone who works there — no harm in that.

But there might be harm in not mentioning it to the hiring manager. Telling the reader about your connection at the company shows you’re aware and confident of the actions you take to get the opportunities you’re interested in.

Ultimately, it’s better than the recruiter hearing about your employee connection from somebody else.

As for the rest of the cover letter, treat your message the same way you would if you had applied with no connection from within. Your skills and successes are no less important because of your internal referral.

Template 5: Photo Letterhead Cover Letter

Get it here.

The cover letter template above was designed by Microsoft Office, and as comprehensive as it looks, it’s completely free to download and modify.

As it looks right now, this cover letter contains about half photo, half text. Feel free to shrink (and change) the image to give yourself more room to tell your story. Of course, a nice washed-out image that expresses who you are can be part of that story …

Template 6: Digital Creative Cover Letter

Get it here.

This sixth template is perfect for the applicant who wants to emphasize the many different digital channels they areon. This template goes well with a resume of the same format.

As you personalize this letter with your own experience, make note of the social networks and industry software included in this template.

You’ll see there’s additional space along the top to add your LinkedIn and personal website to fill with your own information.

You can improve upon this template by formatting your most important highlights and accomplishments with bullet points. This will make the document easier to read for the hiring manager and emphasizes the value you provide.

Template 7: Marketing Manager Cover Letter

Get it here.

Our seventh cover letter comes from Monster.com. This cover letter, shown above, is focused specifically on a marketing role.

Notice how the writer includes references to important marketing metrics and terminology.

If you’re applying to a data-driven role, you might not want to fill the page with a story of your experience in paragraph form, like Template 1 does at the beginning of this article.

Instead, consider highlighting three (or four, or five) of your successes that you believe the hiring manager would resonate most with, in bulleted form.

As a marketing professional, breaking up your letter with bulleted details like the ones above shows a respect for the hiring manager’s limited time — a mentality that all marketers must understand when communicating with a brand’s audience.

Template 8: Career Day Follow-Up Cover Letter

Get it here.

This is a unique kind of cover letter from Princeton University.

LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Monster, and Indeed might take the lion’s share of your job searches online, but still some employment opportunities come out of a trade show, job fair, or similar networking event.

For those occurrences, you have the follow-up cover letter template above.

This cover letter has everything you need to help an employer recall a conversation you had with him/her at a career fair.

As you can see in the second paragraph, the letter is particularly useful to people who are about to graduate college.

Template 9: Logo and Watermarked Cover Letter

Get it here.

Here’s another cover letter template from Microsoft Office.

This one has a light touch of color in the design just above the letterhead, but make no mistake — the template caters to any professional looking to make a good first impression on their future employer.

Don’t let the logo space on the top-right of the page confuse you. This can be the logo of the company to which you’re applying — to quickly get the attention of the recruiter — or your own logo.

Perhaps you freelance on the side or simply like branding yourself. This cover letter template is meant for customization.

Template 10: Data Scientist Cover Letter

Get it here.

This is our second template from Princeton University. While this is focused on a data scientist role, it is an excellent template to use for students applying to jobs prior to graduation.

The text emphasizes how the applicant’s academic research and projects makes them an ideal candidate for the position. The format is also simple enough to submit as a pdf, as text in an email message or an application text box.

Template 11: Business Cover Letter

Get it here.

The cover letter template above is perfect for entry- and mid-level marketers who want to show a little extra professionalism in their opening note to a potential employer.

The multi-colored header (you can change the color if you wish) shows just the right amount of creativity and can go quite well with a resume of the same style. If you don’t have enough experience to fill the entire page, don’t worry.

Feel free to write to a length you think is representative of who you are and what the hiring manager wants to see.

No matter how long your final cover letter is, the above template is your opportunity to show your attention to detail — from your contact information in the top header, to the personalized address line where you can include the name of the hiring manager.

Like I said, “to whom it may concern” is pretty outdated, anyway.

Template 12: Entry-Level Cover Letter

Get it here.

The cover letter template above, written by HubSpot, is specifically designed for entry-level applicants.

When you only have a few years experience, it’s important to display how you gained your skills and what you learned from your education or internships.

Additionally, it’s important to mention why you want to work at the company you’re applying to.

No matter your experience, the template above will help you decide what skills you want to highlight and flesh out in your cover letter.

You can download it here (it comes with four other cover letter templates, too).

Template 13: Healthcare Cover Letter

Get it here.

What stands out to me in this cover letter is the direct, straight-to-the-point bullet points that reference the job posting.

The cover letter, created by The Balance Careers, cuts down on repetition by following the “I have” statement with six bullet points that highlight the applicant’s strengths, including “I have … practical knowledge of creating and implementing care plans” and “I have … a proven track record of compassionate, effective care”.

Additionally, phrases like “I’d love to put my skills to work for your clinic” and “Please contact me at your convenience and let me know how I can help you” focus on what the business will gain as a result of hiring the applicant, rather than what the applicant is looking to gain.

Template 14: Freelance Cover Letter

Get it here.

If you’re looking for freelance work, your biggest goal is to get your strengths across quickly, so busy clients won’t pass by your cover letter entirely.

Additionally, if you’re sending out multiple cover letters to different clients, you’ll want to target each one to that client’s unique goals.

For instance, if one client is looking for SEO-optimized content related to marketing, you’ll want to highlight past experience writing marketing content; this will change if, for instance, the client is looking for fitness content.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to structure your cover letter so you start with a) past credentials or references, and b) bullet-point information related to the client’s goal, as shown in the cover letter above.

Template 15: Director Cover Letter

Get it here.

If you’re applying for a Director position, you’ll want to start by explaining how you’ve either successfully handled a similar role in the past, or why you believe you’re qualified and ready to handle new responsibilities for the first time.

In the cover letter above, the candidate does a good job outlining how she succeeded in a leadership role previously:

“For the past five years, I have successfully developed and maintained all data systems, including schedules and records for a business employing more than 100 people.”

You’ll want to demonstrate how your skills align with a Director position — both through organization and leadership — and, when possible, where you received recognition for your hard work (i.e. “I earned an award for Most Valuable Administrative Staff Member”).

Write a Winning Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is easier said than done. Don’t hesitate to spend a lot of time writing and editing it.

Tap into the incredible potential of AI tools, such as the HubSpot paragraph rewriter, to infuse each paragraph with a flawless touch of excellence. Or, ask a friend or family member to read it over and give you feedback.

If the recruiter does end up reading it, you’ll be thankful you did.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2014 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

I’m an inclusive marketing consultant and the founder of Thompson Media Group. I also follow a gluten-free diet for health reasons. When I go to a restaurant’s website, I’m wondering, does their menu work for “People like me?”

Your ideal customers are going to have these questions, as “people like me” often refers to an identity consumers hold.

And, people with underrepresented and underserved identities often wonder about how their identity might impact the degree of success they can achieve with your brand and, if it will impact whether they’ll feel like they belong.

It’s up to you to ensure your brand sends the right signals with your content — to communicate “You Belong Here,” to all the people you want to serve. And, one of the best ways to do that is with an inclusive SEO strategy.

In this post, I’ll explain how to implement inclusive SEO strategies that help you draw in a diverse audience.

How to Communicate “You Belong Here” to The People You Serve

When you know the ‘why’ behind your customer’s questions, it’s easier to create SEO-based content that gets to the heart of what they need to learn about you.

My pro tip is to focus your efforts on delivering experiences that make it easy for your ideal customers to feel like three key statements are true for your brand:

1. “This brand sees me and my identity.”
2. “People like me have achieved success here.”
3. “The customer experience for people like me has been considered.”

Let’s dive into how you can deliver on these ideals.

1.”This brand sees me and my identity.”

No one wants to feel invisible but, unfortunately, people from marginalized communities often feel ignored by brands who focus all their attention on those who are part of the “mainstream.”

That’s why people who are often ignored are so thrilled when a brand takes the time to “see them.”

I keynoted a conference a couple of years ago. Afterward, I saw social media comments from attendees who had referenced how the speaker lineup at the conference made them feel.

Here’s one example where the attendee felt “seen” because she liked seeing women of color like her represented by conference speakers.

And in the other example, the attendee felt invisible because she didn’t see any speakers in her age group.

In the State of Representation in Marketing study I conducted, 63% of respondents over 50 said it was important for them to see people in their age group represented in the brands they buy from.

Overall, age was the second most important factor to them in terms of areas of representation consumers of all ages needed to see to feel like they belong.

Make your customers feel seen by using your content to acknowledge that your customers are different in a way that feels authentic.

2. “People like me have achieved success here.”

The people you serve are coming to you because they want you to help them solve a problem, but not everyone achieves success at the same rate.

Over the years I’ve educated many clients about how consumers’ identities have a direct correlation to the degree of success they achieve.

As a brand, it is important for you to be aware of whether specific customers aren’t thriving as others are. This awareness positions you to put solutions in place to close any existing gaps.

Here’s an expert interview I conducted that explains this concept a little further, using an example called “The water vs. the fish principle.”

In this episode of the Inclusion & Marketing podcast, I go deeper into various factors that influence your customers’ success, such as race, gender, and sexual orientation, along with advice on how to mitigate them.

In the State of Representation in Marketing study, 52% of consumers said customer testimonials were the area of representation most important to them for the brands they are considering buying from.

Showcase people from underrepresented and underserved communities achieving success with your brand. Doing so will give people who share those identities confidence that they can achieve success with you as well.

3. “The customer experience for people like me has been considered.”

I haven’t met anyone who enjoys feeling like an afterthought.

But, far too often, consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities are treated like afterthoughts in the experiences brands deliver. This, in turn, results in a less-than-stellar experience when interacting with a brand.

In the video below, Erin Perkins, a disability advocate, shares her frustration with a common brand experience.

My pro tip is to show your customers they belong with you by delivering stellar experiences that work for all the identities you’re serving.

From talking to thousands of consumers, I’ve learned it is often the small details that make stellar experiences.

One consumer shared about a delightful experience at a hotel, “the towels were super plush and oversized to fit anyone’s size.

It is the small things.” Another consumer expressed gratitude that she didn’t have to ask for an accommodation with one brand, because it “was already available.”

And another consumer told me she wished brands knew “everyone is different, but we all wanted to be treated the same.”

Your customers, no matter their identity, want to feel like they are important as they go through your customer experience.

When consumers feel they are important, they are more likely to be loyal to you as a result. Consumers who feel like a burden or an afterthought will go somewhere else.

Components of an Inclusive SEO Strategy

Once you’ve defined which identities your brand will champion, focus on delivering content that speaks directly to those consumers.

Below I’ll go over the key components of an inclusive SEO strategy that will help you do exactly that.

1. Include SEO-optimized content on your website that answers common identity-based questions.

Many people from marginalized communities are aware of the ways in which they are different and how that impacts their experiences as consumers.

To minimize friction and poor experiences, they will often do advanced research to find out whether or not a brand is for them before making a purchase.

Having SEO-optimized content on your website will help them find the information they need quickly.

In addition, the fact that you’ve taken the time to proactively provide content about the specific topic they’re concerned with showcases that you “see” consumers who have this need and that you considered their experience in advance.

For example, I follow a gluten-free diet. Anytime I’m considering a new restaurant, I need to browse their menu in advance to find out if there are options for me to eat.

However, restaurants often don’t have that information available on their websites. Sometimes I conduct a secondary search to try and find a menu, but I land on unrelated websites like Find Me Gluten-Free.

It’s a missed opportunity. And, almost every time this happens, I end up going to a different restaurant that caters to gluten-free diets and clearly highlights this in its menu options online.

This page from Google’s website is a good example. It showcases the accessibility features of Google Pixel phones by including a sponsored video.

It also includes testimonials from individuals in the disability community who use the features to accomplish their goals.

My pro tip: Think about the various identities of the people who have the problem your brand solves. Then brainstorm what common identity-based questions they will have, and create content on your site that makes it easy for them to get the answers to their questions, so they can move forward with you.

2. Create an optimized Google Business Profile.

My husband once searched ‘peluqueria’ (the word for barbershop in Spanish) on Google, and got no local results. When I queried “barber shop,” I got a result for a location less than 50 feet from where we stood.

Simple adjustments to that business’ Google Business Profile, would have helped it appear for my husband searching in Spanish.

Vero Massage Therapy is a great example of an optimized Google Business Profile, as it makes it clear to LGBTQ+ and Latino communities that they are welcome at the spa.

Salon 54, pictured below, also does a great job at this by including key accessibility information to let all visitors understand their options.

To activate this inclusive SEO strategy for yourself, create a Google Business Profile and add the attributes that make sense for your brand based on the customers you serve.

I have a podcast episode, linked below, all about how to optimize your profile for multiple languages and identity groups.

Real customers can also leave reviews (and you can encourage them to do so) of your business highlighting their experiences.

When prospective customers see uncurated reviews from people like them on your profile, it gives them the confidence they need to take the next step forward with you.

The image below is from Klickrr, a text-marketing software company that has customer reviews on its Google Business Profile.

3. Understand your brand’s values and how you live those values over time.

HubSpot’s Consumer Trend Survey found that consumers care that companies take a stance on social issues, and 42% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand based on their commitments to diversity and inclusion.

The people you serve want to know what your brand values are, and how you practice them on a daily basis.

This could look like creating content that talks about your journey to inclusivity and how you build relationships with and support different communities.

I think MindBodyGreen is a great example of doing this successfully, especially with their blog post highlighting why they removed the word “infertility” from their website.

Sephora also does this by highlighting their progress toward their diversity goals.

The Home Depot also communicates its lived values with content highlighting its “Retool Your School” program, which supports historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

The program has existed for 15 years, and the brand’s YouTube channel even has a playlist of the impact the program has had on campuses over the years.

My pro tip is to implement this component of an inclusive SEO strategy by creating content that highlights your values, and then continuing to publish SEO-optimized content that demonstrates how you’re living your values.

Your customers won’t know about your values or how you live them if you don’t tell them. It isn’t bragging, or being performative to talk about the work you are doing and the impact you are having on communities.

It’s an inspiring way for the people you serve to see what you’re doing and hold you accountable to your goals.

Besides, the more consumers are able to see your commitment to causes and communities that are also important to them, the more drawn they will be to your brand.

Small Tweaks Can Make Your SEO Strategy More Inclusive

Any effective strategy has to start by understanding your customers.

Acknowledge the diverse identities of your customers, and work to deliver experiences through your content that satisfy the questions people with different identities might have when it comes to your brand.

When you show that your values align, conversions increase.

Welcome to HubSpot’s Expert Edge Series, where we interview top execs at major brands to explore their perspectives on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the industry.

Over the past few months, you might’ve noticed a shift in HubSpot’s social strategy.

The more traditional B2B posts have given way for a social media presence that is funnier, more casual, and definitely more meme-ified.

Which led me to wonder: What’s the reason behind the shift?

As HubSpot’s Global Director of Social Media, Bryna Corcoran, told me: “About seven months ago, we started to speak to the next generation of marketing or sales reps — we started to use the Gen Z and millennial tone-of-voice. We started to dabble in internet culture; we started to post memes, which, you know, definitely got us some questionable faces. We started to make it more of a conversational community. And it’s working.”

Turns out, it’s more than just working. In the past seven months alone, HubSpot’s social team has seen 84% year-over-year growth on LinkedIn.

Here, Corcoran shares with me her tips for growing a LinkedIn community, as well as her broader insights on how to succeed across social platforms in 2024.

HubSpot’s Director of Social On Creating A Strong LinkedIn Strategy, Becoming Relevant to Gen Z, and Experimenting Constantly

LinkedIn’s Audience Has Changed: So Your Content Should, Too

When I sat down with Corcoran, the first question I asked her was simple: Why LinkedIn?

She told me there are several reasons. For one, some users have found it harder to thrive on X (previously known as Twitter), so they’ve gradually migrated to LinkedIn for that similar “open-forum town square” feel.

Additionally, more Gen Z’s and younger millennials are now turning to LinkedIn for career development and job searching.

So the social team saw an opportunity: Why not test out their Twitter tone-of-voice — short, text-only casual posts, or what she calls “shower musings” — on LinkedIn?

And it blew up.

Corcoran says, “In the beginning, we were unsure how our new strategy would perform, so we treaded lightly by posting only a few times a week. But I’m happy to report that we’re gaining followers faster than ever, and that’s because we’re taking a personal approach.”

She adds, “It’s almost like we’re turning HubSpot into a person, rather than a brand, by discussing the musings of how our customers are thinking or feeling on a daily basis as they try to grow their companies.”

LinkedIn’s Users Expect to Interact With Businesses on the Platform, So It’s a Good Platform to Lean Into

There’s another benefit to LinkedIn, too — while Instagram and Facebook are largely for personal connections, users expect to interact with businesses on LinkedIn. In fact, it’s the purpose of the channel.

In other words: Businesses aren’t breaking through quite as high of a barrier on LinkedIn when it comes to figuring out authentic ways for users to interact with them.

As Corcoran told me, “Don’t sleep on LinkedIn — It is one of the most credible platforms. To be on the platform, you need to put your real first and last name, and your work history is accurate, and you’re a reflection of the school you went to or the company you work for … so you’re much more likely to contribute thoughtfully on LinkedIn compared to other platforms.”

She continues, “So what we’ve found on LinkedIn is a vibrant community of people who just like being on the platform, and like sharing their thoughts. Of course there are debates, but they’re healthy debates. And so we’ve found people who are inspired to engage with us, talk to us, talk to each other, have civil discourse, laugh with us, and thumbs-up each other’s comments.”

One other big plus and differentiation for LinkedIn? Its ability to amplify your content to new audiences simply by engaging with the content. If Corcoran and I are connected as colleagues but I don’t follow HubSpot and she comments on or likes a HubSpot post, LinkedIn will auto-publish that interaction and post to my own feed. Which means LinkedIn provides incredible opportunities to broadcast your content to reach new prospects and leads simply through light-weight engagement.

Take an Audience-First Approach With Any Social Strategy — While Also Leaning Into Cultural Relevancy

Roughly six months ago, Corcoran and her team decided to develop new, fresh personas for their social channels to enable them to take an audience-first approach. Now, when they’re crafting a piece of social content, they’re able to keep that person top-of-mind.

For instance, one persona they’ve developed is the sales rep who is trying to get their cold calls answered. From there, it’s easier to brainstorm clever, relatable text-based thoughts that could resonate with that persona and make her feel like HubSpot understands their challenges.

Corcoran told me she also looks at cultural moments. “We look at things that people are talking about outside of the HubSpot universe. What’s top of mind for them? If we can connect to what’s going on in culture, it’s even stickier and more relatable.”

She adds, “In the beginning, there was a little bit of the ‘let’s try everything’ method, because it was uncharted. So we decided to test a lot: Does our audience gravitate to a Barbie meme? Are we rubbing people the wrong way if we lean into grammatical errors because that’s how Gen Z types?”

Now, before Corcoran’s team posts anything, they ask themselves three questions:

• Who is this for?
• What’s the HubSpot way in?
• How can we connect it to culture?

If they can strike those three things well, they typically find success. But, as Corcoran points out, they don’t crush it every time — and they’re still learning.

You Might Be Surprised By What Types of Content Performs Best With Your Audience, So Testing is Key

When HubSpot won a G2 award recently, Corcoran’s team posted a traditional, official asset to highlight the award. And it got widely shared.

But then, later that afternoon, they decided to post a meme, instead.

As Corcoran told me, “That blew up. People were really energized by the fact that we had a little bit of swag with our G2 announcement. And the more fun, personality-driven approach accomplishes the same goal for us as the more corporate-looking post: Driving awareness.”

One thing we’ve found,” She adds, “is if a post is too polished or clean on social, it gets misunderstood as an ad. So if we’re doing a video, we take a TikTok or Reels approach where it’s just 30-seconds shot on an iPhone and we put it out.”

If you work for a B2B company, it can be tempting to pigeonhole your brand on social as polished, professional, and formal. But that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case — the more you can personify your business, the easier it will be for decision-makers to connect with your brand.

Of course, what works best for one business will flop for another. So it’s equally critical you continue to test and iterate over time. At the end of each month, for instance, Corcoran and her team look at every single post and say, ‘Okay, how did this one perform? Was it short and easy-to-read? Was the graphic too corporate-y?’

As Corcoran notes, over time, you begin to notice themes. And those themes can help you get better at predicting what performs well with your audience … and what doesn’t.

(Bonus Tip: Corcoran suggests posting on LinkedIn three to four times per week; but she encourages businesses to avoid posting on the weekends, since people typically aren’t using the platform during their time off. Additionally, she’s seen the most success posting first thing in the morning, around lunchtime, or around 5-6 PM — basically, when people are waking up, when they’re taking a lunch break, or when they’re winding down after work.)

Shares Means Your Content Connected Emotionally With Your Audience

Finally, I asked Corcoran how she measures success on social. How does she know her team’s social posts are driving business impact?

Here’s how Corcoran thinks about it: “We know a Miley Cyrus meme won’t get you to purchase software, but we want you to be aware of HubSpot — that we’re present, that we’re culturally relevant — so that we’re top-of-mind when you are in the buying motion.”

She continues, “Our master goal is brand awareness and product consideration, and the way we measure brand awareness is through engagement: Whether that’s liking, commenting, or sharing.”

In particular, she told me she gets really excited about shares — because that tells her that the content connected emotionally with the user on some level. It means a user slowed down and said, ‘This is so relevant to me that I need to share it with someone else.’

Corcoran says, “Oftentimes, that person will share with someone who hasn’t heard of HubSpot, and suddenly they’re curious about us.”

With Social, Be Willing to Test the Boundaries 

Ultimately, if there’s one thing I learned from Corcoran, it’s this: B2B businesses have historically played it safe when it comes to creating engaging content on social media.

But social media users’ expectations are rapidly evolving, and it’s critical your business continue to evaluate and iterate on its own social strategy to reach new audiences and drive brand awareness in 2024 and beyond.

If you’re anything like me, you’re consistently working out of at least 20 browser tabs, four journals, a yellow legal pad or two, and myriad Post-it notes stuck around your computer monitor.

To the average director, it’s nothing short of chaos, but to the regular blogger—it’s evidence of a (desperate) need for an editorial calendar.

Table of Contents

What is an editorial calendar?

Editorial Calendar Benefits

Who should use an editorial calendar? 

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

Editorial Calendar Examples

Content Calendar Sample

My experience as a blogger has taught me that without a mutually agreed-upon system for planning, writing, and scheduling content every week, anyone can find themselves in a pile of missed deadlines, unedited blog posts, and a fair amount of team tension.

There’s no such thing as a perfect editorial calendar — it all depends on the needs of your team. Nonetheless, there are several questions you should ask yourself to determine what your editorial calendar should look like. These include:

• How frequently are you publishing content? Do you have stuff going live every day? Once a week? Perhaps multiple times a day? Find out how often you publish to figure out the best way to visualize your editorial calendar.
• Do you create more than one type of content? If you upload as many videos to YouTube as you publish articles to your company blog, your editorial calendar will need to distinguish between the two.
• How many people will use this editorial calendar? The best editorial calendars allow multiple people to brainstorm, collaborate, and offer feedback on assignments in real time — directly on the calendar.
• What are the various stages content goes through before it’s published? How complex is your content pipeline? Is there a substantial review or approval process that each piece of content goes through? Make sure your calendar can distinguish between two similar assignments that are in different stages of creation.
• What format will you use to organize this calendar? You’ll want to choose the system that best aligns with your goals and your team’s workflows. 

Put these points into practice by learning how to create your content calendar. Or, keep reading to learn how an editorial calendar can boost your business. 

Editorial Calendar Benefits

While an editorial calendar can take time to organize and put in place, this strategy can greatly impact your content marketing.

Improves content quality and consistency.

Planning content in advance makes it easier to create consistent content an audience can rely on.

Plus, I can’t emphasize enough how an editorial calendar gives much-needed structure for creating batches of content.

This lets you focus on ideation and content creation separately, giving you more energy and focus to create quality content.

More chances to innovate.

Change is the only constant in marketing strategy. With an editorial calendar, you have a clear view of what content aligns with your new strategy and where to innovate.

This approach also gives you time and space to think of creative angles for each piece of content.

Supports accountability.

Content marketing has a lot of details. Not everyone needs to know what blog or hashtag gets posted when, but an editorial calendar can help every member of your team stay accountable for their pieces in the puzzle.

Streamlines processes.

As your business grows, you might find some processes will also grow more complicated and tasks that were once simple will take up more time.

But an editorial calendar can simplify these processes. It can give your team an easy overview of an entire project, quarter, or campaign from start to finish. This helps different departments and teams coordinate and streamline their efforts.

Better teamwork.

Simplified processes and better accountability mean that your team can work better together.

This lets each member of your team spend more time using their unique abilities to create great content for your business. It also simplifies training and retaining your best employees.

Improves your team experience.

According to 2022 Reclaim.ai research, 76.6% of surveyed marketers say more time for focused work would resolve their burnout.

An editorial calendar creates a consistent plan and a better employee experience. This reduces the stress and uncertainty that can lead to burnout in marketing teams.

Offers clearer data insights.

Editorial calendars offer a clear record of:

• Content types
• Assets to include in published content
• When to publish

This record makes it easier to track content performance. With this tracking in place, your team will be set to optimize and improve your content to meet your goals.

Who should use an editorial calendar? 

There are many industries and professionals who benefit from using editorial calendars to organize, track, and post content. 

Here’s a brief list I made of businesses and industries that should use editorial calendars: 

Public Relations 

Editorials are a must-have in the public relations industry because professionals in the field must keep track of and schedule materials such as press releases and promotional content.

It’s especially important because the materials are released through various channels such as social media, email, television, websites, radio, and more. 

Newspapers/Magazines and Other News Outlets

“I used to write for a newspaper in my early career as a journalist,” says HubSpot blogger Erica Santiago. “I needed an editorial calendar to track when my work would get published or when I had to publish another contributor.”

Newspapers, magazines, and news websites are constantly fielding new content and an editorial calendar helps to ensure the right content is getting posted at the right time and the right place.

Corporate Communications Teams 

Corporate communications teams need editorial calendars for the same reason public relations professionals need them. Editorial calendars keep the team organized and ensure content is posted timely and through the right channels.

Individuals and professionals who should use editorial calendars include: 

Content Creators 

Whether you’re a blogger, YouTuber, TikToker, or podcaster — you absolutely need an editorial calendar. Content creators use editorial calendars to plan and schedule their content in advance. 

Social Media Managers and Coordinators 

“A friend of mine is a social media coordinator for a streaming company, and he uses an editorial calendar to manage and schedule the different posts he needs to put out to promote various shows,” Santiago says.

“He manages at least five to 10 different TV show accounts. I can’t imagine how frazzled he’d be without an editorial calendar,” she explains.

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

A successful editorial calendar is a living project that your business will change as you grow and scale your social media and content strategy. To start the process of creating your own, I have some resources to simplify the process.

Okay, time for me to give you what you came for. With all the different types of calendars you can create, let’s discuss the types you can choose and how to plan the rollout of your content.

1. Define your target audience and content themes.

Before you begin plugging content into your editorial calendar, be sure to review your content strategy. Scan for content topics, buyer persona needs, and training your team might need to create winning content.

Trust me when I say you’ll need this information to schedule the right content at the right time.

2. Outline content goals and KPIs.

For effective resource management, I strongly suggest using your goals and metrics as a jumping-off point for your editorial calendar. This can simplify reporting and make it easier to quickly gauge the performance of new strategies.

3. Choose a format for organizing your editorial calendar.

Talk to your team about their preferences and work habits before picking a format. Ask each team member:

• Where they’re working from
• What tools they’re using
• How they organize their content creation
• Collaboration needs

Image Source

Types of Editorial Calendars

An editorial calendar is essentially a planning tool. Experience has taught me that there’s no such thing as a perfect editorial calendar, but some formats will be better than others at helping you solve your team’s goals.

Here are some of the different ways to format your editorial calendar and what I see as the pros and cons of each format:

Editorial Calendar Spreadsheet

A spreadsheet is a simple way to organize your content.

Image Source

Pros

• Easy data aggregation and organization
• Cost-effective
• Short learning curve and accessible, making collaboration easy
• Easy to customize
• Integration with calendar apps and content management tools

Cons

• Hard to visualize your calendar
• Limited options for collaboration
• Difficult to get a clear breakdown at a glance
• Can be clunky for tracking multiple channels

Content Calendar

A content calendar is a more detailed version of the editorial calendar spreadsheet and helps users visualize content timing.

Pros

• Makes it easier to organize content details
• The most straightforward way to know what’s going out and when
• Can include keywords, color coding, tags, assignments, and content types

Cons

• There’s more to project and content management than publishing dates
• Can be time-consuming to put together
• A calendar may not always be effective on its own

Project Management Tool

Tools like Trello or Asana can be helpful for complex or multi-channel editorial calendars.

Image Source

Pros

• Presents a clear editorial workflow
• Designed for complex project management
• Customizable
• Offer collaboration and visualization like a Kanban board

Cons

• Can be overwhelming
• Has a steeper learning curve for new team members

Editorial Calendar Applications

I love project management tools like Monday.com or CoSchedule can also offer mobile applications. This on-the-go access can help streamline editorial calendar creation and maintenance.

Pros

• Offers easy access to your editorial calendar
• Has choices for content creation, planning, and assigning
• Includes collaboration tools and analytics

Cons

• Can be expensive
• May be difficult to customize

Choose the best format and decide on how you’ll implement it. Pick the tool or platform that offers the features or interface your company needs most.

4. Designate your main marketing channels.

Most businesses will be creating distinct content and messaging for each marketing channel. So, choose carefully.

Once you’ve selected your top channels, make thoughtful decisions about organizing this content in your editorial calendar.

Editorial calendars are highly visual tools. If you’re not a visual thinker, keep in mind that 65% of people are visual learners, so other people on your team may be.

I also suggest making your editorial calendar easier to interpret with visual cues. Differentiating your calendar with a different color for each channel you post on can cut confusion for your team.

You can also divide post types or subject matter using visuals to ensure you schedule the right content at the right time.

5. Assign roles and responsibilities.

Roles and responsibilities can seem obvious when a content strategy launches, but this clarity can fade over time. That’s why I encourage including details like writing, editing, publishing, and image creation in your calendar.

This simple step makes processes, roles, and deadlines clear. It also creates accountability for every member of your team.

6. Study your competition’s posting frequency.

We all need a little inspiration—including me!

Look to other businesses posting in the same industry or niche as yours. Then, study which competitors are successful in capturing attention and how they got to that level of success.

Let me be clear, I am not at all suggesting copying others’ content subject matter or the exact dates or times they post.

Instead, pull inspiration and make your own editorial calendar to grab attention on the days or times competitors aren’t posting. This tactic can also help you find gaps in your content strategy.

No one likes a copycat. 

7. Plan your posts consistently.

Content planning is an incredibly important component of any strong marketing strategy.

As Carsyn LeClere, Strategist at Blue Frog, told me:

“Content planning helps provide a better view of all your marketing initiatives and how they play into each other. It’s important to have because it ensures you don’t duplicate content efforts, cannibalize a topic, miss any initiatives, or neglect any part of the buyer’s journey.”

She adds, “Being able to plan content at a high level allows you to focus on content that matters and makes it easier to produce content that’s consistent with your brand story.”

Organizing your editorial calendar for posting on the same weekly schedule can drive exposure for your content and improve engagement.

Posting on a frequent basis keeps your followers coming back for more. Social media platforms reward profiles that drive this engagement with more visibility. And search engines reward content that searchers love to click.

After all, these platforms want to capture and maintain people’s attention too.

When you create a patterned or consistent posting cycle, you’re using each channel in an optimized manner.

For example, if you publish email tips on Tuesdays, your audience will rely on those tips and look for them. If you publish the same useful tips at random, your target audience might miss that content.

So, regular posting keeps your audience engaged and builds a stronger connection with them.

Creating a content calendar that has a clear schedule of posts will help you stay consistent and maintain a steady flow of content.

8. Audit and adapt your editorial calendar as necessary.

It may take some time to perfect your editorial calendar.

If you begin with low engagement in the first couple of months, run a content audit and adapt your content calendar to better engage your followers.

Then, schedule regular audits to measure your content performance and use your content calendar to track the value of any strategic changes.

This is how creating an editorial calendar will make your content marketing more streamlined, organized, and effective.

Editorial Calendar Examples

You didn’t think I’d give you all this information and not include examples, did you? Of course, I’ve got you covered.

To help you implement an editorial calendar, here are real examples from a few of the most successful content teams out there. Check them out below and find out what makes their calendar so useful.

1. HubSpot Editorial Calendar [Template]

Platform: Excel

Free Download

The interactive HubSpot Editorial Calendar Template was built for writers and content strategists to outline their posting strategy.

Included are prompts for the content’s title, meta description, URL, CTA, and more. This template is completely free and can be used on both Google Sheets and Excel.

2. Buffer’s Editorial Calendar

Platform: Trello

This is the actual editorial calendar of Buffer, a social media content scheduling platform.

Naturally, the company’s content is supported by an editorial calendar that describes an assignment’s author, title, publish date, and where it is in the company’s editorial workflow.

Content can be in the “Ideas” stage, in the “Pipeline,” “In Progress,” or “Editing”.

Each rectangular tile shown above represents an individual piece of content — whether it’s a blog post, video, or even a podcast episode.

As you might be able to tell, Buffer’s editorial calendar is built on Trello, a popular project management tool.

And although you can use Trello more than one way, Buffer uses most of its available features so everyone has the information they need within a few clicks — regardless of what they do for the company and how the calendar affects their work.

3. Unbounce’s Editorial Calendar

Platform: Google Sheets

This is the editorial calendar of Unbounce, a creator of landing pages and related conversion tools for marketers as well as a HubSpot integration partner.

Unlike Buffer, this company uses Google Sheets to manage its entire content production, and the way they’ve customized the spreadsheet above would be pleasing to the eyes of any content creator.

In addition to organizing their projects by month, what you might notice from the screenshot above is that Unbounce also sorts their content by the campaign they’re serving — as per the first two columns on the left-hand side.

This allows the business to see what multiple assignments — listed vertically down the third column — have in common, and track content that extends beyond the Unbounce blog.

Shown below, the Unbounce blog has a separate editorial calendar in Google Sheets that allows the blog to work alongside the larger company initiatives.

Nonetheless, using spreadsheets for both content workflows has proven to be the best choice for the company’s growing operation.

“We’re a small content team, so other platforms would likely overcomplicate things,” says Colin Loughran, editor-in-chief at Unbounce.

Ultimately, this editorial calendar keeps Colin’s team in sync.

“While we try to lock dates a few weeks in advance,” he explains to me, “the reality is that sometimes we need to make changes very quickly. A product launch might move into a slot we’d planned for something else, for instance, or a guest contributor will be delayed in delivering a revised draft. When that’s the case, having a centralized resource that everyone can check is a necessary safety blanket.”

4. Hootsuite’s Content Calendar

Platform: Google Sheets and Hootsuite Planner

Hootsuite, another social media scheduling platform, has a ton of content to publish both daily and far out in advance. That makes their content calendar a major component of their production strategy.

Image Source

Due to the volume, the Hootsuite team creates content far in advance using Google Sheets to plan and organize across channels. Once the strategy is created and executed, posts that are ready to be published are represented on Hootsuite Planner.

Content Calendar Sample

Ready to make your own editorial calendar?

No matter which platform you ultimately want to work out of, a spreadsheet can help you take inventory of what content you have and how quickly it moves from start to finish.

Try our free Blog Editorial Calendar Templates.

Use the templates linked above to organize, categorize, and color code. These templates can help you target the right readers, optimize posts with the best keywords, and pair each topic with a killer call-to-action.

In this download, we’ve included three different templates for you to choose from.

Why three? I  recognize that not all content teams are the same. While some feel most efficient with a centralized editorial calendar solution, others may need the gentle push of an upcoming deadline right on their calendar.

So, you’ll have access to all three templates in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Google Calendar.

Plan Out Your Editorial Calendar with Ease

With a little customization, your blog calendar will be running smoothly, leaving you time to be the content-writing, lead-generating machine you strive to be.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published May 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

As a social media marketer or someone trying to build your social media presence, you know that it isn’t enough just to post new content — the times you post also play a crucial role.

So, if you are wondering what the best times to post on social media in 2024 are, I have got you covered. In this post, I have compiled some of the key statistics from leading studies on the best times to post on social media.

Best Time to Post on Instagram

Instagram has surpassed 2 billion monthly users, with most of its base accessing the platform via mobile.

Here are some of the most recent and relevant studies around the best time to post on Instagram:

• Based on analyzing 5.5 million social media posts, Buffer states that the best times to post on Instagram are 7 AM to 8 AM on weekdays.
• According to the same report, the best day to post on Instagram is Friday. The worst day is on Sunday.
• The worst times to post are 11 PM to 12 AM and 1 AM to 2 AM.
• SocialBee suggests that the best times to post on Instagram are between 11:00 AM and 02:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and at 10:00 AM on Saturdays.
• According to a SocialPilot study on over 50,000 Instagram accounts, the best time to post on Instagram is between 7 AM and 9 AM.
• Later states that the best time to post on Instagram is 4 AM.

Image Source

While posting at the right time is important, it is also important to optimize your posts with the right caption so that they reach the maximum audience. You can use tools like Hubspot AI Social Media Caption Generator to easily create engaging and impactful copy for your posts.

Best Time to Post on Facebook

When it comes to the best times to post on Facebook, marketers report almost identical numbers as they do on Instagram.

Image Source

• According to Buffer, the best time to post on Facebook is between 9 and 10 AM.
• The best days to post on Facebook are Fridays. The worst are on Saturdays and Sundays.
• The worst times to post are 4 AM to 5 AM and 11 PM to 12 AM.
• According to SocialBee, the best times to post on Facebook are between 8 AM and 1 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Best Time to Post on X (Twitter)

After analyzing over 1 million tweets, Buffer found that the best times to post on this text-based social media platform is 11 AM on Mondays and Fridays.

Image Source

• SocialBee states that the best time to post on X is between 9 AM and 4 PM on Thursdays and Fridays.
• For better engagement, SocialPilot suggests posting in the mornings between 8 AM and 10 AM and evenings between 6 PM and 9 PM on weekdays.
• On weekends, it’s best to post between 11 AM to 5 PM.

Best Time to Post on LinkedIn

Roughly 31% of U.S. adults use LinkedIn to network and share their professional endeavors. It’s no surprise that it’s the only social platform to report a weekday as one of the top days to post.

 

• CoSchedule suggests posting on LinkedIn at 12:00 PM, 10:00 AM, and 1:00 AM.
• The best days to post, according to them, are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Wednesdays.
• The lowest-performing days are Sundays, Saturdays, and Mondays.
• According to Buffer, you can get high engagement if you post between 9 AM and 5 AM on weekdays.
• SocialPilot states the best time is between 10 AM and 12 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Best Time to Post on Pinterest

• The best times to post on Pinterest, according to CoSchedule, are 12:00 PM, 6:17 PM, and 8:02 PM.
• The worst times are 4:00 AM, 5:00 AM, and 1:00 AM.
• The best days to post are Fridays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
• According to SocialPilot, the best times to post on Pinterest are on Fridays at 3 PM.
• On weekends, posting on Saturdays from 8 PM to 11 PM is ideal.

Best Time to Post on YouTube

82% of U.S. adults use YouTube and data from a 2023 Pew Research study suggests that its reach is growing. So, how can you get the best reach on the platform? Let’s dive in.

Image Source

• Buffer states that videos shared between 3 and 4 PM on Fridays tend to get the highest number of views.
• According to SocialPilot, the best time is between 2 PM and 4 PM on weekdays.
• Sunday is the best day to post, between 9 AM and 11 AM.

While reports and surveys state one thing, YouTube experts have a slightly different opinion on the best time to post on YouTube.

This is what Robert Benjamin, a social media expert with more than 708K subscribers on YouTube, has to say.

“Personally, I have found the best time to post to be 10 AM – 12 PM, but this can be largely dictated by the relationship that you have with your audience. My recommendation to anyone uploading YouTube content is that they try to post on a regular schedule so that their audience knows when to expect a video.”

Jensen Tung, a content creator and entrepreneur with more than 457K subscribers, believes that the best time to post depends on your audience demographic and time zone.

He states, “There is no one-size-fits-all best time to post. It depends on your audience’s demographic and the time zone most of your viewers are in … YouTube Studio can show the exact hours your audience watches your content. Let that data inform your posting time.”

Best Time to Post on TikTok

Since 2020, TikTok has become the go-to short-form video platform for Gen-Z and Millennial consumers.

Image Source

• Studies by SocialPilot show that the best time to post on TikTok is 10 to 11:50 AM, 2:30 to 4 PM, and 6:30 to 9:30 PM from Tuesdays to Thursdays.
• Hopper states 10 AM to 11 AM mid-week as the overall best time.
• According to Buffer, the best time is 2 PM on Mondays, 4 PM on Wednesdays, and 8 AM on Saturdays.

Creating an Effective Posting Schedule

Although each social network sees its engagement increase at specific hours and days of the week, you’ll still have to tailor your approach to your audience.

Use this data as a guide if you don’t have enough data yet. Once you start posting regularly and have collected data, review it to determine when your audience is most active on the platform and what posting schedule they respond to the most.

You may find that certain content types work better when posted at certain times. For instance, your videos may perform well when posting in the morning, while your images may do better in the late afternoon.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2017, but was updated for comprehensiveness.

If I were a creator, one of the first channels I’d explore is YouTube affiliate marketing.

Think about it: Whether you’re sharing a tutorial or a product review, you can add affiliate links to every YouTube video description you create.

Not only that, but you can also stack multiple links to products you recommend without having to put them all in one “link in bio.”

Plus, you don’t have to worry about viewers leaving your page to go search for your product recommendations. Instead, all they need to do is scroll down while watching your video.

While affiliate marketing is often seen on other channels like Instagram, TikTok, or blogs, creators sometimes overlook YouTube as a worthwhile affiliate channel.

So, I want to explore whether or not YouTube affiliate marketing works and how to do it well, according to experts.

Table of Contents:

• What is YouTube Affiliate Marketing?
• YouTube Affiliate Pros and Cons
• YouTube Affiliate Marketing Done Well
• YouTube Affiliate Marketing Blunders
• Does YouTube Affiliate Marketing Actually Work?

Like other affiliate channels, YouTube affiliate marketing relies on custom links to track the sales you generate from promoting to your audience.

On average, creators earn anywhere from $100 to $5,000 per month in affiliate revenue, according to data from Statista.

And while other channels like Instagram or blogs can be used for affiliate marketing, the industry’s investment in video is one reason creators and marketers should consider YouTube for their affiliate marketing platform of choice.

In fact, 52% of marketers leverage YouTube as part of their social strategy as video becomes a higher priority. You can learn more about YouTube marketing in this HubSpot Academy course.

YouTube Affiliate Marketing Pros and Cons

While I’ve watched many YouTube videos and purchased products using creators’ affiliate links, I’ve never experimented with YouTube affiliate marketing myself.

I was curious to learn what makes YouTube a good channel for affiliate marketing, who it’s best for, and why other channels may work better, so I talked to a few marketing experts.

Pro: Building Trust (with Users and Google)

The first advantage is that it allows creators to reflect their personalities and demonstrate their expertise and qualifications more easily.

“In the age of AI, consumers no longer follow text recommendations at face value,” suggests Austin Tuwiner, head of growth at Geniuslink and a long-time affiliate marketer and YouTuber.

“It’s more about who is behind those words. By establishing a history of videos and expertise in a niche, you will become an industry leader and a go-to source for information.”

Jesse Lakes, CEO and co-founder of Geniuslink, reiterates that trust is a factor not only with your audience but also with Google.

“YouTube’s search API isn’t experiencing the havoc caused by Google’s recent updates for website search, where many affiliate-based websites are getting penalized, unlisted, or just seeing their traffic radically drop,” he says.

Pro: Clickable Links

I don’t know about you, but one of my pet peeves about Instagram is not being able to click on links unless they’re in the bio.

When I get product recommendations from an influencer’s video or post, I’m sometimes deterred from visiting someone’s “link in bio” if it means having to click away from what I’m doing.

One of the greatest benefits of using YouTube for affiliate marketing is that it allows you to add many links to the video’s description.

Instead of having to click away from the video or open a new tab to search for the product mentioned, you can simply scroll down a bit to click on the affiliate links.

Plus, Lakes suggests that regular YouTube users are already familiar with the act of finding a product link, so there’s no need to “train” your audience to perform a specific behavior.

Pro: Long-form Content

Another advantage of using YouTube for affiliate marketing is the ability to thoroughly discuss and consistently feature the product in videos.

This is due to the long-form nature, suggests Samantha Zink, founder of Zink Talent, an influencer talent agency.

“Unlike static images or quick videos on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, YouTube allows for a vlog-style approach, providing ample time to showcase and sell the product effectively,” says Zink.

She adds, “Longer-form videos offer more opportunity to engage the audience and highlight the product‘s benefits. YouTube’s audience tends to appreciate vlog-style content, fostering a deeper connection and potentially increasing purchase likelihood.”

Con: Platform Risk

Like all other social media channels, you don’t own your audience. YouTube isn’t immune from algorithm changes, and most creators rely on the algorithm to drive traffic to their videos.

Tuwiner highlights this risk, saying that, “Even if you master the algorithm, it can change at any time, sending your traffic and affiliate commissions downhill.”

If you’re like me, this might make you a little uncomfortable and will be a risk that you have to weigh as you move forward with your affiliate marketing.

Con: Production Time

Another consideration while pursuing YouTube affiliate channels is that it usually takes much more time and resources to create content for YouTube than other channels.

Creating a long-form, high-quality video requires recording (which usually entails multiple takes), editing, and then optimizing for YouTube search.

Depending on the type of content you create, you may not want to spend a lot of time making this kind of video.

However, Tuwiner suggests that if the ROI is good enough, the time investment is worth it.

Con: Limited Tools

Lakes also suggests another potential disadvantage of using YouTube affiliate channels is the lack of platform-specific tools.

“YouTube has been trying to roll out tools for improved product recommendations but the general consensus so far has been that they aren’t great or very rewarding,” he says.

Affiliate Marketing Done Well

So, how does affiliate marketing on YouTube look in practice? I found some videos that demonstrate how to execute YouTube affiliate marketing successfully.

Life With Mar

Product reviews are some of the best types of videos for affiliate marketing, and I wanted to include an example of a product review video demonstrating how to successfully use YouTube as an affiliate channel.

Below is a clothing review and try-on video created by blogger and YouTuber Life With Mar.

In this video, Marlene Srdic, the creator behind the channel, reviews multiple items from the lifestyle brand Quince. I personally am a fan of that brand, so I was curious to hear someone else’s unfiltered opinion.

In the video, Srdic shares multiple outfits that she put together using pieces from her Quince haul. However, she also pairs the Quince pieces with clothing and accessories from other brands and adds those affiliate links to her description.

As you can see in the screenshot of her video description below, Srdic adds affiliate links and codes for everything she is seen wearing in the video, even if she doesn’t specifically mention it.

Image Source

In fact, Srdic shared with me that link organization is key for YouTube affiliate marketing.

“I usually number them on the screen and in the description box so people can find them easily,” she says. “I also try to describe the product if the product name itself isn’t super clear.”

Why I think it works: Finding organic ways to include as many affiliate links as possible is a smart move on Srdic’s part. But it’s also helpful for viewers like me who may be looking for more shopping recommendations.

And when it comes to making recommendations that your audience trusts, authenticity is key, says Zink.

“The key is to authentically incorporate affiliate products into your content, ensuring that each mention feels natural and genuine,” suggests Zink. “By consistently featuring the product across multiple videos, viewers will develop trust in your endorsement and believe that you genuinely use and love it.”

Linus Tech Tips

How-to videos and tutorials are another type of video that works well for affiliate marketing. One channel that successfully shares these types of videos is Linus Tech Tips, an industry leader in consumer tech.

Here’s an example of one of their successful tutorial videos, which has 12 million views and counting:

I like this video because it’s a helpful tutorial for anyone interested in building a PC. But from a marketing perspective, it also offers an organic opportunity to link to specific products and parts mentioned throughout the video.

Why I think it works: Building a gaming computer is not an easy task. It involves many steps and many parts. This video solves both problems by breaking down the process step by step, mentioning every part involved, and letting viewers know where they can buy those parts.

This video also integrates both active and passive recommendations, which Lakes suggests are the main categories of affiliate links you can use on YouTube.

Active recommendations are the recommendations for the products and services used or highlighted directly in the video.

Passive recommendations are typically seen in the second half of the description.

These are typically the same for each video and can help answer more general questions and recommendations, such as what gear was used to create the video or what products or services the creator regularly recommends.

Affiliate Marketing Blunders

It can also be helpful to see how *not* to do affiliate marketing on YouTube.

Out of curiosity, I searched YouTube for “freelancing tools” to find a video that recommended freelancing products and services and included affiliate links.

I clicked on the first one I saw. (Since this is for research purposes and not to shame anyone, I have blocked out the channel name).

Image Source

The entire video lacks personalization. In addition to featuring stock video clips and quick product demos, I’m fairly certain it uses an AI voiceover to read its list of recommendations.

When it comes to the affiliate links, it’s clear that they were just dumped into the description in the order they were listed with no additional personalization.

Image Source

All of this to say, if I were in the market for new freelancing tools to add to my tech stack, would I trust the recommendations that came from this video? The answer is no.

There’s nothing compelling about this video from a viewer’s perspective.

While the thumbnail that says “13 Best Tools for Freelancers for 2024” may have encouraged me to click the video, hearing a robotic voiceover made me want to exit immediately.

What I’d Change: This video comes from a company channel and not a creator, but I think it would be worthwhile to designate someone from the company to be the face of the YouTube channel.

I am way more likely to trust a human who’s suggesting their favorite tools over a faceless, voiceless computer making recommendations.

As Zink says, “Affiliate marketing thrives with creators who possess the skill for selling, regardless of the size of their following. It’s crucial for them to cultivate a loyal audience deeply invested in their recommendations.”

Does YouTube Affiliate Marketing Actually Work?

If you’re comfortable creating long-form videos and investing time into the channel, affiliate marketing on YouTube is worth it.

However, there’s one caveat: you have to build an audience *before* you try monetizing your videos. For affiliate marketing to work, you must first get traffic and views on your videos. This takes time and dedication.

You’ll have to figure out what types of videos drive the most traffic, try out various thumbnail designs to see what attracts viewers, and experiment with different content structures to understand your retention rate.

Lakes suggests, “Until you are actually getting some views on your videos, some engagement in your comments, and your subscriber count is beginning to grow regularly, it’s not worth focusing on affiliate marketing.”

Once you prioritize subscriber growth, views, and retention rate, you can gradually start adding affiliate links for products or services that make the most sense for your videos and audience.

Growing and understanding your metrics is also important if you want to get into YouTube ads, too. You’ll need to know what your CPM, or cost per 1,000 impressions, is to see how much advertisers will pay to reach your audience.

To sum it up, YouTube affiliate marketing works.

From what I’ve seen, you must put in the work to create valuable video content and build an audience. But once you do, YouTube affiliate channels can be a great way to increase your revenue and exercise your influence.

An About page is the perfect place to learn the ins and outs of a brand. It tells you their mission, values, journey, and what others think about them.

But condensing all of this into a few paragraphs is a tall order.

You need a solid structure and a creative layout for your About Us page to leave a lasting impression on visitors — and keep them coming back for more.

I reviewed dozens of About Us and About Me pages to handpick 26 awesome examples for your inspiration. You’ll also find ready-to-use About page templates to get started in minutes.

But first, I’ll share my best tips for writing and designing a stellar About page.

We’ll cover:

• What makes a good About page?
• How to Write a Winning About Page: A Plug-and-Play Guide
• 7 Tips for Designing a Beautiful + Functional About Page
• About Us Page Templates and Examples
• About Me Page Templates and Examples
• Frequently Asked Questions on About Pages

Featured Resource: Our 29 Favorite About Us Pages

Download the guide to review what we love about these amazing about us page examples, plus a few tips about how to make one of your own.

What makes a good About page?

A good About page shares your unique story and gives people a glimpse into what it’d be like working with you (as an individual or company).

It should be equally fun and meaningful to resonate with the intended audience. You can document your journey of starting a business with visuals to make the page more appealing.

There’s no one-fits-all structure for About pages because they’re personal to you and your company. However, I’ve curated seven best practices after reviewing some of the best About pages.

Let’s break down the step-by-step process to design a stellar About page.

How to Write a Winning About Page: A Plug-and-Play Guide

I looked at dozens of About pages to understand exactly what goes into creating a beautiful yet functional page introducing you/your company.

I’ve condensed all my learnings from this exercise into a 7-step guide for building an excellent About page.

1. Establish your mission statement.

Your About page can and will be more comprehensive than a single mission statement.

However, to draw people in, you need to succinctly state your goals up top.

What is your business here to do? Why should your website visitors care? This information gives readers something to remember about your company long after they leave your website.

I found that the best About pages quickly tell you the individual/company’s big-picture goals. Here’s a great example from Cosmix — the About page gives you a six-word summary of their biggest goal and shares their three core values.

2. Create a narrative around your story.

Every business has a story to tell.

Even if you’re running a startup with a brief history, you’ll want to share why you started this company in the first place and how you’re planning to reach your goals.

Talk about how you reached where you are today and what you plan to accomplish next.

Miro’s About page shares a short snippet about the company’s origin story. It perfectly explains the problems that nudged their founder, Andrey Khusid, to build the tool and how it’s achieving this purpose.

💡 Pro tip: Isolate the milestones before your company’s founding and use them to give readers some backstory on your current venture.

3. Outline how you’ve evolved.

There’s no shame in admitting how your business strategy — or even your way of thinking — has evolved since you began. In fact, talking about your pivots makes your story more layered and intriguing.

An About page is the perfect place to talk about where you started, how you’ve grown, and the ideals that have helped your organization mature.

Use these moments to show people that you’re always ready to change and adapt to the needs of your industry.

Buffer’s About page shares a complete timeline of events in the company’s history — from 2010, when it was first created as a group project, to its present-day milestones.

4. Emphasize your “aha!” moment.

Every good company was founded on an idea — something the current marketplace might not yet offer. And that’s what makes your story truly unique.

Think about the idea that made all of this happen and use this “aha!” moment as a focus point when telling your company story.

What was a challenge you faced while developing your company? How did this challenge or discovery shape what you are today?

The best way to create an aha! moment is to make it personal — share the exact story of what you struggled with. Here’s an awesome example by Chutnefy where the founders wrote a personalized letter to share where it all began.

5. Talk about your audience.

Your About page shouldn’t talk only about you.

You want to share your story while also telling your audience what’s in it for them. Turn the spotlight on your audience by explaining what you’re trying to achieve to make their lives easier and better.

Think of it as a way to show prospects that you know them and that you can help them. Trainn’s About page highlights what’s in it for users, emphasizing its unique differentiator.

6. Share your brand values.

Potential employees are a secondary audience of your company’s About page.

And your About page gives them a glimpse of what it’s like working at your company. It should explain why anyone should join your team.

That’s why you can highlight your core brand values and illustrate how you work as a team. Done right, this allows you to hire job candidates who align with everything your company represents.

Your values speak a lot about your business and set clear expectations for those who want to work with you. Canva does a great job at sharing its core values with a short explanation of what each value means for your team.

7. Add social proof.

Create credibility in your About page by adding customer logos, employee testimonials, media coverage, and more. Consider giving a shoutout to your most successful clients and linking to a case study.

This social proof gives people a better perspective on your brand and creates a positive impression. Here’s how Webflow cites a few media snippets on its About page to gain people’s trust and give them more insights about the brand.

7 Tips for Designing a Beautiful + Functional About Page

A brilliant About page design goes beyond just incorporating your company color schemes. The visuals, fonts, and colors you use can make a huge difference for end-users.

Here are seven tips for designing an About page that makes people tick!

1. Choose a good color palette.

Humans have a natural response to different colors, and the colors you choose can impact your conversion rates. That’s why you need to design your About page with color psychology in mind.

For instance, blue connotes security, strength, wisdom, and trust. Both BlueCross BlueShield’s logo and web page make use of the color to reinforce that their patients are in knowledgeable hands.

2. Humanize your brand with visuals.

Your About page’s visuals can humanize your brand and resonate better with your audience. What’s even more important is to use visuals of real people, not stock photos. For instance, HubSpot’s About page has an image of our founders.

And let’s not forget the cute dog beside our CTO! This photo makes our brand warm to users and helps us show the faces behind the HubSpot brand.

Go a step further by using videos to tell your company’s story. People seek connection, and there’s no better way to connect than to appear on camera.

Here’s an example of a video from HubSpot’s About Us page:

3. Choose some awesome staff photos.

Most About Us pages include photos of staff — whether that be the C-suite, the founders, or all members of your team. If possible, opt for professional headshots on a neutral background.

Ideally, your team’s photos will have a similar color scheme to your company’s colors. Make sure both headshot backgrounds and your team’s outfits do not clash with the colors already on your site.

Literal Humans’ About page shares a great example of how you can show your team on the page — it includes each employee’s image, title, location, and a short blurb about them.

4. Use readable fonts.

Finding quality fonts is crucial when designing an About Us page. If you want to use more than one font, tools like fontpair will provide you with excellent font combinations.

Additionally, you want to make sure your font is accessible to individuals with disabilities. This ensures all your visitors have a rich experience when going through your About page.

Image Source

5. Avoid long paragraphs and sentences.

Long sentences and paragraphs make your content difficult for readers to consume. As a general rule, your paragraphs shouldn’t exceed 3-4 lines, and each sentence should be under 20 words.

Bonus: Shorter blocks of text make your page easily scannable across different screen sizes!

6. Make the page responsive.

Not everyone will visit your page on their desktop browsers. Many will visit from their tablets and smartphones. Responsive design makes sure your page looks great on all devices.

There are several paid tools to check your page responsiveness. But if you prefer free tools, this responsive design checker is an excellent option for testing the appearance of your About Us page on 26 ​​screen sizes.

7. Improve page load time.

No matter the size of your business, you’ll want your About page to load fast. If your page takes too long to load, visitors will click away.

You can check your page speed using Google’s PageSpeed Insights. If you find your About page takes too long to load, consider reducing the size of your images.

About Us Page Templates and Examples

About Us Templates

You can easily create an About Us template for your company website. No matter your business, your About page should include:

• A mission statement. This describes the purpose of your business as it relates to the industry or market you serve.
• A vision statement. Outline the future of your business in this section.
• Your values. Core values help the reader connect with you and your business on a personal level.
• A target market summary. Your site visitors want to know that they’re in the right place and that your company can help them.
• A brief company history. Besides piquing your visitors’ interest, a brief company history can help the press describe your business accurately.

After you write a draft, you can use one of HubSpot’s done-for-you website templates to create your page layout. You can install and customize these templates in minutes.

Done-for-you About Us Page Templates

While the copy is an important element of your About page, you’ll also want to showcase your brand story and identity to the world. I’ve curated these About page templates to help you create a compelling user experience.

1. Touraza Template (WordPress)

If you want something with a little flavor, the Touraza template is a tasteful choice. With the “meet the team” section near the top, geometric designs, and striking typography, you’ll be able to showcase the humans behind your brand.

2. Logan Template (Shopify)

This template makes use of large images in a modern layout to break up the ample white space. The result: a clean and enjoyable reading experience.

The top of the page puts the brand story (or other introductory text) first, supported by a large image that speaks for itself. The pops of color can be customized to your brand style, drawing emphasis to your CTA.

3. Munchies Template (WordPress)

This theme is great for small businesses with a brief company history. You can start by explaining your mission concisely, then jump right into important links.

4. Mobirise Template (WordPress)

This visually compelling page allows you to disperse information evenly. The excellent use of white space means there’ll be no giant wall of text to impede readability for your web page visitors.

You can briefly describe your history at the top of the page. The three icons allow you to lay out your most important values. Plus, the page features a carousel, so you can include headshots and titles for your teammates.

Best About Us Page Examples

1. Yellow Leaf Hammocks

Good stories humanize your brand, providing context and meaning for your offering. What’s more, good stories are sticky — which means people are more likely to connect with them and pass them on.

Yellow Leaf Hammocks tells users about its product by describing how the hammocks empower artisan weavers and their families. The company breaks down different pieces of the story into sections that combine words and easily digestible graphics.

What I love: Yellow Leaf put their storytelling skills to work on their About page. They use descriptive and emotive copy and gorgeous graphics. I find that an About page with a story works harder for their business than a generic one.

2. Eight Hour Day

Some people think About Us pages have to sound formal to gain credibility and trust. Well, that’s not entirely correct because most people find it easier to trust not-so-formal human beings. So keep your About page friendly and real.

Take inspiration from Eight Hour Day. They humanize their brand by showcasing the people behind the company.

What I love: Introducing the founders with inviting photos on this About Us page drives home the point that Nathan and Katie are “two individuals with a passion for creativity — creativity makes us happy.”

3. Apptopia

People want to know what your business does and how it can help them. After all, if people can’t figure out what you do, how will they know they need your product or service?

So, skip the industry lingo — that’s what Apptopia does on its About Us page. Their simple but polished language effectively communicates the company’s offering while still allowing the average person to understand it.

What I love: Apptopia uses short and punchy sentences to explain complex products and ideas in a way that isn’t patronizing. I appreciate how the copy on this About Us page leads with empathy.

4. Moz

Instead of following the classic About Us script, try something different. Take Moz, for example. A lot has happened since they founded the company in 2004. This page shares the company’s milestones using a fun and clean design.

Moz’s About Us page incorporates clear headers, concise blurbs, and little graphics to break up the text.

What I love: When looking at this page, I noted the humble references to how Moz received funding, how it switched its brand positioning — and, most importantly, how it switched back to its original model.

This speaks volumes about the importance of honesty and humility for your customers.

5. Yokel Local

On its About page, Yokel Local spotlights its clients, its story and mission, and the team behind the brand.

This last element is vital because Yokel Local knows that its vibe wins over prospective clients. After all, when you hire an agency, you’re hiring its people. And people have personalities.

What I love: Because “Yokel Local” is a bit of a kooky name that gives people pause, the company pokes fun at it by providing the definition.

This leads to photos of the team at work (and at play), the agency’s story, its mission and values, and the people who make the magic happen.

I love how this page ties the banding of the page together.

6. Nike

Nike began on the campus of the University of Oregon at the hand of the college’s track coach, Bill Bowerman.

Even though he no longer works at the company, one of his beloved quotes still stands at the bottom of Nike’s About Us page:

“If you have a body, you are an athlete.” This bold sentence, referenced by the asterisked “athlete” in the words right above it, sheds important light on Nike’s audience.

The brand may be big today, but Nike is all about the rising stars whom the company depends on, according to the rest of its About Us page, to “expand human potential.”

What I love: Nike clearly knows its audience and makes its mission obvious to them as soon as they land on the About Us page. There’s no question that the visitor is in the right place and understands exactly what Nike has set out to do.

I also love that the page shows off the design of their shoes.

7. Bulldog Skincare

The best About Us pages use a good mix of colors, have personality, and stay true to a company’s unique brand voice. Let’s look at Bulldog, a skincare brand for men.

The About page is pithy and leads with a cute bulldog — fitting the name and the brand. It also states the purpose of the products — to help customers from waking up with the (admittedly adorable) wrinkly face you see when you visit Bulldog’s website.

What I love: Bulldog isn’t afraid to have fun with its brand. I find that this humor makes this About Us page anything but typical. It primes visitors for a story in a way that makes them immediately feel connected to Bulldog’s mission and vision.

8. Doomtree

Made up of talented artists with thriving solo careers, Doomtree brings these musicians together to work on creative projects as a crew.

The group “started as a mess of friends in Minneapolis, fooling around after school, trying to make music without reading the manual.”

As soon as you arrive on Doomtree’s About page, you’re greeted with big, bold photos of those friends.

As you scroll down, you get more interaction with the crew’s events and music tracks. That makes sense because it gives visitors an instant sample of Doomtree’s product.

Pro tip: Find ways to use multimedia elements. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video will be worth many times more. Consider combining your unique story with audio and visuals like Doomtree.

9. Below the Fold

Below the Fold is a company committed to “sharing news stories you aren’t hearing anywhere else.”

With that in mind, the big headline on the About page introduces the company’s purpose. Further down, you’ll find four core values, how the business generates revenue, and more details about the team behind the scenes.

What I love: This page gets straight to the point about what Below the Fold is, who it serves, and why it exists. The simple design lacks color, embellishments, and sensational imagery.

These choices make it easier for me to focus on what the company has to say — a direct nod to the mission statement.

10. Ceros

Ceros’ About Us page is interactive and engaging. As you scroll, you see a timeline of the company’s achievements since 2006.

Next, there’s the awesome design of awards the company has received. This positions Ceros as the choice brand for potential job seekers.

What I love: Ceros keeps the text on the page short and sweet, with powerful statements like “our mission is to inspire & unlock creativity.” I’m immediately drawn in without distractions.

11. Sweet Loren’s

From start to finish, Sweet Loren’s About Us page is playful, engaging, and colorful. The page starts with a 60-second video and even incorporates cookie dough-scooping gifs.

As you scroll, you’ll move through some of Sweet Loren’s impressive values, including inclusivity and refusing to compromise.

What I love: Sweet Loren’s yummy products are last on the page, ensuring you’re fully primed to purchase only after learning about Sweet Loren’s mission.

Every photo also features the product, which showcase their offerings and make me hungry.

12. TalEx

TalEx began when two women left a major recruiting firm to build their own. TalEx has since seen unprecedented growth at 4,900% in the first three years. The company’s About page captures this history and more.

What I love: The company’s emphasis on social responsibility takes up nearly half the page, making this core value clear. The statement explains TalEx’s commitment to donate 5% of its annual net profit to philanthropic organizations.

When I visit the site, I know immediately that giving back is important to the team at TalEx.

13. LoveBug Probiotics

LoveBug Probiotics’ page effectively includes all the information you’d need on the company to make an informed purchasing decision.

That includes how the founder came up with the idea, her personal ties to the vision, and the science behind her probiotic.

While the products are science-backed, the About Us page doesn’t confuse visitors with difficult-to-understand facts. Instead, the page is straightforward and helpful.

What I love: This About Us page features an image of the founder’s four young children wearing “Chief Fun Officer,” “Chief Giggle Office,” “Chief Silly Officer,” and “Chief Humor Officer” T-shirts.

There aren’t many pages with cuter introductions than that.

14. Brown and Coconut

Sometimes, simpler is better — as is the case with Brown and Coconut. This About Us page features a few paragraphs of text outlining the brand’s story and vision.

Brown and Coconut’s About page uses no-fuss language to describe the business.

What I love: Rather than ending with a CTA directing visitors to its products, the co-founders choose to include a CTA for visitors to follow the business on its social channels, thus promoting a more effective, long-term lead generation strategy that starts with brand awareness.

15. Kuno Creative

Kuno Creative’s About page effectively focuses on what makes the company different: its people.

While the first paragraph describes the origin of the digital marketing agency, black-and-white headshots of all its employees take most of the page up, along with descriptions of each member.

What I love: If you’re unsure what you want to include on your About Us page, consider noting how Kuno Creative focuses on its people, rather than its product. I find that this approach offers a great way to humanize your brand.

About Me Page Templates and Examples

About Me Template

About me pages vary‌, but most great pages include a few standard elements. Make sure you include the following information on your page.

• Your purpose: This describes your purpose for doing the work you do. What gets you out of bed each morning? Try using the Ikigai map for guidance here.
• Vision statement: Who are you, and where are you headed? Believe it or not, people are looking to you for leadership‌. Show them how you’re leading your life and what inspires you to move forward.
• Your core values: Personal core values help the reader connect with you and find common ground.
• Personal statement: Whether you share your hobbies, family life, or fun facts, a brief personal summary helps the reader relate to you on a personal level.

Next, you’ll see these elements in action in the examples below.

Done-for-you About Me Page Templates

1. Coax Template (WordPress)

The Coax template allows the typography and copy to take center stage.

This text-centric approach highlights your personal accomplishments and sells your services. Consider laying out content like a resume with big subheads on the left and descriptive text on the right.

Plus, this template is powered by Elementor, a page builder that makes customization easy.

2. One-page Portfolio Template

Instead of a wall of text, this About Me page is neatly divided into separate sections. The text at the top of the page allows you to describe your mission and background.

The icons in the next section call attention to three specific services you provide. Further down the page, you can explain those services in greater detail. You can also include photos to show what you can do.

3. Beckham Template

Your About Me page should provide a highlight of your accomplishments, as well as an overview of your service. This template can help you put your best foot forward.

The Beckham template includes a suggested place to link your resume, as well as sections to show off previously completed projects.

Near the bottom of the page, you can show off important numbers. That includes how many clients you have, how many projects you’ve completed, and how much coffee you drank.

4. Calvin Template

For personal websites, consider placing your contact information front and center. Your visitors shouldn’t have to search to see how they can reach out.

The Calvin template makes integrating your contact information and personal story seamless. This template leads with email and phone numbers, and you can outline your services before including links to your work.

Best About Me Page Examples

1. Joe Payton

The style and tone of your About page should match the services you provide. Let’s look at Joe Payton’s website as an example.

Not only do Joe’s illustrative self-portraits give him a personal brand that customers will remember, but they also show his expertise as a designer and animator. His website visitors can learn what he does in an easily digestible way.

What I love: Joe freely expresses his values as a creative professional on a well-organized page. He tells a story that guides the reader through each section, without having them scroll endlessly to the bottom of the page.

I also love the art throughout.

2. Aja Frost

All right, we might be biased in highlighting this professional, as Aja is our very own director of English growth at HubSpot. Nonetheless, the ingenuity she brings to the company isn’t lost on her website’s About Me page.

Being a data-driven professional, Aja knows her clients are looking for more than her writing skills.

They want to see how her content has performed. With that in mind, her About Me page tells a story of her career growth, which peaks — no pun intended — at an impressive line graph showing the result of an SEO strategy she implemented for the HubSpot Blog.

What I love: Aja understands the value of being personable even in a digital space like an About Me page. She closes out her About page with a personal note on what she does in her spare time — a great way to humanize yourself in the eyes of your potential customers.

3. Madison Butler

Madison Butler is an HR change-maker “committed to deconstructing the status quo and rebuilding corporate America, one organization at a time.” She does this through her DEI work and her advocacy.

Her About page, which doubles as the site’s homepage, calls this out at the very top in one bold statement: “I am here to ensure organizations know how to make space for everyone.”

What I love: Madison’s About page is effective because it stays true to her mission while being simple, effective, and to the point. The second sentence, “You belong here,” underscores the inclusivity of Butler’s mission and work.

I like how this page showcases Butler’s personality.

4. Sara Dietschy

This professional YouTube content creator has an eclectic collection of videos related to technology and culture and expresses that diversity all over her About Me page.

Besides the vibrant self-portrait at the top of the page, Sara’s first sentence tells you just how many people subscribe to her channel: 835,000.

This is an important number to know for her potential video advertisers and collaborators who want to know how much exposure they’d get by working with her or advertising on her channel.

What I love: The color text on her page highlights key information. This helps the reader navigate the page and understand what’s important for them to know.

5. ShaDrena

ShaDrena is a graphic artist whose mission is to “visually build creative rebellious brands beyond a logo.”

In three sections — about, bio, and random facts — the audience gets the full ShaDrena experience, which is more than just design. It’s also about voice and personality.

As a self-described “creative hustler,” “rule-breaker,” and “designer of dope brands,” the language ShaDrena uses on her site comes across as edgy and authentic.

What I love: ShaDrena’s About page is counterintuitive to what someone might expect from a graphic artist. ShaDrena presented most of the content in black, white, and gray, which puts all the focus on the composition of her design.

6. Marc Ensign

On his About page, Marc Ensign takes his work seriously without taking himself too seriously.

Marketers know there’s value in keeping a casual tone in the content they create, but to attract customers, you need to prove you have discipline and integrity. This often proves to be a tough balance to get right.

What I love: Marc Ensign nails the balance between friendly and formal with a confident opening statement. This draws me in and establishes Marc as a relatable partner to work with.

7. Miracle Inameti-Archibong

With an excellent design that emphasizes her copy, Miracle Inameti-Archibong’s site is a master class on how to do a one-page website well.

Miracle presents the content with large, clear images, bold colors, dynamic angles and blocks, and simple typography.

What I love: Miracle’s About Me section spans over a decade, but it’s laid out in just four sentences. I can easily understand her career span without being overwhelmed with excess information.

8. Haley Shapley

Haley is a freelance writer and editor who uses a single-page format for her website to showcase her personality, writing samples, and professional services.

The site also features a very cool animated video effect in the background, creating a sense of space and movement.

What I love: Haley leads with an important number: She can write over 100 articles a year. Starting with an impressive data point helps show her level of experience.

I also love how being strong and “shapely” are a central part of her brand.

9. Amy Blaschka

Amy Blaschka’s portfolio features plenty of white space, balanced out with a bright blue header that really pops and orange buttons for conversion actions (i.e., “Let’s talk”).

Her use of video to explain what she does also helps her stand out in a crowded space.

What I love: To showcase her creativity and individuality, Amy has a list of bullet points of things she loves and things she doesn’t love.

She also provides website visitors with three (yes, three!) different versions of her bio: a short one (under 75 words), one that’s longer (under 150 words), and her full bio, which takes up an entire page.

By doing this, she’s showing her talent for crafting messaging and educating prospective customers about who she is. Very sneaky, Amy!

10. Cathy Derus

Cathy Derus’ site features bold images and crisp text.

The site also highlights Cathy’s appearances in major media outlets and publications, like Entrepreneur and Cosmopolitan.

What I love: Cathy’s about section features a full-page image of Cathy on her laptop, with a brief text introduction directly to the right of her.

Instead of breaking up the image with text, Cathy overlays the text on the actual image, so website visitors get the feeling they are actually in her office with her.

I find that this is a great way to build credibility.

11. Matt Gray

Matt is a serial entrepreneur who now manages a portfolio of “soulful businesses.”

His website promotes the paid courses he’s developed for entrepreneurs and the one-on-one coaching he provides to those looking for a more personalized touch.

Matt’s site provides plenty of content to help visitors understand who he is and what he does. The focus of the site is very simple: to get visitors to convert by signing up for his email newsletter.

What I love: Below the bio section, Matt breaks down his offerings in a simple 1-2-3 format, providing something for everybody.

Lower on the page, I can find a mailing list sign-up form with a commitment of what subscribers will receive by signing up.

12. Iryna Fedchenko

Iryna, a digital entrepreneur and lifestyle influencer, uses her About page to share her story and successful collaborations with notable brands.

With a simple white background, her stunning images take mainstage. She offers samples of her work on the same page, along with brand logos for social proof and numbers demonstrating her reach.

What I love: This is a great example of an About page for a personal brand because the brand itself is about her.

She shows off her accomplishments while inviting website visitors to explore her work, follow her on social, or reach out to work with her.

Frequently Asked Questions on About Pages

1. How do I write an About Us page?

Here’s a plug-and-play guide to creating an About Us page:

• Establish your mission statement.
• Create a narrative around your story.
• Outline how your brand has evolved.
• Emphasize your “aha!” moment.
• Talk about your audience.
• Share your brand values.
• Add social proof.

2. What is the point of an About Us page?

An About Us page gives your audience a closer look at your brand. It shares your brand’s mission, values, and story to tell people what you’re building and why.

This page gives prospects a complete picture of your business and encourages potential employees to join the team. It’s also a good place for investors to learn more about your brand.

3. How do I write an About Me page example?

When writing an About Me page, remember to let your personality shine through and share your skills, experiences, interests, and more.

You can also add visuals to make the page more intriguing for your audience and show them both your business + fun side!

Tell the World All About You

Now that you’ve seen examples, it’s time to build your own About page. With a good story to tell, creative copy, humility, and digestible visuals, you’re on your way to an eye-catching user experience.

You’ll be standing out from a sea of About Us and About Me pages in no time. So, tell us, what makes you different? We’re eager to learn more about you.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

As a blog writer, I see good and bad blog format examples every day.

While I like to think that the content is the only thing that draws people to a blog post and keeps them reading, I know that the layout and blog format also play a huge factor.

Images, text, and links need to be optimized just right — otherwise, readers might abandon your blog post if it’s not appealing and easy to follow or doesn’t generate more interest.

That’s why I’ve compiled some of the best blog format examples to help you design the perfect blog for your readers.

Blog Layout Tips

Coming from a blog writer and reader, I know that your blog layout is just as important as the content inside.

Not only is blog layout important for the reader experience, but some elements can also help you optimize your blog for search and make it easier to share.

If you want to improve your blog layout, I have a few tips to make it interesting and easy to read.

1. Create catchy titles.

Your blog title is the first thing people see.

Whether they’re scrolling through the search results or skimming your blog homepage, the headline must be strong enough to pique their interest.

Make sure your blog title is not only interesting but also accurately describes the article’s topic.

In my experience, I usually come up with at least five different title options when I’m drafting a new blog post.

And here’s good news for those who are particularly verbose: Research shows that longer is better when it comes to length.

A study by Backlinko found that blog headlines between 14 and 17 words generated the highest number of social shares.

2. Make it visual.

If you’ve written a long blog post, break up large chunks of text with images, infographics, videos, and charts.

Not only does this keep readers visually engaged, but interactive blog formats drive time on page.

According to benchmark data from Databox, the average time on page for a B2B blog post is one minute and 30 seconds. The average time on page for a B2C blog post is one minute and 26 seconds.

Here’s an example of how that looks on one of HubSpot’s blog posts:

Image Source

Educational content, like posts that explain why/what and include varied media, can also drive backlinks.

A content study conducted by Backlinko and BuzzSumo found that blog posts with infographics received 25.8% more links than those without.

Data aside, think about what you’d prefer when reading a blog post: 2,000 words of text with no visual breaks or a long blog post that uses educational or interactive graphics to help tell the story.

3. Make it skimmable.

In addition to using strong visuals throughout, you should also ensure your blog post is easy to read.

In my experience, if I can’t digest the main talking points with one quick scroll, then I’m more likely to leave the page.

You can improve your blog format by adding more structure and organization. Start by adding a table of contents or a quick summary at the top of your post.

Then, add plenty of headers and subheads to separate each section or idea.

Quick SEO tip: When formatting your blog post, your title should be in H1, headings should be in H2, and subheadings are in H3 and H4.

You should also be mindful of spacing and readability. To break up large amounts of text, add plenty of line breaks between thoughts and use bullet points when listing things.

4. Write long-form content.

If you want to increase your blog posts’ shareability, try making them longer.

Brian Dean of Backlinko found that blog posts with over 1,000 words received 56% more social media shares than content with less than 1,000 words.

Image Source

Essentially, the more you write, the more information people will find interesting and want to share on social media. More social media shares can lead to more traffic to your blog post.

As someone who regularly writes 2,000-word blog posts, I can tell you that the key to writing long blog posts is to make sure you’re actually providing value.

Value-packed blog posts are more shareable and engaging than those that don’t teach or provide the reader with anything.

If you can share something original — such as proprietary data, first-hand experience, or unique visuals — you’re giving the reader a reason to stay on your blog or take another action on your site.

That’s because you’re providing something they can’t find on another blog.

5. Include strong CTAs.

A common mistake I see on blogs is not including a call-to-action (CTA).

You may write the most interesting and informative article, but if you don’t tell the reader what to do next, they’ll simply move on.

It’s essential to include a CTA on every blog post.

A CTA encourages readers to take another step. This could be checking out more posts, downloading your latest ebook, or subscribing to your newsletter.

Depending on your goals, a blog can sit anywhere in your marketing funnel. Most blogs are set up to be top-of-funnel (TOFU), meaning they generate traffic by covering topics people want to learn about.

However, I’ve seen plenty of blogs that are formatted to be powerful lead-generation tools.

HubSpot, for example, excels at weaving in relevant CTAs throughout every post. Like this one, which encourages readers to download free templates:

Image Source

Blog Format Examples

1. HubSpot

Image Source

HubSpot’s blog finds a way to pack a lot of exciting content into the page while still being easy on the eyes.

Notice that, above the fold, it features one blog post with a large image, title, and CTA to read more. The featured image is unique to the brand, with an appealing combination of photography and graphics to draw the eye.

To the right, there’s a list of top posts to engage readers with the wide variety of content on the blog. This makes it easy for readers to connect with HubSpot or learn more.

Plus, there’s consistency. As you scroll down the page, each section is visually consistent, no matter what topic, podcast, video, or blog post you’re looking for. This strategy can help you build brand trust.

2. Alloy

When I first landed on Alloy’s blog, it was clear the blog format was built with user experience in mind.

On the homepage, I could easily navigate to certain topics through tags or use the search function to find something specific.

On the individual blog posts, there’s a built-in sidebar that functions as a table of contents. This feature improved my reading experience by allowing me to seamlessly jump around to different topics within the article.

Image Source

3. Lendio

Lendio, a small business loan marketplace, has an active blog with topics that cover everything small business owners need to know about business loans, finance, and running a business.

One great thing about its blog format is its use of relevant CTAs.

In the blog post example below, Lendio integrated its business loan calculator into a post about getting a business loan.

Image Source

Not only is the calculator an interactive way to engage readers, but it also provides value and demonstrates what Lendio can offer.

4. Pluralsight

Image Source

Pluralsight is a great reminder that you don’t have to get super fancy with your blog format.

The clean fonts, for example, match the logo and stay in line with the brand’s clear, informative voice. The grid structure and headers for each section make it easy to understand what is on the blog.

I also like the list of topic filters, which makes it easy to find blog posts you’re interested in reading.

5. Pando

Image Source

An important aspect of a well-designed blog is a consistent color scheme and style. After all, 80% of consumers say that color boosts a brand’s recognition.

It’s interesting to see how color consistency can unify the more diversified elements of design.

Pando, a blog that explores the startup cycle, incorporates a set palette of colors — orange, green, pale blue, lavender, and deep yellow — in several sections of its site. These colors appear in the background, highlight bars, and certain text areas.

However, it also uses several different fonts — all of which look seamless when tied together by a cohesive color scheme.

6. Creative Circle

Image Source

If you’re looking for a blog format that drives time on page, it’s the estimated time to read feature.

Anytime I see an estimated time at the top of the post — in this example, it says the article will be a six-minute read — I can make the decision if I want to continue reading.

It also tells me how much content and information I can expect to find; a longer read means the post goes in-depth on a topic.

Adding this to your blog layout can improve your readers’ experience and improve your time on page.

How?

While some people may drop off upon seeing that, the readers who stay will help drive up your average time on page. Plus, you can use this metric as an indicator of people’s interest in the topic.

7. Bit.ly

Image Source

I’m a fan of Bitly’s blog format for a couple of reasons.

For starters, the orange accent color used in the imagery showcases cohesive branding. This motif ties together every blog post on the home page and shows me that they take their blog seriously.

Second, I like that the company seamlessly integrates a CTA box on the blog homepage. Not only is this a smart way to generate leads right away, but it also helps readers understand what you do.

Often, when I stumble upon a company’s blog after seeing one of their articles in the search results, I leave unsure of what they do.

8. Golde

Image Source

I love the way Golde uses images to communicate effectively.

Using the brand name as a starting point for its blog, “The Golden Hour,” Golde makes a featured image the focus of each post.

Featuring compelling images that showcase the brand’s product is a great way to improve the click-through rate of your blog.

The gorgeous photography uses yellow and green tones in each photograph. This creates a consistent, warm, and appealing feel that draws you into each blog post.

Once you click on a post, this blog makes perfect use of the space below the text to highlight products, recipes, and other useful resources.

Inspiring Examples of Beautiful Blog Homepage Design

1. Help Scout

Image Source

Sometimes, the best blog designs are also the simplest. Help Scout, makers of customer service software, uses a unique but minimalist design on its blog that we love — it limits copy and visuals and embraces negative space.

What we particularly like about this blog is its use of featured images for all posts, including the “Most Recent Posts” section that highlights recent or particularly popular entries.

These images catch the reader’s eye and signal what the post is about. And it works — everything about this blog’s design is clean and readable.

2. Microsoft Work & Life

Image Source

Full disclosure: We’ve totally gushed over Microsoft’s microsites before.

We can’t help it — what better way to revitalize an old-school brand than with a blog that boasts beautiful, interactive, and inspiring branded content?

Microsoft Work & Life is also a prime example of how a business blog can be a major asset for an overall rebrand. In recent years, Microsoft has worked to humanize its brand, largely in response to a rivalry with Apple.

The “Work & Life” microsite has a simple tagline — “Learn how we’re helping people stay connected, engaged and productive — at work, at school, at home, and at play.” It’s the softer side of Microsoft, so to speak.

When you’re trying to convey a certain brand message, you can use your blog to communicate it — both aesthetically and content-wise.

3. Design Milk

Image Source

Design Milk, an online contemporary design outlet, uses a simple blog layout to highlight its posts.

If the arrow beside “Read” at the top left points down, you can scroll through featured images and teaser text for a variety of articles.

If the arrow beside “Read” points up, you see a perfect showcase of blog topics and highlighted posts.

That’s an internal link strategy, which helps to encourage readers to stay on the site longer.

The social icons at the top of each post are a pleasant addition to the overall look and feel of the site. They’re easy to spot and make it easy to share Design Milk’s content.

(And to learn more about adding social buttons to your blog, check out this post.)

4. Webdesigner Depot

Image Source

With a name like “Webdesigner Depot,” it’s no wonder that this design news site is visually appealing.

One thing that we particularly like is the responsive images on each individual post. The subtle motion of the image as readers scroll over a range of articles helps catch visitors’ eyes, which can improve your blog’s click-through rate.

And, check out the effective use of the featured image to highlight the most recent article. This approach immediately draws the viewer into the blog’s most recent content.

What’s more, the color scheme, background, and fonts are all consistent — which keeps this blog looking professional but still distinct from the basic blog templates you might be used to seeing.

5. Mashable

Image Source

Mashable breaks its content into three noticeable sections on the homepage:

• New posts get attention with a large featured image and three highlighted blocks.
• Posts for each section get attention with a featured image at the top of two to three columns with a short list of headlines underneath.
• Then, “Trending” posts show up to the right, with bold text on top of a shadow box graphic.

This multi-pronged approach to displaying content can help readers decide which kind of news matters to them the most.

They can quickly choose between attention-grabbing top stories, the hottest posts, or stories on the topic they’re most interested in.

The “Related Stories” that end each post are also a great feature to connect readers to more of the content they’re looking for.

6. Brit + Co

Image Source

Everything about the Brit + Co homepage says clean, warm, and welcoming. It’s free of clutter, making the content more digestible, and the blog layout is extremely organized.

We dig the seasonality of the site, too — from avocado jack-o-lanterns on the first of October to dinner recipes for Valentine’s Day. Adorable and replete with colorful, fun photos to illustrate each story’s content.

The subtle “This Week’s Stories” header also serves as a nice way to promote popular content without being too in-your-face about it.

Plus, with such great visuals, we took note of the nod to Pinterest. That icon is important to include when your blog incorporates so much attractive imagery.

7. Tesco Food Love Stories

Image Source

We love the colorful, consistent design of the Food Love Stories from British grocery chain Tesco.

Remember how we keep harping away at brand consistency? Check out the way this brand naturally incorporates the logo into its photography and featured video.

What Tesco has achieved is a great balance of simplicity and boldness. The layout is minimal but not dull. Warm and welcoming shades underscore each content highlight and recipe, and the photos add dashes of color throughout the site.

This is a great example of how the right imagery can achieve an appealing “less-is-more” appearance, especially if that fits in with your overall brand concept.

8. 500px

Image Source

The photography blog, 500px, leads with one featured article and big, bold, high-definition photos to draw the reader in. That makes it pretty clear what the blog is about — it shares valuable content on photography paired with gripping visuals.

Plus, how cool is it that the social links are right there, obviously displayed above the fold?

They keep readers engaged with the content and make it easy to share the photography. Plus, content with images gets more than double the engagement on Facebook as posts without images do.

9. Wired

Image Source

The more topics you have on your blog, the more chaotic the experience can be for your readers. That’s why we like the refreshing simplicity of Wired’s blog design.

Depending on the size of your screen, there could be eight or more headlines above the fold alone, but this design is still easy to scan and dig in.

Every post includes a featured image to draw you in. Then, striking font choices make it quick to understand the category, author, and headline for each post at a glance.

If your blog started simple and you’re having a hard time making it work as it grows, this blog offers great inspiration for a redesign. You can also use this workbook to redesign your blog website.

10. Crayon

Image Source

Many blogs want to show readers a little bit of everything they offer.

But depth can be just as enticing to readers as breadth. If you want your visitors to dive into what your blog writers have to say, this blog design gives them an easy choice — just start reading.

With an extended teaser in the header, the Crayon blog’s focus above the fold is the latest post. As you scroll down, they’ll find a grid with more content from the blog.

I also like the color coding by topic, which makes it easy to locate blogs of interest at a glance. You can see more text-forward blog design examples here.

11. Black Travelbox

Image Source

Black Travelbox makes personal care products for travel. The company has done a great job of connecting its portable balms, conditioners, and more with the joy of travel.

Plus, the folks at this company’s “Travel and Slay” blog know a thing or two about brand consistency across channels.

The blog has a simple color scheme and matching fonts to create a unified user experience from the shop to general content. At the same time, it throws in bold, colorful images to catch readers’ attention.

Visit the website and have a scroll — we think it’s pretty cool how the images vary, but each blog entry highlights a different “travel crush.” Then, it packs each post with bright photographs, smart interviews, and joyful stories.

12. Pixelgrade

Image Source

Pixelgrade is a design studio that creates stunning WordPress themes for creative people and small businesses.

Their blog format does a great job of highlighting one of their most recent or popular blog posts, alongside a clear CTA and a short excerpt.

What I like best is that the design of the page is 100% in line with their brand. If you like the design of their blog, chances are you’ll also want to try one of their smart and beautifully designed WordPress themes.

For more WordPress blog design ideas, check out this post about WordPress themes for bloggers.

13. BarkPost

Image Source

We kind of like dogs here at HubSpot. So when a blog dedicated to life as a dog owner came across our radar, it got our attention.

BarkPost, the blog of canine subscription box company BarkBox, is a great example of design for many reasons. First, look at the big, fun font in every header — it’s quick and easy to read, even from a mobile device.

Adorable images make the posts for each topic noticeable, too — and, of course, all in the brand-matching, trustworthy blue.

We also like that BarkPost draws attention to its sister companies.

Whether you’re interested in doggie dental care or the best food for your pup, this fun blog design makes it easy for dog parents and lovers alike to find the latest news and resources.

14. Goodwill Industries International

Image Source

Who says nonprofit organizations can’t blog? Nay, they should. Check out this ultimate nonprofit marketing guide to make yours great.

In this example, Goodwill’s clean, colorful navigation (again — the trustworthy blue) draws the reader to the important elements of this blog.

The posts are also neatly positioned and easily accessible to readers. Visitors can pick the type of information that matters to them the most by choosing a topic using the simple buttons in the graphic above the fold.

Finally, we love the emphasis on personal stories on the Goodwill blog. This design has long-form teasers that lead readers into this organization’s programs. This approach makes it easy to learn why so many people chose to support Goodwill.

15. Springly

Image Source

Keeping the nonprofit blogging train going is Springly, which makes excellent use of an editorial-style blog format by highlighting popular blog posts and including a sidebar that offers a CTA to subscribe to the company’s email newsletter.

This blog has a simplistic design with concise text and a clear color palette for nonprofits looking for useful resources.

Each article card features the first name and picture of the author, shining the spotlight on its contributors.

Placing time and people at the forefront aligns with what most nonprofits focus on. This approach makes the blog more valuable to those who are most likely to contribute and use it.

Still looking for more inspiration and ideas? Click here to check out over 70 more examples of website blogs, homepages, and landing page designs.

Use These Blog Design Examples to Build Your Best Blog

Creating a beautiful blog isn’t just about looks.

If you want your readers to really fall in love, the design of your blog should match the needs and expectations of your users. What’s most important to them? And what does your blog offer that no one else can?

Don’t just skim through these inspiring blog designs. Use them as a springboard to imagine how your blog can both connect with your audience and improve your blog design. Then, watch your readership grow.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Often, social media and SEO conversations happen separately.

Social media is meant to build relationships and engage with your audience, while SEO seems more scientific, with specific keyword analyses to attract as many eyes as possible.

However, these two facets of inbound marketing can work together to amplify each other’s results. In this blog, you’ll realize that compromise is in sight.

This guide will help any marketer integrate their efforts across both platforms.

Below, we’ll cover the following topics:

• Social Media vs. SEO
• What is social media SEO?
• 10 Social Media SEO Strategies
• Social Media SEO Strategies in Action

Now you know the difference between social media and SEO. So, let’s dive into social media SEO.

What is social media SEO?

Social media SEO allows you to optimize your social profiles so you can better attract potential customers through search. SEO best practices will vary across platforms.

However, the goal remains the same: finding the right audience for your brand and exposing them to products they could buy.

While social media management and SEO optimization tend to be two very different strategies, they can complement each other. Leveraging both can help you gain traffic from a variety of different sources.    

Our survey in January, involving 1,528 social media marketers, emphasized the growing importance of social media in 2024.

42% strongly agreed that people now prefer finding brands on social media rather than traditional search engines.

What’s more, our findings suggest that in 2024, more people will buy directly from social media apps than from other channels. 82% said they’d choose social media over a brand’s website, and 84% said the same compared to third-party sites like Amazon.

It’s becoming increasingly clear: Social media is not only a place to connect with friends anymore. It’s a connection spot between businesses and customers.  
And will social search replace search engines?

No, both hold their ground because they serve different purposes.

People use Google to find an answer to a question. On the other hand, they use social media to discover answers to questions they haven’t yet thought of.

The difference between search engines and social media platforms is blurring.

10 Social Media SEO Strategies

1. Social Sharing Buttons on Your Website

There’s a lot of debate regarding the use of social media sharing buttons. Are they powerful tools or just unnecessary clutter?

Well, social sharing buttons can be effective if you place them strategically — for instance, on blog posts.

Grammarly does a great job using this method:

Image Source

In other scenarios, social sharing buttons might not yield any results.

For instance, a VWO study suggests that removing those buttons from landing pages can increase click-through rates by 11.9%.

Image Source

This indicates that while blog posts benefit from social sharing buttons, pages with clear goals may perform better without them. Conducting A/B tests can help you determine the best placement for social sharing buttons on your site.

2. Integrated Keyword Strategy

As mentioned earlier, the line between search engines and social media platforms is blurring. Take the keyword strategy you use for your website and apply it to your social media engagement when appropriate.

Do research and find what keywords are most popular for a particular platform you use.

For instance, in January 2023, Statista found that “how to…” keywords were the most searched terms on TikTok during the examined period. Following closely behind was the term “what is…” with an index value of 10. 

Image Source

Once you write the list of the top keywords for your social media posts, you can start creating them. But, don’t overload your posts with too many keywords.

Instead, be aware of how you are wording social media messages. By incorporating keywords into social media content, you can increase the reach of your messages.

Here’s how to identify the right keywords for each platform:

1. Reflect on phrases that people might use to describe your business if they couldn’t recall its name. For instance, for a productivity tool, users might search for terms like “task manager” or “organizer app.”
2. Opt for more specific terms if there is significant competition. For example, a “budget-friendly travel app” might yield better results than simply a “travel app.”
3. Select keywords that align with the associations you wish to establish. For instance, if you offer discounts, use something like “discount app,” “best deal,” etc.
4. Revisit any previous SEO keyword research to incorporate relevant terms. Keywords that performed well in web searches may also be effective on social media.
5. Tailor your keyword selection to suit the nuances of each platform. For instance, a restaurant might use keywords like “best restaurant in New York” on Facebook to attract guests, while on LinkedIn, terms like “hospitality jobs in New York” could attract talent.

3. Include Links in Social Profiles

The links in social media messages, such as tweets and Facebook status updates, are traditionally no-follow links. This means they don’t pass any SEO authority to the site they’re linking to.

But, before we continue, let me first debunk two myths about nofollow links:

• Nofollow links are useless. They may not boost your site’s authority, but they can still drive traffic and potential customers.
• Nofollow links hurt your site. Not true. When used correctly, they can even improve your search ranking and shield you from penalties.

For example, comments on social networks or forum posts should have a nofollow link. It tells search engines that these links “aren’t meant for advertising purposes.”

On the other hand, it’s important to understand that the URL in the actual bio of a social media account is a follow link.

Make sure you are taking advantage of these extra opportunities to draw your audience to your site.

4. Incorporate Links Into Video and Presentation Content

Our stats suggest that short-form videos, like those on TikTok and Instagram Reels, have given the biggest ROI this year, with 36% of respondents choosing them. So, sharing links to TikTok and Instagram is a good idea for better engagement.

You can do the same on other social media platforms, too. For example, on LinkedIn, you can use carousels to break down your blog article into a few engaging slides and link back to that article.

Image Source

You have two options for adding links to videos or presentations:

• If the social media platform allows, you can embed them directly into the video or slides.
• You can place the links in the description below/above the video or slides.

Both methods provide extra information or resources to your audience, improving their engagement with your content.

5. Optimize Social Profiles

Think of social media profile pages as extensions of your website.

Just as you would optimize website pages for page titles and keywords, audit your social media profiles to ensure they mirror your website’s search engine optimization strategy.

This can fall under your About Us, Services, Products, or the other editable sections to help search engines further understand your website’s relationship to those keywords.

Here are some tips on how to optimize it:

• Don’t be anonymous — a profile pic is a must to establish credibility. Use eye-catching, high-quality images.
• Regularly update your cover photo on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. For instance, you can announce events or new releases.
• Add social badges to your website and email signatures to direct traffic to your profiles. 
  Use SEO-friendly keywords in the About section. Remember — only the first 140 characters show up in search results, so lead with essential info.
• Link your website in your bio sections and make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
• Verify your account to get a verification badge. It helps to distinguish it from fake or fan accounts with your name. This study shows that verified badges on social media greatly affect how much consumers trust profiles and their posts.  They also help make commercial posts more acceptable. 

Image Source

6. Building Links and Social Media Reach

Search engine optimization has long been about inbound links to your website. While inbound links are still significant, a secondary metric for marketers looking to increase search traffic should be social media reach.

In order to get more people to share your content on social media, you need to increase the number of fans or followers of your account.

However, don’t pay for fake followers or likes, as the platform will likely catch and penalize you.

The Artios’ study came up with concerning results — the number of fake followers is getting higher every year. Across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, there’s a rising trend of people seeking to purchase fake followers. 

Image Source

But trust me, buying followers doesn’t work. Sure, your numbers might look good, but what about the engagement? It’s practically non-existent.

10k followers but only getting 10 likes per post? Doesn’t add up, right?

Purchased likes are worthless as well. Those bots won’t engage with your content, care about your brand, or turn into real customers.

Instead of enjoying fake fame, grow your reach through quality content creation and engagement. You will build not only social media reach but also inbound links.

7. Establish Relationships

Similar to sales, relationships are huge for driving inbound links and social media attention. Building relationships using social media can open opportunities for guest blog posts and other link-building opportunities.

You can also implement this by polling followers to drive engagement and responding to comments to show users there are real people behind the screen.

Image Source

You can also nurture relationships by setting up groups/communities. 
For instance, consider creating a Slack community where you can post valuable content and initiate discussions in an #announcement channel.

Also, create a Facebook or LinkedIn Group, host live events on X, Instagram, or TikTok, and interact with your audience to keep them engaged and informed.

According to our research, Facebook is the most effective platform for communities, with 48% preference, followed closely by YouTube at 46% and Instagram at 40%.

Engage with your followers as much as possible and wherever possible. These activities provide you with more opportunities to share additional links with your users.

8. Boost Your Content Creators’ Profiles

Search engines pay close attention to the creators of the content on a web page. In addition to the web, search engine crawlers pull information from social media platforms to better inform the credibility of the author.

Include author bios in your articles or blogs that are linked to their social media profiles and tag them with each new piece of content they produce.

Image Source

9. Increasing Positive Mentions

As previously shown, having a robust social media presence can create a positive relationship with your audience.

A critical aspect of achieving this is to have online mentions that grow your brand’s visibility and positive awareness.

Image Source

Having a good social listening system can help you understand what customers are saying about you, manage your reputation, keep an eye on competitors, and plan your content better.

Based on the Social Media Today survey, nearly 61% of businesses currently have a social listening system in place to monitor keyword mentions.

And, if you see some content has good engagement, don’t be afraid to recycle it or repurpose it. You can extend the content’s life by recirculating it.

Google reports that positive online mentions can help determine whether your site is relevant in search queries.

Encourage positive mentions through engaging content and customized posts to the platform.

10. Collaborating with Influencers

Influencers shape the market today, so make the most of it.

According to Statista, influencers wield significant power over purchasing decisions. For instance, in Italy, 24 percent of shoppers admitted to buying products based on influencer recommendations in 2023.

Image Source

Here are several ways to collaborate with influencers:

• Pay them for featuring your brand.
• Use them in advertisements.
• Give them free products for reviews.
• Co-create products or launch new lines.
• Run giveaways together.
• Invite them to your brand’s events.
• Establish a brand ambassador program for long-term relationships.

Overall, teaming up with influencers is a smart way to make more people aware of your brand, connect with your target audience, and drive meaningful engagement and conversions.

Social Media SEO Strategies in Action

Now that we understand social media SEO strategies in theory, let’s explore how they work in practice and how popular brands implement them.

1. Adobe: Link Promotion & Influencer Collab

Image Source

In this post, Adobe has embraced two of the strategies we discussed earlier.

Firstly, it uses video content to promote a link directing users to its website to learn more about the AI Assistant.

Furthermore, the video itself is crafted by Justice Shepard, a popular influencer in the tutoring community with 1.7 million followers on TikTok.

But this post wasn’t an exception.

Image Source

Adobe often uses influencer marketing through short-form videos, and it works pretty well.

HubSpot’s data shows that 57% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials like learning about products through short-form videos. Social media marketers agree — it’s their go-to format, with 83% finding it most effective.

2. Girl Power Marketing: Casual Chatting & Engaging Through Comments

If I had to choose a brand that truly values every single comment on its page, Girl Power Marketing would be at the top of my list — always and forever.

It’s nearly impossible to find a follower comment without a response.

And with over 100k followers, just imagine the sheer volume of comments they need to keep an eye on.

Yet, they still do. 

Image Source

I love how these comments aren’t generic or boring — they feel personalized, like friendly advice or casual chatting.

“Just do the damn thing! Let go of the fear, and the idea of being perceived, and the idea of people finding you cringe. Have fun with it and be yourself. The more you try to manufacture a personal brand, the less authentic it becomes,” says Annie-Mai Hodge, founder of Girl Power Marketing.

Image Source

This approach is a great example of how to maintain good engagement, attract new followers, make people love you, and ultimately improve social media SEO.

3. Ahrefs: Building Bridges With Creators

Ahrefs proudly showcases its blog writers with engaging introductions and profile pictures. Beneath each picture, there are buttons that directly connect to the writers’ social platforms.

Image Source

Just like Ahrefs did, ask your writers or employees to mention your company name and share their work/pieces on social media.

It helps build trust with Google and shows your brand is authentic and legitimate.

Image Source

Also, you’ll notice Ahrefs often shares or reposts creators’ posts on their LinkedIn. And what’s the purpose of this action? They improve their social media SEO and credibility by showing a strong connection with the creators.

Image Source

In this way, Ahrefs also sends a clear message to its followers — that it values diverse voices and appreciates everyone’s efforts.

Getting Started With Social Media SEO

Whether social media has been a tactic in your SEO strategy or not, hopefully, you have gained a stronger understanding of how to link the two.

The content and product already exist. Now, it is up to you to implement these tips by working across teams and collaborating.

At the end of the day, each strategy will need to be tailored to your brand, so play around with the ten tips above to see which sticks.