SWOT: Women’s Lifestyle Blogs
Cupcakes & Cashmere vs. Refinery29
The two blogs I compared for the SWOT analysis is Cupcakes & Cashmere and Refinery29. They are both female lifestyle blogs geared towards women in their early 20s through 40s.
Both Blogs have many Strengths:
Tutorial Videos on makeup, fashion, DIY, ect.:
Emily from Cupcakes & Cashmere is very personal. Her blog is very much about her life experience and personal advice. She posts a video nearly every week called “Ask Emily” where she answers her followers questions.
Refinery29 also has a Youtube channel, but they post more often and the content is collected from a variety of contributors to the blog. It more edgy and less proper.
One of strengths of both blogs is that they contain many appealing pictures:
- Emily Schuman from Cupcakes & Cashmere shows her personal style
- Refinery29 Gives Hairstyling Tips
Weaknesses:
Cupcakes & Cashmere is difficult to navigate. The layout is somewhat messy towards the bottom, and there is not a lot of variety. The posts are sporadic, and are not a fluid as Refinery29’s.
Refinery29 appeals only to certain cities. They have a strong presence on Pinterest and Facebook, but the blog doesn’t have a single face and is from many contributors. It makes it less personal, but allows there to be more content.
Opportunities & Threats:
Both blogs threaten each other. It depends on what the reader prefers. They are both aiming towards the same target audience, but they walk a fine line between not personal and too personal. They are also threatened by dozens of other lifestyle blogs that have been popping up all over the place. Some of these blogs include: Treasures & Travels, Pink Peonies, and They All Hate Us. Both Refinery29 and Cupcakes & Cashmere have many opportunities such as expanding their blog brand and reaching out to a wider audience.
Here is an individual analysis:
