by David Ware

Created on: October 10, 2007

6 TIPS FOR IMPROVING BLOG DESIGN

Got a blog? Nowadays, it seems that everyone does. In fact, according to blog authority Technorati (www.technorati.com), they are currently tracking over 108 million blogs. Of course, it is important to note that Technorati does not track all blogs. In a world gone blog mad, it is important to know what works and what doesn't.

TIP #1: FOCUS ON THE CONTENT

Give your readers content they can use, and you'll be giving them a reason to come back. Some readers are looking for information, while others are looking for a sense of community. If you can give them both, you will encourage repeat visits by a wider audience. Your goal as a blogger should be to provide content that is of high value to potential readers, and doing it in a conversational style that encourages feedback and discussion from the readers.

TIP #2: HELP YOUR READER ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOAL(S)

When a reader lands at your blog, particularly through a search engine, chances are they will land on a particular article. Very few users will actually enter through your front page. For this reason, it is necessary for you to make sure your readers can navigate the blog seamlessly and easily. This means making sure that your higher quality articles are posted in plain view, and not buried in the archives. It also means rethinking your linking structure to ensure they can find what they are looking for quickly, and perhaps even providing an easy to use search system.

TIP #3: IMPROVE YOUR WRITING

No amount of graphics or other jazz will distract a reader from bad writing. Ultimately, your writing must be good enough to attract the reader and keep them reading. Bad writing will lead to your readers leaving your page almost as soon as they land there. And they won't be back. Seek out ways of improving your writing, whether through books & exercises or through formal learning experiences. Pay close attention to sentence structure, grammar and proper english. Although blogging may seem more informal, focusing on these will go a long way in improving the experience of your readership.

TIP #4: THINK SIMPLE

Blogs overrun with advertisements or flashy graphics may look kind of cool, but remember tip #1. Focus on the content. We all want to make money with our blogs, and there is certainly room for ads and such, just make sure they fit in with the rest of the blog and do not detract from the content. I once had had a blog reader give it to me straight. They enjoyed the content and overall theme

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>