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Building a Better Blog
November 17th, 2010 | 
Author: By Ashley, Contributor, Just Another Mom of 2 (@AnotherMomof2)
Once you decide which blog platform is right for you, prepare to share your thoughts with the world (or at least your mom). Of course, we know you already have amazing ideas and brilliant content ready to share with the world. But, is your blog actually readable? There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you keep your blog reader-friendly.
The Basics
While you want your blog design to reflect you and your personality, make sure it is also hospitable for your readers. What does this mean?
-No music set to auto-play on your blog. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good tune now and then; but if someone is sneaking in spending their coffee break at work reading blogs, the last thing they need is for their entire office to hear your Bangles flashback in stereo.
-While I’m picking on the fun blogs, beware of light text on dark backgrounds: if readers are going blind trying to read your text, they are probably not going to come back.
-Make it easy for your amazing content to stand out: add the extras on a smaller scale.
Make Your Blog Accessible
I like to follow blogs and keep on top of the new content out there; I do that by clicking on the nice, prominent subscribe options at the top of many blogs. Nothing is more frustrating than coming across amazing content than not being able to figure out how to read more at a later date. Take a look over at the sidebar here at Our Mommyhood; there are so many easy ways to connect with the great team here, through subscribing, twitter, etc. Give your readers (and potential readers) that option, and make it easy, so they come back!
Add a Search Box
Perhaps one of the most useful tools you must have on your site is a search box that is easy to find! I love reading and referencing blogs, but like most people I get distracted. When I want to reference something amazing that you said awhile back, I tend to need to search for it. A great example is the article I wrote last week about which blog platform to choose. I knew that Tamara of The Unexperienced Mom had a great article comparing Blogger and WordPress; she had written a while back. If she did not have the search function on her blog, I would have had to dig all the way through months and months of archives to try to find the article. How many bloggers are going to go through that much effort? Exactly. I would have just moved on and referenced somewhere else.
Contact Information
An all-too-common bloggy blunder is hard to find contact information. I cannot tell you how many tweets I see fly across my TweetDeck saying “Bloggers, put contact information on your blog. People WANT to connect with you”, and the like. The other night, I was watching Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice” and the team that happened to lose made the huge error of not leaving contact information for investors. The same is true for your blog: whether it be someone interested in advertising on your blog, talking to you about opportunities available or even someone who just wanted to tell you how inspiring your last post was to them. For most people, blogging is about connecting and without contact information on your blog, it becomes impossible.
Final Thoughts
A reader friendly blog is one that is sure to keep people coming back; take a look at your blog as if you were an outsider and update it accordingly. Make sure to stop by the Our Mommyhood forum to leave tips for others on anything else you find makes a blog readable.
Ashley is a stay-at-home mom and social media consultant who is not always sure what state she is in! She has moved her family to what will soon be five states in six years – whew! She can be found blogging at Just Another Mom of 2 and offers affordable transfers to WordPress – email her at Ashley @ justanothermomof2.com for details!
with the world (or at least your mom). Of course, we know you already have amazing ideas and
brilliant content ready to share with world. But, is your blog actually readable? There are a few
things to keep in mind to ensure you keep your blog reader-friendly.
First, there are a few basics. While you want your blog design to reflect you and your
personality, you also want to make it hospitable for your readers. What does this mean? No
music set to auto-play on your blog, to start. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good tune now and
then. But if someone is sneaking in spending their coffee break at work reading blogs, the
last thing they need is for their entire office to hear your Bangles flashback in stereo. While
I’m picking on the fun blogs, beware of light text on dark backgrounds- if readers are going
blind trying to read your text, they are probably not going to come back. Make it easy for your
amazing content to stand out- add the extras on a smaller scale.
Next, I like to follow blogs and keep on top of the new content out there- and I do that by
clicking on the nice, prominent subscribe options at the top of many blogs. Nothing is more
frustrating than coming across amazing content than not being able to figure out how to read
more at a later date. Take a look over at the sidebar here at Our Mommyhood- so many easy
ways to connect with the great team here, through subscribing, twitter, etc. Give your readers
(and potential readers) that option- and make it easy, so that they come back!
Perhaps one of the most useful tools you MUST MUST MUST have on your site is a search box-
and make it easy to find! (See how important it is? I said MUST three times—there’s number
four). I love reading and referencing blogs, but people? I get distracted. So, when I want to
reference something amazing that you said awhile back, I tend to need to search for it. A great
example is for the article I wrote last week about which blog platform to choose. I knew that
Tamara of The Unexperienced Mom had a great article comparing Blogger and WordPress,
but she had written a while back. If she did not have the search function on her blog, I would
have had to dig all the way through months and months of archives (at least, if I even thought I
knew what month it was posted in) and try to find the article. How many bloggers are going to
go through that much effort? Exactly. I would have just moved on and referenced somewhere
else. Having your blog linked to and referenced is a must for increasing your Search Engine
Optimization- and your traffic.
Finally, I’m saving the most important for last. An all-too-common bloggy blunder? Hard to
find contact information. I cannot tell you how many tweets I see fly across my TweetDeck
saying “Bloggers, put contact information on your blog. People WANT to connect with you”
and the like. The other night, I was watching Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice” and the team
that happened to lose made the huge error of not leaving contact information for investors. The
same is true for your blog- whether it be someone interested in advertising on your blog, talking
to you about opportunities available, or even someone who just wanted to tell you how inspiring
your last post was to them. For most people, blogging is about connecting- and without contact
information on your blog, it becomes impossible.
Ashley is a stay at home mom (and social media consultant) who is not always sure what state
she
found
Email
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All good tips. I’m going to also throw out there that I don’t like blogs with both a right and a left sidebar. The content in the middle feels squished, and my eyes don’t like it. But that might just be me.
It is typically recommended that layouts for blogs are in a “K” pattern because that is how the eye is drawn- so you’re definitely on to something! I think it can work sometimes, but generally, I like the right sidebars as well.
Ashley @ Just Another Mom of 2´s last blog ..AboutOne Supports Moms- Introducing Comeback Mom Returnships
Bethany, I agree.
Great post! I do have a question. I use Blogger, and I would LOVE to add the cute RSS, FB, Twitter, Email, buttons you have at the top of the page (and that are on many other pages), but I can’t seem to figure out how to do it!!! Suggestions?
NotJustAnotherJennifer´s last blog ..Happy First Birthday- Baby R
OK. I need a search thing. I’ll get on that.
MommaKiss´s last blog ..Tough Love is Tough
Great tips! I have a search box on my recipe blog. But I never thought to add one to my personal blog!
Leslie Limon´s last blog ..Friday Fragments
I agree about the auto play music- it is so annoying. I will not follow any blog that has it. I also like when the blogger interacts in the comments. When someone takes the time to respond to a post on one of my blogs, I always try to engage them or at least thank them for the comment.
Lisa´s last blog ..German Shepherd Gifts updated Mon Nov 15 2010 8-06 am CST
Friendly blog is really important. visitors will keep
coming back to your site for sure. Very inspiring
advice to all new bloggers.
Well, I never even thought about a search box! I will be doing that this afternoon for sure
Natalie´s last blog ..Bloggy Burn Out
This information is very valuable. I need to work on adding contact information. I had not thought about that.
“Beware of light text on dark backgrounds: if readers are going blind trying to read your text, they are probably not going to come back”. I like this quote. It’s very profitable for my blog site, maybe its the wrong way of making my blog. I agree what you mean. Thank you it makes sense. Keep up the great writing skills in blogging.
Really good stuff! I can’t stand the auto-music thing, especially when I didn’t have my own office…I outed myself reading blogs SO many times…annoying!
[...] a Contributor and Blog Guru, shared some spot-on tips on how to make your blog as reader-friendly as [...]