Get Your Blog to Stand Out with a Killer Design
The Internet is full of blogs, so how do you plan on making yours stand out? Design instantly attracts viewers. The few seconds they spend on your design may pique their interest and cause them to look at your content. The following are five ways you can improve your blog’s design.
Pick the Right Blog Site
With any art project, you need a quality medium to start with. Picking a content management system or adding a blog to your current website is your blog design’s medium. The platform you use for your blog can affect your design. For example, if you choose a content management system, you may be limited on design and formatting. Here is what you need to know about the platforms and creating a custom blog:
Content Management System
There are various platforms you can use to create a blog, such as WordPress, the most used blogging platform. It’s the best website for bloggers because it’s easy for beginners, the templates look professional, and you don’t need to know code.
Custom Blog
If you already have a website, you may decide you don’t want to create a separate blog. You can add a custom blog to your existing website. Going this route will be more challenging and may require you to hire a web designer.
Design with Your Brand in Mind
Blogging is just another way to market your brand or product, so it needs to represent accordingly. Keep the same colors, style, and tone of your brand and use those elements to design your blog. You want your audience to recognize that the two are connected. For a blog design you can either go with a premade template or hire a designer to create one for you. The choice really depends on your budget and preferences. With a template, you may have to compromise on some design elements, whereas with a designer it can look exactly the way you want.
Organize the Navigation
Aside from the overall design, the first sight viewers will see is your menu bar. Your audience wants to find the information they’re looking for quickly and easily. Confusing or too many menu options will only complicate your blog design. It’s also a good idea to include a search bar to make it even easier for viewers to access the information they want.
Customize Blog Images
In order to add interest and attract new readers, you’re probably going to use images. Of course you can find stock images for free, but those tend to be overused and they may not exactly fit with your content. Creating your own images allows you to customize and personalize the content. When determining how many images to include in a blog post, it’s always good to include a title image and two to five images to further develop the topic.
Pick User-Friendly Elements
There are many elements that you can add to your blog to enhance your viewer’s experience. The search bar mentioned earlier is great to have so your content can be easily found. You may also want to consider creating a blog that is responsive so it can be viewed on various sized screens. Another great element to include is the fixed navigation bar that stays at the top of the screen no matter how far the viewer scrolls down. Many other features exist, but don’t try to fill your blog with too many cool features to attract an audience; simplicity always works better.
Use these tips to guide you in creating a blog that stands out. Whether you decide to create your own or seek the help of a designer, know that good design takes planning, time and creativity.
Contact us if you need help with your blog design.
-Stay Creative, The Juicers
