The Writer’s Blog Workshop Series: How to Design Your Blog, Part 2
The Writer’s Blog Workshop Series Lessons: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Lesson Six:
Now that you’ve got a clear idea in your mind about the emotional impact you want your design to present, in sync with your original branding, let’s talk about the more technical aspects. Functionality. You want a clean, clear design that is user-friendly. No matter how attractive your design is, no matter how perfectly it reflects your author branding, if it’s not user-friendly, visitors will be frustrated–and go away. We don’t want that!
Points to keep in mind:
1. Look at design from the user’s standpoint–what are they looking for, what will attract them, how will they use the site?
2. Pretty fonts are fine for headers or buttons, but the font in your entry should be clear, easily readable, and large enough so a reader doesn’t need to squint. (Remember to consider visually-impaired readers–using a platform that allows visitors to increase font size is important.)
3. Color–the background for your entry should, preferably, be light and the print dark. Colored fonts on colored backgrounds are difficult to read. Reverse type (white or other light colored type on black or other dark colored backgrounds) is a big turn-off to most users.
4. Menu buttons–if your blog is part of your website, menu buttons should be placed in an easy-to-access position (such as the top or left-hand of the blog). Visitors should be able to easily surf the rest of your site.
5. Compatibility–if your blog is part of your website, it is best to have the design matching or complimentary to your site. (And yes, it is preferable to have your blog directly part of your website.)
6. Comments–should be easy to access, read, and add to for users. Blocking comments, from some or all users (such as not allowing comments from non-blogger users if you use blogger) comes across as unfriendly to users. Moderated comments may frustrate users–if using moderation, set moderation only for first-time commenters, allowing them to comment freely after you’ve approved them the first time. Word verification (for spam prevention) can also be a hassle for users, as is having to constantly retype their URL. (These points are downsides to some free platform hosting services. Platforms such as Wordpress, Typepad, and Movable Type provide non-visible spam protection and automatic URL retention to repeat visitors.)
7. Linkage–think hard about the links you provide and why you are providing them. Too many links can mind-boggle readers, and remember that links take readers off your site. Links are good–just think about why they are there and edit accordingly.
8. Remember the KISS principle–Keep It Simple, Stupid. Don’t go overboard with pattern or colors, images or information. Go back to the purpose of your blog and question everything you put on there–does it support the purpose?
9. Get advice–before you place a new design on your site, ask several trusted friends to critique the design and tell you any functionality issues they see. The more eyes, the better, in analyzing your design from the user’s perspective. (Ask for critiques on your current design, too!)
10. Avoid animation and flash. Users may find it fun the first time, but after that, they will just be annoyed….and go away. If you use advertising on your site, use ads you can control (such as Adsense, BlogHerads, or affiliate advertising) and place them so they aren’t a frustration to visitors who are there to read your blog entry, not get an ad in their face. (Advertising placed in the right sidebar is preferable because websites load from left to right. Ads on the right will allow your content to load first.)
11. Remember that some people still use dial-up. Keep images and files required to open the page at a manageable level.
12. Use your sidebar for promotion! And have fun with it!
Note: Rules are made to be broken, and these are generalizations in some instances, but paying attention to the user-friendliness of your design is key in encouraging repeat traffic. And isn’t that what you want?
The Writer’s Blog Workshop Series Lessons: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
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