Skip The Fancy Font
Super huge, colored, or over the top font is not necessary and can be distracting, and in some cases even alarming to those dropping by your blog. Stick to normal sized, easy to read font so that your visitors can easily read your posts. Find other ways to express your individuality that doesn't interfere with your visitor's ability to enjoy the content.
Avoid Flashing Banners
Most people find excessive advertisements and pop up or flashing banners annoying, making it highly unlikely that they will return to your site. If you're trying to gain blog readers then keeping your advertisements unobtrusive and minimal is the best way to go.
Remove Sidebar Blogrolls
A blogroll on the sidebar isn't so bad, but several blogrolls can make for a huge loading time for visitors and even freeze up some computers. I know this first hand since I am guilty of being one of the worst blog roll offenders ever. I have now reformed and moved my blogrolls onto seperate pages, which unclutters the sidebar, improves loading time, and keeps it simple.
Do You Really Need It?
Eliminate what you don't need. It's really easy for bloggers to become pack rats! With all of the website add ons available it's sometimes hard to say no. Take a fresh look at your blog and see if there's anything you can do without.
Do you really need the music and real time chat? Do you need the special effects, and the huge variety of multiple widgets? A lot of bloggers will say yes!
Just remember that you want to give your readers a chance to appreciate your content, so don't overwhelm them with too many distractions.
Do you really need the music and real time chat? Do you need the special effects, and the huge variety of multiple widgets? A lot of bloggers will say yes!
Just remember that you want to give your readers a chance to appreciate your content, so don't overwhelm them with too many distractions.
Organize Your Blog
Take some time to organize your awards, blogrolls, blog posts, and everything else you are throwing up on your sidebar. If you look at your blog and get confused then how do you think a visitor will feel?Pretend it's the first time visiting your blog, how easy is to navigate? Don't scare away potential readers with a cluttered and confusing site.
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23 comments:
I agree with keeping it simple, especially with Ads. Beginners often think that putting ads in obtrusive places will make people more likely to click them when it just makes them more likely to leave. Thanks for the great post!
Thanks antibarbie:)
When I first started blogging I put a lot of huge bright ads up all over the place and quickly found out it was useless, lol. A little bit goes a long way when it comes to ads.
You have so many of those blogging award buttons on your sidebar.
They are definitely testimonial to the credential of your blog, but have you consider to place them on a separate page?
Just a suggestion.
I'd try to make money with my blog, but with a weekly readership of 6 I don't think I'd make much cash. So I get by without the 'clutter' of all those pesky ads. Guess that's better for those of us with a Technorati '7' than for those of you with '500+'.
You know Ms. Christy, this post was going to essentially be the final post in a recent series I wrote, but never quite got around to ending it in style.
Well done, and one of these days I'm going to sit down with my post and slim it down.
I think the reason why I haven't done it yet is 'cause I haven't had time to really do a decent redesign of it (which it is in sore need of).
Hi Betshopboy,
I do it this way for a specific reason but that's a whole other story.. :)
Hi Baba,
Ten months ago I didn't even a have a readership of six, so you never know...Build it...and they shall come...lol.
Hi Bush,
We have the same taste in blogging tips, lol. I hate starting a series because I have a problem finishing them. Too much pressure! :)
Hey Christy, It hadn't occurred to me that I could put the blogroll I have on a different page. Can you put the blogroll code in a post the same way you add it to page elements? Or do you have to ad page elements to your posts? I haven't figured out how to do the latter yet. And you would have to write a post to add an additional page to blogger wouldn't you? I'm so glad you are doing these blogging tips. I just love it. Can you tell?
Do you want to strangle me? LOL!
Ann
I'll come back and see if you've had to time to reply to my essay. LOL
Hi Robin:)
Yes, usually the code will work if you put it in a blog post. Just set it to html. Sometimes the person who creates the blogroll will give you different options so that you can place their blogroll on a seperate page.
Just play around with putting the code in a blog post to see what works. If you go down on my sidebar you can see how I've posted my blogrolls separately. Blogs load so much faster without the sidebar blogrolls. Let me know if you need some help:)
Great tips, Christy =) It's definitely very easy to end up with a cluttered looking blog in no time. Cleaning it up isn't much fun, but certainly necessary. I need to get around to tidying things up again myself. I'm sick though so I have an excuse not to right now.
They key is just to build the key minimum features into the site so that it performs the function that you want it to. People ad everything but the kitchen sink and expect the thing to work as a whole.
I agree with you. Cluttered blogs don't appeal to me so I rarely stick around. The only blog roll I leave on my front page is the Canadian one that is at the bottom. I don't like ads, so I don't do them, but I may eventually.
I have a fairly decent readership, lots of one-ofs because of the news links I put up, but I'm happy with it.
Hey, thanks for sharing the tips..I find them really useful..
As long as your homepage is 100KB or less you are fine. My site is 87KB. The average blogspot blog is 400!!!! Which is considered unacceptable by all search engines.
I agree that if some widget is too bright & flashy it may turn readers off.
Good Job Christy! I can't wait to see how your tips evolve over the next several months:)
Did u miss my freaky friday spider post? I wrote it just for you! Bring some RAID when you come:)
If loading takes longer than necessary, visitors will just move on, it won't matter if one have killer design or great content as they are not going to wait around until the page finish loading.
Hi Mike:)
Your blog is so neat and organized! It always has been. I start collecting more and more on my sidebar and then have to do a major overhaul every couple of months, lol.
Take it easy, and I hope you're feeling better soon:)
Hi Steve,
Very true. Sometimes when bloggers go overboard it defeats the purpose of blogging altogether. :)
Hi Marijke,
I'm the same way, I just get confused and distracted on a cluttered blog. I find it hard to read and end up leaving rather quickly.
Hope you're having a great day:)
Hi Wolfie,
Thanks, I like your user name, that's cute.
Hi Bobby, I finally got to your Freaky Friday Spidey post! I love it. I'm adding it to tomorrow's post.
I don't know if evolve, lol. I'm just trying to share some of the things that have helped me in blogging. :)
Hi Gigabytes,
I completely agree. I've seen some blogs with fantastic headers but I couldn't stand to wait around while all of the sidebar blogrolls loaded. :)
Hi! I totally agree with your tips and as a new blogger I appreciate the time you have taken in helping the others that have come here.
Regards
Peter McCartney
Sydney Australia
Thanks Christy for the thought-provoking tips!
Thanks for the tips Christy... Maybe it would be a great idea if you drop at my blog and tell me if it's simple or not :D I appreciate your feedback
Hye
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