Before someone ever reads a single word on your blog they have to take it in visually. What people see immediately upon arrival to your blog can cause them to stick around or run screaming for the hills…or at least the next blog.
Your blog should reflect you, your personal tastes and certainly the nature of your blog. Today, we will give you some pointers to help you improve the general appearance of your blog.
BLOG HEADER
First impressions are really important and visitors to your blog will base their first impression on the first thing they see – your header.
We have all done last minute cleaning marathons when we are expecting guests in our home. It’s likely that we weren’t concerned with the state of the kids playroom in the basement or the office that serves as more of a giant closet than a functional office. Instead, we focus on the living room, the kitchen, and the main bathroom, areas that guests will likely see. Why? We want to make a good impression and we want our guests to believe that because the main areas of our house are tidy, so is the rest of the house.
So, the header is to your blog as your entryway is to your house. It can create the impression that you have a well run and tidy blog. It can also create an adverse impression.
Size: Avoid overly large headers. When your blog loads your readers should not have to scroll down to see actual content. Content should begin “above the fold” and if your header is preventing this from happening you should consider reducing its size. The best size for a header is between 150 and 250 pixels high.
Content: A header should contain, at the very least, the name of your blog. If you have room you can also include a short description or tag line for your blog.
Graphics: Make sure the graphics or photos you use in your header are of a high quality. You should also check to see how your header looks in different browsers and on different sized monitors if possible.
Can I make my own header? You bet! Headers are pretty simple to make. It may take a little time and patience but they are not difficult. Need some help? Check out our PicMonkey tutorial or check out this header tutorial we found on The Blog Guidebook.
COLOR
Ask any art teacher, graphic designer or blog guru and they will tell you that color is hugely important. The colors you choose for your blog should strike a balance between those you love, those that please your readers and those that fit the theme of your blog. There is a lot of research and science behind color theory and color psychology and you could spend a long time studying why you should choose certain colors. For now, choose a few possible color schemes, ask a few trusted friends for their opinions and then implement the colors consistently but not overwhelmingly throughout your blog.
Background Color: Many people are tempted to add color to the background of their posts. In a word, DON’T. Background colors can be very distracting and make your posts very difficult to read.
Colored Text: On the internet, colored text typically indicates a link. Having colored text which doesn’t link to additional content could be confusing to your readers or cause them to think something is “broken” about your site.
So where SHOULD I use color? Colors can be effectively used throughout your blog in many places such as your header, blog buttons, post titles, social media buttons, and text links.
How do I choose the right colors? There is a wonderful site called Design Seeds. They develop color schemes based on gorgeous photos. Each color scheme has 6 coordinating colors and they even provide the HEX values of the colors so you can easily input them into your blog.
Got a gorgeous photo on your own blog that you want to use as a starting point? The Color Palette Generator can do just that!
Fonts and Typography
Fonts, like the colors and header on your blog, can cause a reader to stay or go. Fonts are fun and there are literally millions of fonts available, many of which are free! Fonts can also easily overwhelm a reader.
Keep It Simple: When you are faced with millions of font ideas it is easy to go overboard and start adding new fonts everywhere! Select two or three fonts to use and stick with them as many blog readers expect some sense of consistency. Constantly changing fonts could send them packing.
Font Color: As we mentioned above, colored text often indicates a link. If the word is not linking to something, black is the best color to choose. Save colored fonts for post titles, sidebars, and and navigation links.
Font Size and Readability: Readability should always be a concern. Some fonts are really cute but can be difficult to read. Readers don’t typically spend a long amount of time on any given blog. They hop in, skim content, and move on. If a reader is having to spend time deciphering text on your blog they will leave. Fonts should be easily readable and large enough to see clearly.
Serif vs. Sans-Serif: Serif fonts have little lines tailing from the letters sans-serif fonts do not. Many people believe that sans-serif fonts are easier to read online. Regardless, choose your fonts wisely.
Photos
Whether you are using your own photos or stock photos it is so important to use high quality photos. Successful blogging is all about nuance. Once you have the small details under control you can start to focus on your blog content. Sarah Beth Jones is a fabulous photographer and recently shared a great photo tutorial with us. Check it out!
5 Quick Tips for Better Photos
Lighting – Use natural lighting for the best photos. Take the item(or person) you are photographing outside if possible.
Flash – Don’t use it!
Quantity – Take LOTS of photos! We live in a digital age where we don’t have to worry about using up a roll of film or developing costs. Take many photos so you have more to choose from. (Remember really good photographers are only showcasing their best work, they probably throw out 10 photos for every photo they keep.)
Surprise – Take the shot from an unexpected angle or view point. More visual interest creates a more exciting and interesting photo.
Navigation
Blog pages are a great way to present certain content such as an about me page, a contact page, even a collection of recipes or tutorials. If your readers are unable to find your pages they are useless.
Top Bar Navigation Most readers will look to your top navigation bar first when they are searching for something. Your top navigation bar should include the five to ten most important pages in your blog. Readers are looking for ease of use not a scavenger hunt.
Sidebar Navigation Utilize your sidebar to direct readers to some of your stellar content. Add thumbnail images with links to your most popular posts. Add a ‘recently posted’ widget. You should also consider adding search bar, an archives link, and a categories link to your sidebar.
Will you be Bettering Your Blog this month? If you have not signed up with our Linky, do it below so we can keep up with your progress. Please link to your MAIN page and only sign up once.