Whether you are creating a blog for business or personal reasons, you want to accumulate plenty of readers. And while the content that you are creating is highly important, you also need to ensure that the layout is right as well. This sense of visual appeal is what will grab the reader’s attention in the first place and encourage them to look further at the types of posts that you are creating.
You have two main options when you are wanting to revamp the layout of your blog. You could either get in touch with a website design agency or do it yourself. Whichever option that you choose, here are a few of the main factors which contribute to a great blog layout.
- Keep the visual identity consistent. You may be using your own design or working off a template. Whichever option you choose, you should make sure to put your personal stamp on your blog. This sense of visual identity certainly starts with your header. It should immediately communicate what the blog is about and the tone which you are trying to create. All of the images should be high resolution, in-focus and not too cluttered. If you are going to use stock photography, you should aim to personalize it to your blog in some way. Ultimately, this sense of consistency is how people will come to recognize and form an emotional link towards your blog.
- Don’t over-complicate the layout. There is no point making the layout too complicated as this will get in the way of the blog posts, which is why people are on the site in the first place. Your home page needs to display a flavour of the type of posts which you have to offer, as well as some of your most popular and engaging pieces. A grid format is a good way of displaying an overview of what you have to offer, as you can include an image and a brief ‘teaser’ statement.
- Colour is critical. One of the most important design decisions which you can make for your blog is the colour palette. This will play a big role in establishing the overall mood and atmosphere of the page. Readability is one of the most important factors that you need to consider. You should have enough contrast to make your blog legible on a wide range of devices. As a rule of thumb, you should work with three or fewer colours to create a streamlined layout. And they obviously all need to work together as well!
- Clear up the sides. If they are done well, sidebars can prove to be a useful navigational tool for readers. Done poorly, and they can end up as visual clutter. If you are going to have a sidebar, cut it down to links to some of your favourite or most popular posts. Other information can be reserved for other sections of your website.
- Make posts inviting. One of the central aims of your blog is to make the posts look as inviting as possible, so that lots of people are naturally inclined to click on them. And this comes back to making the titles and imagery as inviting as possible. A nice design feature which many modern blogs are employing these days is to display an extra line of text when people hover over the icon to give that extra bit of enticement to click through.
- Don’t fear white space. If you are looking to draw attention to your content, one of the best ways of doing this is with white space. Unfortunately, too many bloggers think that their pages need to be packed with content everywhere you look. But there is nothing wrong with a minimal layout. The white space will help people to stop, take a beat, and see what else is on offer around your website. If your blog is starting to look a little messy, now is the time to start tidying up!
A great blog layout coupled with some interesting and engaging content is how you are going to build up your reader base. If there is one thing to take away from this post, it is not to be afraid of simplicity. When people come to a website, they are generally looking for answers and solutions. Your website layout shouldn’t throw up any unnecessary obstacles in their way. It should be there to facilitate their journey.
This post contains contributed content.
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