Things To Consider In a Blog Redesign
A week or so ago Problogger launched a new design and generated a lot of buzz in blogging community. And yesterday, another daddy blogger realised how much he was missing out on by sticking to the conventional blog design, and followed Darren’s lead.
This leads us to think, should we also invest in a new design and abandon the traditional blog layout?
For old time bloggers, I think this is the best time to put money into a redesign. With new and improved designs, you can benefit from improved ads placement and better visibility of your key content. Not to mention you’ll be creating plenty of buzz among fellow bloggers.
If you are considering revamping your blog layout, you should keep in mind a few general guidelines.
What to consider in a new design
A blog layout with a header, a content pane and a sidebar is so ubiquitous that it has limited our ability to think of new things to try out. By leaving the traditional blog layout, you are entering a whole new world of variety and change.
Here are a few things you should consider to implement in your new design:
- Decluttering – Decluttering the most cluttered areas of your blog must be your first priority. If your sidebar – like all other sidebars – is too cluttered, take a few things from your sidebar and place them in the footer or just below the header. This way you’ll minimize the clutter by ordering it across the page. And though your blog would still look busy, it won’t look cluttered anymore.
- Visibility of the most important content – What do you want your visitors to see when they first arrive at your blog? Whatever it is, put it in the most noticeable area of your new design. I’d recommend putting your most popular posts, your own recommended posts, and your feed subscription link just below, or within the header.
- Maximum exposure for ads – If you don’t mind earning some more money, you can have your new design already customized for improved ads placement. One of the drawbacks of using premade themes is that you have to force your ads and affiliate links into a crowded design. But with your own customized design, you keep the control in your hands.
In short, don’t be afraid of experimenting, totally revamping your design, and leaving the traditional bloggy look and feel altogether.
What not to consider in a new design
While you are free to choose whatever you want to do with your new bride, don’t go overboard with the changes. The last thing you want is your visitors mistaking your blog for a news site. Or what if you go wild with a lots of assorted ads and affiliate links and your new visitors dismiss your blog as an MFA site?
My overall thoughts are that every design should focus primarily on enhancing user experience and.. enhancing user experience. Yes, it’s so important that I’ll repeat it a thousand times. Your readers can create or destroy your blog, so if you forget your readers in your enthusiasm to earn more revenue or to show your love for bright pink color, get ready to face a rebellious gang of readers.
Are you going to change your blog design anytime soon?
I am, by the way, thinking of experimenting with my blog’s theme. Expect to see a few prominent changes in a couple of days.
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I’m really considering a new design in the near future, but I haven’t found a designer yet. I think it’s a good idea to go custom once you can.
If you can tweak a design to suit your taste and needs, there is no need to spend money on hiring other designers.
The theme I use on Blogging Bits looked a lot different than it does now. And, as I said, I am going to make big changes to it again
That’s lame. You think that you’re the only one who has written about blogging redesigns? Do a Google search.
I am planning a redesign by the end of the year and while I am really looking forward to a better design, I am not looking forward to backlash from my readers. I launched a slightly different look and feel in late January and my readers were surprisingly very negative. It turns out that the old design was cached on many browsers so they were looking at an old design with new elements and basically the whole site was screwed up. I couldn’t see it on my computer so I figured it was fine. Of course, all of this happened when my daughter was hospitalized for severe dehydration so the last thing I wanted to do was deal with the site.
So my two pieces of advice are:
1. Make sure you and your designer and tech support will be available the week the new design launches. If you can, be at your computer as much as possible.
2. Before your new site launches, ask friends to test it and make sure it works. If you can’t do that, go to an internet cafe and check out your design on their computers.
Sound advice Danielle.
And I hope your daughter is alright now
Ahhh, redesign. When I finally rebuilt JonathanWold.com, it was based on the conviction that, well, if I’m building XHTML/CSS validated layouts for clients, I really should migrate from tables (First built 2 years ago.. CSS was still new to me
) –
I finally rebuilt my blog to suite earlier this year and boy that took awhile.. but since then, as I’ve worked on more and more client projects, my abilities have expanded and, before too long, I’m going to have to rebuild to get my work back up to par.
But.. clients come first
.
Excellent post and I’m looking forward to more!
-Jonathan
I hope to redesign my blog by September 30th. I’m timing the relaunch to coincide with some changes in the blog. I love reading problogger an will keep these tips in mind. Thanks!
I don’t think there is any special time when you should redesign. The only thing that would prompt me are the things you mentioned aiming for with a redesign. Over time, if I notice little flaws in my blog design/ways to improve it etc. I let them build up until they force me to redesign.
Jonathan Yep, the more practice the better. And thanks for liking. I hope to deliver more good stuff regularly.
Thanks Laura. I am glad I could be of some help to you.
Michael of course there is no better time for a redesign than now
Well, I think you should fix the little flaws as soon as you find them. The big changes should be reserved for the big occasion; the redesign of your blog.
Don’t forget attractiveness. It will make you seem like a more serious blogger.
emm.. thank you man
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