The appearance of a blog is what captivates and maintains or bores and deters the reader. If a blog is not visually appealing or the page elements don’t work well together, the reader will lose interest immediately. Blogger Tom Walker recommends the following five elements to make your blog more visually appealing:
1. Stick with your theme. It is important to be consistent throughout your blog with colors and fonts. Often times, the blogger will change elements of a template and not realize that what they have chosen are inconsistent with the theme. For instance, if you are creating a professional blog, it is important to use professional fonts throughout the blog. Adding cartoon type fonts will only confuse the audience.
2. Make your own header. The header is the first thing that a reader will see, so it should be strong and clear. A summary of your content should be spelled out in the header. Customization is important so it doesn’t look like the templates of so many other blogs.
3. Stay organized. Simple is better when it comes to designing your blog. When it is easy to navigate and read, it is more likely that the reader will find what they came to your blog to find. Make sure that your blog is broken into categories that are easy to follow.
4. Use readable fonts. Font colors should contrast nicely and not be difficult to read. You should be mindful about the way a font might look on other monitors. It is a good idea to stick with a generic family of fonts.
5. Simple is good. Readers have come to your blog to read the content, not to see what kind of visual effects you have used. While visually pleasing backgrounds can entice the reader, simple is always better. Photographs are a nice touch, but only when they do not “steal” the eye from the reader. When in doubt about visual elements, always remember that “simple is good”.
First, I looked at Joe Lynes’s blog at http://joe-lynes.blogspot.com. Joe's blog is very clean and easy to follow. The neutral colors and simple fonts are soothing. I like Joe's first two blogs. He has a great sense of humor, and it is very fun to read. Joe followed the rule of thumb that simple is good and it worked out to his advantage.
Next, I reviewed Katie Lee's blog at http://awesomeopoly.blogspot.com. The colors that Katie used for her blog are beautiful. I love the flowers and clouds - they make you want to stay on her page. Katie's "About Me" is hilarious. From what I've learned from Katie's blog, she is fun and professional. I believe this is exactly what a professional blog should portray. Katie’s blog is very organized and easy to navigate. Her layout choice was ideal for what she was trying to accomplish.
Finally, Rubin Bryant's blog at http://theworldaccordingtomrru.blogspot.com was my favorite. I think the background and colors are sharp. His posts are interesting and thoughtful, and I like his use of pictures. He had enough visual images to attract the reader, but not so many that it detracted from the content. I think Rubin should use his blog to market his business.
All-in-all, I am very impressed by the blogs that my classmates have created. By doing this project, I have realized that my own blog should probably be geared more toward a professional audience, rather than a personal one. I will use some of the tips outlined in this paper to improve my own blog before our final project is due.
References:
Walker, Tom (2010, April). 5 Tips to Make Your Blog More Visually Appealing. Technoskillonlie. Retrieved July 5, 2011 from http://www.technoskillonline.com/2010/04/5-tips-to-make-your-blog-more-visually-appealing/
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