There are many reasons why a blog is created. It could be created for fun, to inform people, or simply to express thoughts and ideas. Whatever the reason, a blogger wants their blogs to be read and their blog visited often. But how can you create a blog that will entice thousands of readers worldwide? By seducing them through design, of course.
CMS and Theme
Whatever content management system you’re using, it’s important to determine what you are allowed and discouraged to do for your blog. For WordPress, bloggers are given the freedom to customize their blogs as much as they want. In Blogger, however, users are only limited to authors and administrators.
Each Content Management System (CMS) has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it’s important to determine how much freedom your CMS is giving you for your blog. Aside from familiarizing your CMS, it’s also important to play around your theme to determine what you want to be changed and how far you can go with the customization process.
Keep an eye on each element
Your readers will see whatever you put on your blog, so remember to keep an eye on the essential physical element on its’ front end. But for this blogpost, we’ll look into the top 4 elements that are most common in every blog: color, typography, pattern, and layout.
Color
You created your blog, in hopes that it represents who you are as a person. With that stated, it’s important to carefully select the colors you use for your blog post. Determine your color scheme. Do you want the classic black and white, or hues with shades of old rose, coral, and peach?
The colors you use on your blog will significantly affect the overall feel of the website. Choose the colors that represent the content of your blog and who you are as a person. Choosing the right color palette is one way for you to show your uniqueness and draw attention to your blog.
Typography
What fonts are you using for your blog? Selecting your blog’s typography may not seem like a big deal at first. But in the long run, you’ll have to determine which font family you’ll stick with for your blog posts.
It’s more than just choosing one between Serif and Sans Serif. There are many common fonts on the internet that have different feel to it. For example, the font “Playfair” gives off a formal but sophisticated feel, while “Raleway” has a more playful and versatile look.
Pattern
Consistency and repetition are two words that you can maximize on your blog. At first glance, your home page should look different from other pages in your blog in the same way that your “About the Author” page shouldn’t look like your “FAQ” or “Contact” pages. However, having a consistent pattern allows your audience to get the sense of unity and familiarity on every page.
Layout
How big do you want your sidebar to be for your blog post? How big should the title be? There are many elements on your layout from the navigation, grid, space, and many others that collectively make up the general feel of your blog.
You can personalize your blog navigation by arranging your blogs chronologically or according to the most widely accepted by readers. You can also customize the layout of every blog post by determining the balance between the graphics and text.
Overall, it’s important to remember that your blog design will determine how the readers will perceive your site. Keep your eyes on every detail and ensure that the overall look of your blog represents who you are.
