It's all in the details!
In the world of blogs there are very good writers and people with a wonderful eye for design and photography. However, in many cases the writing is lost in the beauty or the beauty is lost in the writing. Striking the correct balance is a very hard thing to do. For example, I have seen blogs with the most beautiful photography in the world but have had to search high and low for the text to explain what the blog owner are trying to say. Placement of the photographs overshadowed a beautiful poem or story. In other cases, the photographs are of such poor quality they will stop readers before they have even began. That is why getting your website template right is so important.
So lets take a look at the details and see if we can learn a little something about making your blog design better using what is available through the blogger host.
Blogspot Templates
The beauty of templates is that they are ready made! You can find people that will do that for you for a price but I like free. At least for now. I have learned by just trying the template on like I would a item of clothing. There are, however, some tricks to finding just the perfect fit for you.
If you are writing so other people will read, the look of your blog is very important. Like buying interview suit, we sometimes need another pair of eyes to find out what it looks like on you. Many a job has gone unfilled because the person interviewing for the job didn't understand the importance of their appearance. In the world of blogging, many a blog goes unread because the owner of the blog did not care about it's look. If you have no clue about what will appeal to other people or don't even know whether you care, you might want to let a stylish friend take a look.
Blogspot offers six basic designs that you can pick from. Almost all the elements within that template such as background color, font color and font type can be altered based on your purpose. For example, if you are writing about food, your blog page is similar to a menu. It should be very clear what you are all about and each of the elements need to reflect your purpose. In other words pick the perfect template and then dress it up to the nines.
Background for Serious Eats
Food Blog Example
Source: Serious Food Eats
White Background
Background
On a personal level there are things that do not work for me personally. For example, I do not read a blog or website that has a black background. I find them depressing and very hard to see. I am an older woman with some vision problems. I do not see colors on black. Remember, if you are publishing a blog for other people, you need to keep in mind that people will not read if it is hard to make out what is on the page. On the blogspot templates there is a design with a black motif calledAwesome, Inc . I cannot even make out what the title of the blog is.
The background should be in keeping with your blog niche. When you decide on the background you should think about what your pictures will be. While black may make the photos show up the print shrinks in importance. Food bloggers should alway be aware of color behind a food picture. Like the beautiful table setting the background should be light and appetizing. I have included a food blog pictures so you can see that, even though the blog background in a light green, the text and pictures appear on a white back ground.
On my blog I am now using a pure white background. In the past I have tried almost every other color. I like that no matter how wide or narrow the components are, the background has become a part of the total picture. The importance of the pictures, text and ads are what pops when the page is viewed. That is my personal preference.
Example Headers
Free Blog Header...SmashMagazine.com
Header, Header, Header
I cannot help but think that the header is what sets the appearance of your blog apart from all the others. When I began styling my blog, I knew that I wanted to find a header that fit the feel of my blog. Because I have alway felt like the blog was about a personal visit with a friend, I finally selected the cup of coffee. A website called Smashing Magazine has a page for free headers that can be downloaded and used by their readers. I love the look of their headers. I have also chosen photos from my computer, edited them in Photoshop so they fit the top of my blog ( generally about 900px by 90px.) Blogspot allows you to place your blog name in front of any design you select for the header.
Now please don't think I arrived at this knowledge in a day or two. Trial and error have been my method of learning. But by finding a free header online you can get the look you want with the least amount of work.
Edited Photos
Panorama
Quick Snap Picture
Edit those Photos...PLEASE!
People take some wonderful photos but don't take the time to enhance those photos so they will make a real impression. Good food should be so beautiful you want to lick the screen. You do not need to be a professional anymore to publish a gorgeous photo. iphoto or Photoshop Elements will make all pictures blog worthy! This is one of those detail you should never, never overlook!
Both photos featured above have been edited for the results I wanted. Even the simple enhance function in your photo editing tool does so much for a photo!
More Blogging Information
- Blogger vs Wordpress: Which is best for SEO and How Does Self-Hosting Fit Into the Equation?
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Font
There are some very funky fonts out there. Blogspot now has over 70 fonts to choose from. One can become so involved with painting a picture with the fonts that they will forget that someone will actually be TRYING to read what they write. At one time I loved playing with fonts. That was before I started writing with the goal of making a little money. Things are different now. So what is the best size and font?
Keep in mind that Hubpages is the perfect example of the perfect blog. They use a Arial type font. There are no curlicue's, fancy doodads or mishmash! I have used a Times font on my blog but I may be changing that soon. I like theGFS Neohellenic.
As for size and yes it is important, please don't make the print so small I need my big magnifying glasses to see! Because I write a blog aimed at older people, I use 20- 24px and the blackest black there is. The tendency for many bloggers is to look at the page as a whole and forget that, while the total picture is important, readability is our goal.
Quote from Ibuild Branding
The thing to remember about blogging is that it is meant to be a continuous conversation between yourself and the rest of the Web. That means there is big potential for readers to come back again and again to see what's new in your neck of the woods.
Repeat after me...IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS!
There is so much more to be said. For example, I think sidebars should be on the left especially if you are placing an ad in that location. Read everything you can find about blogger ads. There is so much information even here on Hubpages. Use free resources to learn what you need to know. I like a black border for pictures if the blog template will allow it. I have learned that on Blogspot the old 5 space indentation for paragraphs works better than double spaces between paragraphs. It really is all in the details. Have a lot of fun. Tweak that blog over and over. Your readers will love you for it.
So there you have it. A sort of "down and dirty" explanation about personalizing your blog design. Learning is an ongoing thing and as styles change, so will the appearance of our blogs. When you see very old blogs that have been abandon, you will know immediate how old they are. Evolving as trends change will keep your blog fresh and alive.
Who am I?
I am an amateur writer and owner of three blog domains. I have never purchased a template or anything that has to do with the appearance of my blogs. Everything I have done has been because I have learned to create the look or I found the application for free online. I am an educator and I know that when I teach I learn. I write at Retire in Style Blog.
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