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Keep Your Blog Reader Friendly

8 July 2008 11 Comments

As a blogger and reader, one thing I’ve realized is that there are some blogs I don’t bother to read at all. It’s not that these blogs are horrible; alright, some of them are. However, my point is that I don’t take time to view some blogs that might actually be worth reading, simply because getting them to open is a difficulty in itself. A lot of times, we find blogs with interesting titles, only to get bored halfway through because loading takes a few minutes more than we’re willing to spare.

This is why I suggest bloggers keep their websites/blogs as reader-friendly as possible. I know you want to put in as much stuff as you can in your online space, but do consider how these unnecessary additions may unwittingly hamper your blog’s growth.

Here are some ways you can keep your blog reader-friendly:

Keep the javascript widgets to a minimum. There are thousands of widgets out there available; this doesn’t mean you should just add all of them to your blog. I know it’s tempting. Personally, I love putting widgets on my sidebar. I realize that they slow down my blog’s loading time, but I can’t help it. As a compromise, I put in only the most necessary of widgets (and a few indulgences, of course), but always keep a sharp watch on my site’s loading time. If it takes too long, don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll get rid of the clutter immediately.
Don’t be image-heavy. A pretty banner is lovely, of course, but if your entire site is filled with graphics, a lot of users dependent on dial-up connections could find it difficult to open your site. If your site is really geared towards images (photography websites, for example), invest in hosts that provide more bandwidth. Otherwise, just lay off the images, okay?
Organize your space. I always look for Wordpress themes that are clean and easy to view. Personally, I think my own website’s theme has gotten a bit cluttered, so I’ll be looking for a new layout soon. Still, I try to organize the overall location of specific widgets. Categorize, categorize, categorize! Make it easy for readers to find what they’re looking for.
Let the content shine. I hate it when the blog seems more like a basket of widgets instead of an actual blog. Give the posts the biggest, widest space in your layout. The reader’s eyes must be drawn to the posts, not the extra images or widgets in your sidebar. Without your content, your blog is just like everybody else’s. Keep it the center of attention.
Put your important widgets in the top half of your site. Confession: if I can’t find the blog’s Entrecard after a serious run-through, I won’t bother looking for it further. I have no patience. There are tons of blogs to visit and if your blog doesn’t give me what I want in the first few minutes, I probably won’t be back.

Harsh but true.

XOXO,

11 Comments »

Kat said:

I get irritated if a blog has all these widgets and glittery graphics, especially if I have to scroll down, down, down before I could get to the content itself. Oddly enough, majority of the great blogs I love reading are actually very minimal in design.

# 8 July 2008 at 10:19 am

miss-write (author) said:

Exactly. I don’t like clutter, but sometimes you can’t help it. I’ll be looking for a cleaner layout soon.
BTW, I think I forgot to add that you need a dependable webhost, too! My site is down for hours some times, thanks to my cheapskate choice.

# 8 July 2008 at 12:33 pm

Blogging For Novice said:

This is a nice write up. Do you mind me feature this post in my blog?

# 8 July 2008 at 12:50 pm

miss-write (author) said:

No problem Yen (did I get your name right?). I’ll be honored

# 8 July 2008 at 3:00 pm

Kat said:

Well, there’s no problem with putting up badges and widgets, but some people are really going overboard with the stuff they’re adding to their blogs. Some aren’t neccesary, but since a lot of bloggers are trying to garner visits (especially the ones who are trying to make a break in pro-blogging), ayun, minsan talaga sumosobra hehe.

Ah yes. Webhost. Most of our clients use Marvin’s Web (libreng plug na yun for them haha). I forgot how much it costs per year, but it’s pretty good.

Kats last blog post..today’s entry is handwritten

# 8 July 2008 at 9:44 pm

Yoj said:

I couldn’t agree more to all of these. It’s also annoying to come across blog sites with uber-bright colors and text TyPeD LiKe ThIs. It’s like they’re giving the impression that they were taught how to write/type like that.

# 10 July 2008 at 1:20 am

lionel (acid42) said:

Content really should be king. Unless of course your content is photos or designs. Plus, navigation should be easy to find and understand.

# 10 July 2008 at 3:36 am

miss-write (author) said:

@kat - yeah. if this gets off the ground i’ll get a better webhost

@yoj - hehe i know what you mean. i don’t read blogs that drive my eyes crazy

@lionel - yep. even if you’re all about images you should still give your reader a readable layout.

# 10 July 2008 at 8:13 am

Warrior In Scrubs said:

I agree that content should be the priority.

But what is your opinion about blogs that have dark backgrounds (e.g., black)–like mine? Are they reader-friendly?

Warrior In Scrubss last blog post..NIPPON KEMPO IN METRO MANILA

# 15 July 2008 at 9:31 pm

miss-write (author) said:

@warrior - it’s all about your site’s theme and feel. black’s not a problem as long as everything’s readable. gaudy colors and poorly blended ads can be distracting.

re your blog, i think it’s very readable and well-organized.

# 15 July 2008 at 10:32 pm

Warrior In Scrubs said:

Thanks a lot, Miss-Write. For a newbie like me (I only started blogging late June), that’s very encouraging.
Warrior In Scrubss last blog post..NIPPON KEMPO IN METRO MANILA

# 15 July 2008 at 11:34 pm