Reader-Friendly Blog Design Tips by Charlie Hester

“What’s black and white and read all over?”

Back in the ‘olden days,’ I sold newspaper ads. The paper I worked for spent lots of money training their advertising executives to learn about the effectiveness of ads.
Where to place them, how to make them look, and what can make them successful.
If you think about it, a blog is a lot like a newspaper- and we can use these principles to help your blog achieve the one thing we really want most: Keep YOUR Readers Reading Longer.
If you are a blog statistic junkie like me, you watch the little minute counter that tells you the average time people spend on your blog. My constant goal is to get them between 5 and 10 minutes. But it takes a lot of work to keep them there. So how can your design keep audiences reading? Read through these 3 easy blog design tips to find out how:

If your type is white, something ain’t right

While I love the sleek look a black background has, after I return to white background my eyes are spinning. Look at the big names in web pages and hosting – Yahoo, AOL, and MSN. Notice anything? Unless you have set your personal preferences otherwise, they all have a WHITE background.
Color should be used to accentuate the positives of your blog, for instance links, ads, and pictures. Black is best for the font color of your main messages (aka- your blog posts) and a Times New Roman-ish or Helvetica font is the easiest for people to read. Your blog isn’t there to frustrate people. So make it as easy as pie for them to enjoy.

Keep it clean “above the fold”

Look at your blog as you first log on to view it, just as it appears on the screen. This first screen shot of your blog is what I consider (to go back to my old timey newspaper terms) ABOVE THE FOLD. Just as most newspapers are folded in half, that first screen shot, before you scroll down, is the first thing people will see. Is it cluttered? Is it hard for people to look at? Are the colors clashing? Unless your blog is committed to something like Pop Art, your blog should be pleasing to the eyes. Not just your eyes. Sure, you LOVE the clip art hodge podge that comes onto the screen. But does it tell your story? Does your audience immediately connect to you from the graphics? If not, perhaps it’s time for an upgrade.

The top left corner of your blog is the sweet spot

If you have contests, giveaways, or important news (lots of my friends do fundraising)- the top left corner (under your header, respectively) is the place that a reader’s eyes naturally fall first. You want to keep the top left corner changing. Give them a reason to look there. It is my constant habit to move things around on the sides once a week. I want my readers to pay attention, and if they see something they hadn’t noticed before, chances are they will take a moment and check it out.
This principle is especially important if you wish to monetize your blog. Advertisers want their ads to stand out, and placement is key. If they require particular placement (such as your top left corner sweet spot), be sure to charge a premium rate.

All of these things add up to:

Readers reading longer!

Take the time to review your blog and tweek it if necessary.
It will make all the difference!

credit to thepixelista.com