Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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November 3, 2009

Why Can’t We seem to Keep Things Simple?

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 9:00 am

A Guest Post by Kyle Lacy

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I was asked to write this guest post about the power of simplicity in blog design and honestly, I was at a loss for words. What does it mean to have simplicity in blog design? Are we discussing the concepts of the layout design? Or a universal view of all things blog? I am not here to talk about the back-end coding of a blog, the rules of user interface design, or minimalistic thoughts on design…but the ability to give your readers the easiest way to read your valuable CONTENT.

It is easy to say that the simpler the design the better. I mean… look at Google and Yahoo. Google has one of the simplest website designs… ever. The design hasn’t changed much since the creation of the search engine. While Yahoo… in all of the search world glory… has everything but a kitchen sink. Google has proved that simplicity wins in design but where does simplicity fit in blog design?

I could give you a list of the top 10 reasons why blog design should be simple… but honestly… we don’t have the time. There is one reason why your blog design should be simplistic in nature…

Readers should have the ability to scan your content without experiencing a headache or stress… which will eventually lead to a heart attack.. which none of us want…NO READER DEATHS!

I’m taking the Google route. Simplicity in blog design is key because YOUR content must be easy to scan by the reader. I am not here to preach. In no stretch of the imagination is my blog even close to simplistic… but it is closer than most. What do you want the visitor to experience when surfing your blog and your content?

Remember, your content is king. Design around your content.

Since design is the main topic of conversation in this post.. I wanted to share with you 5 blogs I find extremely BRILLIANT when it comes to simplistic design.

1. Blog What? Design

2. AI Alex

3. Dive Into Mark

4. Design Intellection

5. I am Neato

They focus on the content… period.

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Kyle Lacy oversees a company called Brandswag, which focuses on design, branding and social media education. With offices in Indianapolis and Oklahoma City, Brandswag helps business owners connect with their customers and sustain profitability by presenting consistent images and messages in the marketplace. He recently finished writing Twitter Marketing for Dummies which can be found on Amazon.com
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Kyle, thank you! This is the best on the subject I’ve seen in a long time.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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7 Comments to “Why Can’t We seem to Keep Things Simple?”

  1. November 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 am
    Ms. Freeman said

    I think simplicity is key but there is a thin line between it and boring. I like Yahoo because it does offer so many avenues to search, Google to me is boring and I use it only to search a specific topic where as Yahoo and MSN spark creativity and ideas.

  2. November 3rd, 2009 at 1:40 pm
    Lydia, Clueless Crafter said

    Simplicity should mirror the type of content. Don’t excise tabs in order to achieve a clean look.

    I liken it to interior design. Everything should be functional no matter what, but the elements must be reflective of the overall look. Is the space Victorian, filled with lots of rich details, winding paths from parlor to music room? Well then, don’t slap on exposed steel beams in the space just to make it look simple and straightforward.

    This wouldn’t jive in physical space, so it doesn’t jive in virtual space.

    Make sure to echo content with form.

  3. November 3rd, 2009 at 8:33 pm
    Jon Mills | Adventurer said

    Its a good topic, navigation, layout, colors and not having too many things on the page certainly are key to keeping things focused on what you want to give.. content

  4. November 5th, 2009 at 7:25 am
    Katjaib said

    Thank you for this short, smart post. I immediately thought of Seth Godin. His blog is so easy in/easy out. And powerful. Which brings up another point: A clean look will only get you so far. Short, punchy titles(headlines) are key. Keeping the content brief and breezy — as you’ve done here — gives it punch and increases readership.

  5. November 5th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
    Marc said

    That’s a good idea. I’ll develop another web site like this. It’s so easy and smart!

  6. November 14th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
    Temitope said

    Simplicity is the word! So many blogs in the attempt of looking like the high ranking techie blogs spoil the whole show and your reader gets bored with all the widgets and stuffs. Simplicity is still in vogue so why not just adopt it! Thanks for the post

  7. January 15th, 2010 at 5:39 am
    Twitter Marketing : Basics Strategies and Tactics | Kyle Lacy, Social Media - Indianapolis said

    [...] Why Can’t We seem to Keep Things Simple? (successful-blog.com) [...]

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