Liz, Author at Successful Blog Page

Five Design Basics to Never Forget

December 5, 2005 by Liz

Blog design is a lot like a book cover. It’s our first impression. A promise of what’s still to come. Before they read a word or take in the title, readers have formed an opinion of our blogs based on the design.

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” might be what they tell you. Reality is that covers sell books, and designs draw in readers. Great content and useful design keeps readers coming back for more, but first-glance design is what gets them to try us.

What are the five design basics never to forget?

Put the title where I can see it and a subtitle explaining what the blog is about. Sounds obvious, but we’ve all been to blogs where we couldn’t find the title. More often we’ve been to blogs where the title just wasn’t enough. Does Mary muse about music or about mathematics? It makes a difference to whether I want to read her. It won’t make me a reader not to tell me. I’m going to find out.
Please tell me about yourself. Tell me who you are, writer. Blogs are special in their person-to-person connectedness. I read blogs because I like that about them. I can ignore it, if I don’t care about it, but I can’t make it up, if it’s not there. Don’t take that choice away from me.
Choose a color palette that goes together. Don’t let fighting colors distract me from what I should be paying attention to. If you’re artfully challenged, there are tools that can help.

Image-Based Color Palette Generator

Monochromatic Color Palette Generator

Colour Lovers–Great Color Palettes Already Developed

Colors that are meant to go together make the environment comfortable and inviting–one worth spending time in.

Less is more, and simple is elegant. Put what you think I need. Then take half away. White space is good. It gives me room to think. Lack of it crowds me. It confuses my eyes and makes me want to leave. I like my space, like most people do.
Form follows function. You might have heard this one. It means that everything should be there for a reason–in this case for me, the reader. If it’s not, let it go. Things without function get in my way–they get between me and what you’re trying to tell me. I don’t want to fight to hear what you have to say.

The key to design is that it adds value to readers’ experience without calling unnecessary attention to itself. Like a great music score, you sense it and feel it. It carries you along as if it knows right where you want to go.

–Me “Liz” Strauss

Interview 3 Patrick Makes California a Black Hole

December 5, 2005 by Liz

A Conversation with Patrick about Blog Design
His Blog: california is a recipe for a black hole
URL: mojoshivers.blogspot.com
Things to note when you visit: what a blogspot template can become

I introduce you to Patrick and his blog to start the design conversation for several reasons: Patrick’s a writer not a designer. He has a good eye, but admits he’s no good at code. He’s a blogger who took a basic template and made it uniquely his own–so much so you have to look to see the blogspot underneath it.

Here are Patrick’s thoughts about his blog and its design.

Patrick, what made you start the blog?

I had been reading two blogs–5ilver.net (now defunct) and sdfsdf.wox.org. I always thought I could do something like that, but I fretted about the daily routine of keeping one up. Finally, after a few weeks off work and without any real reason not to, I decided it was about time. I wrote my first post, and I have been writing ever since. That was September 1st, 2004.

The name obviously had a part in the design. What’s its story?

The name’s actually a line from my favorite song, “Pictures of Success” by my favorite band, Rilo Kiley. It’s always been a favorite phrase of mine. It sums up the mixture of forlorn and wistfulness that I think permeates my life. Also, the inclusion of musical influences is one aspect I knew I wanted to include on my blog.

How did you get to the “look” of your site?

When I first started blogging I started off with a template. As I continued to write, I started tweaking the “look” of my site. I chose a palette of blacks and greys to adhere to the “black hole” theme. The header picture I took myself on a drive home from work, which I then tweaked with to produce the “black hole” effect.

As for links, I decided that, rather than plop down a huge blogroll, I wanted a small selection of blogs I actually read on a regular basis. Once a site stops being updated, or if the address changes, I drop it. I don’t want the huge lists that other sites have. I want everyone to know that the sites I like are a select few and that I can guarantee you that each one on my list of favorite things is worth the effort to visit.

Why a partner?

I don’t think anyone can be interesting every day of the week. I brought Breanne in because I know she’s a good writer, and she has interesting stories to tell about her life. We both have similar views on what the site should be about and stand for. Also, our lives crisscross so much that it only made sense that I brought her aboard.

More importantly, she makes working on the site fun because I always know she’s right there to tell me what is and isn’t working.

What was your biggest mistake?

I suck at coding. I’ve had many meltdowns trying to “improve” the look of the site.

What change made the greatest improvement?

Getting away from that damn template.

What do you wish you could do for your blog?

I just want to gain more readers and continue to post on this site for many decades to come.

What was the best advice anyone gave you?

The customer is not always right. In fact, a pretty good average is to say they’re wrong about 50% of the time. In most things, especially my writing, I try not to limit myself in terms of what, how, or who I write about.

What advice would you give a beginner?

Breanne and I have a saying whenever we go into writing a deeply personal or uncomfortable topic:

“Ride hard and kill ’em all!”

That’s pretty much the philosophy when it comes to being worried about what people reading might think.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Take a look at this unique site that shows what one guy can do with a blogspot template, some time, some hardwork, and some creativity. Patrick has made it his own. A place that’s unique, memorable and truly representative of the quality of the writing that it promises when you look further. Stop by Tuesday to be part cf the community discussion about works for you and what doesn’t in this unusual blog design. Maybe I can coax Patrick to be there too.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Blogging Hypothetical Question 3

December 4, 2005 by Liz

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For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Hypothetical Question.

Here you go. . . .

A friend in your blogging niche has 700-800 visitors a day. (Don’t we all wish?) But she gets no comments.
She asks:
Is this a bad thing? Is it my writing? What should I do? Should I do anything?

What’s your response?

Besides, of course, “Send them to me, and I’ll ask them.”

–ME “Liz” Strauss

A Genuine Blogging Community

December 4, 2005 by Liz

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Being Part of Something Bigger

To serve our readers, to make something bigger, to show the blogosphere what community looks like . . . to keep blogging fun and engaging, to have a place to go figure out solutions and share our successes, to make blogging all it can be come hell or high water . . . Successful Blog is a community blog where every voice is welcomed and every contribution is valued.–MES

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Have stories or ideas to add to the conversation?

Is there something you do that works really well?
Have you had a success you’d like to share?
Have you figured out a useful trick or two?
Have you got a tool or tip we don’t know about?
Have you figured out the hard way a pitfall we can avoid?
Have you written an article you’d like to submit?
Do you have ideas on how we might collaborate?
Do you have a post with fresh, relevant content we’d enjoy?
Do you have a post that explores a new angle on an old subject?
Do you have a post with a tool that belongs in the Survival Kit?
Do you have a post about an experience that might help a new blogger?

Share what you know and we all get better. For details on how, see the Want to Be a Contributor? page.

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Be part of something bigger than one–Successful Blog–a genuine Blogging Community.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Tuesday Design Discussion Night

December 3, 2005 by Liz

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Successful bloggers are constantly trading nuances, techniques, and strategies for how they keep their blogs growing. . . . When we find one, itÃÂ¢Ã¢âÂ¬Ã¢âÂ¢s hard to keep quiet. We want to know if other folks see the same things we do.

Wasn’t it fun when we had that discussion last week in the comment section of Brian’s sidebar article?

I want to do that again. Don’t you?

So I proclaim Tuesday Night Successful Blog Design Discussion Night.

This week we’ll talk about california is a recipe for a black hole–a quality blog with a unique design. The blog is co-authored by Patrick “Mojo Shivers” and his life-long friend, Breasier.

I tell you now in case you want to take a peek over the weekend. Before you go, you might want to print out the Checklist for Linking to Quality Blogs that I’ve just put together. It’s a great tool for evaluating blog ideas wherever you find them. It’s in the next post. If you go, read a story. The writing’s worth reading. And do leave a comment. It’s an experience to get to the comment screen.

I’ll run a mini-interview about it and gather some screen shots for you to see on Monday.

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So do come Tuesday night, if you can. If not I’ll end up talking to me–which will lead to my schizoform disorder coming out again, which will mean my dcctor will have to up my medication–and that just isn’t pretty. Oh no, it’s not pretty.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Checklist for Linking to Quality Blogs

December 3, 2005 by Liz

A successful blogger is always looking at other blogs to decide which blogs are worth linking to and just to get new ideas.

This second checklist: Checklist for Linking to Quality Blogs serves both of those purposes. It differs from the original Blog Review Checklist in the point of view and in the way the questions are worded. The values in this checklist are approached from a readers’ point of view. I hope you find it helpful for defining quality blogs around the Internet.

1. Audience:

2. Purpose: What is the purpose of this blog? Is the purpose stated plainly where you can see it? How well does the blog meet that purpose?

3. Content: How well does the content support the purpose? Is the content quality, relevant, readable, interesting, accurate, entertaining, and appropriate for the audience?

4. Design: How well does the look of the blog communicate the kind of blog it is? Is navigation easy and intuitive? Do items flow naturally from the first to the next? Do the color palette, image, and type choices support the content or call attention away from it?

5. Posts: Are the posts on a consistent schedule? Do they offer variety and interest within the blog’s purpose and theme?

6. Comments: Does the blog writer read and respond to comments to form a sense of community? Do you get a sense of community at this blog?

7. Technical Issues: Did the blog load fast in your browser? Was the experience more confusing or fun?

8. Writing: Is the writing clear and respectful of readers? Does the writing voice let readers know who the writer really is? Is the blog essentially free of errors in grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation?

9. Organization: Are there categories to draw you into the backlist? Is there an archive feature of “Golden Oldie”? that you would have interest in exploring? Are the Categories named things that you can understand?

10. Marketing: How would you promote this blog, if it were yours?

11. Persuading the Writer: If you are thinking of asking to link with this blog, what do you know about the blogger? What does your content bring that will add value to this blog? How might you persuade the blogger that your blog will enhance his or her readers’ experience? Find three specific links that show how your quality content ties relevantly to this blog’s content. Use this information to write a compelling argument for making a link.

Do you go through this list with every blog that you visit? Of course not. Use this list when you’re on reconnaissance, when you’re looking for quality homes for your links inside your niche or creative ideas outside your niche.

Follow this checklist with sincerity and you’ll not only get great links and ideas, your reputation will grow to be one of someone who cares about quality and long-lasting relationships.

–ME “Liz” Strauss