Saturday 26 October 2013

TIPS TO IMPROVING YOUR BLOG

Not that I'm now an expert at blogging to be giving out such advice, NO!!!! far from it, but a new acquaintance had asked me to look through their blog and give them advice on how to improve it. When I initially got the request, I was quite thrown out of balance for a few minutes then I decided - why not? You see, I remembered having some problems when I just started blogging. I was new to the whole Google experience and didn't start using Google+ until many months after I started blogging and got comfortable with it. Most times still, I have difficulty with finding topics to write on and when I eventually do find one, I need to find the right name for it (A CATCHY TITLE) and then make the content great for my readers.


My blog was entirely designed by me and it still feels incomplete to me since I don't have all the facebook and twitter buttons and have no idea how to get those cute little ones that line the top right hand corner of the site. I am shocked and then faltered sometimes when I do get complements on the blog design. I guess I try. I started my blog I'm sure like most people did theirs without help and went for the simple template. I didn't have enough content anyway to go for the more dynamic views. I am a restless one (God help me!) I had to explore to find out what other people's blog looked like. I visited numerous blogs and saw their different designs and content and I went back to the drawing board. 

I began by changing my template, the simple was too simple and I also went about customizing the template. I choose font colors and size for headings and all. Then I attacked the sidebars. The fact that I didn't have popular posts or an archive and adverts didn't deter me. My blog just had to look pretty at least. I put up a clock and a slide show, an about me and blog archive never the less *lol*. I was happy. I began first by just uploading pictures of my work, then later writing. I discovered I loved writing too. I always tried to add at least a photo to each post. If I didn't already have one, I Googled and got one.


I learnt never to copy and paste anything directly into my blog post. If I did,  I always retyped it and delete the initial copy this is because when you copy and paste directly, the font from where you have copied is retained and it makes the post disorganized during reading, with some fonts tiny, others big and it looks haphazard. It also has it's own background color usually white or cream different from the one in your blog I also learnt to write in a manner of conversing, like I was speaking to a live audience (that's because your audience-readers are live). I put my content into paragraphs, I believe it makes it easier to read.

If you forgot to write something in your post, when you remember, you can always go back and edit it and update.

Finally, don't make your content overly lengthy, the reader may get tired halfway through and maybe the best part it yet to come - who knows. If it gets to lengthy then break it up into parts. That's more posts for you anyway. 

So, to improve your blog, basically do the following
  • Make it beautiful to look at
  • Great content with a nice title
  • Neat as regards font size and paragraphs
  • Don't copy and paste directly, copy and retype
  • Add photos to posts
  • Communicate with your readers in your write ups
  • Don't make the content to long, avoid boring the readers.
I hope this helps. This is for you +Daniel Kim. I'm honored by your request.
Cheers......

5 comments:

  1. You are a couple of weeks late for me; I would have like the tip about the copy/paste sooner. One additional tip - preview before posting, you can see your errors that way. Great post Keren.

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    1. Thank you very much Cynthia (that's my sister's name by the way *smiles*) and you are very right, Always preview before publishing

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  2. You give some good basic tips! www.addthis.com is where you get those "cute follow buttons." ;)

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    1. Thanks Joy for the information and also on the info on making sure to use photos from site that aren't copy-protected. We learn everyday!

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  3. Nice blogging tips, I think.

    >I had to explore to find out what other people's blog looked like. I visited numerous blogs and saw their different designs and content and I went back to the drawing board.

    Great effort!
    I will try, too.

    Thanks!☻

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