Building a better blog!
Fri, Jun 6, 2008
First, let me say, that I tried to do this as a video post, but I’m too spastic. Anal is not the word for it when I tell you I burned through about three HDDVD disks worth of practice runs and still thought it was bad! Maybe I just think I need a haircut… or something… that’s a story for another day… but for now, I’m going to publish it the old fashioned way using some little graphics I had made for the video.
This isn’t a how to, as much as it is an awareness article. Read it, study it, enjoy it, learn from it, but most importantly understand it’s true potential for influencing your blog’s value. Then take what I tell you and run with it!
“Designing by Thirds” Rule…
The rule states that a blog’s above-the-fold viewing area can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align the major, most important parts of your blog’s layout. Sounds simple right? Well it is in theory, but getting it just right might be tougher than you think!
A Quick How to? I know…!
Take a screen shot of your blog or in the case of a premium theme you’re interested in, use the available “demo”… Doing this NOW should save you some heartbreak and money later if the premium design you’re thinking about buying isn’t ideal for earning you more money. Remember that programs like Snag-It, have an option to scroll the entire page and capture the screen shot… we don’t want this. We want the area that’s “above the fold” of your page… it is after all, the most important part of ANY blog! Above the fold is the real estate found on your page when the site first loads in your browser. No scrolling people!
Next we create the grid. This grid has been explained as the “Divine Proportion” of design, but because I hate math, and most of you likely don’t give a hoot… I’m not going to get into the arithmetics behind it all. But, if you’re interested ,it involves some wonderfully fun equations like: 1.618033988749895 ≈ 1.618
I’ve gone ahead and overlayed a dark wash on my screen shot to show you visually EXACTLY what portions of my blog stand out.
Taking your visitors by the hand…
- Top Left Quadrant: My latest post. For obvious reasons it’s great to have it right there in someone’s face screaming “Read Me, I’m NEW”!
- Bottom Left Quadrant: Yesterday’s post. I love this aspect of the design. My previous post shows up in JUST the right spot. Usually, by the time a post end up here, it’s got quite a few comments which of course breeds more comments!
- Top Right Quadrant: My profile. There are way to many articles out there already about how important it is to put a face with the name. So just do it.
- Bottom Right Quadrant: My “Extras” slot. This is one of the most valuable pieces of real estate above the fold. Here you’ll always find something fun, or something new. It’s my way of communicating with you all in an instant without needing to write a three page post. Use it!
Get out of the same old rut!
With thousands of blogs popping up all over the internet everyday, we all know how hard it has been to stand out from the crowd. Get noticed. Become a name. A Resource. A place you stop in at everyday because you know that something useful is going to be there!
You’re dedicated right? You’re ready to blog your heart out on the ways of the web and all you want in return, is a little traffic… Okay and maybe some money right? I’m with ya here… but with all that work going into building relationships, and making friends, and earning… don’t you think that it’s time to step up the game and really strut your stuff? When your sitting around next time saying to yourself what can I do to make my blog better… think of this!
Of course and while what I’m showing you isn’t all that complicated, but it’s something that few bloggers ever think about. Does that this is useless? Hell no! I’d even venture to say it makes this simple concept even more valuable… simply because no one is using it!
Get out of the public pool, quit playing kickball with friends from the neighborhood, and change how people value your blog! Stand up and get out of the rut… Do something different for a change. Your blog will thank you for it.
Make “Designing by Thirds” a standard practice.
What’s the first thing you do when you set up a new blog? Install WordPress or equivalent, upload your favorite plugins, change the URL structure, and dig into your SEO All-in-One Pack. But what about when it comes to choosing your blog’s theme? Sure, you might dig around and find something you think is great, but is it really? Does it follow one of the oldest rules in the book for great design? Does it utilize one of the most successful strategies known to the marketing world (Since 1797) If your not sure, than adding this step to your blog setup process, is something you should start doing.
Can this make you money?
Yes, in fact it’s made my employer quite a large bit o-cash if ya know what I mean! I’m not kidding either! When properly demonstrated to clients, it’s been a deal closer every time. Not many web designers take the time and explain to their clients why they do certain things. I ALWAYS do. It locks them in thinking that going elsewhere, would only be getting them second best.
This system is perfect for turning low budget website client maybes… into millions of dollars of business over the years. Hey, when it works, it works! Regardless of your blogs purpose, the goal is the same… make more money… increase traffic… add subscribers and build a valued resource that people will follow. So, stop talking about it and get to it. Now you’re aware of how important great design can really be even when simply picking a theme!
Tags: design, how to, Premium Themes
June 6th, 2008 at 9:45 am
I know what you mean about the video thing. I was going to attempt to get into the whole video thing and got pissed off because it seems as though I have a lisp. Nobody told me! But it’s right there on the video. Well maybe it’s just my imagination but I couldn’t settle on anything I was happy with.
I’ve always loved design but really don’t know that much about it beyond liking to draw purdy pictures so tips like this are pretty handy.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:00 am
SUPERB!!!!!!!!!
June 6th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Ok, that was not a cheap comment but my first thought when I hit the bottom. I have just re-read the post and this is the reason I read PB daily. Fabulously written, perfectly explained and totally valuable content!
June 6th, 2008 at 11:03 am
@ Kirsty: Thanks for stopping in and welcome to the great PB! LOL. Well I don’t have a lisp… I’ve got bigger problems… like being a lunatic.
Thanks for the compliment… hope to see you around more often now!
@ AP: WHAT A CHEAP COMMENT YOU LEFT! AP = CW… Comment Whore.
@ AP: Okay, all is forgiven. CW = AP again… was it to “instructional”? I didn’t want to do another fricken “how to post”… just a quick explanation of how important the little things are and that they can mean the difference between earning loyal readers ($$$)… and comment whores (-$$$):-P
June 6th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Hola PB
I apologize for not having anything intelligent to say when I comment. I am not the affiliate marketing/web design/technical kind of gal. BUT I do have a killer joke for you.
Q: Why did the biscuit keep crying?
A: Because his Mom was a wafer so long
Saw it on the back of a pack of chips last night..how random! Immediately thought of The Piss Biscuit.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I thought it was fantastic. Not overly instructional, yet it taught me something I didn’t know at the same time. I tried doing this with my blog, but by the end, I ended up just putting a giant X through it and deciding that I need to get a custom theme…
June 6th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
@ UBTC: Como esta? Muy bien y tu? Cute joke… funny ha ha!
and what are you doing eating chips? Don’t we know that greasy starches aren’t good for us?
@ Bryan: Thanks bro. I’m REALLY not wanting to be in the “Learn How” niche so I tried really hard to not go there. I like the mish-mash of everything here like it is, so my goals is to keep it that way.
Big red X… LOL. I’ve already told you let me know hen you’re ready and we’ll see what we can do.
Oh, and to answer your question from the other day. My skype username is “pissbiscuit” of course. I just got signed up.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I agree with Bryan and as I said before, just superb mate. You got the balance absolutely spot on!
Comment whore, who me???
June 6th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
PB, good stuff. I just got excited reading this. I love webdesign so much, I’ve read everything there is out there, and this right up at the top of the heap. Simple, but very important stuff. Unfortunately I’m just a writer, and don’t have the skills, or patience to ever get a mock-up done. Maybe someday, but it can be a tedious process and that’s something I can’t handle.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Oh, BTW, check your inbox, I sent like 800 emails, so ignore all of them but the last one.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Comment whore? What does that mean, as Belgian me Englesh not so good so pls explain.
Writing too many post might make one a attention whore, euh, can I say that here without getting arrested?
I did a videopost some time ago explaining something about editing and I haven’t left the house since, I sounded quite gay but then again most people do.
Don’t know if you ever seen and heared the video tutorials on videocopilot.net, that guy (Andrew Kramer) is a real gifted speaker, after hearing him I decided that writing is a much better way for me to express myself.
About the post, very nice, not too much bs and too the point. I read an articles some time ago about eye tracking studies in the webdesign world, I also found that one a very interesting to see how to get the right attention in your blog. See here: http://tinyurl.com/yrhydu
June 6th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Since you are posting every day why user teasers on your front page, why not the full article if I type in the url to your site?
Just an observation, I personally feel that a list of recent posts is only needed if I as the reader enter a site and find it is not updated, if I see the same article as yesterday I hit the back button, if I see a new article I read it, if I check twice in a day I’m stalking you!
June 6th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
@ Tor: That’s a rather odd question considering the post you’re replying too. But I guess I can go over it all again…
Your Question: Why do I use teasers on my front page, and why not the full article?
My Answer: As the majority, readers show up here for one of two reasons. To investigate the content or return for updates and participation.
The reality is, that by displaying one article, and one article only, you’re putting ALL of your eggs in one basket. You are now counting on that single article to sell your ENTIRE blog to your new visitors. Now while I think that my blog’s content is informative, I also have to consider the fact that some people just won’t like what you write every day. Having multiple articles, in a well organized, easy to find layout, is the best way of giving visitors a choice without having to go digging through your archives.
Secondly, unless you’re a hobbit, I’d think you’d very much like to have plenty of active comments as well as visitor interaction right?
To ensure that conversations continue, and topics stay interesting, it’s always a good idea to have your recent articles lined up. I display 6… that means that my fresh materials are on top, and my open topics are slowly worked into the archives. It will take an entire week to cycle through and archive each blog post I write. Doing this, allows my visitors to remain involved in the discussion for the duration of the week allowing for maximum exposure to the marketplace.
… you get the point?
Putting one article up a day as a “showcase” is likely one of the most damning ways to blog. It’s a lot like saying that you’re going to spend this year’s ENTIRE profits on a TV commercial… all in the hopes of seeing a return tomorrow. If the commercial doesn’t go as planned, you’re broke and out of business. Doesn’t sound fun does it?
I hope that this answered you question, but if not, maybe an article is in order.
June 6th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Great post and you’ve added more information to it in your last comment. I don’t think an article is in order, you’ve just written it, lol!
On a more serious note, it’s a damn good post with some great explanations.
The site I link to in my sig hardly fits your strategy at all, but that’s ok, as it isn’t a money making blog - it just ‘is’, if you see what I mean…
I would be interested in the future though in discussing design for a new website/blog I am setting up with a view to making something lasting (or worth quite a few bucks down the line). Not yet though as I have to research the market a bit more before I leap in.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
@ Zania: Yeh, I had too! I just have so much to say since so much can apply. It’s tough finding a balance, but I’m glad that the general consensus is EXCELLENT!
“Damn good post” Awesome comment! I appreciate the compliment.
I’m quite sure that your “real” business is pretty darn entertaining! LOL… I think what I do, and what you do may have alot more in common than you think.
When you’re ready to chat, let me know. Bryan got me hooked up on Skype, so if you’ve got it, feel free to add me “pissbiscuit”
I’m good
June 7th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Though it’s so foreign to me, it has been a good read. I am not a designer myself but this has opened my eyes on the real process of web designing. You know your stuffs damned well, PB.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Aaahhh yes, the famous Pisser strikes again! Great post dude, so simple but yet will have a profound effect on a site. I need to get me a new theme…a custom one….know anyone
August 4th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I might have an idea… the waiting list is long though!
August 20th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Pretty nice site, wants to see much more on it!