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!