Want to make your current theme work hard for your content? Then you need to make sure you don't have any blog design villains working against you behind the scenes. Explore the 5 most common blog design "villains" as represented by pop culture and how you can work against them to make sure your design is leading your readers toward the goals you've set for your growing blog or website.
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Is Your Blog Design a Superhero or Your Arch Enemy?
1. is your blog design
your superhero or your arch Enemy?
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
2. ho am I?
W
• Managing Director
• Teacher & Designer
• Marketing geek!
• Pop Culture addict
• Blogging for 15 years, on KylaRoma.com since ‘08
• Been behind the scenes in hundreds of successful
blogs & businesses, helping things work better
• Having an online presence that represents you
well can completely change your life
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
3. s bloggers?
ho are we a
W
• Blog as a hobby, for yourself
• Blog as part of your job
• Build community or building a brand profile
• Sell a product or service
• Sell ad space or “advertorial” content
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
4. s bloggers?
ho are we a
W
• Blog as a hobby, for yourself
• Blog as part of your job
these differe
nt kinds
of bloggers a
ll have
different mot
ivations &
different prio
rities
• Build community or building a brand profile
• Sell a digital or physical product
• Sell a service
• Sell ad space or “advertorial” content
Your design should be a visual
representation of your unique priorities
...But most aren’t.
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
5. first impressions
matter.
• A new reader forms their first
impression in 2/10ths of a second
• Your blog design is either creating
an immediate “Yes!” moment or
it’s working against you
• You don’t have to spend thousands
of dollars to create that positive
response
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
6. Over time, simple mistakes
and hurried design decisions
add up and can...
• Distract your readers
& clients
• Muddle your core
message
rude.
• Create chaos in your world
• Prevent opportunities from
coming your way
• They end up holding you
hostage!
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
7. Specimen: “Captain Hammer”
see also: Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog
powers: hair tossing, punching
What makes a
Superhero?
deltoids of
compassion
• It doesn’t hurt to be easy on the eyes
• Extraordinary motivation, usually a past
to overcome or injustice to avenge
• Work for the greater good
abs of
being kind
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
8. Specimen: “Captain Hammer”
see also: Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog
powers: hair tossing, punching
What makes a
blog design
Superhero?
deltoids of
elements
that are
easy to
update
• It doesn’t hurt to be easy on the eyes
Simplicity is your friend
• Extraordinary motivation, usually a past
to overcome or injustice to avenge
Solution oriented, focused on getting
your readers to take action
abs of
strategic
opt-in forms
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
• Work for the greater good
Instead of the people of Gotham City,
your site should be at work for you!
It’s mission: your goals & the
interactions that you want online
@kylaroma
9. If Your design choices
work for you, your blog
can deliver...
• Engaged readers
• Invested community
• Meaningful conversation
• Premium search engine result placement
• Job offers
• Strategic Partnerships
• Book deals
• Speaking opportunities
• Collaboration with people you admire
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
10. as we all
But
is doesn’t
know, th
vernight
happen o
n it’s own!
or o
wouldn’t that be nice, though?
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
11. if you’re not
careful, a few bad
design decisions
may get your blog
into trouble.
and it’s not long
before that
leads to...
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
13. Blog Equivalent #5:
the administrative
black hole
• A blog unintentionally designed to be a
time and energy drain
• All roads lead to your inbox, contact
pages without boundaries
• Increases likelihood of burnout and having
interactions that you don’t want
fight back!
• Assess where you
share your email
• Set expectations
Specimen: “Dementors”
see also: Harry Potter | powers: flying, happiness eating
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
14. Blog Equivalent #4:
the Bait & switch
• Giving mixed messages about your story
or blog’s purpose
• Out of date”About This Blog” blurb or
About Page, off topic content
• Draw in the people looking for something
else & they’ll be upset if you’re not that
• You miss out on speaking to people who
are hungry for your perspective
fight back!
• Clearly state what
your blog is about
Specimen: “Other Mother”
• Re-read where you
state that quarterly
• Consistency builds
trust
see also: Coraline | powers: shape-shifting, soul eating
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
15. Blog Equivalent #3:
The disappearing act
• Packing your blog’s sidebars with links to
other websites & blogs
• Over emphasizing social media platforms
• Clicks are very hard to come by
• Links are a suggestion to act & a potential
exit point. Are you using them that way?
fight back!
• New social media
button trend
• See where people
click Acquisition >
In Page Analytics
Specimen: “The Great Gazoo”
see also: Flintstones | powers: teleportation (et. all)
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
16. Blog Equivalent #2:
The faceless masses
• Not making what differenciates you
obvious makes it harder for your ideal
readers to find you and dive in
• Relying on categories and most recent
posts to do the work for you
• Readers & clients are drawn to different
parts of what you offer - not a crowd
doing the same thing all at once
fight back!
• Resource pages &
SEO
• Options for ways to
react & engage
Specimen: “Cybermen”
see also: Doctor Who | powers: making cybermen
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
17. Blog Equivalent #1:
The silence
• No clear, concise call to action?
Readers don’t know what to you want
them to do
• Crowded content, sidebars & navigation
distract from the engagement you want
• Low opt in rates, low comment numbers,
& you, feeling demoralized
fight back!
• Say what you
need, clearly
• Remove clutter &
make space around
important areas
Specimen: “The Gentlemen”
see also: Buffy | powers: vocal suppression
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
18. Ready to Get
your blog in
fighting Shape?
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
19. Five questions That can make your blog
the superhero you deserve!
1. What links to outside sites do I have front and center?
2. Which links can I eliminate becayse they aren’t worth
sending people away for?
3. What are the three actions that would make
someone’s visit to my site ideal?
4. Do I clearly ask for those things, and make them
visually prominent? How can I start?
5. What’s on my blog that doesn’t serve my answer to
#3, and how fast can I remove it?
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
20. Five questions That can make your blog
the superhero you deserve!
1. What links to outside sites do I have front and center?
2. Which links can I eliminate becayse they aren’t worth
sending people away for?
3. What are the three actions that would make
someone’s visit to my site ideal?
4. Do I clearly ask for those things, and make them
visually prominent? How can I start?
5. What’s on my blog that doesn’t serve my answer to
#3, and how fast can I remove it?
Thanks
& have a “s
uper” Mblo
g!
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
21. Five questions That can make your blog
the superhero you deserve!
1. What links to outside sites do I have front and center?
2. Which links can I eliminate becayse they aren’t worth
sending people away for?
3. What are the three actions that would make
someone’s visit to my site ideal?
4. Do I clearly ask for those things, and make them
visually prominent? How can I start?
5. What’s on my blog that doesn’t serve my answer to
#3, and how fast can I remove it?
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
22. Five questions That can make your blog
the superhero you deserve!
1. What links to outside sites do I have front and center?
2. Which links can I eliminate becayse they aren’t worth
sending people away for?
3. What are the three actions that would make
someone’s visit to my site ideal?
4. Do I clearly ask for those things, and make them
visually prominent? How can I start?
5. What’s on my blog that doesn’t serve my answer to
#3, and how fast can I remove it?
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
23. Five questions That can make your blog
the superhero you deserve!
1. What links to outside sites do I have front and center?
2. Which links can I eliminate becayse they aren’t worth
sending people away for?
3. What are the three actions that would make
someone’s visit to my site ideal?
4. Do I clearly ask for those things, and make them
visually prominent? How can I start?
5. What’s on my blog that doesn’t serve my answer to
#3, and how fast can I remove it?
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
@kylaroma
24. Five questions That can make your blog
the superhero you deserve!
1. What links to outside sites do I have front and center?
2. Which links can I eliminate becayse they aren’t worth
sending people away for?
3. What are the three actions that would make
someone’s visit to my site ideal?
4. Do I clearly ask for those things, and make them
visually prominent? How can I start?
5. What’s on my blog that doesn’t serve my answer to
#3, and how fast can I remove it?
Thanks
& have a “s
uper” Mblo
g!
kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign
Let me know what you thought! >>
@kylaroma