This post contains affiliate links. We may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
1. Social Media Icons and links that are easy to find: If I come to your blog and I decide that I want to keep you and your site in my life I want to know how to connect with you on social media. If it’s not on your homepage I’m not going to search and you’ve just put me in a bad mood. How sad! We could have been friends!
2. Your email address on your contact me page: Please do not put a form that I have to fill out to contact you. I won’t do it. This is especially important if you want to work with advertisers. They are not going to hunt for your email address, nor use a form… you could miss out on a big opportunity.
3. Your picture: People connect with real faces that have eyes looking back at them. It really helps them remember a blogger and want to come back and read more.
4. A menu bar with categories: People want to read more, but they have to be shown that there is more to read.
5. A professional looking site: You want people to know that you care about what you are saying. You must have a site that says I care and I’ve invested in my site. Have it designed by a professional.
6. A professional image: No cartoons, please. Those were so 2011!
7. An about section: A connection with your audience is one of the most important aspects of having repeat visitors. If they like you enough to want to read more, they will want to know more about you.
8. A search bar: Make it easy for your readers to find what they are looking for. They will stay longer and come back more often.
9. A tag line: You have seconds to let people know what they can expect from your site. Make them want to stay and come back for more.
10. Popular Posts on the sidebar: There is a reason they are popular on your site. Show them off to other people who are stopping by to read other posts.
This is not a complete list, but it’s a good starting point! What would you add to the list?
Agree with ALL OF THEM! Even the professional image. I keep mine an animated little me because it allows me to delude myself that I am still *kind of* anonymous. LOL
Thanks AJ! I should have said that there is an exception when you are “known” by your animated character 🙂
These are great tips! My biggest pet peeve is when someone doesn’t have a search bar on their blog! I don’t have time to go digging around through their site trying to find what I’m looking for!
Totally agree Mindy! It needs to be fast and easy!
I agree with all of those tips. I do have my search bar on the bottom of my blog. I think I need to move it to the top.
That would be great Pam!
These are fantastic tips! So important to having a fantastic blog
Totally agree Tammilee… and you totally have one!
I’m constantly updating my popular posts. Then I get inspired and want to add more to keep it fresh!
It’s addicting isn’t it! Once I make one change I start making more and more!
I totally agree. I think/hope that I have everything on the list! Definitely have your email address even if it’s in addition to the form!
That’s a great idea Jennifer. Then everyone can pick which they would prefer to use!
AGREE! I would also add; NO Captcha cause everyone hates those. And GOOD Original CONTENT. I mean it’s obvious but apparently some people still don’t understand that good content is needed to have a successful blog. UNIQUE content that is your own and not stolen from other sites. I run across a lot of blogs that want to be popular and while they have most of these tips they are missing content. And no one wants to read the page. And if you are stealing other bloggers content; well; that is a recipe for disaster and another day’s column.
I think my site is pretty good with the whole list except maybe 1 0r 2 I need to work on. Great tips!
I really need a blog makeover I am just so indecisive about how I want it to look. I also need to redo my Bout me page and create a separate contact me page. Thanks for the push to get things moving.
These are great tips! I am still working on finding my way with my self-hosted blog. I have some work to do!