Nowadays with blogging, there are so many fancy schmancy widgets and plugins you can drag and drop into your site to spice up your blog design. Today I want to go back to the basics and share five super important elements you should include in your blog design. We usually avoid telling bloggers what they “need” to do (because different things work for different people, it’s a free country, blah blah blah), so I guess I’m saying that you really, really should have these five elements. You’d be surprised how much they make a difference in the activity that happens on your blog.
1. Search Box. A couple weeks ago while I was looking for posts to include in our weekly resources, I was having trouble finding anything via Pinterest or Bloglovin’. So I started visiting random creative blogs that I thought might have relevant content. Three blogs. No search boxes. It was so unfortunate! The beauty of blogging is that your content is archived, so something you posted months (or even years) ago might still be helpful to someone out there. Always make sure you include a search box on your blog to let your readers check out some of your older gems.
2. Social Media Icons. Blogging is all about sharing your interests with others, and sometimes the best places to connect are through social media channels like Instagram or Twitter. It isn’t necessary to be present all over social media, but if you’re using it to promote your blog, make sure you share links to your accounts on your blog! (I also really love when bloggers include a link to their Bloglovin’ account. Makes following along so much easier.)
3. Copyright. Tell the world that your content, images, etc. belong to you! A simple sentence in your footer or sidebar can save you a lot of awkward conversations and/or legal troubles. For bonus points you might even add a policy page, letting readers know if and how they can use your content.
4. Comment Area. Just as I’ve had trouble finding the search box on some blogs, I’ve also had trouble finding where to comment. In some cases comments are just not enabled at all. This is a bummer especially when I find a blog post I absolutely love and I want to connect with the author more. Make sure the comment area on your blog is easy to find and simple to use!
5. Credits. I can be really intense about citing sources. If your websitesite was designed or developed by someone else, make sure you’re giving them some props! Also, if you use images that aren’t your own, first make sure it’s okay and then give them credit. Using images without permission or giving credit can cost you lots of $$$.
That’s all! Five simple elements that will create a great foundation for interaction, community, and trust on your blog. What else do you think is really important to include in a blog design?
Audrey | Brunch at Audrey's says
What are your thoughts on “share this post [on social media]” buttons vs. having your own social media icons? Is one more valuable than the other? Does it depend? Or is it not a “vs.” sort of thing? -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s
Jennifer says
Hi Audrey! I absolutely love share buttons. I see social media icons and share buttons as two totally separate elements that are both important. Social media icons allow readers to follow you on different outlets such as Pinterest or Twitter. Share buttons on the other hand allow readers to easily share your content with their own followers. I recommend including both! :)
Cherish says
I was able to find a “privacy policy” that enabled me to check boxes as I go and it created it for me, and as far as disclosure, I just wrote one up myself…
So do you have any resources on writing a “copy right” or “terms of use”? I know I started my first post with one – but only because it was something that could be plagiarized in the future (personal statement for med school apps).
Jennifer says
Hey Cherish! This is one of my favorite posts on both “terms of use” and “privacy policy”: http://www.thehautenotes.com/you-need-a-terms-of-service-privacy-policy/
As for including copyright info, generally something like “Copyright © 2016 YourBusinessName – All Rights Reserved”. You don’t technically have to include the year or “all rights reserved”. Just having the © symbol is enough. You’ll also see that some people include a little statement after their copyright symbol to reinforce what content belongs to them. Maybe we’ll have to write up a more in-depth post on legal blogging issues in the near future!
Erin says
I always wanted to have a policy page but I never really know what to put on it, have any recommendations?
Erin | http://www.erinelizabethmiller.com
Jennifer says
Hi Erin! This blog post includes some great resources for writing a policy page (there is even a policy page generator!): http://www.thekardiablog.com/2015/01/blog-legal/ I always like to look around other blogs and see what they include on their policy pages.
Rachel @ Countdowns and Cupcakes says
I would add a “related content” feature to your list. I like being able to see posts on similar topics, especially if it’s a new blog to me.
Jennifer says
Yes! I love when blogs have a related content section. It’s so helpful for both the reader and author of the blog.
Gennean says
SO helpful! Thanks for this :)
Jennifer says
You’re welcome, girl! :)
Berry Dakara says
I have all of these except the copyright one.
I think having an Archives drop-down also helps. It gives me an instant look at how long the blog has been up, and sometimes the blog post titles so I can easily decide which ones to read.
Berry Dakara Blog
Jennifer says
I agree, archive drop-downs are so helpful!
Gina says
I agree with all of these! Credits and citations are so important, and not to be taken lightly! And yes to search bars, too! They help so much when readers want to find something specific. Great points in this post, Jennifer!