Successful Blogs

COMOTIZED

Visual impressions.
First impressions are vitally important. As a blogger, you have a few seconds (at most) to grab your reader’s attention, and get them to read your content. The name is interesting, and makes me want to read what it’s all about.

The background and content colours are very easy on the eye, and the site is initially appealing. The central section of the blog is optimised for 800 X 600 pixels, and would suit a number of browser resolutions.

Design
The content is high up on the page, well above the fold, which I think is important. My one criticism of the layout is that the date font is much bigger and bolder than the post title. The animated quilting bee, although small, is a little distracting. The RSS feed button is very visible, which is good. The header graphic is good quality, and blends in well with the rest of the design. It also changes with each reload, which is a nice feature.

The sidebar, although busy, is neat and fits in with the rest of the site. I personally don’t like calendars, because it shows how often you’re posting, which may not be a good thing. One thing I noticed is that there is no access to post archives, other than through the calendar. I would prefer a standard Wordpress Archive list to the calendar. Sometime after looking at the blog, I found the page numbers along the bottom. It would be better to feature this more prominently at the top of the page.

All posts have tags in certain categories, although there is no category list in the sidebar, which would help visitors read those posts that interest them.

The use of static pages in Wordpress, and the good use of a horizontal navigation bar just under the header, transforms this blog into a more of a traditional website.

Content
The blog content is well-written, in an informal style which most bloggers employ. The subject matter is an eclectic mix of personal journal, lifestyle observation, and blogging discussion. Sometimes, this type of blog can appear to lack direction. Is it a personal blog, is it intended to inform, or is it intended to be professional?

Monetization
Two small banner ads are shown at the top right. They are well-placed – unobtrusive, but easily-seen. There are some small “reviewme” and “text-link-ads” buttons way down towards the bottom of the sidebar. I think these should be more prominent – they are likely to be missed by most viewers.

Summary
This is a very attractive blog. All the graphic components work well together, and the whole is a harmonious picture in the web browser. However, some of the monetization items need to be more prominent, and to stand out from the design, to encourage viewers to participate. I also think the author should decide whether this is to be a personal journal, or a professional blog.