Factors to Consider When Creating a Custom Blog Design

Getting a blog up and running can be both exciting and confusing. The confusion comes when you discover there is a lot that goes into a successful blog. You have to consider many factors when setting a custom blog design.

It is important to have a well-designed and good-looking blog. Here are some reasons why:

a custom blog design makes the website look professional.
the beautiful design accentuates the content.
it increases the functionality of the blog.
it highlights key areas. For example, a registration bar.
it shows your commitment. In that, you invested time and resources.
it helps in branding and marketing.

The right blog design will set you or your client up for success. It will attract people to read the message you want. Unfortunately, people are not sure how to go about it.

Read on to learn the factors you need to consider when creating the blog.

Factors to Consider for a Custom Blog Design

Every designer needs to understand several factors in custom blog design. They include:

Understanding the Purpose of the Blog

The first mistake people make is failing to understand the purpose of the blog. Is it a design blog? Is the design meant for a law firm? Is the blog for a hospital? Each blog must mirror its industry.

For example, no one will take a law firm seriously if their blog has a cartoon-like theme. When people visit the blog, they want to see a more professional and serious design.

Companies use blogs to promote their products and services, make announcements, provide solutions, connect with their audience, and build their brand. A custom blog design will help the companies accomplish any one of these goals.

Designing a Professional Logo

Ask any blog owner and they will tell you they would like to stand out. Having a professional logo does that. Many blogs don’t have a logo. This means you build credibility as a professional blog.

It’s not easy to design a logo. You have to consider the following factors:

keep it simple
design something unique and memorable
make it appropriate for your brand
choose a great mix of colors
make it scalable.

Don’t stop there. Design a favicon as well. Favicons are those small icons that appear on your blog page next to the name of the site. It is a signpost for your blog.

Consider the right pixel sizes for the favicons. This will prevent them from looking blurry. Also, consider getting the right format.

Choosing the Right Color Scheme

Many of the blogging platforms have different themes and color schemes. You have to be careful choosing the colors for your blog. For instance, people might be put off if you put white text on a black background.

Be consistent when choosing colors for different functions. You can use one color for the site titles, for example. Don’t just pick your favorite color and put it on the site. If it doesn’t suit the blog, the audience will know.

Select about 3 colors for the site. Don’t overdo it with a splash of colors unless it’s an art blog. Use complementary colors.

Picking Suitable Images

One element that lets down many blogs is the improper use of images. An excellent custom blog design uses the best and most relevant images. Statistics show that blogs with great images get 94% more views than other sites.

Make sure the images you select are relevant to your business. They will act as another form of branding. You can opt for stock photos, illustrations, art works, or original photos.

Try to get paid stock photos instead of the free ones. That way, you can customize the photos to suit your blog. Plus, you won’t have to worry about copyright infringements.

It is important to get the image sizes right. Trying to stretch an image to fit the blog will make it look blurry. Select the right format and resize it to fit the page.

Drawing illustrations can work for the blog as well. If you are not good at it, find a good artist. You can also check for templates of common illustrations.

Using illustrations will solve many of your image needs. It gives the blog a more relaxed format. Thus, consider whether they will suit the purpose of your site.

Making Your Blog Accessible on Mobile

Mobile phones revolutionized the browsing market. 80% of internet users have a smartphone. Thus, ensure your custom blog design makes it easier for people to access your site via mobile.

Use tools such as Google’s Mobile Meter. It will check whether your blog is mobile-friendly. Try to fix everything from the recommendations you get.

A better alternative is to create a separate mobile version of your blog that links to your main site. It will display it as m.[blog name].com. This will ensure that you retain the design elements from the main site.

Simplifying Site Navigation

Your blog should be simple to use. Everything from the “About” page to the “Contacts” page should have the right labels. Have a clear structure on how you organize the blog. Don’t make visitors struggle to find the content they want.

Use widgets if you don’t have enough HTML knowledge. They allow you to customize the blog. They add sidebars with different functions.

For example, you can add clock links, author bars, visitor statistics, calendars, and image widgets. Unfortunately, most widgets don’t appear on mobile sites. Thus, consider their use beforehand.

Choosing the Right Font and Style

Getting the font right is not easy. There is always the temptation to select a fancy font to show your creativity. Pick the font that best suits your business.

If you are into arts, fashion, or interior design, you can get away with a flashy font. If you are in a different business, people will expect a professional font. Make sure you use the right font scale.

Think of it like a resume. Use the font that would best suit your industry.

Bonus Point

Everything you do will also depend on the budget for the project. Aside from buying the domain and blog names, things like themes will cost money. Factor this into your choices and decisions.