I have been spending a lot of time lately thinking about what goes into making a great blog. I honestly believe that it’s not just great writing alone that makes a blog great. Perhaps a few years ago this would have been the case, but blogs now are so much more of an experience beyond words and because of this, it takes a combination of a lot of different factors like great writing, inspiring pictures and a well-organized layout. In an effort to help improve my own blog, I have been making a study of this topic recently and you may notice new things popping up here and there on my site over the next few days and weeks! So, back to the title of this post, the essential parts of a great blog. I read a lot of blogs and I’m always surprised when I come across one that is lacking some of the most essential elements that make up a great reader experience. What are these essential elements? Let’s discuss them one at a time!
An About Page
No matter what the topic of your blog, I think its very important to have an About Page so that interested readers can learn more about the history of the site, who writes it and why they should bother reading it. In an About Page, it’s always good to have some important pieces of information to share with your readers.
- A picture of the blogger(s), so that readers can make that human connection from one computer screen to another.
- A description of the types of posts they can expect.
- A brief history as to why the blog was created and its point of view that makes it unique.
A FAQ Page
After a blog has been established for some time, it becomes common for the blogger behind the site to receive the occasional question. It’s inevitable, however, that after some time, readers will have the same questions. So, to save yourself time and some effort, its always nice to put together a FAQ page. I think it gives readers a sense that the blogger cares about making sure their questions are answered. So, if you get a lot of questions and specifically a lot of similar questions, you may want to add a FAQ page.
Contacts
Although while you are writing, blogging may sometimes feel like a one way street, the truth is that when your posts will often inspire conversations and connections with your readers in ways you may not ever have expected. While comments are a nice way to connect, they are not always the be all and end all. Make sure to leave some form of contact for your readers to get in touch with you, either by means of a contact form or better yet, an email link.
Social Media Links
If you are a blogger, you will no doubt also use a few forms of social media, and readers that enjoy your posts and read your blog regularly will no doubt want to follow you elsewhere on the internet. Make sure to display your social media links in a prominent spot on your blog so they are easy to spot. You would be surprised how often readers feel compelled to send you a Tweet or check out your Instagram feed when they are enjoying your blog!
A Guided Tour or Best Of for New Readers
Now, I will admit, this one is a little more rare in my opinion, but I still think it’s an awesome feature to have on your blog and one that I am in the process of putting together. What is it exactly? Basically, it’s a post or page on you blog that is filled with some of your best work! It’s like an introduction to your blog through your posts themselves. Arrange posts by topic and pick out some of your favorites to showcase for your readers. It’s a really great way to help new readers get a good footing on your best and most popular work, as well as give them a general overview of what you tend to write about. If you’re stuck on how to put together this type of post, I suggest asking yourself which of your posts best describe you and your blog. Think about which posts have the most comments and don’t forget to link to any series’ you may write on a regular basis so new readers can catch up on the fun!
Are there any other parts of a blog that you think as essentials for a great blog? Let me know what you think makes a great blog by sending me a tweet or leaving me a comment below!
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xoxo,
This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on August 14th, 2014 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!
Definitely very true! I’m surprised by how much the about page is actually read. I never thought anyone was really looking at it!
Ashley
All That Glitters
I think when people begin to follow your blog more closely its natural that they would be curious about the writer! I do enjoy reading about me pages when they are well done and its really a place that deserves attention more than many would think! Thanks for sharing!
When I stumble on someone’s blog through a recommendation or link up from somewhere else, the about me page is the first thing I read. If I feel like I’m going to like this person’s style or blog content, then I will go looking around to see what’s actually on the blog.