Building a blog, part 2
Read part 1 here
Blogging Logistics, continued:
Keep your blog posts short.
Blog readers tend to skim when the blog posts are very long.
The ideal length for a blog post is 250-400 words.
Yes, you read that right.
The longest a blog post should be is 750 words, although if a blog post is a short fiction story, they can be as long as 1000 words.
Short blog posts also enable you to blog more—a long blog post can instead be broken up into several parts, making two or three days’ posts out of one long post.
Utilize boldface to draw the readers’ eyes down the page.
This is a technique from business writers who want to make sure the reader hits the pertinent points. Boldface also helps the reader keep track of the main points as they read the blog post.
However, italics are harder to read than boldface or regular font, so use italics lightly.
Choose eye-friendly colors.
In general, white typeface on a black background is hard for a person to read on a computer screen. It messes with the eye and blog readers will not often return to a blog with this inverted color scheme.
Go for simple: black text on white background.
Also, make sure the colors you choose for links or other text on your blog are pleasant, easy to read colors. No pastels that can be difficult to pick up from a white background. Other than being easy to read, any color is fine.
As for the design of the rest of your blog, feel free to choose your favorite colors.
Make any pictures low resolution.
Pictures or clip art are good since blogs are very visual, but make sure they’re low resolution pictures.
Any readers still on dialup will be able to read your blog easily if you have low resolution pictures, and the blog will load faster for those of us on high speed internet connections.
If you don’t know how to make a picture low resolution, ask a teen or twenty-something you know who is computer savvy.
An easy way for me is to use the free Kodak Easyshare software. It lets you save a copy of your picture as “web” quality, which is lower resolution.
Once you save a picture copy in lower resolution, upload that copy to your blog. People will be able to view your page faster and easier.
Next: a few last words on Blogging Logistics.
Blogging Logistics, continued:
Keep your blog posts short.
Blog readers tend to skim when the blog posts are very long.
The ideal length for a blog post is 250-400 words.
Yes, you read that right.
The longest a blog post should be is 750 words, although if a blog post is a short fiction story, they can be as long as 1000 words.
Short blog posts also enable you to blog more—a long blog post can instead be broken up into several parts, making two or three days’ posts out of one long post.
Utilize boldface to draw the readers’ eyes down the page.
This is a technique from business writers who want to make sure the reader hits the pertinent points. Boldface also helps the reader keep track of the main points as they read the blog post.
However, italics are harder to read than boldface or regular font, so use italics lightly.
Choose eye-friendly colors.
In general, white typeface on a black background is hard for a person to read on a computer screen. It messes with the eye and blog readers will not often return to a blog with this inverted color scheme.
Go for simple: black text on white background.
Also, make sure the colors you choose for links or other text on your blog are pleasant, easy to read colors. No pastels that can be difficult to pick up from a white background. Other than being easy to read, any color is fine.
As for the design of the rest of your blog, feel free to choose your favorite colors.
Make any pictures low resolution.
Pictures or clip art are good since blogs are very visual, but make sure they’re low resolution pictures.
Any readers still on dialup will be able to read your blog easily if you have low resolution pictures, and the blog will load faster for those of us on high speed internet connections.
If you don’t know how to make a picture low resolution, ask a teen or twenty-something you know who is computer savvy.
An easy way for me is to use the free Kodak Easyshare software. It lets you save a copy of your picture as “web” quality, which is lower resolution.
Once you save a picture copy in lower resolution, upload that copy to your blog. People will be able to view your page faster and easier.
Next: a few last words on Blogging Logistics.
Great tips, thanks!
ReplyDeleteOf course I've already failed most of those....
I have to agree on the color issue. I hate blogs with colored background and colored type. I find it hard to read and some colors I can't read. Just the way it hits my eyes. (yellow and bright green are my worst.)
ReplyDeleteOh, these are really helpful! Thanks!
ReplyDelete