Nearly all websites have a blog nowadays, and besides being a great hub to promote your business, they are a great way to increase your content for your SEO and visibility organically. Blogs take a lot of time to prepare, not only with what content to publish but also in technically preparing your website and ensuring the design is visually engaging. If you're almost ready to launch a blog, consider these 3 elements.
Design
There are two elements to design: visual appeal and usability. Whether it be a DIY or a professional designed blog, problems will still arise: you may have a beautifully designed blog, but that doesn’t mean it's the best. If the site is not usable even the best looking websites will lose their audience. No matter the content, it needs to be easy for visitors to access what they came for. Your logo should be included and the design/layout of your page should make a great first impression. In other words, a visitor needs to know exactly what your site is about the second it loads.
Compatibility
Compatibility refers to the ability for users to view your blog across devices and browsers. This step is key. Over 50% of Web Traffic is now mobile which includes mobile devices and tablets. Simply, your site needs to look as good (though not necessarily the same) and function as well as it does on desktop. We don't live in a mobile world, we live in a mobile-first world. The thing to think about here is can people see your content without zooming in. If yes, that's a good measure it is mobile friendly.
Speed
We live in a "now" world where everyone expects everything to be delivered in a timely manner. This is especially the case in the online world. People give a site approximately 15 seconds of their attention. If it doesn't load as it should or content doesn't load properly (a glitch), it's almost certain you have a lost a customer unless they are absolutely determined to get to your site; and even then it wouldn't leave a great first impression. Avoid anything that will slow down the load time or increase your page size. This can include incorrectly coded or irrelevant pop ups or ads.
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Many businesses successfully utilize a blog to capture leads and generate sales in their business, but that's because they are properly designed and optimised. There are many ways to put a blog on your site, including many free methods. However, be cautious to simply adopt a blog for the sake of blogging: often, even the free blogging tools still require some tweaks to ensure their relevance and usability.
We regularly help clients to correctly build their blogs. We use our in-house designer and front-end developers to create the best site possible. It you need assistance in developing your blog, get in touch and let's chat about your best option.
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