Modern business is largely being operated online. If your company doesn’t have some form of online presence, you are in danger of losing business to other companies with an online presence. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says over 3.29 billion people are now online. In a globalized marketplace, you need to leverage these numbers.
Using Blogs to Boost Your Business
Blogging might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you are thinking of marketing tools yet its advantages are unrivalled. Modern website design now includes a blog on every site and this is one platform that is still largely ignored. Surprisingly, 47% of internet readers say they skim through blogs according to Econsultancy. Sites with a blog have 434% more indexed pages than those without.
Better still, blogs have been rated the 5th most trusted source of information by users. If you consider your business can increase its lead conversion by 67% through blogging, it becomes obvious that this is a strategy you must try.
Building a Blog that Works
Truth be told, many marketers have tried using blogs and failed, the main reason being poor blog design. If you want your blog to work, you have to get more insight on its design. Blog design determines the success of your blogging campaign, hence the need to work on it. A blog design should stand out and instantly captivate the attention of readers.
Here are some tips to help you create an effective blog design:
- Utilize Whitespace
It is important to add a break in your pages. Now that blogs mostly contain written text, it is important to consider the attention of the reader. Too much crammed text and graphics will overwhelm the reader and they will reflexively go to a less cluttered page. Space used creatively directs the eye of the reader towards the call to action (CTA). Whitespace also creates a chunking effect which motivates the reader to continue.
- Don’t Overdo the Colors
There is a misconception among bloggers that the more the colors, the better their blogs. It is important to make goal-driven decisions when designing your blog and the first question should therefore be; are multiple colors necessary? Research shows that a lot of colors will distract the reader. Instead, use 3 colors; one primary color, a shade of grey and another color for your call to action (CTA). All your links should also be in the same color.
- Keep Paragraphs Short
It is true you have a lot to say but it is important to appreciate that the arrangement of your content will determine whether anyone reads. Short paragraphs are important when it comes to website design. Readers are intimidated by long paragraphs and they instinctively turn away. Add breaks and divide content into paragraphs, each with a new idea to communicate.
- Format the Blog for Scan-ability
Internet users have an infamously short attention span and you therefore have to give them what they need quickly. Your blog might have invaluable ideas but readers just want the skeleton before moving on. This is one reason why you have to use headings and sub-headings, including big side bar texts. You also have to keep paragraphs short.
These are just a few of the blog design ideas you have to consider. Others tips include organizing your navigation tabs, using responsive web design, minimizing color scheme, using short line lengths and implementing grid-based alignment.
