I’m getting ready to redesign this blog and I’m asking for your help. After writing over 550 blog posts, it’s safe to say I like what I’m doing.
But, do my readers? How can I make visiting this blog a better experience for them?
Click Here to take a quick blog redesign survey
Now that I’m ready to upgrade, I made this list of priorities. What’s missing? What changes would you like to see?
Blog Redesign Priorities
- Always on –find a host that can handle traffic
- Easy to remember – www.wiredprworks.com is redirected to the actual URL, http://barbararozgonyi-wiredprworks.com, a temporary [at the time-September 2007] URL. How will changing to the new URL affect my traffic and rankings? Is there a way to roll over my posts, should I start fresh? What’s the best way to move to a new URL?
- Is www.wiredprworks.com the best choice?
- Get a logo, a header and a headshot. Although I have a logo for my company, I don’t have one for the blog/publication.
- Establish an editorial calendar with guest interviews and monthly themes.
- Lower the bounce rate – do people think the site’s too plain or are they not finding what they’re looking for?
- Add places for product and service promotions so that readers can expand their knowledge.
- Clarify the calls to action in the post footer and in the sidebar, maybe add a popover?
- Upgrade to the latest version of WordPress.
- Show readers where to connect: twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
- Display most popular posts, recent posts and comments.
- Be memorable and welcoming – have a type of home page now, but is it working?
- Design based on usability – look at flow, pages and patterns.
- Make RSS feed more prominent.
- Reflect branding.
- Optimize search capabilities.
- Rank higher on Google.
- Invite first time readers to subscribe or add a header in each post with an invitation.
- Decide if the company site should be integrated with the blog.
- Partner with a designer who understands SEO, blogging, WordPress, affiliate marketing and ecommerce.
That’s what I came up with, now let’s check in with the expert.
Here, Problogger Darren Rowse talks blog redesign and why first impressions matter – check out the way he changes his look in the beginning of the video.
How would you upgrade or enhance Wired PR Works?
Technorati Tags: blog redesign
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12 thoughts on “Blog Redesign Priorities | Reader Survey”
Hi Barbara, there certainly is a lot more to blog design than meets the eye! I think you’ve zeroed in on the right issues – 2,10,11,12,19,20 seem especially important to me. If you’d like to talk any of this over, I think I owe you coffee. 🙂
Brad Shorr’s last blog post..Twitter – The One Stop Social Media Shop
Hi Barbara, there certainly is a lot more to blog design than meets the eye! I think you’ve zeroed in on the right issues – 2,10,11,12,19,20 seem especially important to me. If you’d like to talk any of this over, I think I owe you coffee. 🙂
Brad Shorr’s last blog post..Twitter – The One Stop Social Media Shop
Brad – thanks for the confirmation. Looking forward to brewing up some ways to take action over coffee.
Brad – thanks for the confirmation. Looking forward to brewing up some ways to take action over coffee.
Barbara, judging by your to do list, the new design will look great, while your content will get even better than it already is! Good luck with everything, I can’t wait to see how WiredPRWorks will look like after the redesign.
Alina Popescu’s last blog post..Post Sales Services, Compatibility and Customer Loyalty
Barbara, judging by your to do list, the new design will look great, while your content will get even better than it already is! Good luck with everything, I can’t wait to see how WiredPRWorks will look like after the redesign.
Alina Popescu’s last blog post..Post Sales Services, Compatibility and Customer Loyalty
Hi Barbera,
As a first time reader, I must say that I am quite impressed and look forward to reading more from you in the future if I have a chance. Your layout is neat and tidy and there are no unwarranted distractions, meaning that as a reader, I felt that I was able to get straight down to what I came for – the content of your post.
I don’t feel that your RSS needs to be more prominent – I personally like it where it is, and as a new reader, I am appreciative of the fact that your subscription options are easy to locate and understand.
I do, however, have some suggestions for improvement, which I feel may help you in a constructive way to maximize the first impression of brand new readers.
Firstly, blogging is about relationships, and one of the first things I look for during the process of visiting new blogs is not only the topic of the blog, but also the person behind the blog. As a new reader, I would have loved to have seen your lovely face, and to have had the opportunity to gain a very brief background as to who you are as the author of this blog.
I feel that by describing a little about yourself, and perhaps by showing a photograph, your site may come across as more warm and personal, without compromising, and indeed, adding to, the professionalism of the design.
Secondly, I didn’t count, but it looks as though you have about one hundred categories listed in the categories section (I have too many on my own blog as well). Have you considered grouping some of the categories together? Perhaps you could use sub-categories if necessary.
They would be my two suggestions in terms of first impressions. Good luck with that – blog design is a tricky business and it’s great to see you thinking about it so thoroughly.
I also have a favor to ask – to tell you the truth, I feel a little awkward asking this – but I will ask anyway. I would really love to get the opinion of a first time visitor to my own blog, to see if there are any design changes which I could make in order to make my blog more friendly to first time visitors.
If you have time, I would be most appreciative if you could visit my blog (via the link above) and tell me (briefly) about the experience which you have a first time visitor – aspects of the design which you like as well as any aspects which you don’t like, or which you feel could be improved in order to improve the first impressions which my blog gives from the viewpoint as a first time reader.
If you don’t have time, no stress. But if you do have time, I would sincerely love the opinion of a first time reader.
Again, best of luck with the design changes.
Hi Barbera,
As a first time reader, I must say that I am quite impressed and look forward to reading more from you in the future if I have a chance. Your layout is neat and tidy and there are no unwarranted distractions, meaning that as a reader, I felt that I was able to get straight down to what I came for – the content of your post.
I don’t feel that your RSS needs to be more prominent – I personally like it where it is, and as a new reader, I am appreciative of the fact that your subscription options are easy to locate and understand.
I do, however, have some suggestions for improvement, which I feel may help you in a constructive way to maximize the first impression of brand new readers.
Firstly, blogging is about relationships, and one of the first things I look for during the process of visiting new blogs is not only the topic of the blog, but also the person behind the blog. As a new reader, I would have loved to have seen your lovely face, and to have had the opportunity to gain a very brief background as to who you are as the author of this blog.
I feel that by describing a little about yourself, and perhaps by showing a photograph, your site may come across as more warm and personal, without compromising, and indeed, adding to, the professionalism of the design.
Secondly, I didn’t count, but it looks as though you have about one hundred categories listed in the categories section (I have too many on my own blog as well). Have you considered grouping some of the categories together? Perhaps you could use sub-categories if necessary.
They would be my two suggestions in terms of first impressions. Good luck with that – blog design is a tricky business and it’s great to see you thinking about it so thoroughly.
I also have a favor to ask – to tell you the truth, I feel a little awkward asking this – but I will ask anyway. I would really love to get the opinion of a first time visitor to my own blog, to see if there are any design changes which I could make in order to make my blog more friendly to first time visitors.
If you have time, I would be most appreciative if you could visit my blog (via the link above) and tell me (briefly) about the experience which you have a first time visitor – aspects of the design which you like as well as any aspects which you don’t like, or which you feel could be improved in order to improve the first impressions which my blog gives from the viewpoint as a first time reader.
If you don’t have time, no stress. But if you do have time, I would sincerely love the opinion of a first time reader.
Again, best of luck with the design changes.
Apologies, Babara, for the incorrect spelling of your name in my last comment.
Also, I have just realized that I was looking at your blog post page when making my comment and I did not look at your home page, in which you do introduce yourself quite effectively.
So please disregard what I said above with respect to telling us about yourself. (Still, as a reader, I do like to see smiley faces).
Apologies, Babara, for the incorrect spelling of your name in my last comment.
Also, I have just realized that I was looking at your blog post page when making my comment and I did not look at your home page, in which you do introduce yourself quite effectively.
So please disregard what I said above with respect to telling us about yourself. (Still, as a reader, I do like to see smiley faces).