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Blogging has really erupted onto the scene over the past decade. Originally started out as a glorified online journal and now evolved into a blogosphere of industrialized knowledge-based distinctions covers topics from fashion to tech; food to livestock keeping and even stranger habits such as the Tom Selleck Waterfall Sandwich. Oh, it’s real I tell you. It’s real. Tom Selleck, I’m sorry this happened to you. Sandwiches, I apologize as well. This blog depicts art that always depicts a waterfall feature, actor Tom Selleck and a sandwich all nicely Photoshopped together. Why you ask? Beats me. That’s the world we live in.
You name it. We blog about it. However, with everything great (minus the Selleck Waterfall Sandwich scenario) comes a formula and to crack ever so gracefully into the blogosphere and make a dent, one must put all of these elements below into a beaker (responsibly of course) shake lightly and pour out for success. Written below is a Blogger’s Formula. When utilized properly, successful blogs can be achieved. (Unless your writing is bad. Terribly bad. We did not account for poor writing in the formula).
- Logo
- Functional, Easily Accessible Navigation Bar
- Visible Search Bar
- Easy to Read Typography (if you go comic sans on me, I will publicly shame you and you will have to let me).
- Responsive Web Design (this is 2018 – if it’s not prebuilt into your template get yourself a designer).
- Most Popular Posts Feed
- Related Posts Feed
- Tags
- Categories
- Comment Area/Box
- About Page (Make it stellar. People want to know why they should be reading your post and if you write nothing astonishing about yourself, they probably won’t give two cents about what you have to say). This reminds me, I should probably embellish my “About Me” page a touch.)
- Privacy Page (necessary for a lot of other elements, especially if you plan to run ads on your blog).
- Terms and Conditions Page (goes hand in hand with the Privacy jargon).
- Contact Information
- Social Sharing Buttons
- Social Feed Widgets (Pop in a live Instagram Feed or Facebook Widget in a Footer or sidebar).
- Services and/or Product Page (if you offer such).
- Newsletter opt-in form
- Sitemap
- Google Analytics Plugin (hint: Works if you have a Google Analytics account)
- SEO Tools and Plugin (recommendation—YoastSEO).
