iDesignBlogs.com Custom Blog Designer

I’ve compiled a list of useful information about blogging, and blog customizations. Many of the links found on this site that I will happily share with you now have helped me many a time when I was ready to give up on Wordpress. First of all, what is a blog?

Blog Definition:

A blog (also called a weblog or web log) is a website consisting of entries (also called posts) appearing in reverse chronological order with the most recent entry appearing first (similar in format to a daily journal). Blogs typically include features such as comments and links to increase user interactivity. Blogs are created using specific publishing software like Wordpress, Blogger, TypePad, MySpace etc.

What are the reasons to start a blog?

1. To Express Your Thoughts and Opinions
You have something to say, and blogs provide a place to say it and be heard.
2. To Market or Promote Something
Blogging is a great way to help market or promote yourself or your business, product or service.
3. To Help People
Many blogs are written to help people who may be going through similar situations that the blogger has experienced. Many parenting and health-related blogs are written for this purpose.
4. To Establish Yourself as an Expert
Blogs are wonderful tools to help bloggers establish themselves as experts in a field or topic. For example, if you’re trying to get a job in a specific field or hoping to publish a book on a specific topic, blogging can help legitimize your expertise and expand your online presence and platform.
5. To Connect with People Like You
Blogging brings like-minded people together. Starting a blog can help you find those people and share your opinions and thoughts.
6. To Make a Difference
Many blogs are issue-based meaning the blogger is trying to provide information to sway people’s thinking in a certain direction. Many political blogs and social issues blogs are written by bloggers who are trying to make a difference in their own ways.
7. To Stay Active or Knowledgeable in a Field or Topic
Since successful blogging is partially dependent on posting frequency and providing updated, fresh information, it’s a perfect way to help a blogger stay abreast of the events in a specific field or topic.
8. To Stay Connected with Friends and Family
The world has shrunk since the Internet has become more accessible. Blogs provide a simple way for family and friends to stay connected from different parts of the world by sharing stories, photos, videos and more.
9. To Make Money
It’s important to point out that most bloggers don’t make a lot of money blogging, but the potential does exist to generate revenue from your blog with hard work and commitment. There are many bloggers who bring in big bucks. With patience and practice, you can make money through advertising and other income-generating activities on your blog.
10. To Have Fun and Be Creative
Many people start a blog simply for fun. Perhaps a blogger is a fan of a particular actor or loves knitting and wants to share that passion through a blog. One of the most important keys to successful blogging is having a passion about your blog’s topic, so you can write prolifically about it. Some of the best and most interesting blogs started out as blogs that were written just for fun and to give the blogger a creative outlet.

color! Color! COLOR!
Choosing the right color is more important than you think. Here’s why:
Choosing blog colors often takes a backseat to choosing a good theme, installing widgets, writing posts, and all the other work involved in building and maintaining a blog. But colors are much more important than they may seem.

Here’s why:

1. Color is the first impression people have of your blog. Before they read a word or recognize the image in your header, color affects them. The effect can attract or repel them.

2. The colors of the text, type, and mouseovers on your blog have the most affect on two things:

Readability (whether your blog is easy and pleasant to read)

Legibility (whether it is possible for most people to read, without hurting their eyes)

Trust me, if it hurts their eyes to read your blog, they won’t.

3. Enhancing or cancelling your message. If you blog about business, and your blog is pink and frilly, guess what? Unless you’re Mary Kay Cosmetics, you’ve got a problem. You just won’t look business like.

4. Up to date? Or faddish? Yes, your color schemes should be up to date. But if you use the current favorite fad colors of today, guess what happens tomorrow? That’s right, your site looks outdated and boring. And that makes your ideas and offers seem outdated and boring, too.

5. Getting lost in the crowd? Go your own way! Better to blaze your own path with a classy/classic color scheme that creates a distinctive, memorable image.

6. Know your audience, and choose colors that appeal to them. In the U.S., older guys often choose supposedly macho colors (tan, gray, black, rust, orange) no matter who they are trying to communicate with. But what are they conveying? Is rust a good color if you’re selling cars or precision metal instruments? Does gray appeal to your market? Find out! Design your site to please your audience, not yourself.