Is Your Blog Design a Superhero or Your Arch Enemy?

is your blog design
your superhero or your arch Enemy?

kylaroma.com // FreckledNestDesign

@kylaroma

ho am I?
W

• Managing Director
• Teacher & Designer
• Marketing geek!
• Pop Culture addict

• Blogging for 15 years, on KylaRoma.com since ‘08
• Been behind the scenes in hundreds of successful
blogs & businesses, helping things work better
• Having an online presence that represents you
well can completely change your life


@kylaroma

s bloggers?
ho are we a
W
• Blog as a hobby, for yourself
• Blog as part of your job
• Build community or building a brand profile
• Sell a product or service
• Sell ad space or “advertorial” content


@kylaroma

s bloggers?
ho are we a
W
• Blog as a hobby, for yourself
• Blog as part of your job

these differe
nt kinds
of bloggers a
ll have
different mot
ivations &
different prio
rities

• Build community or building a brand profile
• Sell a digital or physical product
• Sell a service
• Sell ad space or “advertorial” content

Your design should be a visual
representation of your unique priorities
...But most aren’t.

@kylaroma

first impressions
matter.
• A new reader forms their first
impression in 2/10ths of a second
• Your blog design is either creating
an immediate “Yes!” moment or
it’s working against you
• You don’t have to spend thousands
of dollars to create that positive
response


@kylaroma

Over time, simple mistakes
and hurried design decisions
add up and can...
• Distract your readers
& clients
• Muddle your core
message

rude.

• Create chaos in your world
• Prevent opportunities from
coming your way
• They end up holding you
hostage!


@kylaroma

Specimen: “Captain Hammer”
see also: Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog
powers: hair tossing, punching

What makes a
Superhero?
deltoids of
compassion

• It doesn’t hurt to be easy on the eyes

• Extraordinary motivation, usually a past
to overcome or injustice to avenge

• Work for the greater good
abs of
being kind


@kylaroma

Specimen: “Captain Hammer”
see also: Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog
powers: hair tossing, punching

What makes a
blog design
Superhero?

deltoids of
elements
that are
easy to
update

• It doesn’t hurt to be easy on the eyes
Simplicity is your friend
• Extraordinary motivation, usually a past
to overcome or injustice to avenge
Solution oriented, focused on getting
your readers to take action
abs of
strategic
opt-in forms


• Work for the greater good
Instead of the people of Gotham City,
your site should be at work for you!
It’s mission: your goals & the
interactions that you want online

@kylaroma

If Your design choices
work for you, your blog
can deliver...
• Engaged readers
• Invested community
• Meaningful conversation
• Premium search engine result placement
• Job offers
• Strategic Partnerships
• Book deals
• Speaking opportunities
• Collaboration with people you admire

@kylaroma

as we all
But
is doesn’t
know, th
vernight
happen o
n it’s own!
or o
wouldn’t that be nice, though?


@kylaroma

if you’re not
careful, a few bad
design decisions
may get your blog
into trouble.

and it’s not long
before that
leads to...


@kylaroma

outright
villainy.

let’s examine common blog villains...

@kylaroma

Blog Equivalent #5:

the administrative
black hole
• A blog unintentionally designed to be a
time and energy drain
• All roads lead to your inbox, contact
pages without boundaries
• Increases likelihood of burnout and having
interactions that you don’t want

fight back!

• Assess where you
share your email

• Set expectations

Specimen: “Dementors”
see also: Harry Potter | powers: flying, happiness eating

@kylaroma

Blog Equivalent #4:

the Bait & switch
• Giving mixed messages about your story
or blog’s purpose
• Out of date”About This Blog” blurb or
About Page, off topic content
• Draw in the people looking for something
else & they’ll be upset if you’re not that
• You miss out on speaking to people who
are hungry for your perspective
fight back!

• Clearly state what
your blog is about
Specimen: “Other Mother”

• Re-read where you
state that quarterly

• Consistency builds
trust

see also: Coraline | powers: shape-shifting, soul eating

@kylaroma

Blog Equivalent #3:

The disappearing act
• Packing your blog’s sidebars with links to
other websites & blogs
• Over emphasizing social media platforms
• Clicks are very hard to come by
• Links are a suggestion to act & a potential
exit point. Are you using them that way?

fight back!

• New social media
button trend

• See where people
click Acquisition >
In Page Analytics

Specimen: “The Great Gazoo”
see also: Flintstones | powers: teleportation (et. all)


@kylaroma

Blog Equivalent #2:

The faceless masses
• Not making what differenciates you
obvious makes it harder for your ideal
readers to find you and dive in
• Relying on categories and most recent
posts to do the work for you
• Readers & clients are drawn to different
parts of what you offer - not a crowd
doing the same thing all at once
fight back!

• Resource pages &
SEO

• Options for ways to
react & engage

Specimen: “Cybermen”
see also: Doctor Who | powers: making cybermen

@kylaroma

Blog Equivalent #1:

The silence
• No clear, concise call to action?
Readers don’t know what to you want
them to do
• Crowded content, sidebars & navigation
distract from the engagement you want
• Low opt in rates, low comment numbers,
& you, feeling demoralized

fight back!

• Say what you
need, clearly

• Remove clutter &
make space around
important areas

Specimen: “The Gentlemen”
see also: Buffy | powers: vocal suppression

@kylaroma

Ready to Get
your blog in
fighting Shape?


@kylaroma

Five questions That can make your blog
the superhero you deserve!
1. What links to outside sites do I have front and center?
2. Which links can I eliminate becayse they aren’t worth
sending people away for?
3. What are the three actions that would make
someone’s visit to my site ideal?
4. Do I clearly ask for those things, and make them
visually prominent? How can I start?
5. What’s on my blog that doesn’t serve my answer to
#3, and how fast can I remove it?


@kylaroma


Thanks

& have a “s
uper” Mblo
g!


@kylaroma


Thanks

& have a “s
uper” Mblo
g!


Let me know what you thought! >>

@kylaroma

Is Your Blog Design a Superhero or Your Arch Enemy?

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Is Your Blog Design a Superhero or Your Arch Enemy?