January 16, 2007

Does blog design matter?

Filed under: Blog Design, Blogging, Graphic Design, Web Design — HDW @ 2:19 pm

Darren Rowse over at ProBlogger had an interesting post yesterday called Does Blog Design Matter in an Age of Feed Readers?

He goes on to say that it does, but it’s an interesting thought. Most new blogs I find through RSS based searches I have loaded in my feed reader. Virtually all of my daily reading is via the reader. Does the design really matter, when i rarely see the sites? Yes! I have to admit that I agree something Mr. Rowse writes in his fifth point.

design does impact whether I subscribe or not

While I don’t see the sites on a daily basis, I know what they look like. I base my opinions of sites partially on the design. I honestly don’t care what the design is, but the design is one factor that I take into account to tell me how important the blog is to the writer. If the theme is poorly thought out, and poorly maintained, I likely won’t subscribe. I want a site that the writer cares about. This doesn’t mean a site needs a custom theme, I’m not adverse to standard templates, but I want to see something that is loved and maintained. If I see that, I’ll hang around long enough to see how I like the writing.

Update: Peter at The Blog Studio is hitting this topic too with Does Blog Design Matter?.

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Is It Just Me?, Perri Nelson’s Website, Big Dog’s Weblog, Adam’s Blog, basil’s blog, Common Folk Using Common Sense, Rightwing Guy, third world county, Faultline USA, Stageleft, stikNstein… has no mercy, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Pirate’s Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, Planck’s Constant, The Pink Flamingo, Dumb Ox News, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

5 Comments

  1. I am proud to say that graphic designers have hurled insults at my blog design. I, for one, mainly set up my blog as a Reader for my own news use, but I prefer it web-based, with room for me to spout off when I feel like it. A few people read it, and it makes me feel a little better than shouting into the wind! Anyway, I like the look of your blog. It’s soothing.

    Comment by D. Ox — January 16, 2007 @ 3:52 pm

  2. I am proud to say that graphic designers have hurled insults at my blog design.

    I’ve considered commenting on your… style, but I believe I’ve refrained so far. I rarely actually see the site, I read the RSS, and that works in your favor. Every once in a while I go there and it’s a little, how do I say this politely, chaotic. Oddly enough, I was at your site when you commented on mine. Apparently we traded sites for a moment.

    It’s soothing.

    Thank you. I was going for sort of a Western Elegant idea. Not sure if I hit that or not, but soothing is good. I like that.

    Comment by HDW — January 16, 2007 @ 3:59 pm

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