Tips for Building the Best Blogs in Google's Blogger

1. Plan out the design and structure of the intended blog site

The first step in developing an advanced blog site is to design its layout. One should ideally decide where each element or area of content will be placed on a blog homepage. Some sites may have extra pages and each page should be designed for the best use of spacing. One of the trickiest problems in setting up a blog is overusing or underusing space. Too much space can leave a page appearing too bare and awkward to read. A lack of space may make the page too cluttered and unattractive. One needs to find a good balance with space and content.

2. Utilize both a visually appealing and highly functional template

Choosing a template is a vital step in setting up a blog site. Blogger offers a basic template by default but also offers a slew of hosted templates with difference colors and features. Its newer “responsive” templates sport more interactive features but can be more difficult to modify visually. For advanced users with HTMLcoding knowledge, third party templates can provide the greatest flexibility and the most professional design. Choosing the right template that meets your design needs can be vital to a blog’s image online.

3. Utilize the HTML editor to alter a blog’s appearance and structure.

For advanced features and menus, editing the HTML and CSS code may be necessary.For some third party templates, menus are often setup using the HTML editor and not with Blogger’s “Layout” screen.Sometimes getting the best functionality and appearance requires some tweaking of the HTML code.An author with HTML and CSS coding knowledge can directly change a site’s appearance and structure without being limited by the functions of Blogger’s interface.In essence, the HTML code editor is like lifting the car hood to look at the underlying engine.

4. Setup the elements on the blog home page for maximum functionality and appearance

After setting up and installing a template, a user will still have to activate or place elements on the blog page through Blogger’s “Layout” screen. Advanced bloggers, with HTML knowledge, can also do so with the HTML editor. Choose the locations of each element carefully. Menus are often placed on a top navigational bar or one a side column. Pull down menus should be setup to avoid dropping down over content if it can be avoided. Category or post lists should be limited to their length. Ads should be placed in optimal locations that attraction attention but not overwhelm the main content. Content placed at the bottom of the page will be less visible and potentially missed by readers. A blog site should be tested at different resolutions to view any possible layout changes on smaller screens. A blog might look perfect at one resolution but fall apart visually on a lower resolution. While these tips may help, keep in mind that every blog may have a different style and impact. What works for one blog may not work for another.

5. Use labels and promote posts with social networks

Utilizing labels is easy and can help post become more visible in search engines such as Google. Consider using capitalized words in labels. One can then use labels for menu selections and setup pages derived from each label. Adding labels can not only making it easy for search engines to catalog your blog entries, but also make it easier for readers to find similar content on your blog. Labels can act as categories that help break down content on a site in a structure fashion.

If a blog is public then consider using social media websites for attracting readers. For some this is well used resource. Others may need to work at developing their social media accounts on sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Linking in posts to their accounts on a sparing basis can help generate new readers. Consider using Stumbleupon to attract new visitors. A blog that is visible on social networking sites has a greater chance of becoming popular than by simply relying on search engines or other types of promotion.

Setting up an advanced blog can be done without too much time or problems if a blogger plans ahead. Even the best blog site design may need to be revised on occasion. A blog author needs to be flexible and heed any feedback from readers. Some blog authors use polls and questionnaires to help gauge their blog’s effectiveness in presentation. In the end a truly great blog site might be one that is unique. Cookie cutter sites may look polished at first glance but suffer from originality. Differentiating one’s blog from all the others may be the ultimate goal of any popular blog author.