The old adage is true: You only get one chance to make a first impression. For blogs, those critical first impressions can determine whether readers stick around and keep coming back for more. A study by the Institute for Color Research reveals that people form a judgment about your content in less than 90 seconds, and up to 90 percent of that speedy judgment is based on the colors they see. It’s clear that looks do matter, but a few key tweaks can polish up your blog’s appearance and draw attention to your quality content. Let’s look at some simple tips that can boost people’s impression of your blog. You can write amazing content or buy content that’s engaging but none of it will matter if it’s not formatted with visual appeal.
1. Optimize Your Layout
When you’re formatting online content, it’s important to remember that people tend to skim when they’re reading things on a screen. Using headers, sub-headers, lists and bullet points can help tell readers what they’ll find in your content; even a quick scan will give them the cues they need to keep reading.
It’s also more difficult to read things on a screen than in print, so anything that makes your content easier to read will be appreciated by your readers. Small changes, such as limiting your column width to 80 characters and incorporating some white space into your layout, will make a big difference in the overall user experience.
2. Choose the Right Font
It may seem like a relatively minor detail, but the right typeface can help convey the mood and purpose of your content. A gimmicky font might end up upstaging your content instead of adding a touch of character to your blog. Play it safe, and stick with something distinctive but still legible. Using multiple typefaces for the sake of variety is another well-intentioned tactic that can distract readers from your content. If you’re going to use more than one typeface on a page, select ones that belong to the same type family.
3. Enhance Your Content with Images
We all know that visual content generates more engagement than text. Not only do images grab readers’ attention, but they also help break up large, daunting blocks of text into manageable chunks. Adding images is an easy way to spice up your blog, but it’s important to select the right ones. Not every image on the web is yours for the taking, so make sure you have the right to use an image before you put it on your blog. Try to find images that are compelling and relevant to your content: Steer clear of generic “woman laughing alone with salad” territory.
4. Don’t Overlook Videos
Video is a surefire attention-getter, so it makes sense to incorporate this powerful tool in your blog posts. What makes video content so compelling? Psychologists explain that videos incorporate four elements that humans are hard-wired to pay attention to: voices, faces, movement and body language. A few well-chosen videos can keep people looking at your blog a bit longer; in addition, a widely-shared video can do wonders to extend your reach.
5. Understand the Importance of Color
Color has a lot of power over our attitudes and emotions, and the use of color can change the way people perceive your blog. For example, the color blue conveys a message of trustworthiness. It’s no surprise that many major banks make liberal use of blue on their websites. Green is the color of nature and the outdoors; if your blog has anything to do with the environment or natural products, green would be the ideal choice. Making strategic color selections can help strengthen your blog’s message and appeal to your target audience.
As you can see, the way your blog looks can have a big impact on its success as well as having in-depth articles, written by you or a blog writer. The layout, font, visual content and color all work together to create an inviting, engaging user experience. Try a few of these tips on your own blog, and watch the clicks and conversions roll in!