[My blogging space at the homestead. Yep, my Desktop says February into June. That's how much I like that wallpaper!]
It's part of my job to look at hundreds of blogs per day, and I keep noticing the same key mistakes on many of them. Stop right now and take a look at your blog with me. Here's a list of 5 common sense things that your blog may be lacking.
1) E-mail Address and/or Contact Page
You're missing out on excellent opportunities and feedback if you don't have a clear way for your readers and potential advertisers to contact you. Make a contact page and have your e-mail available on your blog near the top of the page. Sometimes I have to jump through flaming hoops to get in touch with people because their e-mail is not on their blog!
2) Search Feature
Almost all blogging software has a search feature or widget that you can easily add to your page. This encourages people to stay on your site and come back for more.
3) About Page
A separate and dedicated "about" page is important. Describe the mission of your website and tell your readers a little bit about yourself. People love to be reassured that they're reading a real person's story, they'll connect from you and come back to read more.
4) Home Button
Make sure the banner at the top of the page goes back to your "home" page when it's clicked, additionally, make sure you have several clear ways back to your website's "home" page, it makes surfing your site easier.
5) Links to Your Various Blog Features
Make the links to your various blog features clear and enticing. Again, it's all about keeping people involved and coming back to read more, so you need to highlight every valuable feature your blog has.
Bonus Tip) Make EVERY picture Clickable
People click on every single icon and picture you have on your website (According to tools like ClickTale), so don't let your pictures just sit there! If you have a picture on the side bar, make it link to your "about" or "contact" page. It's another small way to keep people engaged in your website.
What are key features that are always missing from your favorite websites? Discuss!
