How to Redesign Your Blog for Improved User Experience

How to Redesign Your Blog for Improved User Experience

In blogging, there’s no such thing as permanent success. Everything comes full circle, from your content marketing, branding strategy, and web design.

It’s really simple: if you’re not adaptive to the latest trends, technology, and strategies, you get left behind.

For the past few years, the digital world shifted into a more consumer-centric path. Brands that offer the best user experience are rewarded, while those who focused on their interests suffered PR fire.

In this post, we’ll tackle the elements you need to review and redesign in your blog for the best user experience.

1. Multiple Social Integrations

Spreading content through social media is one of the best ways to raise brand awareness. Not only does it maximize the exposure of your blog posts, but you’re also essentially “borrowing” the trust instilled by the audience to the person sharing your content.

Keep in mind that the online audience trusts the opinion of their peers more than anything else. To take full advantage, try to introduce multiple touchpoints that lead to social media.

A common practice is to provide social sharing buttons in every post, but you can also try other ideas like creating tweetable quotes or a sidebar widget that leads to your social media pages. If you offer a lot of visual-heavy content, you can refer to this post to learn how to make your blog images more shareable on Pinterest.

2. Make Conversion Elements Discrete

Redesign decisions must align with your conversion goals, but they should not come at the expense of user experience. For example, a few years ago, some bloggers began frantically loading up conversion elements above the fold since it captures 80% of the audience’s attention.

It initially sounded like a brilliant idea, but it did little to boost conversions. Why? Because the decision to add CTA buttons and opt-in forms above the fold is fueled by the desire to maximize profits – not to improve the reading experience of users.

Keep in mind that the main role of page elements above the fold is to pique the audience’s interest. This can be done through clear value statements, content that introduces your brand’s story, and other elements that compel users to see more.

When it comes to conversions, you must utilize the entire page to win your audience’s trust. Use testimonials, informative copy, and other trust signals to build their confidence in your brand. Most importantly, provide a clear answer to any question or problem they may have upon arrival.

Once your content validates your credibility, your audience will be more motivated to subscribe when the opportunity presents itself. And that’s when you can pull up tricks like opt-in overlays or exit-intent popups to seal the deal.

3. Mobile First, Desktop Second

It’s true – more internet users now prefer mobile devices over desktops. That said, the desktop experience should no longer be the focal point of your design process. Always check how your site is rendered in smaller displays whenever you make layout changes, add visual elements, or install new plugins.

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The good news is, most site-building platforms and content management systems now offer a ton of free responsive themes. This means content elements on your page will automatically adjust and reposition to be more readable on smaller screens.

While you’re at it, you can explore newer platforms that can augment the mobile browsing experience of your target audience. One example is Google AMP – short for Accelerated Mobile Pages. It is an initiative that helps bloggers implement minimal HTML and JavaScript to boost loading speeds on mobile devices.

4. Cater to Guest Contributors

Plenty of blogs, including this one, embrace guest posts as a cornerstone for growth. While it makes sense to work with established bloggers who can benefit your readership, you should also offer community contributors the same amount of exposure for their work. This means letting them have their author byline, social media links, and informative profiles.

Just remember to be extra cautious when handing out author privileges to other content creators. As much as possible, do not accept applicants who can’t prove their writing ability either through previous works or sample submissions.

5. Be Community-Driven

Sealing the engagement of your audience can be tricky. In addition to providing them with highly valuable content, another way to incentivize their experience on your site is to let them contribute to the community.

Accepting guest posts is a step in the right direction, but it’s only applicable for blogs that generate a steady stream of traffic or can provide good SEO value through links. If you think your blog isn’t big enough to accept guest posts, you can always start small by integrating a forum feature with plugins like bbPress and Asgaros Forum. This will help you cultivate a bustling community out of your existing reader base.

Conclusion

The design aspect can be an ongoing struggle that requires you to revisit your strategy from time to time. But then again, this is nothing new in the world of professional blogging. If you want your brand to stay relevant and competitive, maintain an adaptive mindset that embraces change and grabs growth opportunities.

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Christopher Jan Benitez

Freelance writer for hire by day. Heavy sleeper at night. Dreams of non-existent brass rings. Writer by trade. Pro wrestling fan by choice (It's still real to me, damnit!). Family man all the time.

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