It is no secret that the ever-expanding arena of online social networking has seeped into the daily consciousness of most individuals in varying sectors of the economy. This is far more pronounced in the younger generation who will soon be the stakeholders and powerful figures that shape what the fabric of post-modern society will look like. A large part of social networking is the proliferation of blog sites and blog posts, wherein every individual has an open forum to express his or her viewpoint. What makes this different than traditional media outlets is that with the correct design and optimization, blog posts allow the writer to have access to an infinite number of viewers. The set up of a blog is of the utmost importance, as readability is what retains a viewer’s interest; for these purposes a custom blog design should be unique yet accessible.
The motivation behind starting a blog are wide-ranging; some blogs exist for informative purposes, others for advertisement, and yet other for simple entertainment. OF course, any blog post has to hold the interest of a viewer, and thus companies who utilize this forum to increase their client base must work hard to create intriguing and interesting content. When it comes to custom blog design, content is king but the design is the throne it sits on. Nobody wants to read a post, no matter how well thought out, if it is not aesthetically pleasing. In addition to having a pleasing design, with all the color and image display technique this entails, all the content must be easily maneuverable. There is little in the online life more frustrating than attempting to glean information from a website but not being able to easily access it; a successful blog post archive will be easy to maneuver so as to encourage more sustained site traffic.
Individual blog posts are by and large available for the catharsis of its author and the entertainment of its viewers, but blog posts utilized by businesses are a terrific free resource for public relations and advertisement. A company website that simply lists essential information does the bare minimum of catering to an existing client base, however if a company hopes to reach a wider audience there is much more that needs to go into their online presence. Having a custom blog design for a company website not only provides a forum for product updates and information, but can add a humanistic touch to any company. By allowing consumers to see the changing face of a company and its employees while still being kept up to date on products, viewers learn to connect with a brand. A pleasing website that is properly optimized (and therefore shows up more prominently in search engines) goes a long way in making sure information is not only distributed but retained in the minds of consumers.
After determining he importance of an effective custom blog design, the next step is deciding whether or not to tackle this project individually, or with the assistance of a design company. The successful completion of a website requires technological savvy and an eye for design; one must posses the necessary skills to set up and maintain the functionality of a site as well as ensure it is aesthetically pleasing. If an individual falters on either of these areas, then it is likely a good decision to outsource to an individual or company who knows the website deign world intimately. This frees up time for other endeavors and also ensures that the website will be up and running far quicker than if the project was taken on individually. Another consideration of course is cost; hiring a website designer is going to be more costly than building it individually. However, the cost of a successful online presence is well worth the increase in site traffic and expanding customer base with its accompanying revenue. Having a sub standard website does more to harm the image of a business than anything, and thus a professional and well laid out site is imperative to success in modern society.
The world of social networking and blogging is varied and vibrant; so much so that individuals and companies alike are jumping at the chance to have a successful site and blog. With the right custom blog design, businesses can benefit greatly from a boost in site traffic and reputation.
This article was written by an editor of 99MediaLab.com