Favorite Blogs And Why Are They Successful Visually?

JoeMilford Level 1

September 18, 2017, 9:05 am

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Favorite Blogs And Why Are They Successful Visually?

Pick one or two of your favorite blogs. What is it about them VISUALLY that makes them appealing to you or not? What is pleasing to your eye and overall design sensibility when it comes to this blog or blogs?

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DarthHazard

DarthHazard

I don't really read that many blogs, to be honest with you. But if I had to choose from one of the few that I do read then it would have to be IGN's (http://uk.ign.com/). It's extremely easy to navigate their blog and everything is so nice that it's just an amazing place to read gaming news from. The only issue for me would be the advertisements which can get annoying sometimes but other than that, the appearance is just outstanding.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

That would be one of my choices. I'm impressed by the look of this blog (it's visually very interesting / beautiful) and with the ease of being able to see it. Although - sometimes - I find the page loading a little bit slow, it's still very worthwhile.

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

I am very spoiled on high speed internet and on everything being high speed. Being spoiled by this does make me a bit judgmental of sites or blogs that are moving slow; maybe I shouldn't be this way, but I think I have just gotten acclimated to everything being streamlined and instant. I think I can put up with a slow upload as long as the content is worth it, like wiseagent says.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

If the image won't add any kind of value (besides the aesthetic aspect), I don't see much use in it because I prefer speed than beauty.

What really matters to me is the content of the blog / website.

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

Of course. As I have seen in forums regarding blogs over and over: content is king. I guess the debate here is if people are willing to wade through a few design and appearance issues in order to always get to the content that they value, and I guess opinions would vary on that idea.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

Yeah.

It's really something very personal because not everyone has the necessary
patience or don't work enough for it. Unfortunately, this isn't the kind of job for everyone.

7 years ago

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nnacrter

nnacrter

I like blogs about earning moneys in part time. I admire those blogger who help fellows who needs to fill their financial issues.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

You have a point there. And for that one needs to search the Net and grab them to know what those bloggers have that guide viewers to go for sites that pay. I did try once but not all blogs have genuine information.

7 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

I agree if the content is worth it I will put up with a slow moving blog. But these days high speed internet is everywhere and almost every website loads at lighting speed. I have only seen a handful of websites in the last year that were slow loading.

7 years ago

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kammy143

kammy143

I do believe that a blog should posses good content, aesthetically appealing background or related picture to the content and strategically planned adds. Let us face it, the blogs of today seems to have multiple adds that really makes it quite frustrating.

7 years ago

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DarthHazard

DarthHazard

It would be nice to know how much they spent on this design because it is a great blog theme. Most of the time, the site loads up pretty fast for me but there are instances where it can be a little bit slow and that's probably because of how image heavy the blog is. There are some many images on the site and the amount of advertising they have on the site is also crazy. That is probably why it can be slow sometimes.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

I agree and in addition to being able to directly impact on the problem of loading the pages, the excess of advertising is something that at least for me, is very irrant. I hate this lack of common sense towards visitors for silly goals.

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

The ads here are also very irritating for me as well. It just seems busy and gratuitous, All of us who create blogs and websites know why the ads are there, and I respect people who are trying to make money and make a living, but I think there should be some restraint with this kind of thing, if for no other reason that it can run off potential LONG TERM visitors to the site. I probably lose money because I am too conservative with ads, but I would never weigh down a site of mine this heavy with all of this business, lol.

7 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

I always run adblock and I don't run any ads on my website. Having said that I know that people want/need to make money to keep their website going. But I can not stand it when they plaster their website full of ads. It totally kills the user experience.

7 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

My best suggestion on a blog/forum design is to find a skin that you like and customize it. Otherwise you're going to be spending a ton of money on a custom website design. Unless you know someone you're going to be spending $500~$3000+ on a blog/forum design depending on what you want done.

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

Every forum I have ever read about successful or unsuccessful blogs mentions the importance of limiting the ads and how the over-use of ads can be so annoying and cumbersome. It seems like that is one of the easiest ways to run off readers of a blog. You also mentioned another common prerequisite of a successful blog, and that is ease of navigation and how user-friendly it is. Thanks for showing me this blog as well; I love gaming, so I will see what it has to offer.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

Finally what I think is the blogger would be the only one reading their blogs. I get invited by so many of my friends to comment on their blogs. Not only that I do not comment I do not even read their blogs. the only time one would read is when there is a 'I scratch your back and you scratch mine' phenomena (lol)

7 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

My favorite blog happens to be a baby blog known as starlight baby blog. It's very informative about stuffs that has to do with babies, parenting, pregnancy, toddlers, kids. What I have learnt from my participation in that blog has been very helpful with my family life.

7 years ago

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Tronia

Tronia

I think that one of my favorites is definitely this one: https://moz.com/blog

I read it almost every day because I find the topics discussed extremely interesting and informative. It has taught me many things but since you asked us to focus on the visual aspect... Just looking at it is pleasing to my eyes. Light colors, nice overall design, easy to navigate and find articles, images, categories and more. I always believed that good content and visually appealing design of a website should go hand in hand.

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

This is a cool site and thanks for pointing this out here. There are so many elements to consider with our sites: colors, shapes, design, accessibility, content, ads, ad placement, ad frequency, video content, logos, images, links, banners, reviews, profile information, guest bloggers--the list goes on and on! In other words, trying to balance all of these factors is an obviously difficult task. This forum really reminds me of that.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

Tronia,

I didn't know this site, but I decided to visit and found it very interesting. It's visually very cool and somehow holds the visitor's attention (at least mine, haha). It's always good to know new "places".

Thanks for sharing.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

I agree, this site has one of the best designs for me personally, with the perfect mix of light colors which is visually pleasing without being too overbearing, simplistic design, not to mention the great content by the various contributors there.

7 years ago

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Baburra

Baburra

One thing I like is when the theme or design of the blog relates to the content. I frequent a movie blog, for example, and their design has some elements like curtains and popcorn and film on it, so I feel more immersed while I read as opposed to when it's just a generic design. Another important thing is also the design of the layout itself. If the buttons and previews are too confusing, I get turned off very easily and just go and look for some other site instead. Also, most of the time, when I don't like the colors of the site, I tend to not visit as frequently as I do with sites that I do like the colors of.

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

I agree. I think that if the relationship between design and content is established that the blog is so much more memorable. I also think that this kind of visual design element really subliminally affects the visitors to our sites and keeps them thinking about them in a familiar way. I also have an aversion to sites whose colors are not overall appealing to me.

7 years ago

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Baburra

Baburra

Yup. It always perplexes me how some blogs remain the way they are when they are obviously poorly designed. There are some sites that can get away with it because it matches the personality of the content and writer, but for most, I would say having a good design and an easy to navigate structure would be the best path. Although, I think my standards might be a bit higher than the average person because I do graphic design so that may also be the case.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

I also love when people make the right kinds of correlations between images and content. This shows a lot of creativity and good sense towards the creation of projects.

It makes clear that there has been a good development of ideas and a care with what is being done (which is obviously important to me).

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

I, like you, do appreciate it when I can tell that a page, site, blog, or forum has had a lot of thought put into it and that the designer really cared about the content and the appearance being complimentary to each other. For example, I think this forum, Pixelclerks, has a memorable logo, a good clean look, and it is very user-friendly and inviting. That's why I keep coming back to it. It is stream-lined and not too busy, and I keep learning things from the members all of the time!

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

Yes, I would also use Pixelclerks as a good example of harmony between images and ideas.

It's clear that the intention of the owner is to please the visitors / members with a nice place to wrtie without polluting their eyes.

7 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

I think that the way this site is set up also accents and puts the emphasis on the page's content and the contributions of the writers. A lot of websites could learn something from looking at this site and at the SEO clerks site as well.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

Yes, I agree with you.

I think that as a reference, this forum is a great idea to be followed. The disposition of everything is very well directed and this place is very pleasant to be seen and it's very organized.

For me, only positive aspects to talk about.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

I go by what I am searching for. If I am looking for a cure then I may come across blogs that has the information that I am looking for. Having said that honestly I would prefer a straight blog with no frills such as video and images.

7 years ago

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Barida

Barida

I'm planning to start blogging and it is going to be all about visual which will revolve around putting up photos of special places in my country. I hope to succeed in the blogging business as well.

7 years ago

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TheArticulate

TheArticulate

Good luck with your blog! Because your blog is going to be centered around photography, I think it's that much more important for you to have a pleasing and consistent design to your blog. I hope to see your blog someday!

7 years ago

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kammy143

kammy143

Good luck with your plan. I hope that you get great reviews on it. I also hope to see some of your work in the near future.

7 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

I wish you well in your blog start up endeavors and hope that it gets a huge boost once you lunch it. I'm definitely going to be looking forward to visiting your blog from time to time and see what benefits it's going to offer me.

Good luck.

7 years ago

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Painterly

Painterly

One of my favorite blogs is called Dinosaur Dracula. It's a site that caters to 80's kids' nostalgia, highlighting the various weird little things, toys, and foods which got kids of that generation excited. It's cluttered in a way that is reminiscent of the old internet and invokes the colors and shapes of toy packaging from the 1980s. I think it would not impress people outside of the target audience very much because it's so thoroughly zeroed-in on who it was written for. If you're that person, though, this site's layout is marvelous in that it frames the subject matter in the subject matter. You simply cannot ask for more from graphical design than that! The best part is, it's not even professionally designed! The guy who runs the site works on television commercials and has done many of the network bumps you may have seen during certain channels' holiday programming blocks. Certainly, a proper graphics designer could have done a better job, but it just goes to show how subject matter and formatting trump artistic flair in this business. This is a science, not a painting.

7 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

For me not only does a blog need to be visually appealing it also it needs good content and function. I honestly thing the days of throwing up a blog or forum and getting tons of hits is over. I have a blog/forum and it is suffering because I am overwhelmed right now. I was in the hospital last week and I am in the process of moving and day to day struggles.

I am moving into a new apartment with my wife Jan 1st and I think that's really going to alienate much of the depression that I am going through right now. Hopefully then I will be feeling much better and I will be able to give my website the proper attention that it needs and deserves.

7 years ago

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TheArticulate

TheArticulate

I struggled with this same thought process when I was posting as well. Content is the most important thing to me as well. I can forgive an amateur looking blog if their content is stellar, but there is also something to be said about a blog that looks and functions nicely. I dabble in video and photography, so naturally I expect the blogs that specialize in those topics to be well designed, as their topics are visually-oriented.

Overall, I think that great content coupled with good design and functionality of a blog makes it as pleasing as possible to the audience.

7 years ago

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Authord

Authord

Well, to me I don't find blogs attractive, or should I say I have not found any blog that looks quite attractive to me, mainly due to the fact that most of them are templates and themes, with similar pattern, so they is nothing really there to fancy. The only thing that could look appealing or draw my attention is the features and functionality of the blog or site.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

I cannot pinpoint any blog as of now but I do read blogs. For me they should be simple but the contents should be of high quality. I have noticed lots of images and animations is not for impatient viewers like me. It also depends on the speed of my Internet Service Provider at the time I am viewing a blog. If it is slow at that point in time I will not look at it if it is filled with images and videos.

7 years ago

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kammy143

kammy143

Tumblr is a good networking site where you can follow and view blogs according to your chosen niche. Some blogs are very successful in the said site which showcases quality images, videos and specially good quality content. A blog's success usually start with having quality content, attractive or eye catching blog design, niche inclined and an effective promoting strategy.

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

I follow a photography website called Behind a Shutter. The website is visually stunning. It showcases amazing photographs. Apart from great images, the website also features photography tips. I find this website very helpful in bringing the photographer in me. My photography was in a closet, however, in a writing program, I was attending. my instructor praised my photos that I had used with my blog posts. You can enhance your blog posts with your pictures. Having pictures is not only visually soothing but also establishes your credibility as a writer. She said. I am following her advice since four years.

7 years ago

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TheArticulate

TheArticulate

My favorite blog currently is Premiumbeat's blog, which specializes in photography, filmmaking, and other visual arts related articles. Visually, it is very appealing, and I'd honestly expect no less from a blog that talks about the visual arts! They have a very earthy color palette to their branding, and they have a unique and relevant logo, which was one of the first things I noticed about them.

Organizationally, the blog makes sense, and it's easy to navigate. These design elements are what keep my attention during my stay, but the content is also top notch!

7 years ago

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ballyhara

ballyhara

I like blogs about languages, specially the ones where you can find tips on how to learn a new language. What I do really like about a blog is the order, seriously I can't stand a blog where everything is spread all over the website. So, bloggers, please make a map of your blog, identify every section, and try to keep it simple. Maybe you thing putting a lot of shapes and colors, and making your followers jump around the blog will make it look fun, but that's not true.

7 years ago

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keen2write

keen2write

Using graphics and visual content on your blogs always makes them stand out. Also, they will attract more members and give you the traffic you deserve. Putting in the effort always works pretty well and in your favour. I use canva.com which is awesome for creating images/visuals for your blogs/Facebook/Twitter and other platforms as well as your websites.

7 years ago

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kammy143

kammy143

I like browsing through Tumblr blogs and they have incorporated a lot of graphics and pictures through out their blogs. I think they are successful due to the fact that there are a lot of people who are visual and like to see a lot of information with pictures to support them. I for one is a very visual person. Sometimes, I am more interested on browsing pictures compared to reading the contents. None the less, blogs becomes more appealing with the use of pictures.

7 years ago

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anjanetteclyde2

anjanetteclyde2

I do not have much knowledge about blogs nor visual graphics. Hehe

I can not even distinguish if it is a blog or not, or simply a social media site like Facebook and others but the one that I somehow treat as a blog is Tumblr. I really like the site not because of the wide content they gave out but also the images attached on it. Almost all the pictures and images display on the site is like-able for me. And, I think whether you are visual or not, you will definitely enjoy the variety.

7 years ago

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anjanetteclyde2

anjanetteclyde2

I do not have much knowledge about blogs nor visual graphics. Hehe

I can not even distinguish if it is a blog or not, or simply a social media site like Facebook and others but the one that I somehow treat as a blog is Tumblr. I really like the site not because of the wide content they gave out but also the images attached on it. Almost all the pictures and images display on the site is like-able for me. And, I think whether you are visual or not, you will definitely enjoy the variety.

7 years ago

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ballyhara

ballyhara

Nowadays, technology offers the chance for a person to express him/herself, and most of the time, they do it through websites/social media/blogs. The good thing of the blog, is that is more personal, the person is free to design it, usually open to discussions where that owner is a moderator. So, the author expresses a point of view on a topic, and users/bloggers/visitors, can make comments on it, so is like a digital, open diary or something alike. Eventually, authors tend to include adds, interaction between visitors, and small business, which will help the blog to sustain. Hope this little info helps you understand blogs a little more.

7 years ago

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Judas2018

Judas2018

The most popular sites have a soft design with easy to tolerate or unnoticeable colors and palettes. Their ads show up a lot smoother because of this. Most sites that I don't like to visit use the 'your page will load after this ad' trick. I hate that. I should have the option to move on to what I want to read without having to wait for an ad to finish playing.

7 years ago

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Kakashi2020

Kakashi2020

In my opinion blog sites should have good graphics but you shouldn't over do it.
Just pick a good simple design and get a logo.

i haven't seen a good site with heavy graphics, all successful sites I've encountered are using light colors and light, thin graphics, I think it's because having too much graphics tends to slow down the site and it's loading speed.

7 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

When it comes to blogs or websites, the design being used should always be very eye catchy because poor design ruins interest by damaging the first impression at first sight. Using good templates and logo should be considered and making the navigation system of the blog to be easily accessible and understood. Avoiding using of big image files on the blog because it affects the site loading speed.

7 years ago

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Kakashi2020

Kakashi2020

Hashedout and Avertscams are two good blogsites these blog sites tackles online scam reviews and both of them are easy to navigate simple sites. I like their simplicity and they always have good content.

These sites are good and interesting because their subject are online money making sites and each blog discuss and validates each site. Also i think having the color blue on a site is very appealing.

7 years ago

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cmoneyspinner

cmoneyspinner

Truthfully there are 2 blogs that made my list a long time ago and it's not because of the visuals. Can't be. They don't really have that much by way of visuals. One blog is called Daily Blog Tips and the is called Daily Writing Tips. They are my favorite because as far as I'm concerned they are 2 of the best resources on the web for advice on blogging and writing. Even though experts say you should add visuals to your blog, these blogs don't need to. They were established long before Pinterest convinced everybody that people like pictures! LOL.

6 years ago

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stbrians

stbrians

I read and forget blogs as soon as I finish reading. There are just too many blogs that I have read but nothing has stuck in my mind.

It is only very interesting stories that stick in my mind. Fiction does better just like Treasure Island or Robinson Crusoe

6 years ago

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rlfinnash

rlfinnash

My favorite blog or blogs would be anything about food. Cooking, baking, cake decorating, you name it that concerns food. The successful food blogs are inviting with images of all different kinds of food that one could possibly image. My Baking Addiction is one of my favorite food blogs along with many other ones.

6 years ago

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