Do you own a company blog or a personal blog? Have you considered redesigning it? What would this encompass? What are the things you need to do to make sure you do a good job?Blogs are still popular, whether they belong to businesses, eCommerce websites or individuals. They are one of the best ways to communicate with the outside world and build brand awareness through content marketing.However, due to various circumstances, you might need to change the visual style of your blog and redesign its interface. Let’s take a look at some of these possible scenarios but first, let’s talk about the brand:
Why is the brand important?
The brand concept encompasses everything that has to do with your business or personal identity. Starting with the logo and up to the customer services you provide, it defines not only your visual image but also the way your customers or followers perceive you.A solid brand image is not only built on trust and excellent service but also on the visual representation of your website. There’s no doubt that people tend to pay more attention to the brands they recognize. Branding helps make your blog or website recognizable and sets it apart from the competition.
Create your brand
The first thing you should think about when starting or redesigning a blog is to create a visual image of your brand.There are many tutorials available online that will teach you the basics of brand creation. However, the following advice also applies to this specific task. I would advise you to read them carefully and make sure you get to check every single one of them when you design your blog.
Why redesign a blog?
It’s pretty simple:
- The theme is outdated
- Due to various server updates, the content management system is no longer viable
- There were changes in the visual image of the brand and/or business
- There is need for more usability
- Users have requested the change of the visual style
- Other incompatibilities with the technical and visual requirements of the present
Start with the logo
If you don’t already have a logo, you want to change it or just to adjust it, this is your starting point should you want to redesign your blog.The logo is your brand’s identity and it will be the first thing your readers, customers or fans will associate with you or your business. Even if you are not a professional designer, or you don’t have a budget to hire a professional, you can still design a great looking logo.There are several available. Choose the one that best suits your needs and proceed with designing your main visual representation.
Create the perfect header banner
Another important element of a blog is the header banner. In many cases, the header is nothing more than a logo with a slogan while in other cases, it is a separate and distinct design that completes the logo and the visual style of the brand.The header should be simple in terms of content.However, the design depends on how you want your brand to be perceived. You can use content in the form of a simple description of your blog, a marketing slogan or a call to action. Sometimes, all three elements can be present in the blog header.
Examples of great headers:
Credit is a travel blog that gives us a great example of a simple yet effective header. Besides the title of the blog, the header section features a custom designer menu with four essential buttons.
Credit: Cult Foo
Cult Foo gives us another great example of a creative blog header can attract readers with a design and beautiful colors. Moreover, the navigational menu is simple and the search bar is right under the logo, very accessible and easy to notice from your first visit.