When you first start your blog, or even if you’ve been in the game for a while now, all the different features you can add to your site can get you a bit confused. You want to have the right balance of information and design, without making your site look cluttered. You want to improve your user experience and make sure your readers enjoy your content. So, what are those blog must-haves you actually need?
Having an organized blog is just as having an organized room, if you don’t have everything you need in hand, you get stressed out, take more time to get ready in the mornings and it’s all chaos.
Think about this, when you visit a website, if there’s too much going on in the sidebar or footer, there are no categories to browse through or your can’t even read about the people behind it, it’s more likely that you are going to leave as fast as possible.
To prevent this from happening, make sure you include these 7 blog must-haves on your blog today.
1. Start Here Page
When you visit a new blog, it’s just like being the new kid in school. You feel lost and wish someone showed you around. That’s when this page comes in handy. You need to show your new readers what your blog is all about and get them involved in your community.
But, isn’t an About Page enough? Well, I would say no. Your Start Page is like a tour to your site. When a new visitor lands on your page, if they don’t know what’s going, what types of posts you publish, your categories and so on, they can just click there and you can guide them through it.
You can use this opportunity to show your best posts or services. If you offer a newsletter opt-in, mention it there. Get them interested in your content, so that they can come back for more.
2. About Page
This is a very different page from the previous one. In here you get to tell your story. We are human beings, we need to feel that connection to others and this is even more important in the online world.
Share how you started, what inspired you to create this blog, a few cute facts about you and of course, don’t forget a picture of your lovely self.
3. Social Media Icons
I know it’s fun to add social widgets to your sidebar, such as an Instagram slideshow or Pinterest gallery. But, instead of making your sidebar look full, or even if you want to keep those there, make sure you add your social media icons.
You want to add them where your readers can easily find them. Even in more than one place if you can. On this blog, you will find them at the footer and after each post.
Motivate your visitors to click that button and follow you on social media.
4. Contact Page
I can’t tell you how frustrating it is when you want to reach a blogger and you just can’t find their emails. Don’t let this happen to you and add a contact page to your site. Even if you don’t offer any particular services, your readers might want to send you an email to just say hi, or even collaborate with you.
Extra points if you include a form in there as well. But, give the choice to also contact you directly.
5. Blog Categories
Adding categories to your blog not only makes it look organized, but it will allow your readers to search for the content they like the most.
What’s the best number here? 5 or 6 categories, at the most. Make it simple and if you need more, think about showing them in a different way, such as series or tags.
6. Related Posts
Keep your readers on your site by adding a related posts widget at the end of each entry you make. This makes it easy for them to find similar articles and engage even more.
You need to have your visitors as long as you can on your blog. This will make it happen.
7. Subscription form
Whether you have a weekly newsletter or just a blog post feed, you need to include a subscription form. This will allow your readers to stay in the know about your content.
Take a few moments of your day to make sure you have these blog must-haves, that will help grow your audience!
