When I started the Blogicito, I didn't know ANYTHING about HTML, CSS, uploading photos, making videos, URLs, permalinks, trackbacks, widgets, RSS feeds, etc., etc. Blogger makes it easy to just pick a template and start writing. When I want to change something or add something to my blog, I google and read helpful sites until I figure out how to do what I want and where it needs to be changed in my template. I'm still no expert by any means. I 'do' HTML and CSS, but I would never claim to 'know' HTML or CSS.
There are still little things on my blog that drive me nuts and I haven't figured out how to fix them. So, as you read the rest of this article, keep in mind that I am not claiming to be perfect by any means.
BUT, (big but) one of the best tips that I can give anyone is to read your own blog or website. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Just open it up, look at it, and read it. Did it take 5 minutes for your dancing/flashing/singing widgets to load? Did you finish reading the article before the photos loaded completely? Would you read it if you just ran across it on a Google search? Can you read it?
I'm amazed that I can click over to a blog that sounds interesting and guess what? I CAN'T read it! Have you ever tried to read a blog with yellow text on a white background, or dark grey text on a black background? I have to assume that 1) either the author has never actually opened and looked at his or her own blog (and if he doesn't bother, why should we?), or 2) he or she does not want you to read it. You'll go blind if you try.
How about those blogs that write each article in one looooooooooooooong paragraph − I'm talking 3-4-5 pagefuls all in one paragraph. White space is a blessing! Paragraph breaks give the eyes a break and make the reading so much easier. It's interesting that the bloggers who do that also often tend to use a very small font which makes the reading even harder.
What about the lines that instead of being 70-80 characters long (the scientifically proven best length for reading comfort) require you to page over to read the end of each line and then page back to read the beginning of the next line. Not me. I'm not going to do that for any webpage even if it might have the very answer that I'm looking for. I just have no patience for that.
I understand that most bloggers aren't website or design professionals. I'm sure not, and we don't need to be because most things are so easy. But even if it isn't pretty, it needs to be readable!
Rant over. ;-D
That whole preamble was just to introduce you to this website: Web Pages that Suck. I think you'll laugh seeing the worst of the worst websites and the site author is just hilariously brutal! "If you're prone to seizures, I'd stay away from this site." "Have you ever seen a website?" Heheheh.
Whatever your blog looks like, you are going to feel really good about it after looking at some of these sites. He also has some good tips to think about.
Enjoy.
There are still little things on my blog that drive me nuts and I haven't figured out how to fix them. So, as you read the rest of this article, keep in mind that I am not claiming to be perfect by any means.
BUT, (big but) one of the best tips that I can give anyone is to read your own blog or website. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Just open it up, look at it, and read it. Did it take 5 minutes for your dancing/flashing/singing widgets to load? Did you finish reading the article before the photos loaded completely? Would you read it if you just ran across it on a Google search? Can you read it?
I'm amazed that I can click over to a blog that sounds interesting and guess what? I CAN'T read it! Have you ever tried to read a blog with yellow text on a white background, or dark grey text on a black background? I have to assume that 1) either the author has never actually opened and looked at his or her own blog (and if he doesn't bother, why should we?), or 2) he or she does not want you to read it. You'll go blind if you try.
How about those blogs that write each article in one looooooooooooooong paragraph − I'm talking 3-4-5 pagefuls all in one paragraph. White space is a blessing! Paragraph breaks give the eyes a break and make the reading so much easier. It's interesting that the bloggers who do that also often tend to use a very small font which makes the reading even harder.
What about the lines that instead of being 70-80 characters long (the scientifically proven best length for reading comfort) require you to page over to read the end of each line and then page back to read the beginning of the next line. Not me. I'm not going to do that for any webpage even if it might have the very answer that I'm looking for. I just have no patience for that.
I understand that most bloggers aren't website or design professionals. I'm sure not, and we don't need to be because most things are so easy. But even if it isn't pretty, it needs to be readable!
Rant over. ;-D
That whole preamble was just to introduce you to this website: Web Pages that Suck. I think you'll laugh seeing the worst of the worst websites and the site author is just hilariously brutal! "If you're prone to seizures, I'd stay away from this site." "Have you ever seen a website?" Heheheh.
Whatever your blog looks like, you are going to feel really good about it after looking at some of these sites. He also has some good tips to think about.
Enjoy.
Welcome to my Blogicito — 
