|
|  |
| |
|
| | The ABHP - A Bit of Humble Pie Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | Looking for Blog Layout Examples | Views: 542 | | Dec 08, 2009 4:42 pm | | Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # | 
Kurt Schweitzer | | I've gotten bored with the layout of my current blog and am looking for new ideas that I can swipe (excuse me, "borrow"). Does anyone have one that they really, really like? It doesn't have to be your own!
I'm trying to monetize the blog, so a layout that supports ads (from Google, Amazon, eBay, etc.) without having them be intrusive or annoying is what I'm working towards. One example that seems to work for me is here:
http://www.bnet.com/2403-13068_23-355498.html?tag=content;col2
I'm not terribly fond of the color scheme, but the layout seems to work pretty well.
What do you think? What's your favorite layout?Private Reply to Kurt Schweitzer | | Dec 08, 2009 5:41 pm | | re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # | 
Heidi Caswell | | Layout and functions are more important than color scheme, you can always change the color scheme. Change graphics and stylesheet.
Don't think the site you posted is on wordpress, but if you are looking for something similar, search for wordpress magazine themes.
Here is one I'm very familiar with:
http://wemagazineforwomen.com/
Uses the Arthemia theme, which is a theme you purchase (premium) and easy to change graphics, colors.
http://colorlabsproject.com/member/go.php?r=1388&i=b2
Premium vs free themes, there are great ones in both categories.
I find that if a purchase a theme that does exactly what I need it saves me much time, worth the cost. Of course if a free theme does what I need I'll use it.
Magazine style themes are great when you have much content, but if you're only posting a few times a month, another style may work better.
You also have video themes, photo themes, etc. My blog below is a free theme which I customized a bit. Not sure if it is still available for download.
Heidi Caswell
http://connectsimply.com/blogPrivate Reply to Heidi Caswell | | Dec 08, 2009 5:43 pm | | re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # | 
Bobbi Jo Woods | | Monetizing your blog can be frustrating at best, seeing since if you set aside room in a sidebar, footer, header, etc. for those visual ads of beauty, and then work to integrate the pseudo not-so-obvious Google and Yahoo! ads in between posts, etc., all your hard work might be for naught, since sometimes even the least savvy among us are keen to spot ads from 10 paces, and avoid really reading them unless they absolutely intrigue us and beg to be clicked.
I like the example you gave, only because it has ways of inserting ads in a non-annoying (your term, not mine) manner. However, this is a site where content seems to be placed on the blogging pedestal, so if your blog has strong content which you want to stand out heads and shoulders among everything else, you probably will not want to utilize very many image-based advertisements.
What is the plaform which your blog is based on? That would help us narrow down some possible layouts for ya.
Meanwhile, although not good examples of blogs that make money, I found the following (not that these designs are copyrighted and just examples of what can be done--not layouts to download--but are inspiring, nonetheless):
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/11/03/50-beautiful-and-creative-blog-designs/
Bobbi Jo Woods, Owner, B. Woods Design
Professional Websites for Small Business
877-996-9932 Toll-free
http://www.bwoodsdesign.comPrivate Reply to Bobbi Jo Woods | | Dec 08, 2009 6:25 pm | | re: re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # |
Bobbi Jo Woods | | Small world!
One of my recent projects (completed about September of this year) was a website I did using WordPress as a content management system, vs. as a blog. And it uses the Arthemia theme as well:
http://www.maplewoodhistoricalsociety.org/
Bobbi Jo Woods, Owner, B. Woods Design
Professional Websites for Small Business
877-996-9932 Toll-free
http://www.bwoodsdesign.comPrivate Reply to Bobbi Jo Woods | | Dec 08, 2009 6:34 pm | | re: re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # |
Heidi Caswell | | Monetizing depends on how great your content is, your visibility.
Lots of work, yes. And you have to build a community. You have to love what you do.
If you don't have ads up in the beginning, readers may say you've become too commercial when they are added down the road.
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/ does well with their ads, banners, affiliate links, etc.
Several well know blogs make a decent income.
http://www.problogger.net/ is one and has links to some text link ads. Darren has other sites doing well. You also have other kinds of blog formats.
Gary Vaynerchuk does well with his video blog http://tv.winelibrary.com/
and he speaks (adult language) about his success. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhqZ0RU95d4&feature=player_embedded
I've been watching the following podcast (yes it is on a blog) grow quickly in the past year or so. In the beginning it had googles ads, etc, but when he saw ads pop up for things he did not endorse at all, more saw them a ripping people off, he switched to sponsors which he personally endorses, and that his forum moderators approve. The forum helped build a community, and he has some premium content for paid members.
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/episode-330-starting-running-and-growing-a-business
Layout is a consideration. Theme colors, etc. I know some people do split test to see which layouts produce more income. Overall, content is still what is most important. Connecting with others, building a community, promoting your site.
Heidi Caswell
http://connectsimply.com/blog
Private Reply to Heidi Caswell | | Dec 08, 2009 6:49 pm | | re: re: re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # |
Heidi Caswell | | Maplewood looks nice, you did a great job, I can see how you did it working well for a site with less ongoing content. :)
Heidi Caswell
http://connectsimply.com/blogPrivate Reply to Heidi Caswell | | Dec 08, 2009 9:44 pm | | re: re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # |
Kurt Schweitzer | | Thank you for the examples!
My blog happens to be a WordPress CMS site (with a semi-static front page and the blog in a separate directory). It uses a modified version of the standard "kubrick" template.
I happen to enjoy modifying templates to make them look and act the way I want. One of my sites was a special challenge, since half of the site is driven by WordPress while the other is an osCommerce catalog site. The challenge was getting those two pieces looking and acting like they are all one site.
I'm not really looking for templates, but rather examples of websites that do a good job of blending paid advertising with editorial content. I have a hard time browsing through the hundreds of WordPress templates out there, trying to picture how they would look on my site, with my content, and with paid advertising.
I do better looking at finished sites and "reading" the layout. I can usually do a pretty good job of putting together the CSS and templates to make my site look however I like - I just need some inspiration for how it should look.
I was quite impressed with http://www.maplewoodhistoricalsociety.org/, especially with the way it integrated with the Facebook page. Not much advertising, however.
Private Reply to Kurt Schweitzer | | Dec 09, 2009 1:06 am | | re: re: re: re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # |
Bobbi Jo Woods | | Thanks, Heidi and Kurt
OK I agree with you on having to page through thousands of themes out there. I also have a hard time deciding which ones to use sometimes.
The thing I have trouble with in WordPress isn't being able to customize the look and feel, but more or less the programming aspect of things. Adding the 1 advertisement and the Facebook fans box was something that took quite a bit of time.
I am looking for some good WP themes to use as CMS for a client or two, myself. I will have to keep my eye out for examples for you, Kurt. Most of the ones I have seen have quite a few ads on them, but they are not the interstitial type or that blend in with the content/layout. They are usually the ones that stand out quite easily and flash a lot. I know you are not into that type of set up, though :)
Bobbi Jo Woods, Owner, B. Woods Design
Professional Websites for Small Business
877-996-9932 Toll-free
http://www.bwoodsdesign.comPrivate Reply to Bobbi Jo Woods | | Dec 09, 2009 5:36 am | | re: re: re: re: re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # | 
Reg Charie | | I have to agree with Heidi that "Overall, content is still what is most important."
While "pretty" layouts seem important I would bet that you could get more readers with a plain white format and top content.
From what I've seen the highly imaginative layout designs squeeze and squish the content into constrained segments and do not allow for the proper placements of advertising.
If you want your ads to be seen and used they have to be "in your face" in regards to positioning.
Check some heat map studies and see where you are going to have to place the ads.
2009 Client SEO report:
You rank better than 4,577,263,956 other websites.
http://dotcom-productions.com
Hosting http://0grief.com/special_hosting_accounts_for_my_ryze_friends.htmPrivate Reply to Reg Charie | | Dec 09, 2009 7:32 pm | | re: re: re: Looking for Blog Layout Examples | # |
Kurt Schweitzer | | A couple more examples:
http://www.motor-scooters-guide.com/index.html
I generally like the appearance of Motor Scooters Guide, although I'm not fond of having the title of an article separated from the body by Google ads. On the plus side, however, she did a nice job of putting her own internal pitch next to those ads, so that the whole thing looks like it's hers.
I also like her embedded testimonial.
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/taylor/2009/12/should_you_hold_office_hours.html
Aside from being an interesting article, I find it interesting how they've blended ads (and a shopping cart!) into this page. I also like the box full of different ways to "stay connected", and the way they stick the Most Read, Most Commented, and Most Searched lists into a small box rather than spreading them along the sidebar. I counted ten ads on that page, plus the shopping cart and the podcast. (I counted the email sign-up as an ad.)
All that advertising didn't get in the way of the article, but I bet they get responses.
There are some good layouts out there!Private Reply to Kurt Schweitzer | | |
| |
| |
