||Build a Better Blog Part 1||>The Appearance

     Do you own a blog that’s a fun hobby? Do you want it to go to the next level? Or maybe you don’t have a blog yet you want advice before you start? You have come to the right place. Today I’m giving you all the information I’ve acquired from experience and lots of trial and error. I have been writing on my blog for 3 and a half years and though I'm no expert, I have learned some things that I would love to share with you, my fellow bloggers!  Because there are so many things I want to share I have split the content into three separate posts. Check back in later posts for information on the content of your blog and on advertising it.

First off, you need a name for your blog that is clever, easy to remember and short. A few years ago, my blog name was "Unique Style by Bella". The name was too long and hard to remember. Though it was personal to me, it was not clever. Credit goes to a friend of mine who came up with the name "Bellativity". I decided to use it when I did a little blog makeover. The name is short, clever and cute and people remember it and say it all the time (Zane Mack). Ask a friend to help you brain storm ideas on clever names that pertain to your blog content and to you personally. Once you choose a name it’s a hassle to change it, so make sure you are happy with it.
 

The appearance of your blog is like the cover of a book. Readers will judge the book by the cover and if they don’t like it, chances are they won’t read it. There are lots of tools with Blogger and other blog servers where you can tweak your blog’s look without spending a dime. By going to the “layout” or “template” tab you have lots of options. Play around with the free stuff before investing in anything.
 

Creating a header is the first step. The header is like a hook or the intro to a great paper, you must hook your reader into wanting to see more. “Free Logo Services” is a great resource for customized headers you can upload to your blog. You can also have someone else customize a header for you. Start with the free stuff and then if you want your blog to take a more professional look, you can look into buying a blog template or hiring someone to create a look for your site. Investing in a template is expensive but worth the money in the long run. You will love the refreshing vibe of your blog and so will your readers.

            About two and half years into my blog I decided I wanted to invest in the appearance of my blog so I bought a pre-made template from “the Wonder Forest” It cost around $48 and it came with the header, the background, and all the tabs for social media. I’m very pleased with how easy it was to install and how the blog turned out. Remember, you don’t have to have some super expensive template to have a great looking blog, you just need to use the resources you have and make the blog look clean and organized. But more about that subject next time….