Blog Design – Platform, Theme and Widgets

Here is a chance to read about the specific decision I have made in regards to designing my blog.  In this article I will discuss the platform, theme and widgets used.  I will tell you why I chose them and how they work.  If you have any questions please write them in the comments section and I will be happy to answer them.

Blog Platform – Wordpress

I can’t really give you a specific reason why I chose wordpress except to say I followed everyone else.  I have been really impressed by wordpress and all of its features.  What you need to understand is that there is a difference between wordpress.com and wordpress.org

Wordpress.com:  If you want to get a good feel for blogging, then I suggest starting with wordpress.com.  You will be able to start blogging in just a few minutes.  With wordpress.com you have access to many fun themes and the forum is an excellent place to ask questions.

Wordpress.org:  This is the site you need to use if you want full control over your blog.  You need to choose a domain name find your own host before your blog works, and you need to find that yourself.  If you thinking of your blog as a business, and not a hobby I suggest using this. 

Blog Theme – Thesis

 I use a specific theme on my blog called Thesis.  When I first started reading blogs I was really drawn to a site called Simple Mom.  I liked the content, but also the clean web design.  When I saw that the theme used was Thesis, I knew I wanted it.  I certainly don’t use Thesis to its full capabilities and I am certainly a novice with the platform but the top reasons why I like Thesis are:

• SEO Savy – The platform makes it easy to optimize your post to be searched
• Design – very easy to change layout, add widgets, change color and typography (especially with new upgrade)

Blog Widgets

Do you know what a Widget is?  It is a small tool that you can add to your blog.   Widgets can hold games, content, advertisements, really any ‘bell or whistle’.  Many bloggers go crazy over widgets.  Me, I only started using them in the last few weeks.  Why?  The first reason was I wanted to be sure they suited my blog and the audience – teachers and students.  Secondly, they make the blog look busy and I wanted the site to be clean.  Therefore I wanted to make to be sure they really suit my blog. 

The key to find out the best widgets for your blog is to keep an eye on your competition. 

Toolbar:  I have seen this toolbar around many blogs.  I wasn’t keen on it at the beginning but now I see it suits my purposes.  It actually means less clutter on the blog.  The toolbar is called wibiya and it features a wide range of applications that can be customized to your own needs.  Applications include Blog Search, Translation, Post Notifications (random and recent), Life Notifications, Twitter Gadget, Sharing Tool to social media networks, Photo Gallery, Facebook and Games.

Wibiya is currently in beta form.  You need an invitation to login.  All you need to do is fill in the form with your website URL.  I received my invitation after only two days. 

Map Counter:  I have always liked map counters on blogs.  I find it really interesting to see how a blog can reach all corners of the world.  Whilst it is easy for me as a blog owner to check these statistics through Google Analytics, it is a chance for my readers to see similar information.  The information is based on the last 100 visitors and shows you the Top Countries, Top Regions, Top Visitors and Recent Visitors. 

 Free Rice:  This was a widget that I found on another site.  At first glance I thought it was an ad but checked it out anyway.  I thought it was the perfect fit for my blog.  It provides a bit of color to the site, gives students practice in learning vocabulary, and remembering basic facts.  But finally, it is a great cause and I am happy to support it.

When you start researching blogging you will be told that content is your main focus.  Whilst I agree with that concept, you must slowly chip away at your design and constantly tweak it to suit your vision, and the needs of your audience.  But be warned, playing with design is addictive and a pretty site is worthless if it doesn’t have solid content within it.