Blogs are incredibly customizable, and bloggers can configure their blogs to look and function in so many different ways. However, there are some expectations that blog readers have for the blogs they visit, read, and ultimately, become loyal followers of. Listed below are the fundamental parts of a blog that every blog should have in order to meet visitor expectations and deliver an adequate user experience that leads to growth and success. Of course, you can add more elements to your blog, but make sure you're using the elements listed below at all times. If you do consider removing one of the fundamental parts of a blog from your blog, make sure you fully analyze the pros and cons before you delete anything.
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Header
Blog concept
DrAfter123/Getty Images
Your blog's header is found at the top of your blog and is usually the first impression visitors to your blog get. Make sure it's a good one by using a great header. More »
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Blog Pages
Many blogging applications allow bloggers to create pages where you can offer additional information that is important and should always be easily accessible to visitors. The articles below teach you more about specific blog pages and how to create your own:
Blog Home Page
Blog "About" Page
Blog Contact Page
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Blog Posts
Blog posts are the most important part of your blog, because if your content isn't interesting, no one will read your blog. Review the articles listed below to learn how to write great blog posts:
3 Steps to Write Great Blog Post Titles
Secrets to Writing Blog Post Titles that People Click
10-Point Checklist to Write the Best Blog Post Titles
5 Tips to Write Great Blog Posts
How to Hook Readers with an Irresistible Blog Post Intro
7 Tips to Write Scannable Blog Posts
10 Tips to Write Blog Posts That Get Shared and Increase Traffic
10 Ways to Increase Traffic with Blog Writing Tricks
5 Blog Posts that Can Drive Massive Traffic
20 Blog Post Ideas
5 Blog Post Idea Generators
Blog Post Checklist
The Secrets of Blog Post Length
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Blog Comments
Blog comments are what make your blog interactive and build a community around your blog. Without comments, you're simply talking to yourself. Following are helpful articles to better understand what blog comments are and why they're so important to a blog's success:
What Are Blog Comments?
5 Blog Posts that Increase Comments
How to Identify Blog Comment Spam
Creating a Blog Comment Policy
How to Write a Blog Comment Policy
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Blog Sidebar
Your blog's sidebar is the perfect place to display important information, ads, links, and so on that you want visitors to see. Learn more about what goes in a blog sidebar in these articles:
Popular Items Found in Blog Sidebars
What Are Blog Widgets?
Introduction to Blogrolls
Find Free Social Media Icons
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Blog Categories
Blog categories are available in a variety of blogging applications and help to make your old blog posts easier to find by topic.
Blog Category Organization Tips
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Blog Archives
Blog archives are where all of your old blog posts are saved for future viewing. Visitors to your blog can browse through your blog archives by date. Some blogging applications also make it easy for visitors to browse through archived posts by category.
5 Ways to Give Blog Archives a Longer Life
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Blog Footer
Your blog's footer can be found if you scroll to the bottom of any page or post on your blog. Sometimes a blog's footer simply contains copyright information or links to a privacy policy or terms and conditions of use policy, but other times, it can include links, ads, and more. This is less valuable real estate than other areas on your blog posts and pages, because people don't like to scroll. Nevertheless, don't ignore your blog's footer. Use it to include helpful information that's not critical to the user experience. More »
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RSS Feed
Your blog's RSS feed is needed in order to invite people to subscribe to your blog via email or their preferred feed reader. Make sure you include an invitation in your blog's sidebar or another prominent location. Read more about blog feeds in the articles below:
5 Tips to Increase Blog Subscribers
Choosing a Full or Partial Feed
Review of FeedBurner for Feed Creation and Management
3 Steps to Better RSS Email Subscription Design with Feedburner
Feedburner Alternatives for Blog RSS Distribution
Migrating Your Blog RSS Feed to FeedBlitz from Feedburner
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Images
A blog without images is dull and looks more like a dictionary than an interesting read. That's why including colorful images is so important to a blog's success. Don't go crazy with too many images. Your content is always most important. However, images can help relax visitors' eyes so pages aren't too text heavy, and they can guide readers through your content. Use the resources in the articles below to find and edit images that you're legally allowed to use on your blog:
Sites for Free Images
Finding Free Images You Can Use on Flickr
Understanding Creative Commons Licenses
Free Image Editing Sites
