I am not an expert in blog design although I know enough to get by. Like many bloggers out there, I use what is available and make the best out of it. However, as time passed by, I realized that blog design is important. Some of the basics I look into when checking out a blog design are:

• Titles
  Yes, I still get to see blog designs that does not properly reflect blog titles and make it appear at the browser title bar. This is important as search engines pick-up the information when indexing pages.
• Focus
  A blog’s purpose, primarily, is to inform its readers by sharing one’s latest insight, news, and even reviews. I prefer blog designs that brings that straight to the point. I partly frown whenever I see blogs that shows ton of ads before the actual post, some are also screaming at the sidebar, as it distracts the reader from getting what they came for, which is to read your blog. I think this is also the reason why more prefer reading blogs through RSS (really simple syndication) as it spares them from the clutter normally found in blogs.
• Personality
  Now I’m considering of having my own customized blog design, I would like to have one that properly reflects what my blog is all about and the business I’m into.
• Open to plug-ins and widgets.
  I recall changing templates from time to time as the one I’m using can’t seem to work well with plug-ins and scale with widgets. I think a good blog design should have that flexibility or at least provide room for it.

If done right, a blog design can or has influence in communicating a blog’s authority to its readers, advertisers, and supporters. It shows how serious you are in the blogging business and even the kind of blogger you are. Yes, I’m still very much learning and the above ideas are just ramblings. I hope to get my blog in order soon.

This post is a contest entry of Blog Design Contest, hosted by Blog Design Studio and the winner will get a free custom wordpress theme. There are some amazing prizes by Daily Blog Tips and Blogging Tips as well. The contest is being judged by WordPress rockstar Jeff Chandler, David Peralty (who has the same birthday as this Busby SEO Test participant), and Alex Cristache whose blog is in the Technorati top 10k.

I found the following entries to this contest so far and I encourage you to read them too:

• 10 steps for a perfect blog redesign