First Impressions

Searching one word into Google can result in millions of websites, so it is up to the reader to distinguish which site is worth his or her time. It only takes a flash of the screen for the reader to determine if the site is viable, credible, and most importantly worth staying one. Within those few seconds the reader is judging the site by its appearance. Then if the site is worth staying on the reader will determine if it is worth getting involved in. A blog must have appealing aesthetics and it must be interactive in order to build and maintain an audience.

It is vital that the blog site be visually appealing because that is what will make the reader stay on the site, rather then clicking away to the other million sites that Google offered. The first thing noticed about a site is the layout. If a website is cluttered with loud headings or flashing advertisements or overlapping pictures, it can deter a reader from staying on the site. A simplified layout will not overwhelmed the reader and instead the reader will be able to navigate the site quickly to understand the theme and tone of the blog. For example, thegroundworkproject blog uses a white background with a bold black title for a non-intimidating layout. Easy navigation is not only aesthetically pleasing but also important for the reader. No one is going to waste their time digging through a site when they can just close it and within a few seconds find another site on the same topic. The Edible Geography blog provides a site archive so that information read last week or last year can be recovered within seconds. The layout of the site is like the first sentence of an essay. Just as a “good first sentence prompts [the reader] to perk up [his or her] ears”, a good site layout encourages the reader to continue scrolling through the site (Morris). A strong title, intriguing pictures, and clear headlines draws the reader in, urging them to explore what the blog has to offer. In the world of Twitter’s 140 character limit, a page full of long paragraphs and continuous text is overwhelming. A text is much more appealing when the paragraphs are short and when the text is broken up with pictures. The appearance of a site is the first impression it has on the reader and in order to hook the reader it must be engaging without being overwhelming.

The aesthetics of a site draws the reader in but the interactive aspect of a site is what keeps the reader on the site. A good blog is never static but instead it is always updating and changing through “the encouragement and critique of the community” (Rorabaugh). When something is posted on the Internet, the whole world has access to it and there is the possibility for “immense collaboration” (Morris). A “Contact Us” link is successful in connecting across the world and it also breaks the wall between publisher and reader, permitting two-way communicate. This makes the reader feel like his or her input is valued and that he or she can be an active participant in a digital community. Comments offer another form of involvement, which sparks a discussion and further exploration of the topic in question. A good blog will also offer other forms of further exploration such as links to other articles or other websites. The words or ideas from a blog are not meant to be static but instead they are meant “to be shared, moved, and manipulated” (Morris). A blog should have the option to share information from the site to Facebook, twiiter, tumblr, and other social network sites. This not only broadens the blog’s audience but also invites others to interact with the site. A blog should always be changing and growing by the involvement of the audience.

The Internet is full of blogs on everything from celebrity gossip to documenting gravestone, but not every blog is good. A good blog will hook the reader and reel him or her into an active digital community.