So, you’re a dedicated, consistent and knowledgeable writer who has a clear understanding of your subject matter and the drive to get it out there for the world to see. You understand catchy titles, and have a clear idea of who your audience is. Yet even with all these effective qualities at your disposal, your blog may not be generating the type of widespread response you’re looking for.

What’s missing from the mix here? One of the key ideas of effective blog writing is to think visually and present information in a way that is more suited towards reading on the Internet rather than reading for text, like it is in a book or newspaper. Simply throwing all your knowledge down like its on paper is so 20^th Century!

Here are some key presentation tips for your blog that will help you think visually as to attract potential readers scanning the infinite pages of information out there.

1. Try to include a visual element with each post. Large images relating to your posts will help readers scanning your blog to pinpoint, differentiate and contrast specific articles. Relevant images provide readers with an idea of what your site covers in the clearest way possible, without bogging them down with long, lonely text passages. Posting images is simple using free blogging software like Blogger and Wordpress. Videos are recommended as well, as there are numerous plug-ins that allow you to embed YouTube clips and the like with ease.
2. Keep it short or keep it separated. When readers are scanning your site, you don’t want them to be overwhelmed by a massive field of text in each post. It’s usually recommended that the average blog post be roughly 250 words but remember your audience.If your readers like to read or if your subject matter is complicated in nature and longer posts are necessary, you should only post the first few paragraphs on the front page, followed by a ‘’Read More’’ tag that links to the whole article on its own page. Most blogging software allows you to divide articles this way with a ‘separator’ type tool.Remember, people coming to your site for the first time most likely aren’t going to read everything at once, so keep the presentation clean and comfortable. Let them read stories in their entirety once they have effectively scanned your blog’s front page.

3. Make your text manageable. Remember good writing mechanics and paragraph accordingly so your text isn’t clumped together and difficult to follow. The use of lists, bullets, point form and icons allow you to incorporate visual elements into your text and provide organizational methods to better communicate the main points, figures, facts and arguments of your article. Sub-headings are also incredibly useful in this area as well.
4. Be Consistent. Make it so your text, images and videos are aligned in a similar fashion so that scanners can go through your information in a straight forward and linear fashion. You don’t want your blog posts and imagery displayed in a haphazard and confusing fashion. Space things out as well so that your posts don’t appear cluttered. Having a certain method or formula to your post layouts is critical in making your blog look cohesive and organized.
5. Be Original. Don’t be afraid to play around with your blog’s design themes and color schemes. Sticking with the default design provided by your blogging software is boring and redundant and doesn’t give your blog the individual voice it needs to make a strong statement to your readership. Try to personalize your blog to the best of your ability, including original imagery and/or photographs to make your blog stand out among the crowd. This will help make a direct and more personable (and brand-able) connection to your potential readership, as they will remember your blog based on these distinctive elements.

So there are some helpful pointers to think visually when crafting your blog. You already have put so much effort into your content - why not present it in style?

Stay tuned to Apollo Media’s web marketing blog for more helpful advice to making the most out of your online endeavors.