Design Review: Business Blog Wire
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Business Blog Wire is a blog run by Easton Ellsworth. The blog is focused particularly on businesses blogging, but also for any money-making bloggers out there.
So, what can be said about its design? It’s a plain design, but it works. There is a lot of content, and a lot of links to other sites in its blog network.
What Has Been Done Well?
- Post headings. Have a look at the headings and you’ll see why I think they’re great. Scanning down the home page for post titles is not a problem here.
- Advertising. It’s not often that I’d pick out the adverts as a good feature, but when a site has to make money, it has to make money. The ads on BBW struck me as particularly well integrated. Money bloggers might pick up some tips here.
- Expanded footer. The footer contains snippets of RSS feeds from other blogs in the network. The footer is being put to good use, and the content isn’t taking up room elsewhere in the site.
What Could be Changed?
- Link rollovers. When you roll over a link, it goes yellow. On a white background, that makes it extremely hard to read (And it’s not that my eyesight is too bad…yet). I can see why they’ve chosen yellow, to match the yellow sidebar, but readability is more important.
- Subscription options placed higher up the page. For most blogs, gaining new subscribers is one of the top goal’s. As such, you want your subscription options to be noticeable. The RSS button here needs more prominence.
- Snappy slogan in the banner. The current slogan is a little long, and it’s relatively un-noticeable. Why not try something shorter, and swap its position with the "Advertise here" link in the header?
- Clutter. The sidebar is very busy. If the content really has to be there, then that’s fine. However, the monthly archives could be taken out at the least. Is there anything else that isn’t crucial?
Business Blog Wire is a content-heavy site, and the simple design works for it. It’s not going to win any awards for design, but the header is good and the content isn’t being taken away from. That’s usually good enough. All that is needed are a few little touch-ups.
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About the Author
Michael Martin
Michael Martin is the founder of Pro Blog Design. He works as a freelance web designer, loves WordPress, and has an unhealthy addiction to smilies.
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Yes, you’re right, it is in need of a few little touch-ups, as of now it looks like a generic Blogger template, but it’s Movable Type. =P
:-/
I think it’s not that great.
It looks web 1.0.
the general layout and integration is great – but the color scheme and image usage is horrible.
And it is pretty cluttered…
and full adds…
I found the content to be great, but the presentation is kinda flat and boxed in, in general it looked like an old site. BTW, thanks for previewing the site, I hadn’t seen it before.
Milo – lol – Poor old Blogger. Gets a lot of stick. xD
Brian – But what’s wrong with web 1.0? ;)
I chose this site in particular because it isn’t a typical new blog. Lot’s of people are still using templates similar to this one, so it was interesting to look at it.
It is cluttered, and it is full of ads (Though the ads are nicely done. I’ve seen a lot of sites with less ads, but they made them feel like more!). However, is it difficult to get at the content? Or hard to read? :)
Colin – I like how you’ve described it there. I agree. There’s no great style in the site, but it’s functional, which is something. :)
Good review!
I agree, if you need or really want ads, they’ve got them in the right places.
I like the Know More Media slogan at the bottom of the header. Perhaps they could do something similar for their own description?
I too feel the clutter in the sidebar, but to be honest I think this design is a bit refreshing. Obviously they want something simple – not every site needs round corners and shiny buttons. I’d like it more if a lot of those sidebar links went on their own page so you could find them if you really wanted them.
I am a regular reader over there, but oh i how I would love to see it get a face lift. It could maintain the same look and feel, just make it a little more modern.
I’ve been a regular reader over at BBW for quite some time now. Content-wise, Easton has some good stuff and I jumped on his Blogtipping bandwagon nearly a year ago. It’s a nice way to showcase other blogs that you’d like to recommend to your own readers.
Is it just me or the blog design is really generic? (rather on awful side)
Good honest review Michael. I’d like you to pick a unique and beautiful design for review next time. We all need some inspiration! :D
“generic” maybe, it could use some flare. “awful” would be flashing adverts, a bunch of crazy widgets and blinding colours.
That’s a good idea, about uniqueness: Freelance Switch and PSDTuts or why do they share the same layout now…
Kristarella – I liked that logo as well. In fact, I thought it was a little more eye-catching than the actual blog’s one. xD
Ses – It’s definitely old-school. As a regular reader, I can see why you’d like to see a design that matches the quality of the content. :)
Rob – He does write a great blog!
Mohsin – Okay, you’re one. I’ll hunt out a great looking blog for next week :D (And possibly have an empty “What Could Be Changed?” section ;) )
Kristarella – I don’t think it’s awful either. It’s not stunning, but it’s not terrible. :)
Milo – I’ll try it. :)
Hey everyone – I haven’t read the post or comments yet, just wanted to jump down here and say thanks for making a growing thread of it, and especially thanks to Michael for taking the time to do this. It may impact all 100+ Know More Media blogs as we’re going to move to WordPress very soon and do a revamp of our blogs’ look and feel.
milo, because they were designed by the same person. If you haven’t seen nortxeast.com and zenhabits.com they also look eerily similar to Freelanceswitch. ;)
They all share one thing: they were designed by Collis.
That’s true Mohsin, but I think it’s mostly because Collis has such a distinct style. The designs aren’t too similar to each other (Look at Flashden even). It’s just that his style is really unique. :)
Easton – No problem. :D
Having a unique visual style is very good,
but using the same style and layout twice is not.
Actually I like FlashDen alot, but why using the same layout for different sites (Freelance+PSDT)?
Just curious.
Michael, that’s what I wonder. Why does he keep making similar designs when he can make them all completely different? I mean he is doubtless a great designer, but he should experiment with new design approaches.
Even Blog Action Day reminded me of Freelanceswitch.com, and I instantly knew there was Collis at work again.
It has also used the blue nicely on the heading. The navigation bar is also good. The thing that I notice there that it is not well spaced.
This is a good theme to work with. I know the blogger went with black and white in the pictures and it really adds to the simple theme look. Adding some color, whether as pictures in blog posts or as part of the rotating images might ensure that simple doesn’t mean boring!
too plain but i love the content. this is an example of content is more important than the design.
too plain but i love the content. this is an example of content is more important than the design.
Excellent and nice post! Thanks for this important data. I am also trying to make business blog,I have got good Idea and knowledge from here .
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