Home Page Design and the Blog

One question I often get is “Are there different rules for a blog home page?”

The short answer? No.

But here’s the long answer, just incase you want a more in depth answer.

The 5 Deadly Mistake of Home Page Design …
… and How They Apply to a Blog

Deadly Mistake #1: Not Being Clear on Your Website’s Purpose
No matter what kind of website you choose to have, you can’t get away from this one. If you don’t know why your website exists, then you can’t possible create one that will support your goals.

So, ask yourself, why are you creating a blog? Is it to showcase your expertise or thought leadership? Or is it for search engine optimization? Your answer will dictate a different design for your home page.

Deadly Mistake #2: Unprofessional First Impression
If you use the wrong design template for your blog or make it too cluttered or kluge-y, you can create an unprofessional look for your blog site.

Also, are you using a free, hosted blog or are you going to host the blog on your site? The latter is definitely preferred for a more professional appearance.

Deadly Mistake #3: Not Collecting Visitor Information
Just because this is a blog site, doesn’t mean it can’t help you grow your list. At the very least, you should use an RSS to email collector, such as Feedburner. But it is still better to use a more traditional autoresponder opt-in box.

Deadly Mistake #4: Not Having a Compelling Opt-In Incentive
Why should someone subscribe? You need to give them a more enticing reason than keeping up with your posts.

Deadly Mistake #5: Poor Use of Copy and Copy Optimization Techniques
Even with a blog, you still need to keep in mind your key words and use them in your titles, sub-titles and copy. You also need to write your blog posts in voice that is representative of you and your business.

Want to know more about the five deadly mistakes? Grab a copy of my new book, Home Sweet Home Page: The 5 Deadly Mistakes Authors, Speakers and Coaches Make with Their Website’s Home Page and How To Fix Them! at www.homesweethomepagebook.com. Stop by the website between March 15 and 19, 2010, to join the launch and housewarming party, and download a plethora of free gifts!