Discuss: Why is a good graphic design in blogs important?

How do I pick my blog design?” is one of the most frequently asked questions from new bloggers. Design of your blog is very important as the better looking your site is, the more memorable it will be for your visitors and more of them will stick to it, subscribe, return back and share it with their friends in social media.

This was the very first question I asked myself when I started book blogging almost 3 years ago. At this time I started my apprenticeship as a media designer, although I had not much experience with graphic design yet. I tried a few designs but I was never satisfied with them. A few months later, I stumped across Magic Feather Design. Jenny (owner of MFD) helped me to design and program my own blog layout. I’m super happy I hired her to support me and I couldn’t be happier with my design.
Now to the main topic. Why is a good graphic design in blogs important?

With so many blogs out there and so many themes, a good blog design will help the blog to stand out and be easily recognizable to visitors. This, in my opinion, is the most important benefit of a good blog design. As readers keep coming to your blog several times a week, they’re increasingly less likely to pay attention to your design. They’ll know what to expect after a few visits, and the content will have to keep them coming back. On the other hand, the blog’s design can have a huge impact on the first impression of new visitors. A first impressions can help you or hurt you. The first impression of any visitor, regardless of how they arrive at your blog, will be heavily influenced by the appearance of the blog. Generally, opinions are formed in a matter of seconds, not minutes, so creating a positive impression is critical. When you get into a new blog, the first thing you see it’s not its content. You see its graphics. Has it some theme? Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t. Has this some kind of color palette? Maybe a logo? All these things make your blog look better and professional. Like you care more about that aspect of your blog.

I think a lot of people will argue that great content is the most important thing in blogging which is true especially if you want to cater the best thing you can provide to your subscribers or maybe for yourself. But personally, I often find myself attracted to blogs with a pretty design and I tend to easily remember their urls. So for me, both aspects are equally important. I believe a better graphic design attracts more follower/people in general. Great content is sometimes not enough in the blogosphere. You still got to put the pretty icing on that delicious cake, you know.

All things aside, the most important thing about graphic and blog design is that YOU like it.You have to type that precious url of your blog press enter and when you see your blog you have to like it. If you do, that’s it. You don’t have to care about what others might think about it.Also I believe that it is important you are working your way to achieve your end goal you have for your blog. Along that way, it’s always best to learn to be happy and satisfied because as long as you’re having fun and feel contented, nothing and no one can make you feel otherwise about it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this! Do you invest time in your graphic design? Do you consider it important? Share your experience!