Is Your Blog Camera Ready? A Five Point Checklist
Is your blog keeping you from fame, fortune and a banana? What if a Producer from the Dr. Oz Show sent you an email through your blog’s contact form? Is your blog camera ready or camera shy?
Many of you are shaking your head with a big, “Yeah, right!” I can hear my blogging buddies sighing, “When that happens, I’ll be ready!” The problem is, there’s just no way to know who is following your blog and as the old saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
Thanks to the advice I got from the Community Leaders at Collective Bias, my blog has been camera and banana ready. Two days after adjusting my blog with the recommended changes I was approved for three fabulous campaigns.
These are not major changes, no plug-in or designer needed. If you have an evening to houseclean your blog, you might want to give these five points a once over!
- About Me Keep your headshot and short bio above the fold. Whether it’s in your sidebar or high up in the header; readers, brands, press, want to see immediately who is the face behind the blog. This is also the place to keep a short welcome and intro to who you are.
- Networks Be critical. Keeping 15 badges on your homepage of every network you are part of, whether active or not, is not appealing. Readers, press and very few brands care if you are a member of Mom XYZ Around the World Central. Stick to 2-3 networks you are actively involved in and put the rest on a different page if you have to.
- Recipes and Crafts Keep this link easily accessible. Especially, if you have beautiful food or craft photographs, put them in your top navigation bar. This is what readers and brands are coming for; don’t make it hard for them to find it.
- Social Media Links These should be in one line, above the fold. Many blogs now have a floating share bar. If this annoys you, it will annoy your reader. It’s best to keep it static, but visible. Add your Facebook page or twitter stream to a widget on your site. It shows you are social and active in media.
- Content I checked 20 blogs from Collective Bias and was surprised to consistently find the same problem: lack or complete oversight of content! Sidebars and navigation filled with sponsor info, giveaway links, Klout scores (really?), network badges…but a total omission in showcasing your content! All those beautiful posts are what readers, brands and media are coming for. Your content deserves more than just an archive or category button.
Think of your homepage as the welcome mat to your blog. Make it inviting, lively and engaging. Oh, and the producers from Dr. Oz? They did email me through the contact form after reading a post showcased in my sidebar. I consulted them on a “Drugstore Deals,” episode. Be ready, you never know when your blog is next!
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Thank you for the tips, I have been putting off re-doing my About me page!
You’re welcome April!
Great post!
Thanks Mallery!
I followed all your tips! They only took a few minutes.
Awesome Christine!
Hi Isra,
You’re absolutely right about making a good first impression! I added my photo to my about section in my sidebar recently. I had one on a separate page, but another one can’t hurt, right?
Hi Tazim,Nope, can’t hurt at all! I have one on my full About page also!
Isra, these are great tips. Thanks so much for sharing! I’m still just a part-time blogger; suggestions like these help me to move to a more professional level. I’ve bookmarked your post so I can come back to it as I work through your tips.
You’re so welcome, good luck with the updates!
Thanks so much for all this information!
You’re very welcome Rachel!
Thanks for a great post!
You’re so welcome Beeb!
I didn’t realize you’d had such success – those are some AWESOME places that you’ve been featured!!! Congrats on some pretty amazing accomplishments
And P.S. Your blog design has always been one of my faves!
Thanks Meagan! And the feeling is mutual..I love your blog design, very easy to navigate!