Howto Improve your Blog's design

Accessibility: Does the title grab the attention of your intended audience?

1. Does the title have keywords used by the audience while searching google?
2. Does google index your blog regularly?
3. Push your blog updates to blog broadcastors like weblogs.com
4. Does your blog load up fast? Use the "Jump/Read More" feature and Optimize load time.

Retention: Is it easy for a casual browser to remember your blog and info you pain-stakingly put in?

Do's

1. Reduce information overload. Cluster related information into sub-topics. 
2. Use Bloggers ReadMore feature to give readers an option to read a blog summary or read more.
3. Increase quick scanning of useful information - Add headings, indentation, bullets and white-space.
4. Reduce wordiness - Add diagrams/pictures/videos (with search-able captions).
5. Increase Searchability - Add content related tags to each blog post.
6. Increase Sharing - Add RSS feeds for your blog.Add Referral gadgets like Digg, Twitter, Facebook.
7. Increase Readability - Customize Template Layout to maximize content space and reduce scrolling.
8. Reduce confusion - Use short and clear sentences. Avoid compound sentences. Use Spell-check.
9. Increase Post Quality - Review your post after a gap of few days. You'll often find improvements.
10. Increase Blog Quality - As you improve the newer posts update older posts with newer techniques.

Don'ts

1. Boredom: Split long posts into short posts with title indicating continuity (e.g. Part 1 of 3)
2. Distractions:

            Avoid jarring Template design.
           Avoid Ads and Blinking information.
           Don't let Gadgets encroach upon content.
           Move all outgoing links to a "Reference Links" section at the bottom of each post.


Navigation: Is it easy for the casual browser to find relevant information on your blog?

• Add captions to photos/diagrams/videos for enabling text searches.
• Add headings, indentation, bullets and white-space for quick scanning of useful information.

See Also other posts on "Starting Your Blog":  

1. Howto Start a Blog, Get Useful Blogging Ideas, Add Good Content, Reduce Effort with Tools and Keep Blogging 
2. Blogging without Blocking
3. Basic Template with Ingredients for a Technical Blog