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I am not a designer and never could be one. Yet, as a blogger, I know how important it is to get a nice, clean, visually appealing look. I want to entice my readers, give them a reason to stay. And good design will do that (along with stellar content, of course).
You may have noticed that today’s post looks a little different.
Okay, a lot different.
I believe in regular blog “remodels” because the process makes me look at every single piece of my blog with the question, “How does this help my readers have a better experience?”
What I did (well, what bobwp did)
I was looking for a lighter feel (not so color dense), more contrast and a sidebar that made my most important stuff stand out more. So, working with the same theme—the amazing Headway (affiliate link)—Bob took my list of improvements and within a few hours this last weekend, gave me something that exactly matched the vision in my head.
I like Headway because it allows casual users to build their blog without knowing all that hard coding stuff. With this theme, even if you need a little guidance, you can do the layout and see how each change you make looks as you go along. You can also add your own touches, like uploading your logo and matching colors to be sure they reflect your brand.
These are the improvements I made, while keeping the Headway theme:
• Redesigned the entire header, keeping the blue green, but changing the script style letters to a much more readable font.
• Changed the color in the navigation bar to a more complementary steel gray.
• Created a new tagline, For bloggers who write and writers who blog (okay, that was my only contribution).
• Made the first (and most important) graphic in the sidebar—my email subscribe box—eye popping, with the bright blue green background.
• Put the dates back under the posts titles to let readers know when they were published.
• Removed the colored borders, replacing with white, to make headlines bolder and more prominent.
How you can remodel your blog without the big bucks
Okay, I admit I’m a little biased, but the talent behind the Headway redesign is bobwp.com, better known as Bob Dunn.
If you’ve been thinking about a blog remodel but don’t have the resources to hire a designer or web developer, you can do your own blog remodel with just a little coaching from Bob. With Go-to-Meeting technology, he’ll walk you through the steps as you both look at your screen in real time. You can buy one hour or five hours or more—whatever you need.
Bob has also just launched WordPress Starters, affordable online classes to teach you how to manage and update your blog all by yourself.
Just a few options for you if you are considering a redesign and can’t spring for a designer to do everything for you.
So what do you think about the new and improved Cat’s Eye Writer site?
What theme do you use on your blog?
Do you ever fiddle with your design to make the user experience better?
About the author
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Judy,
Love the update! So clean and easy to read. As a rookie graphic designer, I think your changes were amazingly effective. Well done!
@bgottsab Much appreciated, Brenda. I think in the design world, it is so easy to go overboard and put unnecessary stuff in just because there are endless possibilities and options. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
I’m a big fan of simple, clean designs. Well done! I also love fluid headers in Headway!
@remarkablogger Thanks, Michael. Coming from you, that’s quite a compliment. : )
Headway is just such a good fit for my blog.
Even i prefer a simple and clean design, because we use blogs to daily post our stories, experiences pictures etc.. in a nutshell as the content is more important in a blog, so its better to use a subtle design and not extravagant colors
@Incredible_Eye_Care I’m right there with you on “subtle.” And, absolutely, design should never get in the way of the content. Thanks for weighing in. : )
@remarkablogger Thanks for mentioning the post with me “new and improved” Headway look, Michael. : )
Hi Judy,
I LOVE the update! Clean, simple and strong…and it makes you focus on the important bits as you say (especially in your fab new tagline). I’ve been e-chatting with Bob about overhauling my theme as well, so about to embark on a similar thing with Headway. Wish me luck in transitioning – but think mine will take longer than your’s did
@Di Mace | Word Swords Glad it feels clean and simple to you. Exactly what I was going for. Very cool that you’ll be working with Bob to get the look and feel you want. And using Headway. That’s exciting! I’ll have a front row seat to the process. : )
Ha ha….yes. should I supply popcorn? @JudyDunn
@Di Mace | Word Swords Yes. Popcorn would be nice. : )
Hi Judy,
Really like the makeover. I love how your latest blog post shows up now front and centre. I especially like your new tagline; it’s straightforward and engaging. Hmm…I guess then it’s a great branding example ‘cuz it seems exactly like you
I much prefer this font as well, much more legible. Kudos.
@cjtreggett
Thanks! Taglines can be a struggle. What I wanted to do was tell first-time visitors right away who this blog is for. And wow, C.J., that’s quite a compliment. Just the brand message I want to convey.
Love your new look, Judy! Simple. Clean. Powerful. And so easy to read! I’m a Headway gal, too. I’m also a bit of an obsessive reviser, so I periodically tweak, fiddle and re-vision my design to improve my reader’s experience.
@NPanuccio Another Headway fan! You know, bobwp works with so many themes because every client’s needs are a little bit different. It is so cool that there are so many of them out there. Something for everybody. Glad you approve of the redesign. : )
Judy – your new look is great! I’m a great believer in ‘less is more.’ Understanding the way our eyes move across a page (print or screen) gives us the ability to create a hierarchy of visual importance that guides our readers/viewers the way WE want them to go. It’s another layer of how our message is expressed. When words and graphics tell the same story, you’ve got powerful communications working harder on your behalf. Great job Judy & Bob!
Barbara, great to see you here. I’ve missed out conversations. Means a lot that you approve, with your extensive art/design background. : )
And yes, the best work is accomplished when design and copy perfectly balance each other.
The new look is great! I just listened to a broadcast in which Brooke Warner stressed the importance of a strong website for those wanting to be published. If it looks homespun or non-professional it can sometimes be a turn-off to readers. Yours is definitely not a turn-off! It is easy to read, but still eye-catching. Nice!
Coming from another writer, your comment means a lot. And I agree. A blog can be an amazing platform-building tool for an aspiring author. Glad you liked the changes. And please do drop in for a visit again. : )
@JudyDunn Thanks Judy – I miss our conversations too!
The other point I wanted to make is that creating a simple design often takes longer than one ‘with everything.’ The design process involves evaluating elements and making choices to see what supports the hierarchy you want to create. An end product of elegant simplicity and ease of use (Apple products are a perfect example) is actually the result of more work to select and integrate the elements into a seamless experience. Obviously I believe in the value of design, and see the benefits to businesses who understand and use it to their advantage.
Barbara, Great point. Totally agree with your there. It IS more work because, as you said, each element needs to be evaluated to see if it moves your design and content missions forward.
Oh, and Bob and I watched “28 Days” (Sandra Bullock movie) again last night. Thought of you during the equine therapy scenes. : )
Thanks for the reminder about that movie – haven’t seen it, but a few people have mentioned it to me. @JudyDunn
@Barbara Breckenfeld The thing I love about that movie is that Bullock’s character, a recovering alcoholic, has a major flaw: she thinks she can do everything by herself and so she refuses to ask for help from anyone. At rehab, in her equine therapy sessions, she tries repeatedly to yank the horse’s leg up, even yelling at him. On her way back to normalcy, after rehab, she sees a horse w/ carriage on an NYC street. She finally gets it. She looks up at the horse and says, “Please help me.” The horse lifts his leg. A beautiful ending to the movie. : )
Great fresh makeover, Bob and Judy, and your reasons for doing so (and what you wanted to achieve) are exactly the same as the ones behind the For Bloggers By Bloggers makeover too.
Much cleaner, much easier to read – great job guys!
@DannyBrown: Thanks! As usual, you were my inspiration. After I saw the incredible improvements you made at For Bloggers, By Bloggers, I could see that my site needed some extra TLC, too. It is SO important to not let the design get in the way of readability and functionality. As a writer, I can get so focused on the content that I can forget that. Glad you approve of the new look.
@JudyDunn Okay, that’s it – I’m restricting Bob’s spy reporting from now on…
Ha! You know I will always keep my eye on the innovative, ground-breaking FBBB site. Who knows? Maybe sometime you’ll be inspired by MY site! : )
It looks fab, that BobWP is very talented
. I love the new tagline too
Sarah! Glad you like it. Yes, my in-house (free) designer comes in handy every once in a while. I thought long and hard on the new tagline but finally decided that I wanted something basic and simple that would let first-time visitors know right away who my blog is for. I appreciate the kind words. Thanks. : )
I usually read your blog (and enjoy it) in my email so the redesign issue doesn’t mean much. E-mail is email!. Whatever you had before, I like the simplicity you have now.
@jenjarratt Valid point there. Some readers just want to get in. access the content, and get out. And if you don’t usually comment, there isn’t a reason to click through to the site. Good to get your feedback. I appreciate that. : )
I absolutely LOVE the new look Judy! It’s so refreshing, and you’ve proven that a little goes a LONG way. I prefer clean cut looks such as this one, so that the focus is on the content. I don’t like being distracted by over-the-top designs or cluttered sidebars. We have enough distractions to contend with as writers!
@krissybrady So true. We want to lure our readers, but once they get there, our content should shine. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the new design. : )
Great look Judy. And what a catchy tag line, love it.
@Marya | Writing Happiness Thanks, Marya. : )
This is an amazing looking design blog. Very clean and presentable. I love it.
@Justicewordlaw Thanks for the feedback! I’m loving it, too. : )
ARggh. More stuff to do that isn’t writing … I know you’re right but my heart sinks. Cathy x
@Cathy D Ha! I know exactly what you are saying. The good news is that if you have a blog, with the right theme, it shouldn’t take too much work to get that cleaner, simpler look. And that improved design will just show off your writing more. Thanks for stopping by, Cathy. Hope to see you here again. : )
You had me at, “what bobwp did.” Pretty much anything bobwp does, I’m a fan of. The new design looks great, Judy. I particularly like the new header. It’s very modern, very slick, very classic. Well done
@JMattHicks thanks! If it’s possible to feel ones face turning red via the web, well….
@JMattHicksbobwp Thanks, Mr. Hicks. He is right under my nose most days but I in no way take him for granted. Well, maybe just a little. : )
@JudyDunnbobwp Well you guys make a pretty formidable team, I must say. Now that I think about it, you’re one of the only husband-wife tandems I know that are both active in the blogging community. That’s pretty cool if you ask me
It looks great, Judy. (And Bob.) I tried to comment, but I think your commenting system hates me.
Oh, no! You should be able to just sign in through Twitter or Facebook options. I know you are not fond of doing that, but hang in there (please!) because livefyre has promised to add the “sign in as guest” option soon. : )
I love it
And as to livefyre, I find the sign in options frustrating too. I dont want a new password and I want my comments linked to my blog username and gravitar so signing in with FB messes that all up. I hope they follow through with the guest option.
I hear you, Jessica Williams. As a reader/commenter, you should only have to sign in the first time (connect to your Twitter or Facebook account) and then you can just reply with every other comment, without having to fill out that annoying name/email box. And the gravitar link should be happening, too. I’m going to do some more research on this. The last thing I want to do is make my readers feel like it’s too much work to leave a comment. : (
Judy – it does show a gravitar image when I sign in with Facebook but it’s the image from my facebook page. I use a different one for my blog and want that one to show. Now I don’t know how to unlink my FB page from livefyre so I am holding off commenting until I can get this straightened out.
Are you on Twitter? If so, what’s your name there? Livefyre has been very good about responding quickly to users’ issues.
Yeah. @Adventureweiner. I am busy moving and improving my website this next month but then I will try to figure it out. Thanks.