This post was last updated on August 29th, 2021 at 09:52 pm
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to some of the products I use and love. When you click these links and make a purchase, I may get a small commission. It won’t cost you anything, but it helps me to run this site. Find out the disclaimer here.
Table of Contents
A blog is just not for fun now. Especially when you start blogging for business, you need to know what must-have elements of a perfect blog!
Many of us are now blogging to promote our business and you know how hard it is to plan for a blog, especially since you have to consider everything from its layout to the theme, the content, and most important of all, how you will attract readers.
To top it all off, you have to come up with ways to turn readers into loyal readers, which is not an easy feat.
That’s not the worst thing though. The worst thing is that despite all of your efforts, that your blog still does not have enough readers.
Now, if you are just blogging for fun or as a hobby, you could not care less about it.
Anything you take from monetizing it is just a bonus. However, if you have a business blog, not getting enough traffic is the worst thing that could possibly ever happen.
But the good thing is that it’s a problem that you can easily solve once you know what elements of a perfect blog that missing – things of which will be discussed below.
SET UP
Blog Name and URL
Have you decided on your niche? What is your blog name?
How is the name related to your blog goals? Do other people find it unique or memorable? Are their associations similar to yours? Check a small sample just to be safe. A jumble of letters doesn’t mean anything to readers.
If you plan to blog for the long term, I strongly recommend getting your domain (URL) and hosting it yourself rather than using WordPress.com or Blogger’s free options.
Down the road when you decide to move your blog, you’ll lose Google juice and have to train readers to look elsewhere for your content. This is a blog branding choice. If you’re starting a business blog, work with your technical team to integrate it into your website.
Click here to get web hosting, a free domain, a free SSL certificate, automatic daily website backups, 5 stock photos/month + mystery goodies, and easy WordPress install for around $11.99 a month. (use code MONODREAME10 to get 10% off)
Brand (Logo, Graphics & Consistent Color Palette)
Consideration the look and vibe of your blog. Blog design elements include graphics, logo, icons, and a consistent color palette that are part of your brand image.
If your site is poorly branded, it can be one of the reason why no one is reading your blog.
A logo creates brand awareness. It gives your blog site a face to your readers, something that they can remember it by. I got my official logo designed from Canva.
Simple & Clear Navigation Bar
The navigation bar should be clean and simple. Your readers are after the content of your blog. They do not want to have to deal with too much design aka busy blog. Much like your content, the navigation bar should be straightforward and most important of all, user-friendly.
Responsive Web Design
One of the best reasons to use RWD is to improve your SEO efforts. Check these 5 essential reasons you should be using a responsive website design!
How to build RWD? Here 40 WordPress themes that you can pick depends on your budget and I also have these 10 feminine WordPress Themes if you prefer a more professional-looking theme.
Proper Typography
Your fonts can affect how well a reader perceives your blog posts. I know that high-quality content that matters, but readers will likely agree that if the font is easy on the eyes, they will most likely read most of the material.
I recommend installing Easy Google Fonts, they have over 600+ Google Fonts to choose from as well as a list of default system fonts.
Sitemap
Your readers will not be able to see this, but search engines can and they need this to know what pages your blog has and how they will search through it so that your pages have a chance of being ranked high.
If you’re a WordPress user, you can use Google Sitemap Generator. If you use Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO, you can set up the sitemap through Yoast or Rank Math and then connect it to the Google Search console.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics gives you concrete numbers that will show you what is wrong with your blog, what is missing, how you can improve it, and later on, numbers to show to interested advertisers why they should purchase advertising in your blog.
Plugins
Have you extended your blog with related plug-ins? Have you selected your plug-ins?
Install plug-ins for SEO, social sharing, comments, backup, feed management, and, if necessary, online shop and video. Here some essentials plugins that I recommend to you.
BASIC PAGES
About page (Blog and Author/Creator)
This page is one of the most important pages on your blog. The ‘About me’ page gives a glimpse of information to your visitors about you and your blog. Writing about yourself is never easy – yeah, I’ve been there.
The ‘About me’ page can end up being the page that gets the most traffic and connect with your readers. And the connection is what we’re after with blogging. You build connections, show you can relate to your visitors, and people won’t only become email subscribers but also your loyal visitors.
Sometimes, even if you have nothing to sell, they will still stick around on your blog, looking for solution, drop a comment, share them on social media and try or even buy affiliate products you recommend.
HOW TO CREATE ABOUT ME PAGE?
- Start with introduction
Perhaps, 2-4 sentences – no longer than that. You need to connect with your audience.
Start with who you are and why you started your blog. What do you want to achieve. Try to make it interesting, no boring, and don’t do that by listing your achievements.
- A picture of yourself
But not a formal photo with formal clothes and photographer studio, tho. The audience wants to connect with you. Your picture needs to reflect a real person of you.
- Don’t make it all about you
I do some research and most bloggers tell about their basic information, such as their name, where they born/live, what their daily activities, and so on. I can’t say it wrong, but I knew that some people don’t really care about those things.
You can talk about yourself but if it is related to the problem in your blog and a solution. Be real – show empathy, real emotion that you’ve been through the struggle, why it matters and you finally come up with a solution.
You can share your personal story. How you have a problem, tries and fail, struggle with a solution, and finally, save the day. You need to make your story relatable, but real. Show your audience that you are one of them. And when someone feels relate to someone’s experience, it creates a connection. Then you can change the one-time visitor into a loyal visitor.
- Think what you can do for them
Your audience needs you to solve their problem. So, let’s them know clearly how you can help them to achieve their goal. You can link to your best blog here and show them that you’re the right person to help them.
- Call-an-action
How you end ‘about me’ page?
Don’t end about me page with ‘goodbye’ or anything like that. You need to end it with a call to action. Don’t waste their time. Most bloggers will advise you to end the about me page with a call-an-action. Such as, follow me on 1, 2, 3. Shop on my page. Bookmark my site. So on.
The best one is an email opt-in form. Building and growing your email list the best way to make money. When someone signs up your email list, you will be able to send them your blog update – new post, deals, and freebies, anything that provides more value to yourself and builds trust between you and your audience.
If you haven’t created your email list, you have to make it now. I use Converkit as my email list management. They offer up to 1,000 free subscribers and really easy to use.
Legal Pages (Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Terms&Condition)
It’s so important to legally protect your blog, especially when you run an online business. Having the right legal pages for your blog is one vital step to protecting yourself from potential risks.
Plus, if you plan to sign up for advertising programs like Google Adsense, you definitely need these.
I have said that you need a small investment to start blogging, PLUS when you want to make money from it. By purchasing the Legal Bundle, it can save you thousands down the line, in case you get sued!
SO, please take the right steps to protect your blog from the very beginning! Don’t just use the free templates because they know when you could end up in legal trouble. It will cost you THOUSANDS of dollars to hire a lawyer.
Contact
How can brands, customers and the public contact you? You can either put your email or social media options.
SIDEBAR
Visible Search Bar
This might be one of the first things your readers will look for especially your new visitors, so don’t make it hard for them to find your search box. I recommend you to add it above the fold, it can be on your header or on the top sidebar.
Archive
Let readers search for older posts by date, category, tag, or author.
Newsletter Opt-in Form
Newsletters build brand awareness, consumer trust, and loyalty. Make use of it. Yes, it requires sacrifice, but in the long run, it will benefit your business. I recommend Convertkit. I’ve been using them for 8 months and it’s really easy to use.
Follow Buttons or Social Media Widgets
This is the best way to save and increase loyal followers by making them follow you on other social networking sites. Make sure you’re on the most popular social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Popular or Recent Posts
If you design your homepage without showing your popular or recent posts, it’s important to install popular or recent posts widget on your sidebar.
This widget will navigate your readers to click, read, or comment on your recent or well-performed posts easily!
Wrapping Up
Use this checklist to see if you have the elements of a perfect blog.
Be sure to focus not only on driving traffic but also on keeping the quality of your content and blog as high as possible so that readers will keep on coming back and those new to the site have a reason to stay.
RELATED POSTS
13 Blogging Mistakes Most Beginners Bloggers Make / 4 Valuable Blogging Investments Worth Making
PIN FOR LATER
Pretty good post! The hardest thing I had when I made mine was a unique name. I’m pretty happy with mine today.
Awesome! Love your blog’s name 😀
This is such a great list! Everything was explained so well that I’m sure this would be perfect for any bloggers just starting out or interested in upping their blogging game!
Thank you so much 😀
This is the perfect checklist we would have needed at the beginning! It’s such a great resource for new bloggers and glad to see all of them already, should check out Google font too! Thanks for sharing x
Thank you lovely 😀
I wish I’d have read this post 5 years ago when I started my blog.. so many things you just don’t even consider when creating a blog!
I work in influencer outreach and can’t stress enough how important it is to have a clear about me/contact page where brands can find your details!
Rosie
Love how this is an entire guide in one post! Highly informative and helpful.
This is such a useful post, thank you!! Some really great information included here – need to go and have a look at my about page now!
I’m glad it’s helpful! Thank you for reading 😀
oh wow this was really helpful. i didn’t even think of having a search bar. adding that now.
That’s defo a must 😀 I like to use it to find a certain post in other’s blogs 🙂
Really helpful post for all bloggers. I know sometimes I feel like there’s something missing, or maybe my blog isn’t as good as others. But this checklist will probably give me more confidence, bookmarking it as I do to most of your posts haha. But luckily I have most of these, thanks for sharing this checklist!
Aww thank you so much sweetheart 😀
Oo, I do not have Google Fonts but I would love the versatility having so many fonts at hand would give me! I love a pretty, scrolling, but readable lettering so thanks for sharing a great plugin!
An interactive sidebar, about me, and archives links, as well as categories and a solid menu, make navigating so easy.
Thanks for sharing an on-point, in-depth checklist!
Can’t agree more with you! Thank you for reading Jaya 😀
Great post, Merry! I went through all of the points to make sure my blog had it 🙂 Super helpful for new bloggers and even a reminder for long time bloggers. Thanks for sharing xx
http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
Thank you for reading Lynn 😀
This is such a helpful post! I have most of these, but there are a few things I never would have thought of. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you love 😀
This is all great information! I I think sometimes these are things you don’t necessarily think about right away, but are super important!
Wonderful post!!! I know when I first started blogging I knew nothing about any of this so it’s so important to help and share you knowledge!
I definitely think that blogging CAN just be for fun and it should ALWAYS be fun, even if it’s a business. But you definitely need to take it seriously if you want to grow too! A visible search bar is so important and so annoying when a blog doesn’t have one!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me Jen 😀 Really appreciate it! Yeah, I’ve visited blogs that don’t have a search bar when I want to find a certain post, it’s really important tho x
amazing post, this should be made into a blogging bible and sent out to newbies who need support!
Rosie
Awww thank you so much Rosie 😀
This is such a helpful post. I’ve made a list of things I need to add or update and am slowly going to work my way through them. Thank you for the great advice.
You go, girl! Thank you for stopping by 😀
I’m actually not sure if I’ve added a call to action on my about me page, and I never thought to suggest that they bookmark my page. I think I’ll have to sort that out
There’s plenty of time to make a change 😀 I’m planning to change some elements too! Thank you for reading 😀
thanks for the sharing valuable information.
Thank you 😀
Thank you for these tips! I have had the hardest time with my about me page. I need to make it more interesting, that’s for sure! 🙂
Thank you for reading, Heidi 😀 Yeah I had a hard time too when making my ‘about me’ page lol
These tips are so helpful! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Cayley 😀
Love that this is a super comprehensive list of everything you should need!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
Thank you, Katie 😀
This is a great checklist for new bloggers out there. There is a lot to learn/know when stepping into the blogging world!
Thank you so much, Julie 😀
This made me smile so big because aside from two smaller things, I have just about all of this on my own blog (or I’m working on them currently to get them perfect)! That’s really encouraging. It means I’m on my way to a pretty great blog 🙂 Thanks for sharing this!
Great, Steph! I always love the looks of your blog actually, always so cozy 😀 I’m still learning as well x
Really helpful advice here. I know that some of these elements are missing from my own website so I am going to create a to-do list. Thanks x
Thank you so much, Claire! I love the new look of your blog 😀 Keep up the good work, I’m still learning as well x
I love this post! I really need to sort out my logo and graphics, so this is such a helpful and informative post 🙂 thank you for sharing x
I have a second thought to change my logo lol but that can wait! Thank you for reading 😀
Love this, you always create super helpful guides which I really appreciate! I need to properly figure out my colour palette at some point but I just don’t have time with exams etc. I’ve heard so many good things about Google Analytics but I can never figure out how to set it up xx
Thank you so much, Caroline. I just shared my experience from my blogging journey so everyone could fix it or create a better site for their audiences 🙂 I’m planning to write a tutorial on how to set up GA, Search Console, etc this month, hope it will be a help to bloggers x
I definitely agree these are needed to have a good blog that people return to! I have seen a few blogs that have a font that’s so hard to read & I end up skimming through the post or not reading it at all. The other day I was also on a blog & I was trying to find a post of theirs, but they didn’t have a search bar & have scrolled through pages of their posts, I ended up leaving their blog without finding it.
Can’t agree more! The font is really important, even when bloggers have high-quality content. I also experience the same when I couldn’t find a search bar, I don’t how to find their latest post and ended up leaving their blog 🙁
Really useful check list for those starting out blogging! Thanks so much for the tips!
Thank you so much 😀