The Fundamental Parts of a Blog (2024)

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Headers, sidebars, RSS feeds, and other major blog components

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Susan Gunelius

Susan Gunelius

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  • Western Governors University
  • Fairfield University

Susan Gunelius is a marketing communications specialist who writes about branding through blogs.

Updated on April 22, 2020

Every blog has a unique structure and page layout, but readers have some basic expectations when browsing a blog for the first time. If your goal is to gain a loyal following, you should know what the major components of a blog are before you make your first post.

Blog Header

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Your blog's header is the first thing most visitors will notice, so it's important to make a good first impression. The header could just be the name of your blog in a fancy font, but it's better to have a banner image that reflects the theme of your content. Blogging tools like WordPress and Blogger have built-in tools for customizing headers, or you can design your own using a program like Adobe Photoshop.

Blog Pages

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Many blogging applications allow you to create pages where you can offer additional information about your site For example, you should have a home page that welcomes visitors as well as an "About Me" page that tells readers more about you as a blogger. Links to this information should be directly under your header so that they are always accessible to visitors.

Blog Posts

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Blog posts are obviously the most important part of your site, since they are what draw readers in and hopefully get them to come back for more content. In addition to an attention-grabbing title, you need to write an introduction for your blog post that instantly hooks readers. You should also vary the types of posts you make to maintain reader interest in your blog. Research ideas for blog posts on the internet and follow best practices for writing blog posts.

Blog Comments

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Adding a comment section makes your content interactive and helps build a community around your blog. Without comments, you're really just talking to yourself. That said, moderating comments can be a big challenge, so it's a good idea to have a blog comment policy.That way, you can let readers know upfront that things like spam, offensive language, and anonymous posts will be taken down.

Blog Sidebar

A blog sidebar can contain ads, links, and other content you want visitors to see. There are several things to include in your blog sidebar such as your contact information, a short author bio, a blogroll, and links to your social media profiles. You can also put widgets for your blog in the sidebar to make it easier for readers to share your content on social networking sites.

Blog Categories

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Creating blog categories helps readers find the content that is most interesting to them. The sidebar is an ideal place for categories, but they can go under your header or on a separate page. Many blogging applications have tools that automatically organize your posts by topic and presents them in a searchable list.

Blog Archives

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Blog archives are where all of your old posts are saved for future viewing. Depending on how your site is set up, visitors can browse through your blog archives by date, title, or topic. Keep your eye on your blog traffic to determine which types of content generate the most interest.

Blog Footer

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The footer sits at the bottom of any page or post on your blog. Your footer should contain copyright information as well as links to your blog's privacy policy and terms and conditions of use policy. Some footers also include ads and additional links, but most readers don't scroll all of the way to the bottom of a page, so it's best to only provide helpful information that's not critical to the user experience.

RSS Feed

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  • Your blog's RSS feed is needed in order to invite people to subscribe to your blog via email or their preferred feed reader. Make sure you include an invitation in your blog's sidebar or another prominent location.

Blog Images

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A blog without images is dull and looks more like a dictionary than an interesting read. That's why including colorful images is so important to a blog's success. Don't go crazy with too many images. Your content is always most important. However, images can help relax visitors' eyes so pages aren't too text heavy, and they can guide readers through your content. Use the resources in this article to find and edit images that you're legally allowed to use on your blog.

There are plenty of free ways to promote your blog. For example, advertise your blog on social media by sharing links to your blog on Facebook and other networking sites.

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Your Citation

Gunelius, Susan. "The Fundamental Parts of a Blog." ThoughtCo, Jun. 2, 2022, thoughtco.com/fundamental-parts-of-blog-3476586.Gunelius, Susan. (2022, June 2). The Fundamental Parts of a Blog. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/fundamental-parts-of-blog-3476586Gunelius, Susan. "The Fundamental Parts of a Blog." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/fundamental-parts-of-blog-3476586 (accessed March 21, 2024).

The Fundamental Parts of a Blog (2024)

FAQs

What are the five parts of a blog? ›

Unravelling the Anatomy of a Blog
  • 1 The Art of Crafting an Intriguing Header. ...
  • 2 Decoding the Functionality of the Blog's Menu. ...
  • 3 Strategic Placement: The Engaging Content Column. ...
  • 4 Navigating the Sidebar: A Treasure Trove of Resources. ...
  • 5 The Hidden Power of the Blog's Footer.
Jan 17, 2024

What are the three 3 essential elements of blogging? ›

The three essential elements of blogging are:
  • Content: A blog should provide valuable and engaging content for its readers. ...
  • Design: A blog's design should be visually appealing and easy to navigate. ...
  • Promotion: In order to attract readers and build a following, a blog must be.
Mar 16, 2023

What is the essential part of the blog? ›

Blog posts are obviously the most important part of your site, since they are what draw readers in and hopefully get them to come back for more content. In addition to an attention-grabbing title, you need to write an introduction for your blog post that instantly hooks readers.

What are the basics of a blog? ›

Blogging tips for beginners
  • Choose a blog niche.
  • Research your audience.
  • Draw inspiration online.
  • Learn what people are searching for.
  • Use keywords strategically.
  • Structure your blog by category.
  • Create an editorial calendar.
  • Start with an outline.
Dec 25, 2023

What are the six steps to creating a blog? ›

  1. Step 1: Choose Your Blog's Niche and Purpose. ...
  2. Step 2: Know Your Audience. ...
  3. Step 3: Choose a Blogging and Hosting Platform. ...
  4. Step 4: Install And Personalize Your Theme. ...
  5. Step 5: Design an Attractive Layout. ...
  6. Step 6: Brainstorm Blog Topics. ...
  7. Step 7: Start Blogging. ...
  8. Step 8: Optimize Your Blog Posts for Search Engines.
Feb 12, 2024

What are the five steps to start a successful blog? ›

Read on for more detailed information about what is involved in each step.
  1. Step One: Choose Your Topic. ...
  2. Step Two: Choose a Domain Name. ...
  3. Step Three: Choose a Blogging Platform. ...
  4. Step Four: Choose Your Hosting and Theme. ...
  5. Step Five: Plan and Write Your Content.
Jan 2, 2019

What is a blog layout? ›

There are many basic elements that go into every blog layout. These include the headline, subheadings, paragraphs, list items, headlines, images, and pull quotes, among others. To create a great blog layout, you need to understand how each of these components works individually as well as with each other.

How do you organize a blog? ›

The most popular way that bloggers organize their published posts is by breaking them up by topic. Once you have them broken up, you can present them on your website in an organized structure by using tags. Here is an example of how HubSpot organizes its blog.

What is the format of a blog? ›

Blog formatting is the practice of making the best ideas the most obvious. This can be done by creating sections with distinct headers, modifying text elements, and splicing in pictures and media, all in an effort to draw the reader's attention toward what's most important.

What is blogging class 5? ›

Blogging is the process that implies creating articles, photos, and other forms of content and publishing them on a website.

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