Does Blog Design Really Matter? (Video by Yaro Starak)

Posted on August 24, 2007 by Nate Whitehill

Yaro Starak just posted a great video addressing the question of, “Does blog design really matter?” Yaro echos a lot of the same sentiments I have been expressing about the importance of a unique blog design.

In the video, Yaro says:

Blog design matters. Having a unique design is better than using a theme that someone else uses or using the default theme from Wordpress, but with the disclaimer that most people will tell you – that it’s not the most critical aspect of your blog.

Yaro later repeats that:

…investing in a unique blog design is a good thing to do because it presents your blog in a really professional light, it makes you stand out from the crowd, and it can make the difference between converting someone from just passerby into a regular reader or subscriber. If your content is great and your blog design appears to be really well done, people generally look at you as someone who is in the blogging business seriously so they are more likely to come back and read your blog.

Great video, Yaro!

Discussion: 12 Comments

12 Responses to “Does Blog Design Really Matter? (Video by Yaro Starak)”

KingJacob

- 24th Aug, 07 09:08pm

There are a few blogs out their that have seemingly simple designs so I dont think the design is that big of a deal as the branding just look at the daily cos, compared to this blog their design is archaic but they are probaly making a bit more.
Ukrainian

- 25th Aug, 07 01:08am

The main thing that makes blog unique is content. If content is really interesting, blog may be without design at all
Rhys

- 25th Aug, 07 05:08am

A design is crucial to a blog to grab readers. Whilst content is important, a well thought out design can lead to more subscribers.
Michael from Pro Blog Design

- 25th Aug, 07 11:08am

A unique design is the best way to make your blog stand out in the early days I think. Every second blog is using a plain, white “simple” theme. Seeing a colorful blog is enough to make me stop for a minute, just because they had the guts to be different.
Money Blue Book

- 25th Aug, 07 03:08pm

Heck yeah design is important…but I’m not sure if having a completely unique design is all that critical. Oftentimes you can easily tweak some oldies but goodies and give viewers and readers the impression and feeling of freshness

-Raymond
http://www.moneybluebook.com
Etienne Teo

- 26th Aug, 07 09:08am

I believe in blog design which will help attract visitors to want to stay longer on a blog with a nice design, too bad not many good blogger template designers out there.
CASH for COMMENTS

- 27th Aug, 07 12:08am

are you getting a booth??
CASH for COMMENTS

- 27th Aug, 07 12:08am

at the blogworldexpo?
Dojo

- 29th Aug, 07 08:08am

I also consider that a unique design is what makes a site worth looking at. I start sites with the content in mind too, otherwise I don’t see why I’d lose bandwidth. But putting a default / stock design on it makes me leave and maybe never come back. Some of the biggies still have bad designed sites or even default skins and I hope they realize looks do matter too. I am a designer, so I might be biased in this, but I work a lot on the designs. Good layouts brought me traffic and business. So .. I must be doing something good
Chris Jacobson

- 3rd Sep, 07 10:09pm

The design is super important. If it looks professional and credible, readers will stay.
John

- 9th May, 08 08:05pm

Unique design will always be helpful for any blog, people remembers it as there are lots of blogs with the same theme provided by wordpress, still in any design or theme content of the page plays main role. I am going with the unique design blog.