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Marketers often leave brainstorming for blog page design ideas at the last moment. This blog is for them and every other brand that wants to enhance their main blog page with the right elements.
Blogs have passed the test of time, with 77% of internet users still relying on them for in-depth information.
Brands remember to optimise blog posts with the right keywords, meta tags, alt tags, etc., but often forget about the main blog category page, which acts as a window towards what all a brand shares. An optimised blog page keeps users engaged. It provides visitors with the best reading options and user experience.
A blog page has many elements to entice prospect interactions and create an organised space for brands where they can share insights and educational content with potential customers. In this blog, I will share some of the best blog page design ideas which work great for brands planning to start or redesign their blogs.
Blog Page Design Ideas With Examples
1. Build and Show Your Goal Statement
A blog page must showcase a clear vision for a brand’s content. A goal statement perfectly sums up what a particular blog channel will focus on and gives visitors a glimpse of what they can expect.
Marketers should create one goal statement for their blog pages. The goal/mission statement should showcase in a simple line what the brand focuses on and what kind of blog posts users can expect. It helps readers understand the overall brand message and makes it easier to filter out relevant traction. Here’s how to create them:
The mission statement for leads should be simple and direct. It should answer two questions: what will the blogs provide, and on what topics?
For example: Check out the goal statements on CoSchedule blogs.
The goal statement for their blog page category content marketing is “Expert knowledge and accountable takeaways in writing, productivity, planning, and organisation.”
Here, the statement answers the two questions:
What the blogs will share > Expert knowledge and accountable takeaways
On what topics > writing, productivity, planning, and organisation
The best part is that CoSchedule has done this for all their blog categories, with all of them following the same goal statement formula.
Orbit Media’s mission statement on its blog page is also something to learn from.
Here, the goal statement “Practical tips for content marketing, analytics, and web designs.” clearly states what the blogs on the site will deliver to its readers.
Another thing to notice in all the examples shared is the placement of the goal statement on the blog page. The goal statement is at the top of the page, mostly present either on the left or at the centre. Brands can choose to highlight their goal statements in whichever way possible but must always include them above the fold of the blog page.
2. Create Categories
On visiting the blog page, a user should be able to get to relatable topics quickly. But it won’t be possible if what the visitors seek is buried under other blog posts. For solving such navigational problems, the category section of a blog page comes to the rescue.
Marketers planning to use blogs as a long-term
should know that it will make their site content-heavy. Only the latest blogs appear at the front when following a regular blog posting schedule, which makes some of the best blog posts go unnoticed.
For example, I have a pillar page blog post called B2B Lead Nurturing: The Ultimate Guide. For a user wanting to learn about lead nurturing, this blog post is a gem. But a visitor has to click all the way through to the third page to reach this particular blog post.
I have other blog posts too related to lead nurturing, but they are mixed with other topics that I write about. So it can become a tedious task for the reader to explore all the topics I have covered under lead nurturing.
To solve this issue, I tried to organise my blogs with the help of categories. Now, one can easily find all my lead nurturing-related blog posts under the category “B2B lead nurturing”.
The categories are also highlighted within the main blog page, appearing at the bottom of every feature blog post.
Another blog page design idea for creating categories can be taken from Nectafy. It is a growth content marketing company that has meticulously divided its content into various categories. Visitors can swiftly navigate through different content types and topics without losing a minute. Plus, the placement of the category section as a sidebar adds to the page’s overall design and makes it easily reachable.
Important Suggestion: Download your Blog Catalog Sheet, a valuable resource for improving content management and optimizing your blog strategy. This sheet simplifies the monitoring of Calls to Action (CTAs) and assists in identifying the most suitable stage in the buyer's journey for each post, whether it falls under the Top of the Funnel (ToFu), Middle of the Funnel (MoFu), or Bottom of the Funnel (BoFu).
3. What to Put as Sidebar Elements
Apart from categories, there are other elements bloggers and marketers can use on the sidelines of their blog pages to utilise the space efficiently. One of the most popular options is to create a list of all the top articles from the blog post collections, as done by HubSpot. They have added two blogrolls, one sharing popular picks and the other sharing editor’s favourites.
Such blog recommendations help visitors, exploring a brand’s content, get started. It makes it easier for confused users to discover helpful information and leaves a lasting website experience.
A search bar is also useful on the side of the blog page as it makes it easier for the readers to find a specific blog. All related blogs show up just by putting the keyword in the search bar. On my and VWO’s blog page, the search bar is placed in the top right corner.
Other elements like social media links, recent comments, and anything else that adds to make the user experience better can get used on the sidebar.
4. How to Design the Sign-up Forms
To make the most of a blog page, adding an appropriate CTA is a must, as it helps move visitors closer to the brand and to stay in touch through subscriptions.
Marketers must align the CTA of their blog page according to their marketing goals. For example, if the goal is to build an email list for nurturing, then a newsletter subscription form or a lead magnet provides the least sign-up friction. There are many creative blog page design ideas in which brands can integrate useful forms with their main blog page. Some of my favourites are:
a. Hubspot is an established brand in the marketing sector that needs no introduction. So, naturally, there is a lot to learn from their main blog page. Their newsletter form is short and sweet. It contains only one form field but gives the user options to receive content.
It is an excellent way to showcase their expertise in various fields while saving users from receiving irrelevant info. The form is present at the middle and bottom of the fold, leaving the top purely for content. Another thing to notice is the mini privacy policy HubSpot has put in the form, which pushes for gaining visitors’ trust.
But what about the visitors who are not interested in newsletters? For them, HubSpot uses a lead magnet. A user must fill out a more detailed form to download the lead magnet.
We must understand that both forms have the same purpose: to gather consumer info. But each leverages different offers to achieve this goal. Hubspot has placed the forms on the blog page in a way that does not disturb the user experience and complements the overall page design.
b. BrokerLink is a company that makes buying insurance easier. Instead of crowding their blog page with a form, they have placed a simple CTA button on the sideline. When clicked, a pop-up form appears with a form field.
5. That Something Extra for Great UX
Great user experience helps build a unique brand image. Brands create blogs to provide a learning space for their prospects and create a community with the same interests. Even after adding the goal statement, sidebars, category section, etc., marketers can still get a high bounce rate if the blog page design is not visually appealing and easily readable.
Using every texture and space on the blog page as a value-adding element is crucial. On Apexure, a leading landing page and CRO agency, the main blog page has nice clear fonts with a featured image for every blog supporting the headline. The design for every image remains consistent, providing a clean look to the page.
Other elements that have recently become popular include showcasing reading time for a blog post. It can help readers determine how long will be a blog post without opening it and boosts transparency. Putting the author’s name on the main blog posts projects that the article comes from a person, not just a brand. It opens up space for conversation.
Design Your Blog Page Today…
With these blog page design ideas, brands can build main blog pages that showcase a customer-driven interface. Crafting a web page that showcases what all a brand is ready to share for free with its prospects is not an easy job. It needs to be well-organised and coherent with the brand’s design value.
Elements like reading time, categorisation, forms, etc., act as assets and gives users the options to explore and interact with the page more. From reading options to recommendations, a blog category page can become a playground to amuse and attract audiences. Don’t sleep on it. Start designing or redesigning your main blog page the right way with the shared ideas today.
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