Jazzing up your blog has never been easier! Whether it’s through adding photos that pop or adding a few personal touches, these 5 tips will help you to make your blog stand out.
Use a Great Commenting System
Depending on the theme, the built-in commenting system can be visually unappealing. Try using a commenting system like Disqus, which not only makes the comments look nice but also allows people to upvote, share, or organize the thread by most popular or most recent. Plus, it automatically includes related posts within the system, which is good for organic clicks.
Harness the Power of PicMonkey
If you’re not already using this gem, then now is the time to start. PicMonkey lets you design photos and graphics, create collages, and add fun extras such as texts, backgrounds, and dozens of overlays. It’s a must have.
Incorporate Slideshows
There are some great free slideshow plugins for WordPress, but my favorite is Cincopa. Unfortunately, the free option only works for a few posts and it’s $99 for the full feature (for life). BUT, it’s easy to use and has a handy plugin that syncs to the website by placing an “add slideshow” option in your post editor. There are also a dozen or so skins that allow you to choose the layout of your slideshow. Check out a demo by clicking here or visit their site to join.
Tabbed Widgets
Tabbed widgets are awesome because they allow you to pack in a lot of information into one small space. My widget comes with my theme, but there are some WordPress plugins available, as well. Check out this list of 7 Terrific Free WordPress Tab Plugins by Joe Foley.
Include An Author Box
Author boxes are fantastic. My favorite is Fanciest Author Box, which is the $10 paid version but a free option is available. Simply download the plugin (WordPress) and input your details. The paid version offers the extra social tabs, which allows readers to automatically follow or like your social pages.