Last Updated on 21 December 2024 by Colette
Ok – before I even start . . . I am not saying I’m an expert!
I’m not telling you how to write your blog – its yours and you can of course do as you please! I’m just sharing a few things that I’ve noticed over the last couple of months that I think are worth considering if you want to make your blog more user friendly . . .
1. Make sure your social media is easy to find (and preferably on your homepage).
I can’t tell you how many blogs I’ve visited recently where their Twitter handle wasn’t clear. This is especially important if, like mine, your Twitter handle isn’t immediately obvious as being related to your blog (by which I mean @FamilyFever quite clearly belongs to Family Fever . . . @Lollinski bears no resemblance to We’re going on an adventure what so ever.) Basically you need to make it easy for people to follow you or they just won’t bother!
While we’re on the subject of social media,
2. Make sure widgets or social media buttons are correctly linked to the right profile.
This speaks for itself really but it’s worth just taking a moment to check that all your links and widgets are working and are correctly linked to the right accounts. I’ve clicked on plenty that didn’t do anything at all and it’s really frustrating when you want to follow someone but their links don’t work!
3. When you link to other web pages in your post make sure that the links are accurate.
Several times a week I click on link to find out more about a product or brand only to find it has been linked to the wrong place or just doesn’t work. (Use a broken link checker on a regular basis to keep on top of this.) It’s also worthwhile making sure that your link opens in a new window otherwise you are just directing traffic away from your blog and they might well not come back!
4. Consider getting rid of Captcha
This has been said so many times by so many different people but seriously: Consider getting rid of Captcha – I understand that spam comments are really irritating – but so is Captcha. Many people just don’t bother to comment on blogs with Captcha enabled and it would be a real shame for you to lose interaction on your blog as a result of a stupid bit of code. I personally have my blog set up so that it skims out the comments it thinks are spam and allows me to decide whether they are published – it’s pretty accurate to be honest! If you’re nervous just give it a try for a day or so, you could always add it back again if you felt it was better that way.
I hope this post is helpful rather than preachy! If anything I’ve said doesn’t make sense please shout!
Great tips. And yes, please get rid of Captcha!
Great tips! Down with Captcha!! x
Great tips. I hate Captcha too. It's always worth making sure the social media buttons are easy to find too – there is nothing worse than not being able to find the Twitter and Facebook pages.
Great tips!! I'm all for getting rid of the Captcha….I just moderate the messages! Works for me 🙂
I got rid of Captcha and whilst I still get the odd spam email it is rare and by moderating I can bin them. There really is no need for them and nothing more annoying than to have written a fantastic reply to someone's blog only you find you need to fill in a Captcha. Ahhhhhhh 🙁
I'm glad it's not just me that finds it infuriating! x
Great tips! I had Captcha on for ages to start with, without realising. But it was ok cos my mum phoned me with her comments 😉
Ooh is this a new colour scheme and layout? I haven't noticed these blue stripe before – it's lovely!! And I agree with you about the capcha, I hate it! I think it is easier for those of us on WP as we have akismet to sort out our spam
Yes thank you 🙂 I've had it redesigned x
Great tips! Those captchas (captchi? lol) are annoying.
I hate Captcha sooooo much – It takes me ages to figure it out and even then I get it wrong, plus from what I hear I think it doesn't stop all spam anyway.
Completely agree with all of these. Every week when I am trying to share post that link up to Share With Me through twitter I can't find blogger's twitter handles. Drives me nuts. Haven't heard of captcha how do I know if I have it on mine? Is it a wordpress or blogger thing? Thanks for the tips my lovely. #sharefriday
That's exactly how I've come across the problem. Trying to share #TriedTested posts is very tricky without an obvious Twitter handle!
Captcha is the irritating code you have to copy to be able to comment. You don't have it set on your blog, I checked for you x
I definitely agree with the bit about clicking that that says open link in a new window! Its my pet hate when I click on a link and it takes me away from the blog and I have to click to go back!
I think people just don't realise what they're doing – its such an easy thing to click but they don't realise the benefits!
A great few things to think about I have no idea if mine has captcha but I know I find it annoying. I best go check it out….. thankyou.x
Great tips!! I cannot tell fellow bloggers enough the importance of a good social presence!
Aha – the broken link problem. I was shocked to discover just how many I had!!! 1328 at last count – shocking. Pulls down your stats too 🙁
I'm finding such a lot of issues with ppl having just mistyped stuff rather than them being older links that are now defunct. Definitely something to keep a close eye on!
Fab tips! 🙂
I dreaded reading this but, after a previous faux pas in my twitter button, I have breathed a sigh of relief. I have no idea what Capcha is though. You're still my blogging guru Colette 😉
Lol Emma, you were one of many but the only one I actually told 😉 See that's caring ha ha x
Catchpa is the irritating code ppl have to type to be able to comment on your blog – I can't remember if you have it or not!
I think these are really good tips, I don't think I am doing any of them now but I did some when I was new! If only I'd have this post then 😉
My experience of visiting other people's blogs has certainly made me hyper aware of stuff like this!
I hate catpcha too! think my links ok though 😉
Great tips and definitely worth keeping an eye on.
I agree with all of those tips! Especially doing the work I do, it can take ages to find people on Twitter!x x
Great tips Colette (off to check my blog to see if it opens links in new pages, I hadn't even considered that!) x
Glad it made you think 🙂 x x
I've not been blogging very long so need as many useful tips as possible. I like the tip about ensuring links open in a separate window. I'm not sure how to go about that but I'll find out. Thanks! #sharefriday
Just shout if you need some help x
Good points. I hate captcha too and recently I noticed that I wasn't opening links in new windows. Oops! x
These are great tips, especially as I'm just starting out blogging. I really hate CAPTCHA and from experience, it takes me ages to read some of them sometimes and I get so frustrated about keep having to guess what they are that I end up not commenting! xxx
great tips, will check my social media and twitter handle is visable
Great tips. I especially agree about captcha – it drives me nutty! Often end up not commenting as so often struggle to read the numbers/words!
It's so frustrating isn't it!
Great post with great tips Hun. I for one really dislike commenting on a blog post to find a captcha to fill in too, it can really put you off commenting altogether.
Great tips. Just one thing – you are an expert! No apologizing for good ideas 😉
Yes, perhaps I am more now than I was when I wrote the post almost two years ago 😉