Key Things to Have on Your Blog
Starting a blog is a commitment and investment, from purchasing the domain to spending countless hours on the design. You've got things set up and even have a few posts scheduled, but wait, how do you categorize them - better yet, what exactly should you include on your blog?
Not every blog is the same and depending on your niche, there are some things you should have while other things are optional.
I was recently asked what were necessary items to include, which is something I actually continue to struggle on. When I initially launched my blog in 2012, I basically looked at all my favorite blogger's sites and copied what they had (haha). Through the years, I consistently edited my pages to ensure it fit my brand. I recently did another change and cut out a few pages to narrow down my focuses.
As you grow, you'll need to adjust your blog so that it grows with you. However, there are 4 key things that I believe never changes and are on everyone's blog.
About Me (section or page): people want to know who you are and why you're worth following so having an about me section or page is always helpful
Contact (form or page): how are brands and/or readers suppose to contact you without one of these?
Social Media Links: let the stalking begin! People will want to follow along on your daily happenings in "real time", so be sure to give them outlet options.
Archives: allow readers to see what you wrote in the past because you never know which article is still relevant or may appeal to them so let them dig.
In addition, these are optional categories that you can apply (if they fit your brand):
Shop/Shop My Instagram
Instagram Feed
FAQ
Videos
For categories, it is dependent on your niche.
If you're a fashion blogger then you might have categories such as outfits/style, accessories, trends, and maybe beauty.
If you're a travel blogger then your categories might be broken down by destinations or travel guides, things to do, where to eat, etc.
There are no rules when it comes to categories and if you're only blogging about one thing, then you can skip categories altogether.
In addition, I would suggest to ensure that your blog is easy to maneuver so don't go overboard on your categories. Also keep in mind that the more clicks you require to get to the end result, the more likely your readers will click out entirely. For example, if it takes more than 3 clicks to get to an article, I'm probably going to just give up and leave the website. Remember, people are typically in a rush and have a short attention span these days.
Lastly, your blog is YOURS so you can really do whatever you want to it but I would just keep in mind the key elements I mentioned above.
