5 quick ways to spruce up your blog

We know, you’re busy! Most days, writing quality content, managing social media, and finding great images is just about all you can do.  We feel the same way.   That’s part of what motivated me to remind everyone it’s okay just to do one thing.

It’s overwhelming, though, trying to figure out what needs to be done.  Let’s face it, sometimes there isn’t time for a full blog makeover. We thought we’d share five quick ways you can spruce up your blog at any time.

Make sure your subscribe and social media information are easy to find.

In fact, these need to have prominent placement — like in your header or at the top of your sidebar.  You might also consider having a subscribe option at the end of each post as well.  Remember, make your call to action clear! And adding people to your email list is certainly an important part of building your blog.

Clean up your sidebar.

Until a couple of weeks ago I had a graphic in my sidebar to identify myself as part of the God-sized dream team with Holley Gerth.  That team ended in June.  Take a peek at what is taking up the valuable real estate in your sidebar.  Do you have a blog roll? If so, are the blogs listed ones you still recommend? Is your sidebar cluttered with buttons and graphics?  Consider eliminating some or rotating them rather than having all at once.

Make sure your affiliate links are current.

We recently shared how to use affiliates effectively.  One important key is keeping your links current.  Double check and make sure they all work.  And if you still have a Mother’s Day ad up, you might want to switch that out for something more current.

Add a related posts widget.

Seriously, this is the best thing I have done for my blog in the past few months.  There are several plug-ins available to help your readers dig deeper into your archives.  I use Link Within on my personal blog and have found it very effective.

Make commenting easy.

Get rid of the captcha, please! Especially if you are doing a 31 days series, you want to make it as easy as possible for people to comment.  Don’t ask them to jump through hoops … most people won’t.

So, there you have it … five quick ways to make sure your blog is at its best!

What tips would you add?

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