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Ever since I introduced my new IBB theme on the blog I have had several readers email me and ask why I did this or that and I also got a lot of opinions about what I should change.

I thought about it all and have decided not to change a thing (for now).

Because I promised you all better content I am going to outline what a good theme needs that way when you get a new one or change your current one you all can replicate the success I have been having.

Obviously you all want to know the success I have been having but that’s not what this post is about.

You all will have to wait and read my october income report to see what I mean! Although this blog only accounts for about 10% of my online income its 10% more then I had before so that has to mean something?

Usability - Your design should be above all else usable by your visitors, make it easy for them to find the stuff they care about. Remember to think like a visitor when having these changes done to your design. Think as if you went to the blog, what would you be looking for and why? Once you think like a visitor you can then give visitors what they really need. My main point here is to make it easy for them to find what they are after.

For instance on my current design I have only 4 menu items at the top I have put the 4 most important things for possible visitors / advertisers. Since doing this my ad sales have more then doubled on this blog each month (something must be working).

Simplicity - While usability is most important you don’t want to have so many things that your visitors get confused. Make it simple and keep things in a simple formula, don’t worry to much about this step as long as you remember that simple is better then fancy.

Interactivity - One way you can tell if a blog is really worth reading is by how many comments it gets on each post. Granted my blog has been up and down but I have learned some ways and am still learning ways to keep people talking on the blog. Its important to create a sense of community on your blog and one way to do it is by encouraging comments. Next week I will have a post all about this but basically you need to find ways to encourage them to talk on your blog more and more. Joe from ImWithJoe.com has mastered this!

These are the most important 3 aspects of a blog design. If you follow these rules you cannot help but have success, plain and simple! Be sure to let me know if you have any other design ideas that are important in a comment below, I want to hear your opinions!

Tags: blogging, wordpress, work from home