what makes a good blog?

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monday, april 30, 2018

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Hello, how are you all? Today I'm going to be talking about what exactly makes a blog good. There are going to be six sections-- the first will be notes + revisions + work, the second will be bujo + planners, the third will be hauls + reviews + what's in my. . ., fourth being tips, fifth being experiences, and the sixth being general things.

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what makes a good blog?

notes + revision + work

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Several things go into the making of a good blog. Here are some of the things that could separate your blog from the others :

#1 : Good lighting

Good lighting in pictures is extremely important for this type of blog. Without good lighting, it can be hard for readers to read what you've written. Along with this, it would be hard for them to see all the detail you've put into it! If you need help to make your image seem brighter and whatnot, try to check out apps like Snapseed and VSCO

For an example of a blog with good lighting, feel free to check out this blog by studyofcats!

#2 : Be content-heavy and detailed

When it comes to these blogs, people really like to see and read the content! Notes and revisions should be able to teach you and other people about the subject! Use this opportunity to share your knowledge and ion. We would much prefer to see notes, revisions, and work that are very detailed and content-heavy instead of ones that are kind of vague.

For an example of a blog that contains good, content-heavy notes, feel free to refer to this blog created by Studyyeollie!

#3 : Legibility

Now, this doesn't mean you have to have perfect handwriting, it just means that your notes and whatnot have to be legible (clear and able to be read). If your notes aren't legible, none of us are going to really know what you're talking about.

For an example of a blog with really good legibility, feel free to check out this blog by fellow curator Ren!

#4 : Discussion

Discussing can really set your blog apart! Really, tell everyone about what you're learning and why, *tell everyone what you used and why.* You know how sometimes artists have a background to what they've created? Yeah, well, there's bound to be a little background behind your work, too.

For an example of a blog with good discussion, feel free to check out this blog by araMy!

#5 : Multiple Photographs

When it comes to these blogs, multiple photographs with multiple angles really helps! It keeps our focus a little bit better, and can shows us different parts of the notes. Multiple angles could also mean making the notes closer to the camera, thus making them easier to read.

For an example of a blog with multiple photographs, check out this post by mintystudies!

#6 : Neutral backgrounds

Using a neutral background (white, black, brown, grey, granite/marble countertop, etc.) can make your notes pop out, especially if it's colorful.

For an example of a blog with a neutral background, check out this post I created!

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what makes a good blog?

bujo + planners

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Spoiler alert! Some of these tips are going to be redundant because a couple of them were in the first section.

#1 : Good lighting

Again, good lighting in photographs is key! If we can't see any doodles, pictures, handwriting, details, etc. that you've put into the bujo/planner, then what's the point?

#2 : Be expressive and unique

Bujos and whatnot are all about YOUR interests. So, use that when it comes to making it! Create your own style! If you like minimalism, then show that. If you like bright colors and bands, then show that! Again, these are completely tailored to you!

For an example of a bujo that's really expressive of the author's interests, legibility, and good lighting, check out these posts by Michang!

#3 : Legibility

Again, a bit redundant, but this is very important! Some of you guys like to put quotes in your bujos/planners, and we'd love to be able to read them! Seriously, though, your handwriting doesn't have to be godlike.

#4 : Multiple photographs

Dun dun dun... once again redundant. However, everyone really likes to see multiple angles and photographs! Zoom in, zoom out, sideways, etc.! This will (usually) give your blog more visual appeal.

For an example of a blog with many beautiful photographs, along with some discussion, check out this bujo by kaycee!

#5 : Include what you used, and discuss

Absolutely talk about your bujo/planner! Share your ion with other people. Talk about what you used-- people may be looking for inspiration about what stationery to buy for their own bujo.

#6 : Themes

Themes are a really good way to get a hold of your audience's attention. If you have a consistent theme, your bujo is most likely going to have a greater aesthetic appeal to it. Again, be expressive with your themes!

For an example of a bujo with an incredible theme layout, check out this post by Dina! Also, this gives a really good example for discussing your bujo!

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what makes a good blog?

hauls + reviews + "what's in my..."

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Now, we see a lot of these, but what makes these blogs good?

#1 : Good lighting and simple backgrounds

Once again, good lighting and simple backgrounds are key! We want to be able to tell what you're talking about, whether it be a mildliner or an eraser. Try to use simple backgrounds so that the colors or complexity of the stationery.

#2 : Discussion

If you're making a blog like this, you absolutely have to discuss! Discuss the stationery, why do you have it, why do you like or dislike it? What do you use it for? Was it a gift? Is it for a collection? Where can you get these products?

For an example of a post that does this really well, check out this post by Milky Sakura!

#3 : Swatches

Not gonna lie, I think swatches are one of the greatest things ever. It's weirdly satisfying? But, if you include swatches, people will be able to make a further judgement on if they want to buy that product. Pictures of swatches also just add a visual appeal :3

For an example of a blog that does this well, along with the first tip, check out this blog by Koshi, one of the leaders!

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what makes a good blog?

tips

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Now, there are so many tips on the Studying Amino.. and so many that haven't been introduced yet. How do you make a good blog about tips?

#1 : Uncommon / New / Useful Tips

Honestly, this is a REALLY big thing. There are many tips that are helpful and important, but, they're repeated all the time. You know them; "make sure you drink plenty of water", "sleep is very important", etc. However, we really, really like to see new tips! These tips could include tools, methods, etc., or could be tailored to specific tasks or subjects.

For an example of a good blog about tips, feel free to check out these posts by myself!

#2 : Visually appealing / Image breaks

This!!! Is!!! Extremely!!! Important!!! If your tips don't have some sort of visual appeal, people are going to lose focus. If you want to give your post as much visual appeal as possible, here are some tips:

• Create a title page (as seen at the very bottom of this post). This can be done with apps like Legend and general photo editors.

• Put images that follow the theme of your post/title image/blog background between very large blocks of text or sections, as done in this blog. This helps keep your reader's attention, gives it more visual appeal, and gives relief on their eyes from constantly reading.

#3 : Lengthy tips and discussion

The community really likes to see lengthy tips and discussion. Give a tip, elaborate on it, and discuss benefits/risks. Like, for example, when it comes to the "drink lots of water" tip, explain why your body needs water, what it can do for you, etc.

For an example of a blog that does this, along with the second tip, feel free to check out this post by l i s a!

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what makes a good blog?

experiences

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Honestly, I don't think we see enough of these on the Studying Amino. But, that's just my opinion. Hopefully this will inspire you to create your own blog posts about your experiences.

#1 : Length and discussion

This is VERY important. When it comes to experience posts, we prefer that there's a lot of discussion. Make a huge blog, write a lot! We don't usually want to see a blog that's really simple and says "I went to Venice for a year to study medical. I saw some cool places and people. I learned a lot". Like... what did you see? Who? What did you learn? What branch of medicine are you studying? There's just SO many unanswered questions! We love the detail, gives us the detail!

For an example of a blog that does this well, check out this post by madi!

#2 : Visual appeal

Again, this is really important. Visual appeal keeps your reader's interest and attention. Try creating a nice title page, or putting images between large blocks of text or sections.

For a blog that does this well, check out the same post by Harshi!

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what makes a good blog?

general things

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#1 : DO NOT PLAGIARIZE

I don't think everyone understand just how much trouble plagiarism can get you into. If you put an image you found on the internet into your blog, you have to give proper credit! If you copy and paste stuff into your blog from a site or article, you HAVE to give proper credit! I don't think everyone understands that a lot of stuff has copyright on it, and if you don't give proper credit and whatnot, you can get into some serious legal trouble.

#2 : Nice formatting and grammar

Nice formatting is essential for a good blog post. Try using the following things:

[C] : center

[B] : bold

[I] : italics

[U] : underline

[S] : strikethrough

Use borders and headers! These can be found online, you can create your own, etc.

Along with this, good grammar is preferred to make it easy for readers to understand.

#3 : Adhere to the Community Guidelines

You absolutely have to adhere to the community guidelines. If you have not read these yet, please check them out here.