Have you ever stumbled upon a blog with bright colors, beautiful photos, and writing that makes you want to read? Sounds inspiring, doesn’t it?
No matter what kind of blogger you are (family blogger, mom blogger, lifestyle blogger, fashion blogger, food blogger, etc.), you want your blog to be attractive, right? Of course, we know that quality content (photos and writing) brings readers back again and again, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with working to make our blogs visually attractive as well. An easy (and free) way to boost the attractiveness of your blog is to determine a blog color scheme and a font group to give your blog a consistent look. Here are a few tips:
1. Choose a Signature Color Scheme
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Many new bloggers choose a color scheme because they love those colors, but what about putting a bit more thought into it?
- If you blog about your energetic family adventures, use bright colors.
- If you blog about a relaxed lifestyle, use muted colors (pastels).
- If you blog about your young children, use primary colors.
- If you are a missionary blogging about the country where you serve, use the colors of that country’s flag or colors that are popular in that culture.
- If you are a travel blogger, use an earthy color scheme (green, brown, etc.).
Take a look at Ann Kelle’s blog (one of those drool-worthy blogs that I mentioned earlier). Notice how the colors in the blog header are repeated in the blocks of color in the right sidebar. These colors are found in so many of Kelle’s fabrics (which she features in her posts), so the entire blog is one big, happy colorful spot on the Web!
Maybe you didn’t put much thought into your blog’s color scheme when you first started blogging, but that’s okay . . . you can re-brand your blog whenever you wish!
2. Use your Signature Blog Color Scheme
Your signature colors can be used in all sorts of places:
- the blog header image
- post headlines
- links
- your email signature
- your Twitter background
What is your signature color scheme?
3. Choose a Signature Font (or two):
I’m not referring to the font used in the body of your posts. Rather, the font that appears on images and other branding for your blog (your blog header, for example).
Make it readable. Pick two fonts: a bold sans-serif font, and a script font. Notice two of the fonts that The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, uses on her popular blog. She uses a pretty script font for her blog name and her own name (note the red arrows below), and a simple serif font (all caps) for her tagline (note the blue arrows). The contrast between the two fonts is lovely.
If you’re a font fanatic who loves to experiment with different fonts, that’s great! I’m that way, too! There’s nothing wrong with using different fonts in your blog posts (on images, in graphics, etc.). However, for images that will speak for your brand, stick to your signature font(s). Your brand will become more recognizable.
If the thought of picking (and sticking with) a font or two makes you a little scared of commitment, don’t panic! Take your time and search for just the right fonts for your blog.
Pinterest is a fun way to remember the fonts that you love: capture screenshots of webpages that use lovely fonts, and pin those screenshots to a board. When you’re ready to commit to a signature font, use the Pinterest board to help you make your decision.
If you see a font you love but don’t know the name of it, try using What the Font?. This site has helped me track down the name of a font more than once!
Some fonts are free, and some cost money. You’ll also need to check the font’s terms of use (some are for non-commercial use only). Check these websites for lots of fun fonts:
When choosing your signature fonts, remember that fonts used in small places must be readable (Facebook profile image, blog buttons, etc.).
4. Use your Signature Font
You can use your signature font in lots of fun places:
- On images you’d like pinned to Pinterest (read this post about the process: Make Your Blog Posts more Pin-Worthy in 4 Easy Steps)
- On your photo watermark (if you watermark your photos – more on this in a later post)
- On your blog header (like the Pioneer Woman’s image above)
- On your graphics (blog, Facebook, and Twitter – basically, anywhere your brand is visible)
Remember that you don’t have to choose your signature color scheme and font style all in one day. Spend some time searching for options that suit your personality. Have fun with the process!
