Here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design experts. We work with companies and businesses across Manchester, and the surrounding area, including Wigan and Southport, to provide web design solutions that can help businesses grow. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about the different layout options for blog overview pages, and how the right layout can improve your website.
What are the important considerations when designing the layout for company blog overview pages?
A blog overview page is what your website users, and potential customers or clients will see when they click on the “News” or “Blog” tab from your navigation menu. This is the page that collates some of your blog content, usually in chronological order, with the most recent piece at the top. So how does the layout of this page influence user interaction? And how can you effectively design this page to secure a high level of attention and interest? Well, there are a number of different layout options that can be effect. These include:
- Choosing a split screen design
- Using a more traditional grid layout
- Using a list layout
Split screen design for your blog overview page
A split screen design can be effective for blog overview pages and this can work in a couple of different ways. You could have a 50:50 split with two different articles, and the relevant featured images on screen at once, or your could stick with one article at a time, with the image on one side and an extract from the content on the other. Alternatively, you could use three sections to show more blog options at once, or a 75:25 split with the title taking up the larger space, and a small image on the other side. What you choose will be dependent on your consumers, and your industry. For companies in industrial or technical roles, showing more blog options at once can be a good way to help your consumers or clients see the extent and breadth of your industry knowledge. However, for companies where blog content or articles are more opinion based, or interest based, showing a longer extract of this can help increase the click through’s and conversions.
Choosing a grid layout for your blog overview page
A grid layout is a popular choice. This can use up to four columns to showcase different blog posts at once, using the features images of each to capture attention. A hierarchical layout, with the most recent blog larger and more obvious at the top can help to order this page, but it isn’t always necessary. One thing to consider for desktop users is hover over interaction. If a website user hovers over an article for example, it could be helpful for an extract to be shown, either overlaid across the image, or as an enlarged box. This can give potential customers or clients an idea of what to expect from your content, before they click. However, this type of design will not work effectively for mobile users, so you will need a different system here.
Using a list layout for your blog overview page
One of the most simple layout options for blog overview pages is to list the article headings. While this will not attract as much attention as the other two options, it can be a subtle, professional style design that may fit better with your company branding, or the rest of your website.
For more information about web design, get in touch with the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester. Manchester’s leading web design experts.