You already know how I feel about feeds…so now I will share a few more tips/suggestions/ideas I share with my clients who are new to blogging or just need a refresher: (disclaimer-this doesn’t mean I have followed my own advice - but it most likely is on my to-do list)

• Readers want to know who you are - believe me I am the WORST at this. I cannot write about myself to save my life. Having an About page, or at the very least a picture in your sidebar with a little blurb about who you are is a must – otherwise people are free to imagine you as wifebeater-wearing man in a trucker cap and a cigar hanging out of your mouth (pretty, non?)
•  avoid sidebar clutter – I know you want to display your “you have a pretty/yummy/funny/hawt, creative blog” button someone sent you, but sidebar clutter not only is visually distracting, it slows your blog loading time. Create a post JUST for these buttons, make a link on your sidebar that says “My awards” or something to that effect for this purpose. You will save your readers’ eyes and your blog will load much faster
• SPEAKING of slow loading blogs – ENOUGH with the music already – I don’t care if you have whale sounds or trills of the rainforest on your blog - it’s still startling to hear music coming out of nowhere – and for those moms who are up late feeding sleeping babies in their arms while web surfing? Startling their baby awake with a rockabilly wake up call isn’t very appreciated…
• If you want to appeal to advertisers/sponsors/companies who do giveaways, start a post or page for listing your review posts (paid or just your own personal reviews), giveaways,  blogging events, etc…this will give those comapnies an easy way to see the work that appeals to them, and it looks like you take your work seriously.

I hope these help a few of you – if you have any questions about blogging or design, feel free to leave it in the comments - thanks for all your emails on the last post!