Comments on: How are you using blog sidebars?

By: Unique-Frequency.com » Blog Archive » Links For The Week: 7th December

Unique-Frequency.com » Blog Archive » Links For The Week: 7th December — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:29:54 +0000

[...] Bryan Person of Social Media Breakfast asks whether blog sidebars are useful. I think they are and I feel I could definitely utilise mine more efficiently. How do you use [...]

By: BryanPerson

BryanPerson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:47:02 +0000

@Nicholas: First point wasn’t bad, either I’ll admit that I occasionally dig into monthly archives, but that’s usually only if I can’t get what I want from the search box first.

By: Nicholas Tolson

Nicholas Tolson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:44:39 +0000

@BryanPerson Indeed. I’d guess that the majority of people don’t update their blogroll more than once after originally putting it on their blog. The endless widgets and stuff are worse than an old blogroll, though, IMO.

(You saying my first point wasn’t a good one?! )

By: BryanPerson

BryanPerson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:40:58 +0000

@Nicholas: Great point with your second comment. Many sidebars do look very much like junk drawers. Mack may be diligent in updating his blogroll, for example, but I’d be willing to bet some decent money that he’s in a very small minority.

@Sarah: You’re right on. Highlighting favorite or most-commented/most-trafficked posts are a good way to continue to drive traffic to those posts, and to give newcomers a better sense of a blogger’s top content.

By: Sarah Fowler

Sarah Fowler — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:32:56 +0000

The only thing you didn’t mention that I think should also be in a sidebar is a link to the best posts (or however you want to word it) so new visitors can get a good overview.
I think everything in your sidebar ought to fit in the “top fold” of the page. A blogroll, archive, and other information can easily move to another page for people who really care to look.

By: Nicholas Tolson

Nicholas Tolson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:31:33 +0000

One more thing, if bloggers stopped using their sidebars as the junk drawer of their sites – loading them up with archives, endless categories, ads, and social media widgets they can find – it would go a long way to making them relevant again.

By: BryanPerson

BryanPerson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:31:00 +0000

@Mack: I know you pay close attention to the content in a sidebar, which is why I mentioned you! It’s good to give readers options. I don’t give a lick about MyBlogLand, but bloggers should keep in mind folks like you who do.

@DougH: I hadn’t thought about your angle: That you use your own sidebar as a way to keep track of things on your blog. Good point.

By: Nicholas Tolson

Nicholas Tolson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:29:44 +0000

I’ve said for years that people need to think more about their sidebars. (The problem begins with blog “templates.”) First on my list has always been to really think if you need the “By Date” listing. When was the last time you went to a blog and said, “I wonder what they wrote in August of 2007?” Or, “I remember that they wrote that in March.” Would you have a day of the week listing? Of course not. This is just as ridiculous as a month listing.

Bloggers need to put as much thought into their sidebars as the rest of their content, IMO. This is navigation, people! Use it wisely.

By: mack collier

mack collier — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:22:51 +0000

Honestly, I update my blogroll constantly. And I do like to see widgets like the MyBlogLog one to see a picture of who else is reading the blog when I get there.

I agree that a lot of times I will just read the post and move on, but I do often pay attention to a blog’s sidebar elements.

By: Stefan Martens

Stefan Martens — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:11:10 +0000

I’m still wondering why there’s still a direct link to archives on a blog’s homepage. I mean – who reads a blog post and subsequently has the information need to read another post from MARCH 2008 or sth.

This criticism is a bit superficial because the archive IS a navigation element, but there are certainly more useful ones (recent xy, most commented xy, etc.).

I just wanted to connect with you on Pownce btw. It seems to be down ;]