The sidebar occupies valuable real estate on your blog. In fact, it’s the second most important space, which is why you should spend some time evaluating and tweaking it.
Your sidebar is the place where readers can subscribe to your newsletter, sign up for your webinar, or follow you on Twitter. Here are five tips for improving your blog’s sidebar so your readers will do just that!
1. Get readers to interact with your social media sites.
Using your sidebar to encourage blog readers to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter is an effective way to use this space. Try posting the latest news and trends on social media–not just from you, but from your fans and the people you follow, too. You can also ask readers to log into your site using Facebook, for example, to encourage interaction and content sharing directly from your blog.
2. Use photos to instantly personalize your blog and build trust.
When you include photos of yourself or your employees, readers can immediately feel more connected to the writers responsible for your blog. Photos offer a glimpse into the personalities behind your blog, and they build trust by showing the faces responsible for the words. A bonus is that the eye is drawn to images of faces, so you can be sure to get more attention for whatever additional information the sidebar provides.
3. Lead readers further into your site.
Sidebars are meant to get your readers to take action, which will help you make money. Think about what you want readers to do. Are you trying to build an email list, get people to purchase your webinar, or hire you for your web design services? Use the sidebar to navigate readers toward these actions by including eye-catching graphics or inspiring copy with links to the places on your site that convert readers to customers or clients. Just be sure to keep the sidebar content enticing, but not distracting – you don’t want to take away from your blog’s main content.
4. Encourage users to sit and stay awhile.
Your blog’s sidebar can be leveraged to make your site addictive to readers. Think about how YouTube sucks users in by showing a continuous stream of related content in its sidebar. You can use this tactic on your own blog by showcasing content readers might also enjoy in your sidebar. As they click on links, continue showing them different articles, videos, and other components of your site so they will stay and explore everything you have to offer.
5. Let your brand shine through your sidebar.
The look and feel of your sidebar can help to reinforce your brand, especially when blog articles, full of copy, begin to look the same. If your brand is clean and modern, use graphic design elements in the sidebar to develop your persona. Or, if you like to keep things quirky and fun, be sure the sidebar copy reflects these attributes. I discussed using photos above, and a fitting image of you or your employees can go a long way to establishing your brand equity.
Have you seen any head-turning, hard-working sidebars lately? What was it about them that made you sit up and take notice?
Image courtesy of creative design agency Arrae
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