How Cluttered is TOO Cluttered?

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Permalink Reply by Alyssa on August 23, 2008 at 9:47am

That's a good question. I have wondered the same thing about mine.

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Permalink Reply by Amy {Mom Spark & Mom Made That!} on August 23, 2008 at 11:06am

That's exactly how I feel! That immediate overstimulation!

Amazing_Grace said:

I don't like cluttered blogs either. What I judge to be too much clutter is when I look at them and I don't want to read the blog because it gives me a head ache. :)

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Permalink Reply by Laura on August 23, 2008 at 1:16pm

I don't think there's a set number, but I do think it needs to be arranged attractively. I think it's one of those thing where if you think it's cluttered, it's cluttered. Sort of like, "Do you think I'm wearing too much makeup?" If you have to ask, then you are. Haha!

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Permalink Reply by Andrea Chamberlain on August 24, 2008 at 9:16pm

The way I feel about it is, if you notice all the ads/widgets/etc., before you notice the post, then I think it's too cluttered.

Then again, maybe some people want it that way ... they'd prefer their ads be the focal point in order to make some money, maybe?

I'd love to make some money, but I'm one of those clean & simple people ... I can't do clutter. I have a two column blog and my right sidebar is pretty skinny so there's a lot of room for my posts. But even still, I think my right sidebar might be getting a touch cluttered and I don't even have any google adsense on there anymore!

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Permalink Reply by Jen on August 24, 2008 at 11:16pm

I feel mine is getting cluttered so i've been making buttons to 'link to' things such as awards, Etsy shops i frequent, blog memes I participate in, and such. I'm constantly working on my sidebars and I'm still not sure what's right.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle on August 25, 2008 at 8:43am

My preference is definitely clean and simple. However now that I am getting into this whole new blog world, I can see how easily things get cluttered. I'll be checking back to hear everyone's great ideas.
Thanks Mom Spark!

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Permalink Reply by Dana (The Homesteading Housewife) on August 25, 2008 at 9:19am

I worry about that too.
there are just so many great things you can add to a blog.... so many things.. so little space... **sigh**

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Permalink Reply by Elaine on August 25, 2008 at 9:33am

I felt mine was starting to get too cluttered, so I tried to simplify and make things easy access. I now have a page for the blogroll and a page for all the buttons that I pick up along the way. I enjoy these blogs or lists, so I want others to visit them too. Giving them a page all their own has saved me a bunch of clutter!! My sidebar now only contains the minimum and I doubt it remove any more off it. It's pretty much my favorite stuff!!

One thing that will turn me off from a blog that I consider clutter is music. My blog time is very often the late hours of the night. I don't like when I get to a blog and the music is so loud and I have to scroll through an entire blog to the bottom of the page to turn it off or there is no way to turn it off. Many times, I'll just close the blog out instead of trying to find it. I don't need the whole house woke up!! LOL

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Permalink Reply by Amy {Mom Spark & Mom Made That!} on August 25, 2008 at 9:50am

Thank you to everyone how has been giving me feedback! I learn so much from you gals. ;)

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Permalink Reply by Rachel_L on August 25, 2008 at 1:28pm

I'm always worried about this. I made separate pages for awards/site banners -- but, it still looks cluttered to me!

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Permalink Reply by Susan Lindgren on August 25, 2008 at 3:14pm

I try to keep mine neat- I do regular cleaning and keep links and other stuff in my pages!

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Permalink Reply by Mutha Mae on August 25, 2008 at 3:32pm

If I have to hunt to find the blog post, it's too cluttered. That happens to me on a daily basis with new blogs I check out. I do not come back if that is the case.

I think Heather Armstrong's blog (dooce.com) is a great example on how to monetize (and WOW is she monetizing!) and still deliver excellent content, and not clutter the blog with ads. The top section has tabs that answer questions a reader may have. How to contact her. How to find out more about her. Etc. That's a great example on how to organize a monetized blog.

Sadly, a lot of bloggers are missing the point of blogging. It's about sharing stories and ideas. It's about providing entertaining content. If you want to make money, you HAVE to provide compelling content. I see so many blogs that scream, "I'M ONLY DOING THIS TO MAKE MONEY" and those are the ones that lack substance. I feel if a blog is covered in ads, then it should be delivering entertainment to justify those ads. The A List bloggers who make Dooce money do so because they write well thought out essays and spend a great deal of time on ways to entertain the reader. Sadly, many blogs I encounter spend more time on finding ways to make money from the readers, rather than entertain them.

For a blog, the content should be the primary focus and the ads and widgets should compliment that content. I hate searching through a front page of a blog to find out more about the blogger. I dislike combing through ads just to find the person's twitter name or RSS feed or email address. I take about 30 seconds to make up my mind if I want to read more. I give up and move on if the blogger doesn't give me a good reason. My online time is so limited, so it has to be spent wisely.

I hope this doesn't sound harsh, but with the amount of bloggers that are now out there, there is way too much competition to "get eyeballs" on your blog and keep em on your blog.

Oh, and it only took me several years to figure this out. It's good new bloggers can learn this right away and not waste their time like I did.

Mutha Mae
MuthaMae.com

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