Alice Media

The Right Design For Your Blog

2011-07-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

Arty Template

I wish I had a penny for every minute spent searching for the perfect blog template, (it's like shopping really), it takes up pretty much the same amount of time as it does to create your own theme from scratch.

Anyway lets assume that you are not a designer and would like to either find a great free template for your blog or purchase a premium one. Depending on the platform you have chosen you will have varying degrees of success finding good templates. In my opinion and experience Wordpress delivers the most choice although all of my blogs are now run on Blogger and one of the main reasons is due to the amount of new and fab things you can do with it design wise.

The following templates and designs are examples I have found from some of the main types of blog design available. You will do well in your search if you stick to some of these tags when shopping around.

Cute Template

So, how is your content to be delivered and what kind of design will display your content in the best way? Think - is it a personal, diary style blog? That might work best with a one or two column design. Do you have lots of content? Magazine styles are great for this. Are you a video blogger or will you be posting lots of pictures rather than text? A portfolio template could be in order.

And as for theme? Are you looking for a professional blog? A cute or cartoon blog? How about a really elegant theme for your design blog?

Eyecatching Template

Whatever you decide there are literally thousands of websites and places you can go to try out live demos of free and premium themes. And it really is advisable to try before you buy.

Some blog templates are extremely easy to upload and edit. Others require some knowledge of html in order to be edited the way you want them. Many sites now offer information and instruction on how to edit your html in order to get the best from a template and customise it.

So what are my own personal views on blog design?

Girly Template

Minimal Template

Minimal Magazine Template

As a writer and a producer of some text and image heavy blogs I have come to love the flexibility of a magazine style blog that is white mainly and has very little in the way of graphics, the images being within the posts themselves.

For my personal blog I have found that a diary style will suffice, opting to use Blogger's own Template Designer and my own graphics. My favourite layout for diary style is three columns, posts in the middle of two sidebars.

When searching for your own blog layout I find the quickest way is to use the image search on whichever engine you prefer. I use Google Image Search and find it brings the best results.

It's a good idea to get your design sorted from the very beginning because although it can be changed at any time the layout of your posts and widgets plus the size of your images depends on working with your desired template. So if it's sorted from day one you can relax and experiment more.

Always try the demo of a template first and read the comments and ratings others have left. Are they complimentary? Are there a lot of questions asking how to change things? Does the creator spend time answering those questions with solutions you can understand?

Stylish Template

Choosing the right blogging platform for your content

2011-07-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

One of the more fabulous Wordpress themes

Oh which blogging platform to use? There are free ones, expensive ones, ones in the middle price wise. Some do very basic stuff, others do everything. Some can do everything but you need to know what you are doing. Some make it very easy for the beginner. Here is what I have concluded as my preferences when choosing a blogging platform. I am going to pick my favourites from a well-known bunch...

Blogger - best for lots of words and search engines. I like it because it's free and easy and very quick to post and upload to.
Wordpress - looks nice practically all the time and has a great interface but it can take longer to upload depending on your experience and takes a while longer to get the hang of.
Typepad - not free but is very good looking and easy to use.
Tumblr - free and very easy to use. Very good for photo sharing and if you want to build an audience. Not convinced about it's money making assets although your adsense program can be added.

I ran Alice Magazine on Wordpress for a very long time and it took longer to post and format but it's more advanced and the features available reflect that. There is so much to be said for Wordpress, I do love it but currently I am using Blogger for all my blogs. The reasons are simple...it is by far the quickest way to post as many times as I do these days and it's free. I don't have to switch between blog interfaces because my blogs are all under the same dashboard and it has saved me countless hours!

Search engines seem to like my content on blogger and for the beginner I would say it's certainly the place to get your first blog off the ground with no overheads.

Deciding on the aims and objectives of a blog

2011-07-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

So you have your area of blogging interest well under your belt. It might be that you have one or two specific interests and will try a seperate blog for each one. Great. But then what are you actually looking to achieve through your blog? Is it a place to wax lyrical in the hope that like-minded others follow you and comment? Is it a traffic builder for another website? Is it a grand money making device? Have a think.

Before I built my own blogs I intended all of them except my personal blog to make some kind of money. I think that relevant, targeted advertising on a niche blog is okay if not overdone or ugly. And it must work on my blogs as I have the click-through to prove it...(although that's for a later post).

The objective of your blog I feel will influence the blogging platform you choose and the design options available to you. Some platforms such as Blogger are very easy to use and speedy. Others like Wordpress are much more interesting design wise yet it requires a slightly steeper, (but not much), learning curve. Some are more suited to personal, diary layouts. Others to portal or magazine styles - better for larger amounts of content and monetisation.

So once you know WHAT to blog about think about the outcome - what are you in this long blogging haul for?

How do I choose a topic to blog about?

2011-06-27T05:56:00.000-07:00

After a year or two of trying to piece together my vast array of topical interests into one blog without much success traffic or monetary wise I realised that I had missed one of the important rules of blogging. Stick with one niche topic per blog.

It made perfect sense. I promptly sat down and identified the major interests that I felt I wanted to write about and could write about confidently and then formulated three or four good blog ideas from them.

One was an interior design blog where I could wax lyrical and share images based on shabby and vintage decor. The next was a personal blog to share my life adventures. I created a photography blog to feature vintage photographers and a design inspiration blog for all things Art Nouveau. Needless to say I have many more blogs on the go right now but they only really get brought into the public arena if they make it past three months of me not pushing the delete button! How many you say? Well, to give you an idea, I currently have around 30 different blog ideas running around my head and the darkest corners of the internet.

Some of these blog ideas were to have more writing than images. Others were very image based, inspiration blogs for designers of certain styles and looks. But they each had definitive goals and styles which is important I think, when choosing topics.

The most obvious thing I found when choosing my topics was looking ahead to guess the breadth and scope of said topics and judging my passion for them. Passion and enthusiasm as well as an ability to snap an idea out of the air in seconds is essential to any blog writer. Sure you can always copy someone else but the idea is to take a little inspiration from everyone else, not word for word, image for image. No one blog should be the same as the next regardless of how samey the topic might be. Think how you can market your information and content in a way no one else has quite thought of before.

Don't worry if you find yourself starting a new blog for each topic. Try them all out, see which ones become popular. You will soon start to learn web trends and attract a peer group following. And if one topic is by far and above the most popular then push that topic and the blog, because once you have one popular blog you can branch out further.

Topics: If you don't truly love it then don't blog it!

Welcome to Journal of a Blog

2011-06-27T03:46:00.000-07:00

This blog aims to document the highs and lows of my blogging life.

I started my first blog seven years ago and have come a long way from those humble beginnings. And yet every day there is something new to discover and learn about blogging that I never knew before.

I hope you enjoy my posts, please leave me a comment if you wish to know more about a certain topic.

Free Easter & Party Greetings Download

2011-04-15T03:29:00.000-07:00

The Heather Jane Steeley blog has just uploaded two new and completely free designs to download. One pink party invitation and one vintage easter greeting.

Please visit Heather Jane Steeley

Alice Media on Blogcatalog

2011-04-15T02:26:00.000-07:00

Quick post to let you know that Alice Media has updated its Blogcatalog account and you can find details of our most popular blogs here: Alice Media on Blogcatalog

Looking forward to the first Alice Media Blogshop Blogging Workshop!

2011-04-11T03:55:00.000-07:00

We are really excited about holding our first blogging workshop for complete beginners at the end of this month in Beetham Cumbria. The venue will be in Heron Corn Mill's refurbished barn complete with wifi, fantastic lakeland views and a lovely stove.

The plan for the day is to sit down and either turn your hobby into a niche interest blog or create a blog as an online tool for your small business. We would appreciate therefore knowing in advance your small business area of expertise or your hobby interests so we can gather relevant research and inspiration material.

If you are interested in joining us please email info@alicemedia.co.uk with "Blogshop" in the subject title.

Alice Media - New Services

2011-04-03T00:29:00.000-07:00

A quick breakdown of our new services. If you are an individual or small business and you are seeking help with your online activities please contact us!

Social Networking Campaigns Social Media Account Management Bespoke Marketing & Advertising Campaigns Branding Web Design & Hosting Copywriting Graphic & Print Design

Top 5 Social Network & Marketing Tools for Alice Media

2011-03-31T03:06:00.000-07:00

When working on a website or brand we are asked - "there are so many social networks and bookmarks, how do we choose the right ones for us?"

In this post we go through our top 5 can't live without tools. If you want info on how we can further target your niche audience - email us!

Stumbleupon - once you have the bookmark set up in your tool bar this is the handiest and easiest social bookmarking tool. It gets your information noticed and is a brilliant resource for discovering related websites and potential business partners.
Facebook - the most obvious and still going strong. Experiment with business pages, vs accounts and try the advertising. We are really happy with the results from all of our Facebook ad campaigns.
We Heart It - you can't live without this site if you are referencing lots of pretty images or your website is photography based. Very easy interface.
Twitter - another very obvious choice, and still delivering the goods!
Linkedin - okay so it's the business networking site - probably the most famous business networking site of all!

Newcastle based Social Network & Blog Consultant - Alice Media

2011-03-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

As you can see we are expanding having helped some local companies and organisations plus some very lovely individuals recently with their online blogs and social networks. We are now available for the design, creation, management and content of blogs, online business tools and social networking accounts.

Please email us if you are interested in any of our services: info@alicemedia.co.uk and address to Heather.

Blogshop 30th April 2011 - Come & Learn How - Blogging Workshop UK

2011-03-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

A reminder now that we are getting nearer the time that our BLOGSHOP blogging workshop will be held on 30th April 2011 at Heron Corn Mill, Cumbria, UK. The lovely Lake District!

It's an all dayer with refreshments and lunch included in the £50 fee. Aimed at complete beginners and starting from scratch using the simplest and free blogging platform around. By the end of the day you will be up and running, created, designed, posted and hopefully monetised your blog.

You will also learn lots of tips and tricks for advancing in the world of blogging plus how to increase your traffic and earnings if you wish to make money from your blog!

All enquiries to info@alicemedia.co.uk or call the number on the flier to reserve your place.

Alice Magazine Spring 2011 Out Now!

2011-01-31T04:13:00.000-08:00

Alice Magazine - 2010 Collectables Now Out of Print

2011-01-02T02:30:00.000-08:00

Alice Magazine began in Jan 2010 as a series of online blog posts. In April 2010 a print and digital edition was formed. It ran monthly from Jan to July and then a Winter Edition came out marking the beginning of quarterly issues.

All print editions of Alice Magazine made in 2010 are now expired. This means that none exist save for the ones sold during last year. If you have one keep it safe!

2011 editions will now be published through magcloud.com at a more affordable price. The Spring 2011 issue of Alice will be out on Feb 1st 2011.

Alice Magazine Winter Edition 2010 OUT NOW

2010-11-13T06:51:00.000-08:00

Our winter 2010 edition of the magazine is out now in print and pdf download from the above link at lulu. See a preview of the first ten pages above or view it free online at Alice Magazine.

Blogshop - Blog Workshop - 30th April 2011

2010-11-10T02:36:00.000-08:00

Introducing the Alice Media "Blogshop". Blogging workshops for beginners through to advanced.

This one takes place at Heron Corn Mill in Cumbria, UK on 30th April 2011. The room is pictured above. It is fully heated and set in the heart of some beautiful countryside on the banks of the River Bela. If you are interested please call the booking number above and leave a contact detail.

If you are looking for private support with your blog please email us as we can provide support via email or skype on a personal basis and either a daily or hourly rate.

Alice Media Courses & Workshops

2010-10-28T00:57:00.000-07:00

Alice Media runs courses and workshops in blogging, digital media and virtual worlds from beginner to advanced standard. We also offer personal support in these areas at a daily rate of £50.

All workshops and courses are individually priced. Keep checking back for details of our latest courses and venues.

Alice Magazine - Call For Submissions

2010-08-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Winter Edition of Alice is due October 2010. We are looking for submissions with a deadline of mid-september. We feature photography, design, art, personal studios, new writing, small business, fashion, style and music. Take a look at the magazine before you submit and send all submissions by email to info@alicemagazine.co.uk

Welcome to Alice Media

2010-08-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

The all new look Alice Media blog. We are writers, designers and publishers of Alice Magazine. We also write and publish articles plus offer design services on a freelance basis. We have a virtual home - Alice Boutique - located in The Commonwealth of Austral, Second Life.

We specialise in writing and research in the arts, small business, virtual worlds, metaphysics, history, neo-victorian and steampunk fields. Take a closer look at Alice Magazine for more on what we do.

Blog Clients

2009-11-22T02:45:00.000-08:00

We have designed and implemented the following blogs using various available platforms including Blogger, Typepad and Wordpress.

If you are looking to start a blog for your own business or personal use or wish to know how to monetise and market an exisiting blog please contact us: info@alicemedia.co.uk

Graphic Design

2009-11-21T05:38:00.000-08:00

Some of our past and present graphic design projects...