15 must-have features for modern design blogs (part 3)

Last week we saw how modern design blogs usually manage to gather a wide audience using Presentation techniques and special Features (see part 1 and part 2). Today, part 3 of this series will examine which types of Content modern design blog usually publish and why this content makes them reach fame and success.

Content

10. Inspiration CSS gallery

Most design blogs already have a “community links” section in place, but some go beyond and add an inspiration gallery to their blog. This list can be made of a Flickr group (see Bittbox and FuelYourCreativity), a 3rd-party inspiration gallery (see Help-Developer with InspireCSS) or a proper in-site gallery (see KreativeUse). Adding an inspiration gallery is great for it adds some content designers usually fancy and can parse faster than text. See the following examples from Bittbox, FuelYourCreativity, Help-Developer and KreativUse.

11. List posts/Round-ups

The best examples of list post based design blogs certainly include SmashingMagazine and Noupe; other design blogs fancying list posts include OutlawDesignBlog and SixRevisions. Just have a look at their most popular posts and you will see titles such as “100 Wordpress themes“, “53 CSS techniques“, “50 Amazing jQuery examples“, “101 CSS techniques of all time“, “26 free icons sets we love“, “63 must-have grunge fonts“, “25 excellent ajax techniques and examples” or “30 websites to follow if you’re into web development“. List posts usually come with a catchy title and work very well on social sites such as Digg, hence their huge popularity.

12. Contests

Contests are a great way to bring new users with a higher stickiness (because of the prize). Some blogs like to boost their comment statistics with winners designated out of a lucky draw from the post’s commenters; other blogs require some actual work to be done (designing a logo for example). The very fact of giving away a prize is usually reserved to already popular design blogs for obvious financial reasons; some emerging blogs, though, manage to set up contests based on prizes offered by partners. See the following links from a few modern design blogs:

• The <hr/> contest on SmashingMagazine
• Guest post for a MacBook Air on SmashingMagazine
• 1000 free business cards on aComment
• WooThemes giveaway on FuelYourCreativity
• DevSnippets contest on Noupe

13. Tutorials

Modern design blogs are also about explaining stuff, whether it relates to CSS, JavaScript, clever usage of colors or Photoshop wizardry. Here are a few links of tutorial sections from famous design blogs:

• Abduzeedo
• SpoonGraphics
• Noupe
• YouTheDesigner
• SmashingMagazine

14. Interviews

We designers love to know how other designers work and where does their inspiration come from: interviews recently emerged as a popular way for new design blogs to publish interesting content and for already known designers and bloggers to promote their name, blog and/or services. See the following selection of links from popular design blogs:

• FuelYourCreativity
• Abduzeedo

15. Freebies

The web is all about freedom, and we designers enjoy freebies! Giving away quality software or data (could be vector pictures, icons, wordpress themes, wallpapers etc.) is a great way for new designers to show their skills and for design blogs to reach a wider audience. We just can’t resist downloading freebies! Here are a few selection of freebies-oriented blogs:

• Bittbox
• aComment
• DesignReviver
• SpoonGraphics
• The Daily Inspiration (Woork)
• YouTheDesigner
• Abduzeedo
• SmashingMagazine

16. Bonus feature: series posts

Organizing your posts into series is a great idea since it makes users coming back to the blog and perhaps even subscribing to the feed. What’s more, some blogs fancy writing series of series, all on the same topic but at different points in time, which makes it possible for the content to be renewed and explained from a slightly different point of view.

I hope you enjoyed this series of post on 15 must-have features for modern design blogs. Next post will wrap up these 15 good ideas and offer links towards tutorials and tools for you to implement them on your own blog. Stay tuned!