Professional web design is important for the success of any website whether it is a corporate website or a blog. Well designed Blogs are more memorable and promote better brand recognition.

Many of the essential principles in web design apply equally to websites and blogs. However, as blogs serve a different purpose, certain design factors are more important on blogs. It is often the balance between various design as well as functional elements that sets a great blog design apart from the rest.

The Criteria for Good Blog Design

There are various elements of a great blog design. Following are some criteria that have been considered for choosing the blogs on this list. These are:

• Creativity &Visual appeal of the design
• Lasting impression created by the design
• Coding standards
• Readability
• Usability & Ease of navigation
• Layout

1. Streamy Awards

The Streamy Awards is the first and most prestigious awards ceremony devoted to honouring excellence in original web television programming and those who create it. It is a new award that began as a grassroots effort spearheaded by visionaries in online entertainment and continues to support the spirit of independence that drives the digital entertainment industry forward.

2. Mad About Make-up

The website has a modern, creative and stylish design with a magazine style layout. The design is visually appealing and fashionable and is well suited for the purpose. The website uses vibrant colours and makes good use of white space between elements. It is content rich site that is easy to read and navigate.

3. Inhabitat

Inhabitat.com is a weblog that was started by NYC designer Jill Fehrenbacher. The website is devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future.

The design of the site is unique and creative. Content is easy to read and the site is easy to navigate.

4. Ecoki

Ecoki.com is a fresh, new eco-lifestyle community filled with enthusiasm for all things eco-related. At ecoki.com, we’re passionate about all things green – whether it’s the latest in scientific research, the newest eco-fashion fad, or an update on organic foods. Regardless of your interest(s), ecoki.com strives to provide you with up-to-date news, great green tips, or even a recipe for dinner.

5. Freelance Switch

FreelanceSwitch is a community of expert freelancers from around the world. The blog covers a range of topics relevant to freelancers. The blog has evolved in recent years with the popularity of the site and included many features such as job board, forum, directory and resources.

The blog has clean design with large font size that makes it very easy to read. Its unique header creates re-enforces the brand.

Conclusion:

There are many characteristics of  great web design.  For blogs in particular, legibility of the content and usability are very important in addition to the visual appeal of the design. The context is also important. The design of one blog may not necessarily work on another.