NIC HARALAMBOUS

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Things to remember when redesigning your blog

I have recently done an overhaul on SA Rocks with the help of Vince.Some very specific things came out of the redesign. I know that the following thoughts/tips/ideas wont be shared by everyone but this is what I learnt and think should be remembered:1. Content is king (Cliche, i know)... always.2. Design sometimes gets in the way of content.3. Colours are not always good. Muting the colours could help your readers.4. Sometime all a reader wants is a black background, a white page and some text.5. Sidebars need to be cleaned out, much like a closet. Be ruthless, delete all the services, bars, tools, widgets and extras that are cluttering your sidebar. Sometimes your blogroll might even be the issue.6. Slick design is good, but don't think your readers are stupid. They know what is hot and what blows. If you are missing the point, call in for assistance.7. Outside assistance might be hard to come by but is worth finding. A second perspective on your blog should always be welcome and is often needed.8. Don't screw with your CSS too much. SIMPLE IS BETTER.9. K2 is not so shit hot, make sure to choose your template/theme carefully. Ensure that you can work with the CSS and the basic theme setup.I think that is it. I tried to get to 10, but fell short. Alas, what can one do!?I hope this helps and I hope that everyone has some thoughts on the SA Rocks template.