This week, Liz from Belle, Bean & Chicago Dog and Jessica from Four Plus an Angel are hosting the Summer Blog Social. If you aren’t familiar with it, I encourage you to participate… find new friends and write out some new goals.

Today I decided to write the 5 things I like and 5 things I dislike seeing on blogs when I’m checking them out for the first time. I’d say that I’m taking a little liberty with the prompt… but still covering what really it’s about.

Also I’m looking to you for advice after you read this… what things do you like (and, um… dislike) when you are looking around *my* blog here?

• Pictures. I *love* seeing pictures in blog posts {and yes, I’m totally guilty of not putting more of them in my blog posts!} I think that it helps add a little something to the post itself – or even enhance it if the picture directly applies.
• Social Media Icons in an easy to find place. I love to communicate on twitter… so the faster I can find them (and clearer they are) the better! {Just remember that not everyone knows what each symbol means… including the little twitter bird!)
• Search Box. I especially like this if I remember that you wrote something, but not necessarily when you wrote it. Make sure that it’s up toward the top of the page.
• Favorite or Best posts area. {Another thing I have yet to do.} I *love* seeing this category in the Nav Bar (the bar typically across the top of the page)… it shows what you are proud of and maybe what has resonated most with your readers.
• A well designed header can (and sometimes will) make the difference between someone staying or going. If you want to look serious, make your blog header match who you are. (And you don’t have to spend a lot to do… there are great designers at all price ranges!)

5 Things I’m not so fond of when finding a new blog…

• Excerpts only on the home page. Going to the home page of the blog and only seeing excerpts is my biggest pet peeve. I’ve already arrived at your blog, let me read your latest post without having to click around. I get distracted easily. You will lose me. (And don’t get me started about excerpts in the RSS feed for my google reader. Unfollow, every.single.time.)
• Cluttered columns. Especially too many blog buttons. If you aren’t participating in something actively… or going to that conference… remove the button. The cleaner your columns are – and even a little “white” (blank) space, the easier it is for me to read.
• The “Category Cloud”. I think it’s a waste of space – not to mention a mess – to show what you blog about most being bigger and lesser blogged items smaller. What I (and others) want to see might only have been categorized once making it much harder to locate.
• Disclosure Policy located in the Nav Bar. This is one of my biggest annoyances. Yes, if blogging is your job, you should have a disclosure policy. But it doesn’t need to be front and center. Put a link to it at the bottom of your contact page or in your footer.
• Not having an “About Me” introduction (snippet or box) on your home page. It’s your space… and I’m there to learn about YOU – give me a reason to get to know you! {And yes, again… totally guilty. Working on it.}

So that’s what I like and dislike… what about you? Anything here you really like or dislike?

The prompt from Summer Blog Social…

• When you visit a blog, what areas – besides the main post – do you check out? Do you visit the Nav Bar pages? Look at the sidebars? Check for a list of categories or tags? Talk about the elements of a website that are most important to you.

I started out this blog to document the struggles, triumphs and things I was learning in my weight loss journey… and about myself during that time as well.

But somewhere along the line it changed. I learned about myself and what I could do.

And then it became all about me.

A place where I could share the writings I was doing, feelings I was experiencing – happiness, sadness, fears and excitement – all in the safe confines of only having a few family members and friends reading it.

Then I joined SITS and went to BloggyBootCamps – where I learned that I could dream about doing something much greater than what I am doing right now.

So all the way home last weekend from Philadelphia, I dreamed.

I dreamed of this becoming a place that I can inspire others to accomplish great things. A place that can share about the world travels that I *will* have… and a place that maybe someday I can share a little more about the family I am destined to have. A place where dreams are fulfilled.

I blog because I am a writer with lots of dreams and aspirations. I blog because my voice is original (just as is everyone else’s voice in this place we call the internet). I blog for comments {seriously honest here folks!}. I blog to keep my friends and family updated with my life. I blog in the hopes of inspiring others.

Really I guess you could say I blog because I seem to learn more about myself than I thought I ever would – and it has grown me into a much more confident woman than who I was when I launched this nearly 3 years ago.

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By posting about “Why I Blog” with SITS Back to Blogging week, I am eligible to win a turquoise washer and dryer from Standards of Excellance, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity!