How to make your blog "C.R.A.P."py!

Why would I want to make my blog crappy? You don't! Actually if you follow these rules it will probably make your blog better. The rules of which I am talking about are known as C.R.A.P.  According to DailyBlogTips.com, it stands for contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. These rules aren't just for blogs either, as they can be applied to almost any form of electronic media.

Contrast

Contrast may be used to differentiate between your headings, body, pictures, articles, and even ads if you have them. If you used a constant size, font, and color all throughout your blog, readers may become bored, or even lost in what you wrote. For example I went with a red, black, and white color scheme for this blog. I used red font for some of the information which I wanted to stand out more, including the blog name, article list, and any links to other website in my articles. I used black as the background, as I believe it is easier to read white font on a black background, than vice versa. It may also be better for mobile users, as it may help their battery last longer (because more of the screen is black than white).  I did stay consistent with the font style, but I did bold the headings in the articles to help separate different subjects better.


Repetition

This does not refer to stating the same material over, and over, and over again! That is bad, as your reader may get bored. This repetition means using the same colors, sizes, and formatting throughout your blog. I tried to make my articles very consistent in length and also format.  This meant keeping the font, size, and color consistent for the bodies, headers, and links. I also tried to make the images match the color scheme of the blog as a whole.  Repetition helps your reader relate one article to the next, while still keeping them separate.  It makes your entire blog flow together better.


Alignment

Alignment helps keep your blog clean and sophisticated.  This includes not just putting visual elements in just because. It should be thought out, as well as consistent. For instance, I tried to keep my page balanced by putting more images on the left side than the right, as my profile information and my picture are on the right.  I also wanted to keep the pictures in the actual body, with the text wrapped around the picture, to better associate the image with the text.


Proximity
This element refers to keeping similar information close together.  This includes keeping the headers in your articles close to the actual body, rather than inserting a space.  This is also known as blocking, as the information looks like it is in separate blocks, instead of one huge paragraph or individual sentences.  This also helps the reader find a piece of information again, and also helps with the overall flow of your blog.