Feature context and original content high

Design-wise, think about how to showcase your fresh, unique material in the main text area. When a reader lands on your blog, does original content draw their eye? Or is half the page taken up by a header (a static element), followed by a headline and someone else's Flickr photo? Do the first 25 words – which also appear in search indexes, inviting traffic – convey excitement and the gist of the post, including as many specific details as possible?

You'll often hear the dead-tree media term "above the fold" in regards to this space. Like any first impression, you want to dazzle quickly. Some elements that aid this:

1. A shallow header: the "masthead" box or image across the top. Most templates are between 660 pixels and 770 pixels wide, but the header will stretch in height to match the art you place there.
   
   We'll talk about how to prep and place images later in this lecture. For now, just ponder photos much wider than they are tall. Ones cropped to "landscape" proportions work best. (Tip: Go to Dashboard -> Layout -> Page Elements and click the "Edit" link in the header area. Check the bottom of the dialogue box for the width of your template, measured in pixels.)
2. An "about me" box, top right, giving context.
3. Horizontal images at the top of posts, not vertical (those work best dotted into the text, drawing the eye down the page and breaking up large "grey" chunks of text).
4. Body copy starting "above the fold".
5. Datelines, placing the story geographically if your prose wanders. Associated Press style is most often used: a city name, entirely in capital letters, followed in most cases by the name of the state, county or territory, and country (if not immediately clear). These also help cue the searchbots and ad-generators into your topic.
6. Specific headlines that highlight your original content.

We'll explore these concepts in more detail throughout the class, through feedback and lectures.