A good blog doesn’t need to be trendy. It needs to be readable.
I’ve spent too much time worrying about whether my blog looks modern enough, whether the design feels fresh, whether it matches what everyone else is doing. But blogs that last—the ones people actually return to—aren’t chasing trends. They’re focused on fundamentals that don’t go out of style.
Here’s what actually matters:
Readability is non-negotiable. Your text should be easy to read: reasonable line length, comfortable spacing, sufficient contrast. If someone has to squint or adjust their browser zoom, you’ve already lost.
Load fast. Every second of load time is an opportunity for someone to leave. Text should appear immediately. Images can wait.
Don’t distract. No popups, no animations, no newsletter modals interrupting the reading experience. If someone clicked on your post, they want to read it—not fight through obstacles to get to it.
Make navigation obvious. People should be able to find their way back to your homepage or post list without hunting. Show the post date. That’s it.
Get out of the way. The best blog design is one the reader doesn’t notice because they’re absorbed in the content. Your job is to deliver your writing, not to impress people with your CSS skills.
I’m writing this as much for myself as anyone else. It’s too easy to spend months perfecting a design that nobody asked for, instead of writing posts that people might actually want to read.
The blog that matters is the one that exists—with words on it. Everything else is procrastination dressed up as preparation.