A writer who has just launched his/her blog will want as much traffic as possible to increase advertisements on the site.

Having informative content and good blog layout and design can increase traffic on your blog. You may develop the content of your blog or you can also acquire the services of a web content writer to provide you with the blog articles.

The blog's layout and design also plays a big role. While most of the companies offering free blog hosting offer pre-selected templates, there are also some that allows customization that if you utilize this feature correctly can increase your blog's traffic.

Here are a few tips to make your blog stand out from the millions of blogs out there that have standard designs.

Customize the banner

The banner usually has the most generic designs that are common to the blogs from a blogging company or service. You can personalize a banner by having a graphic with the dimensions of the banner. You can also edit the graphic so that it will also include the title of your blog. In this case, you can create your own graphic or you can purchase professional looking graphics online for few dollars.

Personalizing photos

Of course, most of the photos that you will be posting will be your own. However, if you don't customize the photos before posting them, you may miss maximizing the enhancing benefits graphics can add to the page. Adding photo borders can help the photo stand out from the page.

Add a favicon

Don't you think sites with icons on the address bar before the website's URL are cool? Many people do. These favicons add a professional look to the URL. These are easy to do using photo or graphic editing software.

Check out blog templates, layouts, backgrounds, textures and skins from sites

There are sites that offer free blog templates, layouts, backgrounds, textures and skins. You can make use of these so your blog will not look generic like most of the blogs hosted by the service provider.

Include RSS feeds

This is a cool way to inform people with newsreaders about your blog headlines. Tutorials on RSS feeds are available on the Internet.

Audio and video makes your blog more personal

Not only does audio/video personalizes the blog; it can also keep your visitors coming back. You can try having video files, streaming radio stations, mp3 file or play lists loading with your blog.

Advertisements

If you have signed-up with Google AdSense, or AdSense alternatives (Clicksor, TargetPoint, Adbrite, BidClix, Chitika, AllFeeds, Adhearus, AffiliateSensor, Bidvertiser, Veoda, RevenuePilot, Kanoodle), which I am sure you would like to do, make sure that the ads are conveniently placed that these will not hinder your readers' ease in accessing the information on your blog.

Try using these tips and you can definitely increase and retain traffic on your blog.