Blog Design really helps for exposure. For example, I know Blogsessive from its header design. When I first visited it and found that it has great content too, I immediately become a subscriber.
I’m not a web design guru, actually I can’t say that I can design. I’ll consider myself as just a web design enthusiast and observer. This list is nothing new for veteran designers as they must always have it in their mind. 
For effective blog design, you should consider about these things:
1. Fast Loading
Your blog should load as fast as possible. Use least media files unless you’re sure that your targeted visitors’ internet speed is not that slow or those media files are really necessary.
Optimize everything you can, whether it’s code or image.
Read how to speed up your website by optimizing files and images on pingdom
2. First Impression
Try to make above-the-fold area impressive or informative as much as possible.
You have only 0.984654547 seconds to attract the visitors to look more on your site. There’s no the second chance. Web surfers are impatient, very impatient. If they realize that your web doesn’t have what they want, they close it immediately.
If you want more artistic impression (which means slower loading), here are some places for inspiration. You can improve your blog header by using:
Mascot/Logo: Examples of Cool Web Characters
As someone suggest in the comment section of that blog post, beware of using stock illustration from some famous designers. They’re used over and over across the web.
Background Image: 80 Large Background Websites
3. Readability Scanability
Format your text properly. Use bigger/bolder font for header. Use list. Because web surfers don’t read, they tend to scan (me too 
)
4. Readability
Well, sometimes actually they read (too )
Readbility including, but not limited to, characters per line and typography — font color, type face, spacing, height, width and more. Typography can improve your blog’s usability and beauty at the same time.
5. Structure and Navigation
Easy navigation is the key. Don’t make your blog structure too complicated. As they say, web surfers are impatient, your readers should get what they want in not more that 3 clicks away.
6. Blog Personality and Goal
Your blog design should not misleading the overall message of the blog. What do you want visitor know about your blog? How the design can lead to both your and visitors’ goal?
What will be happened if a tech news blog that update many times a day has grungy look with lots of graphic to slower the pages? I don’t say it can’t have that style but I think it’ll be more effective to follow traditional tech blog style.
7. Negative Space
Also known as White Space. Let readers rest their eyes somewhere on your blog. That’s all I can say 
8. Call To Action
What do you want your visitors do after they finish your post?
- Subscribe to your feed?
- Comment on the post?
- Rate your article?
- Submit the post to social sites?
- Read other related posts?
At the end of the post you should make it obvious enough before they move to another page.
9. Last Impression Before Leaving
When I visit a blog for the first time, usually I’m attracted by the title. If I land on homepage I’ll click about page, scan all the headlines, then stop my eyes at the end. What will I see? It’s the footer. This trend is coming. (not sure if it’ll be out.) Here’s 50 Blog Footer Designs for inspiration.
10. Unique Design Is In The Detail
Some example of blog design that I think it’s very very unique and hard to imitate.
11. Beware of Clutter
But if you focus too much on detail, it can end up to be clutter.
- Everything on your design must have meaning to be there, whether it’s for information or visitors’ perception.
- If there’re too many choices, they tend to choose nothing.
12. Optimize for Search Engine
It’s almost useless if you have great content, good design but no one can find your blog from famous search engines.
When design blog layout and structure, don’t forget about Search Engine Optimization aspect. But don’t overdo it with the content. You should write for your readers not the search engine bots.
Your Tips?
Did I forget to mention something? You can also suggest the blog that you think it has effective design and how effective it is.
Anyway, some blogs can success while its design is still lacking something. Look at I Can Has Cheezburger? for LOLcats’ sake. *smile*
If you think this article is useful, please consider to Float it or bookmark on Delicious. Thank you
P.S. After reviewing all I wrote, I think it’s time to redesign this blog too, so, I can win cheezburger?
More Resources For Your Blog
- Daily Blog Tips
- Blogging Tips
- Problogdesign
- Blog Design Blog
- Smashing Magazine
- Vandelaydesign
- Noupe
- Design Float
This post is a contest entry of Blog Design Contest judged by David Peralty, Jeff Chandler and Alex Cristache.
http://www.se7enize.com/nice/blog-design.html by Nice - SE7ENize.com
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(+11 rating, 13 votes)
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Older Post: [Update 4 Sep] 17+3 Delicious WordPress Themes That Will Make You Drool
5:33 pm
December 1st, 2008
[comment #439]
[…] Rarst. 4. Aravind Jose. 5. Gary Viray. 6. Tech Buzz. 7. Smart Blog Tips. 8. Yield To Pedestrian. 9. SE7ENize. 10. Thou Shall […]
Finally the competition is closed and results will be announced in a week! | Blog Design Studio - blogdesignstudio.com/free-wordpress-themes/finally-the-competition-is-closed-and-results-will-be-announced-in-a-week
12:19 am
December 2nd, 2008
[comment #440]
great post. best of luck for the contest. also i liked your blog’s design very much.
regards
Thinkjayant
tj @ smartblogtips - smartblogtips.com
9:59 am
December 2nd, 2008
[comment #441]
Most of your tips are similar to what I’ve read about creating landing pages for affiliate marketer, which makes sense. You want to keep somebody on the blog and subscribe.
Good luck with the contest!
Ryan - ubsn.net
3:05 pm
December 6th, 2008
[comment #444]
tj Thanks. My current design is just a free theme. I’m planning (for a long time
) to have my own custom theme. My developing pace is just too slow.
Ryan Thanks for taking your time to comment
Good luck to both of you too
Nice - SE7ENize.com - se7enize.com
12:25 pm
December 9th, 2008
[comment #446]
[…] 12 maneiras eficazes para um design de blog - O Guia do Iniciante. […]
[arte e vício] » Blog Archive » A solução para blogueiros e designers sem inspiração e mais tutoriais e geradores
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7:38 am
December 21st, 2008
[comment #465]
Sry my english, I’m brazilian
Awesome post, good examples, including yours, the text’s is right to the point.
Ps.: The text in sidebar in FF3 (Ubuntu) is trying to escape from the “post-it”, it’s already 10px out (the width of the text is bigger than the box)
Ps2(not the videogame).: The comments are strange here too. Anyway, I know that you’re using a free theme and all. Good luck with your theme!
Tyasske - tyasske.com
12:41 pm
December 21st, 2008
[comment #466]
Hi Tyasske,
I’m Thai and my English is not that good too.
I read somewhere when someone sorry about his English
and the other one reply like, “why do many people sorry about one’s English?” He can’t even hear accent through the text!
So I guess netizens don’t care that much about English (grammar/vocabulary) from non-native speakers, if it’s not related to something professional. (Heh, sometimes they may make fun of “Engrish”, but who cares
I try my best to practice my English )
About the text on the sidebar,
I use Opera on Windows and it happened too.
(only on “about me” and “free icon”, right? or all?
I guess the text widget is not wrapped properly.
Thanks for letting me know
About the comment section,
Last trackback, the left side is in more height than the right. I just shortened the trackback name to solve it temporarily
I’m glad that you like this post. I visited you site and love emoticons there (both big and small size) Can I
stealborrow them? lolNice - SE7ENize.com - se7enize.com
3:29 am
January 6th, 2009
[comment #472]
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11:56 pm
January 7th, 2009
[comment #474]
very nice collection of tips…
3fay.com - 3fay.com
6:22 am
January 8th, 2009
[comment #475]
[…] Visit Source. Looking for More Design Inspiration? […]
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February 13th, 2009
[comment #483]
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5:08 pm
May 9th, 2009
[comment #488]
That’s a good tips. I like it very much……
Mekz - mekz.net
6:33 pm
August 1st, 2009
[comment #503]
[…] Continued here: 12 Ways To More Effective Blog Design — SE7ENize.com […]
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1:51 pm
October 9th, 2009
[comment #510]
d -
9:19 am
November 4th, 2009
[comment #512]
I came across from WpWorldMap … Your post is helpful … Keep it up your writing …
I’m also living in Thailand
Myo Kyaw Htun - myokyawhtun.com
12:18 pm
January 11th, 2010
[comment #523]
It’s a piece of cake but the biggest.
Kosol - kosolanusim.com