I'm not sure there's such a thing as a perfectly optimized blog. We all have things we need to improve on, me included. In fact, in my case, I have a long to-do list full of things I want to tweak, change and make better. Unfortunately, I also have limited time. There's never enough time to tackle everything, but some things are more important than others. Below are two things near the top of my "must have" list.
1. Contact information.
I am always so surprised when I visit a site and want to contact the site owner but can't because I can't find a contact page or an email address anywhere.
There are all sorts of reasons someone might want to contact you. Perhaps they have something to add to the conversation but it's too personal for a public comment; maybe they'd like to let you know about a site glitch; perhaps they'd like to advertise! A way to contact you is essential. (For further reading, check out this helpful post on the subject too: Optimize the Most Underutilized Page of Your Blog.)
2. Clear purpose.
To me, this is a biggie. Someone who visits your site should be able to see within a few seconds what your site is about, and ideally, how they will benefit. Whether this is stated clearly in your tagline or is in a bio box in your sidebar, anyone who happens along your blog should not have to guess, or even browse through a few posts to understand your purpose.
Your stated purpose doesn't have to be long — in fact it shouldn't be. Keep it short, simple and straightforward (further explanation can be given on your killer about page). Remember that most of what we do makes sense to us but that doesn't mean it makes sense to the rest of the world. 
So, a good exercise is to ask a few people whether or not they "get" what you're blog is about at first glance.
How 'bout you? What are some of your must-haves?
Photo by Horia Varlan.
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Thanks for this reminder, Amy. I'm off to make sure that it's perfectly clear how to contact me on my blog. I put my email address on my "About" page but maybe I need a specific "Contact" page to make it easier to find.
For me, when I visit a new blog, the first things I typically look for are a "best of" list of most popular posts and the about page. I like to know about the person behind the blog I'm perusing
"Best of" type of posts are also great to sprinkle throughout your About page. (How to Write a Killer About Page)
Loved these tips! Thanks, Amy!
I think you're reading my mind here. I was just talking about this very subject with a friend of mine. Your clear purpose #2 point is spot on as usual. I especially like the part about asking someone to glance at your blog and see if they "get" what your going after.
I do have a question in regards to something Erin said about having a list of popular posts. Would this list be a widget on the sidebar that includes the top 5 or so, or would you build a permanent page and choose the ones yourself and build it yourself so to speak?? just curious.
Thanks as always.
Paul
You could do it either way — whatever makes sense with your site and your design.
Number 1 is on my to do list now! I was wondering about this and your blog post was the clencher. Thanks!
Just added a Contact page to my blog. Never even occurred to me! Thank you for the reminder!
I need to work on my Contact page and make it more visible to readers. Thanks for the tips!
This is a great post for me to read. I have a new blog with a very specific purpose, but I don't think I state it anywhere!! Where is the best place to state it? Create a text area on the side, in the about me section, or under my title? And I need to work on my contact page, too!
If it's short, consider using it in your tagline. If it's longer than a few words, I'd put it in the sidebar text widget.
A clean and easy to read design. That's my must have. If I can't read my own site, then who's to say anyone else can as well.
Great tips Amy!
wonderful info. thank you.
Amy, I just found your blog and I have been sifting through it gleaning tips for my new blog. I am relatively new to blogging but I hope to make it a regular thing and actually make a little money off it eventually, though I know that will be a while. Thank you for your hard work of putting all this down for us to learn. I especially liked the post concerning things you often found missing from a blog and immediately fixed it on my blog.
Ann
So glad you found it helpful! Thanks so much for stopping by, Ann.
Ok, guilty as charged on #1! Do you have any tips on the best way to add contact information without being vulnerable to email harvesting?
One way to avoid the bots is to write your email address like bloggingwithamy {at} gmail {dot} com instead of linking with a mailto. The other thing you might consider is installing a contact form if the above doesn't work.
I am so glad I found your blog, the tips and advice are excellent! This post makes me wonder if people "get" what my blog is about at first glance. I'll definitely be asking a few of my friends their opinions.
Can't wait to dig into your site a little more!
Thanks for stopping by, Britni. I hope you find it helpful!