Usability guru, Jakob Nielsen has posted a Alertbox update on blog design: Weblog Usability: The Top Ten Design Mistakes.

Luckily when I look over my blog and some of my client blogs I am proud to say we don't break that many of the 'rules'. I should note that Jakob is talking only about business/corporate blogs. If it's your personal blog and it's not associated with your work feel free to break all the rules.

Let's look at the top ten:

No Author Biographies
Check. Typically I like to provide a link rather than including a full bio on the page, but we have done it for some clients (Wendy has a short bio intro).

No Author Photo
I think this really depends on the blog. I sometimes feel photos are a bit to 'self-promo-ish', sort of a 'hey look at me!' thing. Plus I hate the standard headshot. I guess if that's you and how you want to be portrayed on your blog then go ahead. I would prefer something with a bit more style. You can see how we incorporated Wendy's photo in her blog template. As you can see it's not your standard headshot in a rectagular box. For WebSolvers' blog we can add some personality by showing the photo of each author next to their posts.

Nondescript Posting Titles
Sometimes guilty. As you learn who your audience is you get better at writing titles. The other major factor is search engine results. How will a title like 8:15 AM Update look on a results page? Not too exciting. There are things that you can do to edit your templates to control how your post titles appear on the blog and via search engines though.

Links Don't Say Where They Go
Sometimes guilty. I think this might be a holdover from Jakob's traditional web usability work. In a conversational tone sometimes saying the whole title of a link is not natural and sounds/reads awkward.

Classic Hits are Buried
Got this one covered. I have always had a "Most Popular Posts" section. However this will be improved and emphasized with my upcoming re-design.

The Calendar is the Only Navigation
OK on this one as well. None of the blogs I consult with use the calendar module. It's confusing and kills your search engine optimization. Want to see the worst example of this? Check out Ketchum Ideas.

Irregular Publishing Frequency
I have a good post volume, but I can't always say the same about my clients. Pick a schedule a stick with it. Even if it is only a few times per week.

Mixing Topics
Perhaps. If my blog is supposed to be about one topic then I'll agree, but most blogs reflect the interests of the individual that writes them. In the case of a business blog the posts should remain true to the core topic, but they can stray if they remain somewhat relevant.

Forgetting That You Write for Your Future Boss
Very true, but this can sometimes be a minor point. What I love about being a consultant is that I can often choose my clients. I am who I am, and if a potential client does not like that, then I probably don't want to enter into a long-term relationship with them. I enjoy working with clients that respect the fact that I am somewhat relaxed, but know what I'm talking about. I don't like to wear ties or suits and I work strange hours.

Having a Domain Name Owned by a Weblog Service
How true. The first advice to anybody is own your domain and your content (see Friends Don't Let Friends Use Bad Blogging Tools). Yes it will cost you a few dollars up-front, but it will save you plenty of hassle in the future.

What are your thoughts?

Update: Brian posts his thoughts

Update 2: Neville Hobson has his take.

Update 3: Lee agrees that sometimes providing descriptive links can hamper readability.