When you arrive at a blog for the first time, you take a look around and get familiar, much like what you do in a new town or during an initial visit to someone’s home.

You detect and respond to the blogger’s sense of style and personality … or do you?

The unique elements that convey these things in a home or other physical spaces are necessarily absent from blogs. Like wall textures, pillows, furniture, family photographs, collections, evidence of hobbies, and glimpses of what lies beyond the backdoor.

As a creative person, I crave those details that show me more about the person behind the blog and help me to get inside their head.

This is what I love about blogs like Escape Adulthood, by Jason and Kim. When I saw the great old Madison, Wisconsin bungalow they were moving their business into I felt like I was right there, walking through those spaces on that old wood floor.

Or, take a look at Walking Prescott, another blogger right here in Prescott. Our entire town is depicted in the photographs Granny J takess as she covers this community on foot, day by day.

While catching up with some of my other favorite blogs this afternoon, this apropos post by Liz Strauss at Successful Blog caught my eye: 8 Brick and Mortar Ideas that Make Great Blogs. Liz recommends that you put out the welcome mat, throw your doors wide open, and show every visitor how much you appreciate them.

These are the very elements that can make your blog spring to life and differentiate it from the experience of paging through an encyclopedia. Like I hope that sharing pictures of my gramma and grandpa, great grandpa and great uncles do!