Thoughts: 2008 Bloggies Best-Designed Weblog Finalists
January 23, 2008
The finalists for the 2008 Bloggies have been announced and voting is underway for the winners.
Let’s take a look at this year’s five Best-Designed Weblog Finalists:
» Engadget and Gizmodo
They’re the two most popular blogs in the world as ranked by Technorati. Given that, it’s probably not surprising that they made the cut. They’re functional designs, complete with branding and ads galore and topic-appropriate. Yet they don’t seem terribly inspiring or original to me. They fade in comparison to the other designs in this category.
Gizmodo is one of the few blogs I visit that still has a left-aligned page.
» Dooce
The only personal blog in the finalists. I love the gorgeous dog seemingly popping out of the page, the header and footer. Somehow the design really lets me down in the content area, given that the rest has real character to it. Have I really grown so tired of the grey gradient?
» Design*Sponge and Web Designer Wall
In my opinion, these two designs are a class above the other finalists. In each case, the design is highly original, compliments the content and it flows through the entire page. Attention to detail is paramount - take a look at how each post has a different image associated with it in each blog, how handmade looking items keep the site personal and friendly. I’d love if it either of these sites won. They are both inspiring blog design examples!
What are your thoughts on the finalists?
Love Heather, always have and every time she has a great new design.
Web Designer wall is OK but is a bit busy.
Design*Sponge - too much.
And Engadget / Gizmodo should not be in this category - c’mon there are much better designed blogs out there. This has to do with popularity and not with best-design.
— Erno Hannink, January 23, 2008
Web designer wall for me all the way! Nick La seems to use a common theme across a couple of his sites, namely the afro-like artistic header. You are right about attention to small details though - everything looks handcrafted
— Gareth, January 24, 2008
The finalist are really original.
— Reena, January 24, 2008
Ooh, I wish I could design like those last two blogs! (Not that I have an urgent need to … I just get frustrated sometimes by my lack of visual creativity.)
— /Karen/, January 24, 2008
I’m not keen on Gizmodo or Engadget - too commercial and bland.
My favourite is probably web designer wall, I love the design it’s really outstanding.
— Pete, January 24, 2008
Of all of the finalists in this category, my favorite is the WebDesignerWall. I love their design! I think that there are many websites that are attractive like WebDesignerWall. I don’t believe that Engadget and Gizmodo even belong in this category.
— Missy, January 26, 2008
DesignSponge and Web Designer Wall are an absolute mess, graphically speaking.
Too Cute
Too trendy and a little too adolescent…
All of which would be O.K.
if you’re a 15 year old “My Space”girl.
Not, however, award worthy in any sense.
— elliot, April 18, 2008
Thanks.
— şapka, July 23, 2008
I’m not keen on Gizmodo or Engadget - too commercial and bland.
My favourite is probably web designer wall, I love the design it’s really outstanding.
— promosyon şapka, July 24, 2008
The finalist are really original.
— nakış, July 25, 2008
My favourite is probably web designer wall, I love the design it’s really outstanding.
— iş elbiseleri, August 15, 2008