Ten Quick and Simple HTML Codes, that'll Spruce up Your Blog Site Design.

HTML Codes can be hard to understand, but once you have the hang of them you can format your blog articles to look smooth and pleasing to your reader's eye. Readers will take notice of your efforts as well; it's also important to note that you shouldn't overdo the use of HTML code on your blog because it can end up looking like this:

Jk, this probably won't happen but hey, you never know.

After blogging for Hudson Horizons for about a month I've comprised a list of HTML Codes I tend to use most often. Not everything is daisies and cupcakes when it comes to writing a blog especially if you happen to be using a complex platform. At times, you have to go into the HTML text yourself and take things into your own hands. These 10 HTML Codes that I've put together can be used for both HTML 4 and HTML 5 to help simplify your blog's needs.

• Links. This HTML code will simply link back to any other site on the World Wide Web. This link is very important for content and SEO for your blog. Search engines pick up on your links so make sure to use them. Simply replace the URL with your own and replace ‘Google Adwords' with the keywords you'd like to make clickable.

• Headings. Headings are very important for your blog. It creates SEO content and reflects the blog that follows. Keywords in your headings are important for SEO but be sure to use them in moderation. Use <h1>, <h2>, <h3>, etc. always ending them with </h#>.

• Alignment. This is very useful especially for pictures, quotes (see #4), paragraphs, etc. depending on if you wanted left-aligned, right-aligned, or in the center. The default alignment for most blogs is left-aligned.  If you want center aligned text use these HTML Codes below. Also if you wanted right aligned you would just swap out center for right.

• Blockquote. If and when you are a trying to create a dramatic effect to grab the reader's attention on a certain sentence or quote, I recommend using <blockquote>. You can and should use blockquote when you are directly excerpting from another site.

• Cite. You can say that <cite> is similar to <blockquote> because they work hand in hand especially when citing someone else's work. <Cite> is just like using MLA Format on your Works Cited Page in your English class.

• Lists. Using lists allows you to organize your information (as I am doing now) neatly. There are three types of lists: Unordered List <ul>, Ordered List <ol>, and Definition List <dl>. A <ul> uses bullets, a <ol> uses numbers, and a <dl> is a list of definitions to the elements.

• Dropdowns. Dropdowns are an easy way to present information to a reader. All web users know how to use dropdowns too. Follow this example and you'll have a dropdown in seconds. Just plug in your labels and values.

• Colored Text. Here are some different font colors for your blog site to bring some pizzazz to your site. You can also change the colors if you'd like using a color wheel. Make sure you use colors that are visible to your readers by not blending into your backgrounds. That's a sure fire way to deter readers. Here are a few examples:

• Format text. When you're writing for your blog you may need to italicize, underline, strikeout, or bold your font. You can do this for lists, beginning of paragraphs (as I have done), end statement, etc. Follow these simple HTML Codes to create dramatic font.

• Line Break. Last but not least I have to end with Line Breaker, <br>. It is by far the most important html code for any site. It gives you spaces in between your writing let's say to separate a paragraph. You just simply enter a <br> after every paragraph and you're good to.

I hope these quick HTML Codes help you spruce up your blog. It takes a few tries to get the hang of using HTML Codes, but once you understand how to manipulate HTML coding you can have a great looking blog site. The real challenge is combining these HTML Codes. Do you think you could make a dropdown in different colors and formatted text? Yeah... I can't either (yet, lol).