Jan 20, 2013 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Community Pool

The Community Pool is for those of you looking for input, whether on post ideas, writing, blog design and layout, or anything else. If you have a post, page, or idea you want to bounce off someone, leave a comment. Your fellow bloggers can then click through and offer input either on your site, or in the comments here (feel free to indicate which you’d prefer).

Read on for the ground rules and to leave a comment . . .

  • You’ll get the best feedback if you can be as specific as possible about what you’d like people to respond to or where you’re struggling.
  • Please keep all comments civil and constructive. We’re here to help and support one another, not to beat anyone down.
  • If you haven’t looked at our Commenting Guidelines in a while, now might be a good time.
  • No running on the deck.

Photo by t_a_i_s.

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      1. I think your writing and content is very engaging! There are a lot of text blocks, though. I’d recommend adding at least one picture to each entry.

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  2. I’d like more interaction on my blog. i get likes regulary from same people but few leave comments even when I directly ask a question. I post on lots of topics not one, is that too confusing? Comments and constructive criticism would be much appreciated! Also what do you all think of the visual elements on my pages? Too fussy? http://hungryheart62.wordpress.com Thanks!

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  3. Hi there, I’m looking forward to participating in this and helping all of you in any way I can. I’m just hoping for some general feedback on what is/isn’t working on my site/blog. Is it the layout, the look or are my posts too all over the place? Any feedback is welcome as long as it’s constructive 🙂 Thank you in advance. http://nadiajwriter.com/

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    1. First off, I love your title! Only thing is that it has nothing to do with music, so I’d recommend referencing it directly in your byline (at least).

      Commentwise, it seems like a lot of your entries are announcement blurbs that aren’t particularly engaging. Perhaps you could ask questions such as “what has been on your playlist lately?” Or write and introduce some entries with “due to readers’ popular demand”, or some such. Know what your readers like & want, because if you are longing for comments it’s necessary to write to your audience.

      Hope this helps!

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    2. I really like the layout and design, but when I go to your About Me it doesn’t tell me anything about what you do and why you write the blog. I enjoy the catchy one-liner, but it still doesn’t give me enough information to grab me. Asking questions can be a good way to promote interaction so that people will leave more comments and feedback. 🙂

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  5. Does anyone know how to get photos onto a WordPress post from an iPad? I have apps for picasa and photobucket that hold photos I downloaded from my old computer files, but now that that is gone, and I am using my iPad exclusively to write my blog, I don’t know of an app that fits my iPad requirements that will upload pics from those apps to my blog.

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  6. I blog at mycrazyhealthylife.com to inspire others to “let go & live well”. I write about nutrition, yoga, exercise, and insights from my personal journey to sustainable wellness. I have only been blogging for six weeks, and would appreciate some feedback as to how it is going so far, and how I might improve my content. Please share your thoughts and suggestions on my About Me page.

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      1. Thank you! That is a great suggestion. I agree that breaking up text makes it easier for readers to digest, and I will definitely keep it in mind for future posts. I appreciate the feedback!

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  7. Hey there fellow bloggers. I started my blog (www.mydailydoseblog.com) back in October and I’ve made a bunch of changes to it over the course of the last few months. I think I finally found the right balance, but I’d like to get the feedback of this wonderful community.

    What do you all think?

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  8. Hello all! I am interested in my appearance. I write a lot about nature (specifically the kind that lives in cities), and have always felt that my content and blog theme (2011, I think) clash a bit. Any and all comments (even about the blog in general) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    http://spokesandpetals.wordpress.com

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      1. I had fun looking at your blog! But yes, I think you are right- the appearance is probably its weakest point. The content is so strong and interesting it deserves a better backdrop!

        I think you’re right that the blog theme and content clash. Might I recommend checking out Misty Lake theme: https://wordpress.com/blog/2012/12/20/new-themes-book-lite-and-misty-lake/

        Not too different from 2011 but perhaps it might be a better fit for your blog? Just a suggestion. There are so many themes, I’m sure you’ll find one that you like.

        Regardless of whether you change themes, I think a custom background would help A TON. A photo that is not too busy to be distracting would give your blog a ton more personality and help it not look generic!

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      2. Hello!

        Thank you so much for all of your useful feedback. I had been feeling rather hopeless about my layout and you’ve helped me realize that my blog can look quite wonderful if I just give it some TLC. I went to the page that you sent saw “Misty Lake”as well as “Book Lite.” In a way I’m more drawn to the latter, but seeing as its so minimalist it might be a bit too pared down for what I’m going for. I plan to look into various blogs that use both themes to see what the possibilities are – it’s hard to get too much of an idea from a live preview.

        I also appreciate your suggestion regarding a custom background. I’d love it if you visited again in a few days – hopefully it will look quite a bit more wonderful, thanks to your help!

        I’m grateful for your kind words regarding what I’m writing about. Encouragement is always helpful 🙂 Cheers!

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  9. I just revamped my “About Page” in an effort to make it more engaging, interesting, and fun.

    http://newyorkcliche.com/about/

    Did it give you a sense of the author of the blog? Did it make you want to read more? Or is it too long? I’d love any and all critique!

    And if you want to say anything about my site in general/layout/appearance, that would be extra awesome.

    Thanks community! 🙂

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    1. I am supremely jealous of your photo-positioning skills right now. Your about page looks fantastic! I really like the information you give as well, it’s to the point, interesting, and attention-grabbing. I am going to press the follow button. 🙂

      The only thing I would say about your layout is the map background makes it feel slightly too busy, but then without it I don’t think the layout would have the same feel. So I’m not really sure what to say about it otherwise. It really works with the theme of the blog.

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    2. Tone the map down, you could make it high key or gray scale or whatever, it takes too much focus away from the text and images. Otherwise LOVE your blog, your writing style is engaging, dry witty and funny and amusing pix. Followed 🙂

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  12. I think this is a fantastic idea 🙂

    I would love some feedback on my writing style, topics covered, and even layout. Do I need more info pages? More information on my about page? Any type of feedback is completely welcome. I feel that I’ve improved my blogging voice over time, but I still have a long way to go.

    Thanks in advance. 🙂

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    2. I think your layout and style is fun. The appearance feels like NorCal to me, I can’t pin-point why exactly but that seems perfect.
      My suggestions: 1. I think you can get more specific than “Words from a thoughtful person.” as your tag line. Use it to draw the reader in. 2. I wanted to see a list of your personal favorite posts that I could peruse as a first time reader. You could put that on your About page or in a page all to itself 3. I love the picture on your About page- so cute! If I were you I would consider adding pictures to your posts.
      Just my opinions. I really liked exploring your blog!

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      1. Thank you! Do you have any suggestions for a tag line from perusing my blog? I used to have a different one, but I recently changed because it didn’t seem to fit anymore. I’m terrible with titles and tag lines 😛

        I have also been thinking of putting more photos in my posts, I just like to use my own, and usually, I don’t have any on-hand or the opportunity to take ones that go with my subject matter. I will definitely add the favorite posts list though! I think that’s a fantastic idea. 🙂 I’m looking to add photos to my photography tab as well, but i’m having issues with placing them where I want in the post 🙂 Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂

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  13. Hi! I would love more feedback on my posts and possibly some ideas on what to write about. I am also okay with some constructive criticism. My site is litttlewordworm.wordpress.com.

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    1. I’m amazed you’re only eleven! I think your blog is great. The only thing I’ll say is that photos to accompany your poems could enhance it even more. Readers love photos to break up text, you also might have fun finding photos.

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  14. We are loving the activity in the community pool! It’s awesome to see bloggers helping bloggers, and we’re finding great new reads.

    I noticed lots of conversations on “About” pages. For those who are newer to The Daily Post (or who just need a refresher), check out our series on how to create your ultimate about page:

    https://wordpress.com/dailypost/2012/11/28/aboutpage/

    https://wordpress.com/dailypost/2012/12/11/about-page-201-the-meat-grinder/

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  15. I think my blog gets less attention/traffic than it might otherwise because I am writing about energy and pollution and urban issues instead of pop culture and personal stories. When I look at what is popular in the news, people are much more interested in human interest stories than they are in science. Science coverage has been declining in most newspapers. I tend not to want to tell stories about myself because I want to keep it somewhat professional, although I do write about some personal experiences.

    Does anyone have any ideas for how I could make Science Is Everyone’s Story more personal and more interesting to people who are not already into environmental issues? Some sites, like Grist, have their news section include exotic novelty stories, but I don’t really want to go that route because employers are one of my audiences. Also, some of my employers may not really want to see a human interest angle. It depends.

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    1. I think delving deeper into the science part of it, with illustrations, etc. would help. Science is definitely a niche topic, but using more images, verbal illustrations, and examples could help with readability for people who aren’t inherently interested in science.

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  17. Hi! Thanks for this chance to get some feedback!
    I’ve been blogging for a while now, but I never really took the time to learn all that wordpress has to offer… I”ll be happy with any feedback you want to give me.
    My main concerns lately are:
    1) lay-out: change to a “portfolio” theme (thinking of using the theme called “Hatch”) or keep current theme? – current theme makes my blog recognizable and familiar to my subscribers (and maybe fits better as style with the content?) or is it distant and maybe uptight?
    2) content: do I get too personal? Or should I get more personal? Should I show more of the process, more of the finished work or more of the inspiration that triggers the idea and forms the starting point? (visual artist)
    My blog is: http://atelierzisiadou.wordpress.com
    Please leave any comments here rather than in my blog.
    Thanks! Katerina

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    1. I think you should go for it! Change the theme. Worse comes to worst and you hate it, you can always change it back after a couple days. I highly doubt you’ll lose existing subscribers from changing your blog layout – the question should be would changing your layout encourage new subscribers to follow your blog. I think since your blog is so visual, a portfolio format would be a good idea.

      I just recently completely changed my theme to better fit what I wanted for my blog and I’m very happy I did.

      I think the amount of personality you inject into your posts is just right. But I would show more of the inspiration and process, and write a little bit more about how you get to the finished work. For non-artists like myself, and I suppose even for artists, we get bombarded with finished products every day and seeing the process it takes to reach that finished point is intriguing.

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      1. Thank you, Wanderoneday for your reply! I think you’re right that the question should be if new subscribers are encouraged by using a different theme. And you’ re probably right about the second point also, about showing more of the inspiration and process… This was my initial goal for this blog, but somehow I got sidetracked I guess… Most of the times I find it very difficult to pinpoint exactly where inspiration comes from and then it’s even more difficult to write about it. About the process: well, I tend to think that most of my techniques are just common knowledge and people would either already know that stuff or would not be interested. Thanks for your feedback. It’s good to know that the process can be intriguing to others. I will soon spend some more time to change my site.

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  18. I would love to hear some feedback on my blog in general. I enjoy writing it even for myself but I wonder why I don’t get much response. I know I’m not so “blog literate”; I have some difficulty linking things or figuring out how to work things in the widget department. I often wish there were a “Blogging for Dummies” book I could read!
    My blog is: http://artsynaturenut.wordpress.com
    I’ll check back here for any comments and I appreciate any guidance or ideas you could offer. Thanks so much,
    Marge

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    1. Hi Marge, I’m also not so ‘blog literate’, so I can’t give you any technical advice… I would probably be one of the first ones to get a copy of “Blogging for Dummies” if it would ever be published.
      I liked your site. I like the combination of personal stuff and the insight in what drives you in your creative work. I also like that you explain how you make things, your techniques – which is probably what I should be doing on my site too… I wasn’t very thrilled with the background color. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that I think a more neutral color makes artwork stand out better – but this is a matter of personal taste. Further, the combination of text and photographs works well. The photo’s of your journal pages are a little bit dark – a problem that I also have most of the times. Can you make them lighter before you upload them? I think that it would make the colors look much better – more vivid.
      Your site has a calm, easy feeling in it, can’t really describe it. Probably because of the lack of many widgets and other stuff on the side. I liked that, it made me focus more on your posts.

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  19. Like several other bloggers, I wish mine were more interactive. Sometimes I’m astonished when nobody comments on a topic I think they will weigh in about. Then sometimes it’s the opposite: people talk about something I think they won’t care much about. Anyhow, I would love it if people here would take a look at any of my posts–there are over 600, on all kinds of topics, with a few specialties such as disability, baseball, and sexuality. (I know, it’s a wacky, or unlikely, combo!) Please comment directly on the blog if possible.

    Dirty Laundry:
    http://www.marcys.wordpress.com

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    2. Maybe post a blurb in your old blog for a few weeks, each time you post at the new one, just to get your old crowd aware of the new goings-on. For instance, you could post on Mondays: Don’t forget my new blog, where I have posted the next “Monday Memoir”.
      I’d make that a separate post, so if you had content for Monday at the old place, you’d have two posts there, that day. Just for a while, to boost your hits over there.

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  22. Hi. I have been blogging for almost a year now. Love it. But I just feel like I could be doing more or saying more? Any words of advice?

    The Fashion Clones: http:/thefashionclones.com

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  23. I have only started this blog maybe a couple of months ago, but when I did get it started, I was so excited. It is a crafting blog, and it was suppose to be inspireing to others and was hopefully educational for me. I’m finding out though, having a full time job, being a mom, and other family things, I seem to lack crafty things to write about crafts (lol). I hope that makes sense. I mean, I do have time to sit down and write a bit, but I don’t have time to craft everyday, nor even sometimes every week. That leaves me with long stretches of time when, it seems, since I haven’t crafted, and I have no pictures to show, I’m not sure what I should be writing, or even if I should be writing. I really do want to be current, with this blogging thing, and I am passionate about my crafts. It’s just I can’t finish new things all the time and that leaves me unsure of what I should be doing with my blog in the meantime. Might someone please help a noobie?

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    2. I have a blog in an entirely different genre (travel), but I deal with a similar issue. I would love to travel more often, but don’t have time or money. So many of my posts deal with planning upcoming trips, recounting previous journeys, or researching other destinations. Perhaps you could consider doing something similar for crafting – researching new techniques, writing about memories you have of completing previous crafts, etc. Good luck!

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  24. I am trying to get things more organized, as well as improve my blog overall. I just changed my theme, and am hoping it is more eye-catching. Any and all suggestions would be greatly improved. Though my blog is more personal in nature, I have noticed that it is really nice getting comments, as well as commenting on other blogs. I’ve been using the reader on a daily basis now so that’s helped a great deal. I love blogs and blogging in general. 🙂

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    2. Lissa, the best way I’ve found to organize my sites is to use pages. If I were you, I’d title one “DP Challenges” and then on it I’d list links to all those pages, using the “challenge” word, itself for the word to link to.
      I think if I were you, I’d also make one page that is just for “Mimi” or “Grandmothering” and write lots more on that topic, perhaps. Same for that great hubs of yours or any topic you like.
      All these pages do is list links to various topics. But the tabs at the top call the visitor’s attention to your big topics that may be of special interest to them.
      The other benefit of these pages is that they tend to draw more visitors, in the first place, because of there being links to your posts. I don’t get all that, but that’s what they tell me. 🙂
      I’ve done that at my site, and if you want to take a look, just click on my name, above this comment. 🙂

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  25. I leave comments on each Blog I vist, and advertise my posts on Twitter but my views/ visitors figure remains quite low. I have a hardcore body of followers, but most follow in name only. That is the number of followers I have is not reflected in the actual visits I get. I am going to try and Tweet a bit more, but any ideas for growing my numbers would be very appreciated

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  26. Some excellent ideas and advice here. I started a blog about a year ago, but became discouraged and I haven’t written for a very long time. Comments, both constructive and positive would be very much appreciated. My blog is called ………
    joseyjo-oopsididitagain@blogspot.com …….. My blog is personal, on life, living, loving and my numerous ‘oops I did it again moments’!

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  27. I have just set up a new blog to try and get back into writing. I’m a little rusty, and i’d love some critique on the style and layout of my blog, as well as the first article i’ve written. It would be hugely appreciated! nicolaforde.wordpress.com

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    1. The article you wrote is great. It is an interesting topic (I had no idea begging for likes was a common thing now), your writing tells a story, and you break it up with photos just when my eye starts to get tired of text.

      That said, I think the layout of the blog needs a little work. On my screen, your ‘widgets’ all hang down from the bottom of your post (like a string from a balloon, I suppose), but that makes it hard to read them. Try to distribute the widgets across the bottom of your post to make it more balanced.

      Also, the sub-title of your page still says “A fine WordPress.com site”… you should update that.

      Finally, I don’t know how the navigation of your site will work since you only have one post so far, but keep that in mind as you choose your topics and layout – you’ll want to make it easy to jump to a related topic.

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      1. Wow thanks so much for your feedback. 🙂 I completely understand where you’re coming from layout-wise; I am having difficulty with this particular layout. I will definitely try to sort out those widgets, and if that’s not possible, a new layout is needed! Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

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  29. Next month I will have been blogging for a year. My content is geared towards architecture & sustainability. I would like tips on how to get followers to be more interactive in commenting or making suggestions about what they would like to see! I love to feature photos of architecture, take the weekly photo challenge to show my perspective of the subject, and share my point of view on architecture and share my knowledge of sustainability. I also like to involve randoms of my life because I feel it makes my blog more personal. It is about architecture, design and sustainability, but is also about my journey in learning more about all of those fields. Check it out and let me know what you think! http://oldworldnewgirl.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/reclaimed-wood-love-idesign-sunday-green-bloggin/

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  30. The Community Pool is a great idea…love that it looks so interactive! Scrolling through the comments, I can see that there will be some great tips for me to pick up on and some interesting blogs to find!

    I would like to throw mine in for a little help. I am hoping to revise my front page…it is a little busy. I hope the content I am putting up is interesting, but perhaps a little lost. Was looking for a magazine style with featured posts, which I have gotten. Considered trying to switch to something with a slider…but still working on it!

    Any feedback on the home page would be greatly appreciated! My link is: http://traveldestinationbucketlist.com/

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    1. Hey Anita,

      I like the content that you have and what you post. But I will admit, it is a little busy. I got a little overwhelmed and lost. Try cutting your featured posts down to the top 5 or so. You have some that repeat, like Featured posts and then Latest Adventures and then popular pages. All three have some of the same repeating content. That is good because it means that some of your posts are popular and mostly viewed! But that means you can eliminiate some of it from your front page 🙂

      Also, maybe move the email subscription to a more noticable location. it took me a minute to find it. And if the calendar is only there to show when you did posts, you may not need it also. 🙂

      Hope this helps and I didnt come off too harsh

      Feel free to check out mine and leave any feedback!

      Home

      or http://infinitejourneyblog.com/

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    2. Hi! I agree that the home page is a little busy. I think having such a long list of “featured posts” sort of defeats the purpose of featuring them -they get lost in the mix. With all the text on the right hand side at different alignments and list styles with the buttons/graphics interspersed, it’s hard for my eye to follow it to what you want me to see.

      I’ve followed your blog for a while but I’m trying to recall how you had it set up – did you have photos in the background down each side and the posts in the middle? If so, I think this one definitely has the potential to look more professional if you just make it a little less busy on the front page. The individual post pages are alright, though if you had a theme where you could put things like the stat-tracking buttons in a footer, it would help the side bar to look less cluttered.

      I hope my comments are helpful 🙂

      Would you mind giving me some feedback on my blog too? I recently redid the entire layout as well, and improved the navigation, etc. I would love feedback from a fellow travel blogger. Thanks!

      Like