Aug 17, 2014 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Don’t forget the sunscreen: it’s time for this week’s Community Pool!

Have you just published a new post and are dying for some feedback? Did you recently start your blog and could use some layout or design advice from your more seasoned peers?

Tap into the wisdom of The Daily Post blogging community and leave your question here in the comments. Others can then click through and offer input either on your site, or in the comments here (feel free to indicate which you’d prefer).

To help us make the Community Pool a productive space for discussion, here are some tips you might find useful:

TIP: To keep from losing your place in the comment thread while you visit others’ blogs, right-click on a link to open it in a new tab or window.

  • While you’re not required to, we encourage everyone who requests feedback to also reply to at least one or two other bloggers who need some help. Spread the love!
  • The Community Pool comments section can get quite big — and starting duplicate threads doesn’t help. Thanks for not posting the same question more than once!
  • If you’re looking for quality feedback, be as specific as you can. Questions about a particular post tend to draw more comments than ones about entire blogs. Questions about specific design elements are more likely to be answered than ones asking for general layout advice.
  • We discourage leaving links without a more substantive message or question. These are often overlooked by other bloggers, and we frequently remove them to make the comment reading experience smoother.
  • Please keep all comments civil and constructive. The idea is to have fun — it’s a pool, after all!
  • 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 Brian Cantoni.

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    1. Hi Fernanda,

      I like your blog layout and read a couple of your posts. Interested to hear how that green coffee diet works out for you!

      You have a great following already so you are clearly doing the right things. BTW, I spent two weeks in Costa Rica last year and loved it. Very jealous!

      Like

    1. Hi,

      I read your latest post. Absolutely nothing wrong with the content, presentation or the theme. However, it might be hard to get some traction if you are only publishing one post a month.

      If you can crank out one a week you would probably get better traction, more eyes on your site, and search engines would find your material better. However, it all comes down to what your ultimate motivation is in that respect.

      Best of luck!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks Aidan for visiting my site and giving your valuable feedback. Yes, I should probably write more often to get noticed. But much like Tom, I am not getting enough time for this due to work pressure, office dilemma etc. You are right, I should try to crank out more often .. Did you read my earlier posts as well ?

        Thanks a lot !

        Like

    1. Hi photogenic2! I checked out your Uniquely Abstract blog and thought that the photos posted there were quite lovely. I do think, however, in spite of how pretty the rose photo is in the background, it caused me to have trouble reading the links on the left-hand side. Everything is black and white, so sometimes the links just blended in.

      By the way, your doodles are really cool!

      Like

      1. Hello tangeldr!
        Thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate you letting me know about the rose photo. I wasn’t too sure myself, but now I know that there needs to be some changes. Thank you!!!

        Like

    1. Tangeldr, I think you’re writing is very engaging and there’s not necessarily anything you need to change their to bump up engagement.

      Do you use social media frequently? I think the best way to get people commenting, is to engage with them via their blogs, twitter, facebook pages etc and then people will begin commenting on posts. Return readers are the most likely to comment so try and build up a group of people who regularly read your posts.

      Like

    2. I agree, I enjoyed your post, you write well.
      Sometimes engagement takes time. My rule of thumb is to write for yourself, people will come and will stay if they enjoy what they’re seeing.
      Striving for numbers can sometimes be counterproductive and the best thing in my opinion is to simply enjoy what you’re doing, engage with those you can, and in the future that boost will come (we all hope!)

      Like

    3. Hi Tiana,

      I read your post and liked it. I find that I’m drawn more to blogs that are searingly honest and yours certainly ticked that box.

      One way that I started to get some traffic was looking at reddit forums and contributing to a discussion about a specific topic that I felt skilled or knowledgeable about.

      There are many other ways, and I’d point you in the direction of heavy hitters like Suzie81’s blog for more advice. suzie81speaks.com

      Liked by 1 person

    4. I enjoyed your very honest post. I am new at this so I can’t advise you about getting comments since I’ve only had one comment myself. 🙂 But maybe this kind of forum will help you catch people’s interests. And I am trying not to focus on the wrong target, like number of views,so thanks for the encouragement.

      Like

      1. Thanks for reading! You’re very welcome for the encouragement. I think we often have trouble achieving simply because we’ve set the wrong goal. Everyone here keeps telling me that I need to keep doing what I love and the engagement will follow… So I’m passing that bit of advice forward to you! Best of luck!

        Like

      1. I’m glad you enjoyed, Isha! Accepting oneself is a long, difficult process but so worth it in the end. First step is to pledge to stop hating and shaming yourself. This takes your feelings about yourself out of the realm of negativity. Once you can do that you can start to move forward to acceptance and even love. Thanks for taking the time out to read my post! I’ll stop by yours too.

        Like

      2. i started to “not like” myself when I was in college and suddenly failing may subjects, and getting fat at the same time. Gosh. But yeah really, it takes time but I guess little by little Im being able to move on. 🙂 Thanks again for a great read!

        Liked by 1 person

  8. I have been trying to include occasional links to other posts in my blog post. Two questions:
    1.If readers have clicked on those links to see what they are, does that appear in the ‘clicks’ section of the stats page?
    2.Is it helpful to have these links within the text – or is it just distracting? Are they even noticeable with the theme I’m using??
    Some recent examples below:

    With Marcella #40, #41 & #42 (of 466)

    A Perfectly Adequate Life

    Like

    1. Hi Shazzameena,

      1. that’s exactly where they appear.

      2. I think you’ve incorporated the links really well. they are noticeable so I would keep them as they are. Perhaps if you really wanted to you could make the text bold to stand out even more.

      Hope this helps!

      Like

    1. Hi Adam,

      Really liked your open letter to Enda. Well written and thoughtful. Going to start following your blog because it looks interesting!

      Aidan

      Like

    2. Hi Shruti,

      Not much wrong with your content. The suggestion I would make is placing of your images and size. In your posts they are relatively small and there is a lot of white space around them. You could probably bend the text around the images and it might look a bit neater.

      Just my opinion. Best of luck!

      Like

  13. Hey! I’m still so new to writing. Haven’t even been here a month yet but have been getting views. Would like to know what people think of my posts as I write through the grief of losing my daughter to SIDS

    Tutusoon.wordpress.com

    Like

    1. Very touching posts Sdalton. Can’t imagine how difficult it has been for you.

      Writing is definitely therapeutic and best of luck in your blogging adventure.

      Like

    1. Hi Efwalt,

      Beautiful site and great photos. There is a LOT loading when I open the site. Lots of photos which may take considerable time to load on a mobile or tablet device. Perhaps simplify the design of homepage?

      Best of luck!

      Like

    1. My advice would be to continue to write about what you feel like writing. If it becomes a chore, you’ll lose interest in it and so will readers. If you write with passion people will want to read more.Looks wise, its a little sparse, but you’ve not posted much – images can do wonders as long as it’s relevant. Good luck with your new blog 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      4. I just read the most recent post, and found it well written and engaging. I can tell English isn’t your first language (or I presume so) and perhaps finding someone to proof read could be something to look into in the future (no major issues, just some minor mistakes). Otherwise I can’t fault it 🙂 good luck with your blogging journey!

        Like

      5. Thanks for the advise, Kay! Yes, English isn’t my primary language but I’m learning it. Sometimes I just love expressing some extreme emotions in my native language. Haha! Thank you so much!

        Like

  17. @Staff
    The temptation to use these community pool threads week after week and month after month to promote their posts, under the guise of of seeking quality feedback but not asking for specific design advice, appears to be too difficult to rise above for some bloggers.

    It’s an insult to the intelligence of every experienced blogger to see this going on week after week for months on end without end and that has become the focus of discussion in places you are not reading it.

    I think Staff needs to email those who camp out here every week with the clearly detectable motivation of driving traffic to their posts, and encourage them to
    use social networks for blog promotion purposes;
    create a blog centered community, rather than abusing intended use of Staff blog the way they have been doing for long time.

    I feel so strongly about this abuse of the intended use of these community pool threads by educated people who are deliberately abusing the intended use of the community pool that I’m un-following every habitual pretender..

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Hi @timethief,

      The idea behind the Community Pool is to serve as an open space for interaction between bloggers. As long as people’s comments stay on point, and as long as they don’t flood the comments with multiple requests a week, I don’t see a point in limiting specific users from returning here regularly — on the contrary, I think it’s nice to see a mix of newcomers and seasoned bloggers.

      Some comments are obviously pure self-promotion, and we make sure to remove them. On the other hand, as long as someone asks for feedback on the layout and/or content of a blog, I’d feel very uncomfortable to act as the arbiter who decides which requests are genuine and which are thinly-veiled attempts at self-promotion. Especially in the case of new bloggers, the lack of specificity might be the result of not yet knowing the ins-and-outs of our platform. While I always encourage on-point, targeted questions, I also accept that for some, more general feedback is just as useful, especially early on in their blogging adventure.

      Having said all that, we know that the format of the Community Pool isn’t always ideal — it generates so much activity that keeping up with the comments can become difficult, and doesn’t always provide bloggers with the feedback they seek. We’re considering ways to improve it, and so we welcome your (and everybody else’s) thoughts.

      Liked by 2 people

  19. Hi all, I have a craft blog, which I know is quite common on WP but I thought I’d take the opportunity to throw the line out if there are people starting up similar blogs and wanted to connect.
    I’m having a bit of a revamp (in progress – if only I could quit my job to do this full time) and thoughts/suggestions always welcome 🙂
    Hope you’ve been having a good weekend!
    Kay (http://kaygetscrafty.wordpress.com)

    Like

    2. Hello Divya I just visited your blog. The posts are good but maybe you could choose a different theme. It will look more attractive that way . Do feel free to visit my blog and let me know your feedback.

      Like

    2. This makes me feel sad 😦 since I am the “smart and respectful” guy everyone likes to befriend but no one wants to love. Haha. On another note, I really loved this honest/funny post.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Well, Mr. Smart and Respectful, try throwing a little unpredictability in there every once in a while and see where it takes you! 😉

        Really, though, I think most women are looking for a mix between the two…and it’s easier for a person like you to add a little excitement to your repertoire than for a Mr. Bad Boy to find stability…so you’re already ahead!

        And thanks!
        xLoJu

        Like

      2. How about making a blog? Does that sound unpredictable enough? Trust me I am DEFNETLY not know as a writer. I even started this blog to write about physics, look how that turned out to be. Haha

        Liked by 1 person

      4. So do I, especially quantum mechanics. Is that a trait I should brag about in front of women or keep it a secret? :p

        Liked by 1 person

      7. Hi @Lola June and @platonic scientist — I’m really glad you found common topics for discussion. It would be great if you continued chatting on your own blog(s), as this would help keep this comments section a bit easier to navigate. Thanks!

        Like

    3. I read your post the Great Depression. It’s clever and well written as was the most recent post about bad boys. The latter I didn’t relate to but I’m a guy it’s different. That being said it was engaged in reading it fully, perhaps even more than the Great Depression which I related to and agreed with what you were saying but I felt it needed a personal anecdote/ some writer-involvement rather than the generalist stance it took.. What you wrote about is true but u know that already- what feedback do you want I wonder? You write well – maybe the only thing I would say re the Great Depression is ; dont write from the sidelines- you have a story of your own to tell? Tell it! I’m 100% sure it’s worth reading :o)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I appreciate very much the time you have taken both to read my writing and respond to me.

        I very much agree with you that there should be (at least) a little bit of you in everything you write (similar to the idea I touched on in a more recent post about how Chopin conveys his Soul in his every composition without, obviously, ever writing a word). I would hope that I succeeded in imparting that piece of my Soul into my words, although I will take to heart what you have shared with me.

        I suppose the feedback I would like would be constructive criticism (such as your own) as well as being told which posts people enjoy/would like to read more of to know whether to focus on mental health or discussions or my theories or my short stories or myself…(for example).

        For whatever it’s worth, “The Great Depression: and the world standard” was written mostly as an open letter to my husband (whom I love very much) expressing just how much his inner Demons affect me. I specifically chose not to acknowledge anything more specific than what’s written because it realized all too acutely my own pain that, otherwise, I am able to convince myself is not there.

        Thanks again–
        xLoJu

        Like

  23. How am I always late to this community pool! Anyways, my blog is about my journey through life; past, present and future. Feel free to pass through and drop a comment! You can find my latest post here.

    #IfIWereAGirl

    Thank you!

    Like

    1. So glad I found your blog.
      I went through a couple of your posts. They are really interesting, and i thoroughly enjoyed reading them. 🙂

      Like

  24. Hey can anyone give me thoughts on my blog : techsymmetry.wordpress.com
    I would greatly appreciate it.

    Like

    1. i would suggest more pictures with your posts or lessen the size of your posts.
      i will be more interested in a format which shows me key information in point wise fashion.
      just a suggestion.
      ps. i’ll too be starting a mini tech blog soon…

      Like

    2. I think a different layout may suit your site better. Perhaps a grid so that your homepage is a collection of your pieces rather than slightly monochromatic list. I would agree with debooWorks also, a few pictures would work well to break up the text and make it look a little less daunting, especially someone like myself who seems to have somehow made a mortal enemy of the technological work [my boyfriend works with computers for a living and I never cease to amaze him with the number of ways that technology seems to self-combust when placed in my hands.]
      I think you also need to be more confident. Your top three posts all seem to be asking your followers questions, they don’t give them anything that’s from you. I know very little about Minecraft so instead of just hearing about someone who may of may not be officially associated with them, I would have preferred to hear about your opinions on the future and the possibilities for Minecraft. [As well as a little background on the game so I wasn’t nodding along blindly.]
      I’m interested to see where you’re going to take this blog so I hit follow. Best of luck with Instagram and Mezy. [I have no idea what Mezy is. Oh, perhaps a screenshot of Mezy might have been a good pic to throw in with that post.]

      Like

  26. Hi everbody! We’re just starting out, and would love some feedback. We have given our blog a sort of “whatever you’d talk about over a cup of coffee with friends” sort of vibe…so it really is all about what we’re thinking, and what our readers are thinking as well.Tell us what we’re doing right, wrong, and what we could add to make it better. we’d totally appreciate it!
    Thanks so much 🙂

    4thandcoffee.wordpress.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. actually your blog will start when you’ll post something more concrete.
      what is the purpose of your blog? what do you want to write about.
      wordpress has quite a learning curve i must agree. even i had problems in the beginning and am still learning a lot. one advise i’ll give you i check out other blogs.

      Like

    2. There isn’t much feedback that I can give on the two posts already up. You need to have some idea of what you want to do with the site, where you want it to go.
      When I started mine it was an online series called The Terrifying Life of Henry Granger. None of the chapters for which are still up since I decided to completely re-draft the story and the site now hosts mainly poetry and flash fiction, with some random drabbles about history and other things now and again. You don’t have to be super strict but it does help to have a running theme.
      If you like computers and coding then start talking about that. You’re first post should really set the tone for the rest of your posts so I would also advice moving your current first post to your ‘about page’. That way people can check in and see who you are as soon as they click onto the site instead of scrolling down to find the first post. After a few postings you’ll find it takes a while to get down there.
      My last tip-bit of advice would be to watch spelling and grammar. I’m as guilty as the next person for typos but some people will be immediately put of if you have ‘i’ instead of ‘I’ or you miss the apostrophe off ‘I’m’.
      I hope this is of some use, best of luck.

      Like

  28. Hi everbody! We’re just starting out, and would love some feedback. We have given our blog a sort of “whatever you’d talk about over a cup of coffee with friends” sort of vibe…so it really is all about what we’re thinking, and what our readers are thinking as well.Tell us what we’re doing right, wrong, and what we could add to make it better. we’d totally appreciate it!
    Thanks so much 🙂

    http://4thandcoffee.wordpress.com

    Like

    1. I love the idea. I would like to see a little more content in each of the posts however, perhaps think about developing each one and instead of posting a bunch together on the same day spread them out. For instance have your ‘Family Fun Craft Of The Week’ or something like that.
      I do adore your use of photos though. They look wonderful.

      Like

    1. Hi,
      The first thing I’ve noticed was that this and your blog look very professional. You know how to write. But, I’ve found that you got carried away with your story at the end and then abruptly came back to Tom’s story. The relation was clear at first but I think you pushed a little too much. Other than that, the post was great.

      Plato

      Like