Oct 6, 2014 / Community Pool

Community Pool

The place for advice, feedback, and friendly blogging chatter.

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. I’ve started a blog and wrote an “about” page. I’ve been working on three different blog posts for about two weeks. Although I write professionally (primarily on research and evaluation findings and have been published in academic and legal journals in past) this is an entirely different type of writing and I’m struggling getting started. Any “words of wisdom” would be appreciated.

    Like

    2. I only started a year ago. I’m still not sure I have settled down to a style – I just started by writing a couple of short pieces about things that were happening around me at the time, and then hit ‘publish’
      Once it starts going up you start to lose the uncertainty.

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    4. I agree with the other commenters. Your about page is really great. You have everything you need to start posting. My suggestion would be to give yourself a deadline for posting. The beauty of having a blog is that the posts don’t have to be perfect. Flaws are OK but you have to publish and publish regularly. Good Luck!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. My blog is about horse race betting giving free advice on the bets I personally make and I have been writing it for a while now. I currently have 21 regular followers but would like to get more.
    I know gambling is often a taboo subject so how can I attract more readers to follow?

    About

    Thanks
    Dean

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I promise not to run on the deck.

    I’ve started a new blog, and as a first-timer, I need all the help I can get. Please have a look and give my some pointers:
    http://heighhetta.wordpress.com/

    I’d also like to know if there is an option to start tables in a post? I copy from Excel, then the table is too wide for the post.

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    1. I took a look at your blog. As a travel blogger myself I couldn’t help but be drawn to your post about your wish list. I enjoyed the pictures you used but perhaps a little more flesh as to the “why” you included them would make it more engaging. Also, come up with an about page so people can know a little about you as well

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  5. Hey, can anyone have a look at my latest post and give me some feedback on readability and style -http://thehhnarrative.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/the-google-mom/

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    1. I found your post witty and poignant. I think we’ve all been guilty of informing ourselves and via the internet and declaring ourselves “experts”. Nicely done!

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  6. Great service and idea here. I was just thinking of asking for help understanding why some posts attract more traffic than others. Often the ones I least expect drive the most. Assuming I do the tagging and social promo the same, what feedback can you all offer this frustrated blogger? My blog is at http://www.diybackyardfarm.com

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    1. I’d say the greatest variable is the subject of the post. If it particularly popular or time-sensitive it will get more searches and subsequent results. ‘Tis a fickle beast, this Internet. Plant your seeds in the best soil as you can and hope they grow (yes, that farming analogy was just for you)

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      1. I love the analogy and I agree with you 100%. That has been my experience as well. I do notice on Kale day I got a Thone of traffic!

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  7. Hi everyone! Just created a new blog. I’ll be talking about current events, food, my personal life, but more importantly i’d like to talk about things you all want to talk about. check it out 🙂

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  8. Good day people please check out my new blog post! I was thinking about the real inspiration of those who work hard in our communities and got the passion to say something. “Fear will imprison, enslave and destroy a Man. Courage will set him free, and Love will give Man the wings to fly.” Would love some thoughts http://www.basicresilience.com

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  11. I’ve been blogging regularly for about three and a half years now – mostly about books, reading and writing. I really enjoy it, but I know there’s many blogs about reading and writing out there. I wouldn’t mind feedback on how to make my blog a little more distinctive! Or, you know, whether it’s just fine the way it is. Thanks!
    My blog (and latest post) is here: http://harmamaesmit.com/

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    1. Took a look and am now following. Perhaps you would be more distinct if you focused on one particular genre, but as a book lover (and author) it is enough that you keep doing what you’re doing

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    2. Hi – I enjoyed your blog. The posts were just the right length for me and your enthusiasm for books and language sparkle throughout.

      I don’t know how you could make yourself more distinctive – and I’m not sure that people look for distinctiveness as a quality. Don’t most people look for a hospitable host and a cordial welcome? You provide both. And good conversation.

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    1. I took a look at your blog. If I could offer a word of advice, readers are increasingly visual, so if you added more photos or graphics it might spice things up a bit. Best wishes

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Your photo gallery is nice. I especially like the souvenirs for sale in Turkey. The color and composition is well done.

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    1. I understand where you’re coming from about the numbers. Theme looks like it well-represents the particular angle you’re coming from, so good job on that. All in all I enjoyed it.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. I started my blog about life lessons through faith stories about a year ago. I love that I have lots of readers who are pursuing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. However, I would also like to hear from those who may have different opinons or maybe not sure what they believe. Would appreciate blogging advice on how to expand my audience. I just posted today and post about every 2-3 days. thanks in advance for your thoughts!

    Like

  17. Hi everyone!

    Thank your for this opportunity to let comments here to get some feedbacks on our websites!

    I changed the design of my website last week. My objective is to improve the access to the posts and keep the pictures on front page to facilitate navigation thru the website.

    I think it’s easier now to access the categories dedicated to my pictures (street photography, nature, urban…) and also to the news related to my work (exhibitions, photography competition, evolution of the website…).

    I would like to have feedbacks about the navigation thru the website, does it look good and adapted to a blog dedicated to photography?

    Thank you very much

    Like

    1. I really like your photos.

      Going to the Gold Collection put me on a SmugMug page and getting back to your homepage was a laborious task after surfing a number of images.

      Perhaps the Platinum/Gold Collection link could open a new window to present your work?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh thank you very much for your feedback!! That’s really helpful to me!
        Regarding smugmug… I’ve to admit that I didn’t touch anything there since last february… It’s on my to do list for this month!! 🙂
        I’ve noted what you said and I’ll cure that!

        Thank you very much again!! 🙂

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    1. Hi – I liked the video and I’d say it brings an extra dimension to the blog post. it takes quite a long time to get to your own experience with the cattle – but I don’t know if motorbike folk like hearing lots of details about bikes etc. So I’m not your
      target reader 😉
      I enjoyed the post – do you think British cattle understand ‘Hah, hah’ too? That could come in very useful one day!

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      2. You have a touchingly high opinion of the class status of your average British cattle.
        You’d have to be some sort of posh long-haired rare breed on the Queen’s estate to register ‘I say there’ or ‘what ho, chaps’ as being cattle instruction rather than human conversation.

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      4. You make a good point about the story taking awhile to get to the experience with the cattle. I am going to take that under consideration. Thanks for your input.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Nice article! I think I have a general idea of plot and character and it just sort of moves forward until it’s done. Granted, the more complex one of them is, the longer the story takes to be finished.

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    1. Hi,
      I had a look at your post and I think you should really continue to put your writing out there! It’s good!
      I have two ideas for improvement, if you’d like to hear them. As a typical internet reader, I am scared of long blocks of text. Why don’t divide your post into several paragraphs so that you have a little more white space to keep readers like me at peace?
      Another idea is to put up an “about” page so that your readers get to know you a little better. I am taking this blogging101 class, and they made us work a lot on our “about” pages right in the beginning.
      All the best and happy blogging!

      Like

  22. Hi there! I am new to wordpress and new to blogging at all. I just started 6 days ago posting. So far, my motivation is high to blog every day. I am combing through various blogs trying to get a picture of what is going on in the blogging community. There are so many ideas and experiences in my thoughts that want to become words and texts that at the moment I have several topics adressed. Currently, I would summarize it as a quick snapshot of my life in the last months. I know that there is not that much on my blog yet, but if someone has feedback for me, I would highly appreciate it. http://angleandviews.wordpress.com/

    Like

    1. Your writing’s a pleasure to read and, in my opinion, it’s the best kind of travel writing – you say how you feel about the place, but you don’t get in the way of the place.

      Loved your photos. Loved it all.

      All good luck with your blog.

      Like

      2. Thanks so much for your feedback! I’m glad I’m getting my points across in the way that I want to, health and fitness is my passion and I’m not a very naturally skinny person anymore, but consider myself pretty fit and healthy and definitely am not overweight. And I’m realizing that there are so many people like me, and that “fit” is slowly becoming the new “skinny”, and want to continue to advocate that. Feel free to leave comments on my blog or tell your friends, anyone looking to learn about fitness and health is more than welcome to check out my blog!

        Liked by 1 person

  27. Hello, I’ve just started my blog, and to be honest this is my very first time, EVER. Any feed back would be great whether it be on my design or on how to make my posts, or blogs better. I only have one up at the moment, but all positive critiques are welcome. Thanks

    Like

    1. I really like the raw being of your blog. It’s really genuine! 🙂 I am also new to blogging if you could check out my post and critique that would be great!

      Like

  28. Hi guys, I started a blog about a month ago about my travels and am thinking of changing the theme. Any specific theme recommendations for someone with a basic account? Any general feedback would also greatly be appreciated 🙂

    Like

  29. Hello. I am still trying to figure things out here. I’m not sure how to change some of the things on my theme. I would appreciate any feedback on the site and my new blog, of course. Thank you in advance.

    Like