Nov 10, 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. Hello all, I am new to blogging and would love some feedback on my most recent post, as well as one other.

    Most recent: http://www.2x4therapist.com/2014/11/self-esteem-vs-self-control/

    Another: http://www.2x4therapist.com/2014/09/father-learned-first-6-children/

    Of course, any comments on my website would be appreciated. I think I have done well putting it together, but you just don’t know untill someone gives you feedback, right?

    Thanks,
    Todd

    Like

  2. I recently started this blog. I have to say I really didn’t even know where to start. The purpose of the blogs is to share News on Products available on our website. I like to read other blogs and I pay attention to a lot of the Fashion Blogs, as we offer a large selection of women’s apparel. Our site also has a variety of products, like Gift Baskets, Personalized Gifts, and Home and Garden. We offer Free Shipping on all items. If some of you are willing to check out the blog and help us in anyway. Your opinions mean a lot… Good or Bad..and we are open minded to any ideas you have that will make a blog a successful one.
    thank you in advance
    shophomedecorandmore

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  3. I am just now beginning new ‘orple adventures’, with the hopes of self-publishing a ‘coffee-table’ book, using the blog entries I create along the way. Anyone who would like to participate, or would like to learn more, please follow the link below. It will link you to my category ‘Visiting the Neighborhood’. The orples are seeing the world through other people’s eyes, with credit given back to the source, and ping-backs appreciated. Happy blogging everyone. Stop by and check us out.

    http://orples.wordpress.com/category/visiting-the-neighbors/

    Like

  5. Hey if anyone wants to check out my blog that would be awesome!! Any feedback and advice is welcome! I’m new to blogging so I could use all the help I can get! 🙂

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    1. I like this layout. (In fact, I may have to try out this theme). Your “About” page is personable, and you have a fun, easy writing style. I felt drawn in immediately. You have a great style that makes the reader feel like a part of your inner circle. Good stuff! Best, Karen 🙂

      Like

    1. I loved going through your blog! It reminds me so much of my own blog. (I’m pretty sure I had the same theme in a different color scheme at some point, too.)
      I especially enjoyed the post about the fireworks which you wrote in your journal.
      Good job! 😀

      [Feel free to check out my blog at voixbleus.wordpress.com]

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Hi, fellow WordPress people!

    I would appreciate constructive criticism/feedback for my blog (theme, posts, writing style, posting frequency etc.).
    If you help, I’ll check your blog out to see if I might be interested in following you. 🙂

    Here’s the link: voixbleus.wordpress.com

    Thanks in advance!

    Like

  16. What a blessing to find your post this afternoon. I just changed the theme on my blog. I hope it is a little easier to find post subjects. Please leave me suggestions on improvements. I haven’t been able to add a Kansas Women Blogger button yet. Any suggestions you have are most welcome.

    Be a Blessing,
    Nancy ~ Bead Charmer Girl

    Like

  17. Hi everyone, I’m Kai, president of my university African Caribbean Society. I started this blog for our ACS committee however I’ve been the only one contributing to it! So I stopped writing in 3rd person as I’m more comfortable readers knowing it’s me writing and putting my personal experience in the post. I would love any general feedback and I’m happy to do the same in exchange. Thanks!

    Like

    1. My opinion, I like the landing page for recent posts. When you can, I recommend updating your header image to something of higher quality. Also, utilize a common image size for each of your posts. This makes the overall scroll more appealing. As far as your menu goes, I would go for a two column layout instead of three. I noticed you have categories listed twice as well as recent posts and recent comments. Try to experiment with your widget layout to ensure the menu system isn’t cluttered and makes sense. Good luck! I too would appreciate any feedback.

      http://randomeffort.wordpress.com

      Like

    1. Hello, Peter. I really enjoy the Columnist theme, and it’s great to see it working so well for your blog (my blog isn’t very image-heavy, so it didn’t work so well for me).

      As for your content, your blog is really enlightening, especially for a girl who doesn’t keep up with any major fashion.

      Like most other blogs, there are minor errors in spelling or grammar, so I would recommend going back and reading your post after it’s been published simply to check up on it. Navigation is a bit hard, but I don’t know if there is a “next/previous post” function on Columnist, but that’s really a minor thing.

      Overall, your blog is educational and fun for me to read, so thank you for sharing 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It’s clear you are blogging on a topic you are passionate about. The set up is good and easy to navigate. Are you thinking maybe after you have been blogging longer you will categorize your subjects by garment type, movie reviews etc?

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Justine! You’re off to a great start on your blog, and I would recommend editing your theme a bit. I’m not sure if you can change that header on your theme (the chandelier picture) but if you could, that would be a great start!

      There are some minor errors that you make in your posts, which are mainly spelling or grammar, so if you make sure to edit and revise posts after you’ve posted them, that’ll make your blog look cleaner and more professional 🙂 Your content is all interesting so far, so thank you for sharing and I hope you’ll be able to post diligently!

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      1. Hello! I believe I already commented on your blog several weeks ago, but I still like it as much as ever. Your content is interesting, and I enjoy (I don’t mean that in a bad way) reading about your experience because it broadens my own point of view.

        Your posts are interesting, original, and personal, which I think is the key to running a great blog! And they are all great reads (I have difficulty reading things on a computer screen, so that’s saying a lot). Congratulations again 🙂 Overall I don’t think there’s much to improve, since your biggest issue is the occasional error in grammar or punctuation, but even that’s rare. Please keep up your hard work; we’re all rooting for and supporting you!

        Like

    2. Since I mostly write about my struggles with depression I found it fitting that the first post I clicked on of yours was How to be a Happier Person. I enjoy your style and look forward to checking out your other posts 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Why, thank you, sweetheart! I hope that that post was able to help you even a little bit 🙂 I’ve read some of your posts and they’re all so compelling, and I think it’s brave of you to share and journal your experiences online. I hope that you’ll continue to do so, because mental health has a stigma that doesn’t apply to physical health, and I pray that that will change, one person at a time. Thank you again! May you have a beautiful and calm day 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  24. Hey guys, I have a music review blog that I’d love to get some feedback on. I published my review on Sonic Highways about an hour ago, but feedback on anything would be appreciated. I’ve gotten feedback in the past from the community pool and I’ve made many changes based on it. I take your comments to heart and appreciate the time spent to have a look. Thanks guys!

    http://firstguess.wordpress.com/

    Like

  26. Good afternoon, folks! Firstly, I just want to say that the Community Pool idea is marvellously grand and gives me the same warm feeling the ‘Off Topic’ forum used to. Whoever came up with this deserves cookies.

    Secondly, I have recently redesigned my WordPress blog and would appreciate some feedback. A good friend of mine has designed my header to my exact requirements of ‘make it CREEPY AS’, and I would love to know what people think of it!

    Also, if you have any comments on my content, they would be gratefully received. I used to blog quite frequently, but due to some circumstances, have fell out of the routine a little. I’m attempting to strap myself back into the horror genre. Slowly and surely more words are plopping out. You’re welcome to visit :3

    http://insanityaquarium.wordpress.com/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m loving your blog! That header is pretty creepy (I didn’t see the girl until I scrolled down a bit and I was like what what WHAT).

      As a writer, I have to say I’m enjoying your poetry a lot. I’m not much of a horror writer, mostly because I’m not great at it, so it’s great seeing someone grow and explore that genre. Like living vicariously, maybe? Is that permissible? :p

      Your blog theme is nice, but when I go to your blog it only shows the two latest posts, and I feel like it’d be easier for readers if you included more posts per load. Overall, however, the blog theme is nice, easy to navigate, and typography is A+. Hemingway is lovely 🙂

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      1. Thank you so much for your lovely words! I’m so glad you like the header, and I definitely appreciate your suggestion to have more posts on the front page (it’s an excellent idea, consider it done).

        Also thank you for the content feedback. I used to be able to write more lengthy pieces but all of a sudden, things just… stopped. As things do. Hopefully I can bring it back, one (ultra-ultra-ultra) flash fiction at a time.

        And of course it’s permissible! We should have a picnic in celebration. I’ll bring the jellybeans.

        Liked by 1 person

  27. Hi everyone,
    I’ve been taking part in blogging 101 and have wrote a few blogs posts this month such as why I started a blog, the reasons I chose my blogs name and a random post for my dream readers. I would really appreciate some feedback on the layout of my blog as well as my blog posts in general.

    http://infinitedaydreamer.wordpress.com/

    Thankyou 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I have compulsions about creative writing blogs 😛 The blog theme is gorgeous–I’ve never actually seen Bushwick on a live blog, so it’s kind of new. It was a little disorienting seeing that there don’t seem to be previews for posts, but I think that invites readers into your blog, so that’s awesome.

      Your content could be better presented with some edits to your punctuation, since there are a lot of runons and it can get difficult to read after a while. The blog post content is fresh and original (YOU DON’T LIKE HALLOWEEN? GASP), and just needs some improvements in presentation. This would require revision and rereads on your end. Always strive to see your blog not just as the writer of all that precious content, but as a critical reader!

      I’m glad that you’re starting to work on blogging and building your creative skills so early! Please keep up the hard work 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you for your feedback. I always appreciate constructive criticism because that enables me to make my blog even better. I realise I am guilty of having long sentences so I’ll try really hard to work on that. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. My two cents. I would shorten your site tagline a bit. Try to look at some other tagline examples and use those as a model. Begin leveraging categories for your posts instead of always relying on ‘uncategorized’. This will help future readers in understanding the high-level topic of your post. Use tags for detail level post points. Make sure your search widget stays at the top of the screen but remove duplicate widgets. I see a few in your overall layout. Are you on any social media channels? Try to build links to your profiles in the menu for your blog. Lastly, update your about page. Why should people follow your blog? Sell them on the about page. Good luck! Hope some of this feedback adds value. Here is my new blog:

      http://randomeffort.wordpress.com

      Like

      1. Thank You so much! That really helps a lot. I love how your site is set up. It’s pretty creative. My one suggestion would be to also update your about page. You tell what your page is about, but I feel like you should give a brief sentence or two about who YOU are, like personal interests. But other than that, I really like it!

        Like