Aug 24, 2015 / Community Pool

Community Pool

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

Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/63057306@N04/5734415538">Beachfront Solutions</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(CC BY-SA 2.0)</a>

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.
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  • If you haven’t looked at our Commenting Guidelines in a while, now might be a good time.
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    1. Hello Natasha! I’m in the same boat as you are it seems haha. (And a fellow NYer!). I stopped over to your blog and I like the colors and love the pictures, but on my browser the post picture and the header image overlap a bit. Not sure if that was intentional or not since I sort of like the overlap, but when my browser stretches or shrinks the overlap goes a little crazy. Everything else looks great though.

      One other thing I could suggest is to move some of the footer widgets into another footer section, like a left & right footer column. I’m not sure if that is an option or not within your template but I think most have that option now. I could be wrong though, I’m wrong a lot lol.

      Like

      1. Hello! I’ll look into the formatting and widgets! I’m still getting a hang of how to customize everything, so thanks for checking it out and giving me some suggestions!

        Like

    2. Hey! I just checked out your blog. It looks pretty awesome for a beginner to be honest. The content seems very interesting too (that’s why I followed you).

      I’m not a famous blogger, but I might have some advice for you to get more readers. Definitely do follow other people’s blog. Leave comments once in a while. I’d say this is a main point. On the other hand, social media can be helpful. Whether it be your Facebook friends or Twitter accounts. There are many accounts dedicated to bloggers there according to the range of topics you blog about on Twitter. Promoting of course brings readers, but I’d also say that interacting remains the key point.

      I hope it helps.
      All the best!

      Giulia

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Great use of multimedia! It’s all very eye-catching and professional looking. The graphics really drew me in. It really looks like you know what you’re doing. I never would have expected this to be a new blog. Nicely done!

      Like

  4. Hi everyone! I know I’m a few days late but I’m looking for opinions. I’ve just changed my theme (it’s been hard for me to get rid of the Spun one that I love!) and I also created a new menu on my homepage to get through easily. Hope you’ll drop by! I’ll make sure to visit your blog too.

    Giulia

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Giulia, just replied to you on someone else’s post. But really like your layout. It’c clean but the menu and home page layout (with the pictured icons to choose from) really works. I’ve been grappling with my own layout, worrying it’s too minimal, I think you’ve hit just the right balance. If you could impart some of your sage experience onto my new blog, I’d appreciate it. Though I should warn the language is not always PG! Thanks!
      https://societycamp.wordpress.com/

      Like

      1. Helping is always a pleasure.

        I have nothing to say on your content. It looks thoughtful and worth reading. In fact, I think the layout is a bit confusing for new readers. As you’ve just begun blogging, I’m sure you’ll find something to work it out. Maybe a theme that makes titles more visible and the menu too ; Going straight to your point. As I was once advised, just try some themes you like, change it once in a while if you want, in the end you’ll find something that fits your expectations.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Wow! I love what you’ve done with the theme. It’s really eye-catching and fun. The stylized fonts, the black and pink text, and the sleek white background with the simple yet elegant menus all create a very chic effect. Nicely done!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Hey everyone! I just started my blog: http://thedailynewsie.com/
    I intend to post top news stories daily, in an easy to read/understand format with some humor. I have never blogged before and I’m not very tech savvy. Would love some feedback. Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello, really good start. Like how much content and nice and easy to consume. I would suggest two things to enhance the look though. Some media (pics) embedded would liven up some of the posts, and you may want to look at playing with the font for something a bit more slick. Other than that, looks great! If you have some time, stop on by my humor blog Society Camp. Though just fyi, some of the language can get a bit colorful. Cheers,
      https://societycamp.wordpress.com/

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks so much! I really appreciate your input. I would like to change the font I’m just trying to figure out how. Hopefully will figure it out soon. I checked out your site. Great content. I see what you mean by pictures. Love your selection. Really adds to the blog.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Thanks. One suggestion on pics, is on Google Images, you can search by “usage rights” under “search tools” that way can search for images that have been cleared..still lots of choice..sometimes i take chances on really popular images and just try and attribute, but the beauty of free to use shots is you can just go for it. Thanks for reading! I’ll swing by your blog soon. -JN

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I agree, it’s looking really good! Very clean, professional, and easy to read (just as you had hoped). I agree that the one thing it lacks is pictures. I really struggled with the whole picture issue myself. These days I’ve been sticking to Creative Commons content. It’s free as long as you give credit to the artist or photographer. You can check out their website here: http://creativecommons.org/ Also the website I use to search for Creative Commons content is Compfight. It’s free and easy to use. Just make sure you select “Creative Commons” in the menu. http://compfight.com/

      One other thing, if you’re looking to really boost your blogging skills fast, check out Blogging 101. There’s a new class starting Sept 9 and it’s free. You can sign up here: https://wordpress.com/dailypost/blogging-university/ I’ll never regret taking the class. It was a wonderful experience and I even made a lot of friends. Take care and God bless! Audrey

      Like

  6. Hi everyone. I’ve expressed an unconventional view of Jesus in my new blog post. I would really appreciate your feedback. I’m thinking of posting more like this and would really like your input as to whether this sort of discussion is something worth pursuing in my future writing. Thanks so much. Audrey http://wp.me/p6m715-60

    Like

    1. Don’t give the whole story away in here! :p Seriously though, people may be more willing to read if they haven’t just been told the entire summary. Excerpts my dear – one sentence

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Hello everybody!
    My blog is a mix of my writing, photography and muses.. I have started this new thing called Friday Flash.. Would love to know what you think of it!

    Friday Flash!

    Oh, while you are there, be sure to check out my other posts too!

    Like

  12. Hi good morning from Costa Rica! I just launched my site yesterday. It´s a kind living recipe blog (vegan food, poetry, art and photography) and I will be over the moon if you visit and let me know what you think! http://www.kindfoodlove.com

    Like

  13. Hey everyone!
    Just a random girl from austria here! I just started a new blog bout my daily life in a small town in middle europe. I would be very thankful if you could take a look!

    Kisses
    Mary

    Like

  15. Hello everyone,

    I’ve just posted on my (mainly film) photography blog; you can find the post here:
    https://anotherlifeinlondon.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/fields-of-gold/
    or my blog here:
    https://anotherlifeinlondon.wordpress.com

    I would really appreciate it if you would take a look and give me any feedback you might have! Also, let me know if you have a photography/film photography blog you think I might be interested in.

    Annie

    Liked by 2 people

  17. Hello everyone, I am new to the blogging word and seeking advice on how to earn followers for my new blog website. My first Article that I recently published is called, “Plastic Surgery” How Young is Too Young.

    Please provide any feedback that you may have to improve my overall blog outline such as; menu customization, Archives, and Category titles. Any other feedback is appreciated. Just go to my site and comment, like or share.

    Thanks so much for your support. My blog website is also called beautifulmind687blog.wordpress.com

    Liked by 2 people

  19. Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great day so far!

    I am Deniza, 23, a medical student writing about Fitness and Nutrition tips for a healthy and fit body.

    I am fairly new to blogging (it’s been a month) and english is not my mother language..

    I would like to share my new post I wrote on “Cheat Meals” (Don’t Cheat in your Health) and I am curious about your opinions!

    Also, I love to meet new people writing about similar topics.. maybe this is a great opportunity for that!

    Thank you in advance!
    Here is the link:
    https://askdeniza.wordpress.com/2015/08/29/dont-cheat-on-your-health/

    Liked by 2 people

  21. Hello swimmers. I’m a little late with this comment, but felt I needed to share this with all of you newer bloggers out there.
    As new bloggers, we face a bunch of questions and I think the biggest aside from what content you will have is, ” how do I get my following”?
    Well Ladies and Gents, I was contacted by another fellow blogger, Janice Wald (http://mostlyblogging.com/) who offers tips and tricks to “network” your blog.
    I read the very quick post and later that day I had over 100 views and I hit my all time high with likes.
    To all of you seasoned bloggers, this may seem like small chips to you, but to us newbies, this is a grace from heaven.
    Check out this blog and infuse the tricks into your daily routine of blogging!
    Here is the link to the post. I hope this helps as much it did me.

    http://mostlyblogging.com/how-to-quickly-get-3000-new-blog-followers/

    Liked by 2 people

  22. Hello Everyone! I started my blog about 3 months ago and am a beginner! I’ve never blogged and wanted some feedback on my blog so far. I’m pretty happy with what I’ve done so far, but want to do better and grow my followers and keep their interest when they come to the blog. Feedback is appreciated. First impressions, and deeper feedback….etc. I’m using the Apostrophe theme.
    http://www.petersfoodadventures.com

    Thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Wow! This is really amazing! I love how you’ve customized the theme. It all looks very smooth and professional. The graphics are really eye-catching and they really drew me in. The menu was easy to read and inviting. Finally, I thought your bio was excellent. It was fun yet relevant and inviting. Nicely done!

      And by the way, if you’re looking for more feedback and a quick way to build a following, I’d really recommend the blogging 101 course offered through WordPress’ Blogging University. If you haven’t already taken it, it’s free. I met so many people during the course, and it really got my blog off the ground. I think you’d enjoy it as well. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing, and best of luck!

      Liked by 2 people

    2. I love the content (so many many recipes, and the instructions are easy to follow.

      Things I thought could improve:
      1) The menu section is kind of messy for me, especially for computers with smaller screen, it can be a problem for us. Maybe you can further categorize it and create a sub drop down menu? it looks cleaner and more organised that way 😀

      2) Maybe you could do a monthly mailing list, content can include recipe of the month, etc.

      ps,take a look at my project too? https://itsdeanna.wordpress.com/a-little-bit-of-kindness/

      x Many Thanks,
      Dea ❤

      ps, I hope this helped.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks for your feedback and for checking out the site! I will have to see how to do the menu thing, as you are right, as I grow with my categories, it will look messy! I just need to learn how to make sub menus. I’ll google it! 🙂 I’m really looking at this website thru the eyes of a laptop, and need to consider iPads, and iPhones, and how it looks on them! Thanks! and I’ll check out your site too! 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  24. Hi fellow bloggers! Looks like I’ve found a few new favorite blogs to read. My new blog has a lot of lovely pictures from my corner of the world, near Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks that I know you’ll love. I’m also hoping to connect with other crafty, homesteader, hobby-farm types. Please stop by and visit! http://theemptynesthousewife.com

    Liked by 2 people

  26. I am starting a project called: A little bit of kindness – An Email Appreciation Initiative ( https://itsdeanna.wordpress.com/a-little-bit-of-kindness/ )

    The purpose of this project is to increase the appreciation of email, kindness and help to whomever needs it.

    I would really love it if you guys click on the link ( https://itsdeanna.wordpress.com/a-little-bit-of-kindness/ ) and support my project. You can also leave feedback, in the comment section regarding on how to improve the project further.

    x Many Thanks,
    Dea ❤

    Liked by 2 people

  27. Hello everyone!
    I recently made a new category on my blog called: “Travels” and that category is basically about my adventures when I travel. I’m still quite new to all of this and would love some feedback on how I could possibly make this category better, or anything related to as such. Any comments, suggestions, input is definitely needed. It is really appreciated guys! Thank you so much!

    https://pebblestonesteps.wordpress.com/category/travels/

    Fellow blogger,
    John Chon

    Liked by 2 people

  28. Hey everyone I am really excited to say I am really loving this blogging journey. I am writing pretty often and I really would love to be able to grow my followers, comments etc.. I love sharing what I have to say, but want people there to hear what I have to say. Your support as a community would be really wonderful. I talk a little bit about everything and anything. I talk about diy and also love doing product reviews.

    Please check out my blog and help me build my blog up. We all start from the beginning and remember how it felt to watch your numbers grow 🙂

    https://canvasofthoughts1.wordpress.com/

    thanks in advance and really looking forward to hopefully getting my blog built up. Have a blessed Sunday afternoon 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  30. Here is a rough story opener. Feedback please. 🙂

    Today I decided to change my life. I have made this decision more times than I can count on my fingers and toes and I meant it every time I thought or said it. So what was going to make this time any different.

    If I decided to make that change no matter what there would be a price. There is always a price. Am I willing to pay that price? Sometimes once a price is paid it can’t be unpaid.

    Liked by 1 person