Jan 25, 2016 / Community Pool

Community Pool

The place for feedback, advice, 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?

Did you just start blogging and you’re not sure how to get going? Has your blog been dormant for a while but you’d like to give it a jolt of life? Join our free Blogging 101 course (or any of our other offerings at Blogging U.).

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.
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  1. I think it would be a good idea if the posts were listed reverse chronologically, or categorized for easy searching. Just a thought that would put newer posts out front for people to see.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Go through your Reader and go through tags to find blogs you like and posts you want to read, and connect with those people. If your blog has a niche or two then it should be easy to find blogs like yours and interact with like-minded people.
      Happy Blogging!

      Liked by 2 people

    2. *You can join other blogging networks like Bloglovin, etc
      *You can enlist your blog in other blog directories
      *Interact with other bloggers actively
      *Participate in the community pool actively
      *Take part in the Daily Post prompts and other community events

      Liked by 1 person

  3. So, I’ve written two posts – they’ll take around 7 minutes to read both.

    7 minutes could be spent mindlessly scrolling through articles in the hope that you’re inspired to write something of your own, and that’s fine. But hey, 7 minutes could be used to give me some vital feedback on my new blog.

    I’ll repay the favour as i’m looking for blogs to follow and comment on – just because i’m a newbie.

    Thanks guys – just click on me I guess x

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Okay, here’s the first ‘vital’ feedback for your blog. Fonts, their size, spacing etc. are extremely very crucial and can possibly repel a reader faster than you can say ‘blog’.
      I tried to figure out what exactly you have written about and lost my patience as the fonts appeared bigger than even my eye balls (kidding). Secondly, too many highlights or size difference in font can be distracting.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I liked the content of your posts, though at times it did seem a little clunky but that could just be the question and answer style of the writing. The centre justification of the writing threw me completely. The variance in the size of the font made it feel sort of like a really long poster advertisement. My advice would be to reduce your font size and leave it on a left hand justification. This will also help to reduce the amount of scrolling needed to read a post and hopefully encourage bloggers to stay engaged with the post.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. I really like the content of your blog but the spacing of it made it more work to read. You should do your “About Me” page I feel you’d have some really interesting things to say! 🙂

      Check out my blog if you don’t mind. I just started it today and would appreciate some feedback as well – it is my first time. Thank you!

      Liked by 2 people

    4. Read bot posts, looked for an about me page to see just who you are and must have missed it. I know they are a total pain to write but they are so valuable. For instance if you are a twenty-something writing about school then I wouldn’t read it as I am an extremely old fart that finished school before your grandparents were born. see what I mean? just a little hiya I am so and so and i love this stuff would work. I liked your style of writing. I often ask questions then answer them. I would look into different fonts though as the central blocking of the page and changing fonts is difficult for us old farts to read. hope this helps.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Hello Fellow Bloggers –
    I’ve just added a new page to my blog. Just try to explain my categories and give a bit of a ‘coming’. I would be really grateful if you could check it out and give any feedback either on the idea of a page like this or the content I am planning for my blog.

    I will do my best to check out other people’s comments on here too.

    Here’s my new page – https://cultivatingtime.wordpress.com/exploring-categories-coming-soon/

    Thank you from Debra

    Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank you. Also thanks for flagging up re the no comments section. I hadn’t realised it wasn’t there so I’ll try and remedy this. I will check out your blog as soon as I can.

        Liked by 2 people

  11. I have a photography blog. I’m curious to know what people think about the theme I’m using, with a photo or two per post, running vertically. There are numerous themes available for photography. Would a grid or gallery format be easier to view? Does showing a smaller image in a grid engage people as much as a larger image? I’d also like feedback on my header. Does it need more punch or does it work as is? Thanks much!

    https://kwalshphotography.wordpress.com

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Hi there, nice photos! I like this layout – I agree smaller images don’t grab my attention as much as the larger ones. I noticed on the sidebar you have instructions to “click on any photo” to see a larger view, but the photos were not clickable for me. Maybe a glitch?

      I think the header matches your theme of simplicity – works well for what you’re going for.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks, readytoyumble. Some photos are sized smaller than others so only the smaller ones are clickable. Maybe I need to change the wording on the sidebar, or make them all a bit smaller so they’ll be clickable.

        Liked by 2 people

  14. I have two WordPress blogs – my original one (an old one I’ve never used), which I have to use to log in, and a newer one – this one – which I’m actually using. I’d like to delete my original blog, but I’m afraid that as it’s my “default” blog, my newer blog will also be deleted.

    Is this the case..?

    If so, is there any way I can make my writing blog my “default” blog?

    I’d really appreciate guidance on this, many thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    2. It seems like you’re asking about two separate things. To change your primary site and web address (the are often, though not always, the same), simply go to this settings page:
      https://wordpress.com/me/account.

      Now, deleting any site has no effect on your other sites or the status of your account in general. To learn more about deleting sites (and some other alternatives), take a look at this page:
      https://wordpress.com/support/delete-site/

      Like

    2. Hi I skimmed through your blog and read your about me. I am really interested in learning more about natural health and like the energy that comes across your blog, I followed you. 🙂 Keep it up!

      Check out my blog if you’d like (it’s my first, I literally just started it today), any feedback would be wonderful!

      Liked by 2 people

  17. Hi there everyone! I’m trying to keep active and not let my blog become dormant. I do wonder though, are my articles descriptive enough? Am I using the same words so often that they’re losing their meaning? Feedback is greatly appreciated.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think you’re doing a great job with general descriptions! I think you could expand by comparing the tastes to something else that others would recognise, perhaps? (For example, explaining that a certain drink has a nutty, woody undertone, or explaining something that tastes like burnt caramel?) Try some metaphors! Maybe giving them a rating out of 10 or 5 would be helpful for readers, too! 🙂 And there is no shame in using a thesaurus, too!
      Good luck and nice blog!! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Cheese puns = hooked. You speak my language. I read the most recent post and it had me chuckling, so I’d say that’s a success. Some well-meaning feedback: the title font seems a little bigger than it has to be, and the header image is a little blurry. Changing those two items would help visually.

      I also enjoy using food puns on my blog….let me know if you take a look and have any advice for me in return!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. There’s nothing better than food and terrible puns! Hahaha. I would love to read some of your things, but when I clicked on the link, it took me to a page that said “nothing found.” 😦 Not sure what happened there!

        I totally agree that the header image is a bit blurry! The regular photo is clearer, so I think the theme I’ve chosen might be stretching the image somewhat. I’ll have to look into fixing that! Thanks for the tip.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I just clicked it, and the first thing I saw was that glorious chocolate chip cookie. I’m sold.

        I love the way your site is laid out! Very clean and easy to navigate. I’d love to follow you, but the little ‘follow’ button didn’t pop up when I was on your site. Should I just subscribe instead? (And is it obvious yet that I’m not tech savvy?)

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Yeah, I’ve tried to figure out how to get the follow link, and it hasn’t worked out…Maybe because it’s self-hosted? So much to learn! Happy to have you subscribe of course 🙂 I’m looking forward to getting your future queso posts!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Hey I liked the blog and I found some of your posts really funny! I agree with the poster who said the title font is a little on the big side. The only thing I found visually unappealing was the background colour but that is probably just me! Keep up the good work. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Hi! Thanks so much for taking a look! I like the color in general – BUT I just realized it’s not really “food-friendly,” is it? Hmm… may have to reconsider that one. Since at least two of you are finding the font a bit big, I’ll definitely look into re-sizing it. Thanks again!

        Liked by 2 people

  21. Hello there 🙂 I would really appreciate some feedback. I just started a new blog (my first one ever). I only have one entry, and a few pages but please look through and comment. Follow if you’d like, there will be more to come as inspiration hits me! Thank you all.

    I am not really sure how to share the link with you, I hope this works…
    INFJash.wordpress.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Welcome to wordpress! Your first post has a nice clean look. I’m curious what direction your blog will take – personal stories? Philosophical musings? Wherever it goes, can’t argue with “more smiles, sharing and helping”! As you write more posts, a few links for categories or topics might come in handy. Good luck!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much for your thoughts! I am not really sure where it will go yet as I have never written before… but I hope it goes somewhere helpful for people to relate to. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  22. I’m hoping to capitalise on blog traffi, and keep my momentum from December going! I am maintaining daily posts, and trying to balance regular features with individual, stand alone posts. Is there anything missing/that I should be doing?? Anything glaringly obvious? Thank you in advance!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi – your blog looks beautifully clean and fresh. You’ve got a tempting number of posts to choose on your home page and it’s all very easy to negotiate. I’m no expert, so I have no magic words to share. I’d guess that tagging and time are going to be your greatest friends.
      All best wishes
      Elaine

      Liked by 3 people

    2. Love the travel posts and photographs and the blog looks great. May I suggest using the metrics and finding out what kind of posts attract the most traffic and comments. Then you can focus your energy on what draws people in. Also, a minor point but your header is a little blurry. Other than that I love the blog. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  23. After a couple months of blogging and tweaking, I’m trying to settle into a semi-customized appearance. Right now I’m struggling with my header image. At the moment, I fear it looks a little busy, but when all I use is my logo, it’s rather sparse. I’d love to get some feedback on that topic, and anything else people want to mention!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I think it looks great. I like the simple fonts. Maybe it would look less busy to you if you used the footer instead of the sidebar for extras? I will have to try some of those recipes they look delicious!

        Liked by 1 person

  24. Great idea to get us bloggers interacting, especially new comers like myself. It’s intereting viewing all of these different blog types to see what designs and layouts you guys are using. I’ve been working on http://memoirsonthemove.com/ for a few months now and although I’m happy with the look of it I definitely need to tap into my potential readership… any valuable hints/tips that have worked for any of you?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I like your writing style! The humour you add to your posts is great, and kudos to maintaining a blog while being in university!!

      I just started my blog, you could take a look and give me some feedback if you’d like. Thanks! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I really love the layout and colours of your blog. Your poems are very powerful, a lot of emotion! I look forward to reading more. 🙂 Check out my blog if you’d like I just started it today I never made one before so any feedback you have would be appreciated!

      Liked by 2 people

      2. Thank you for your kind words! I kind of feel nervous of what to write. I am not sure what people want to read? Is it okay to make long posts or even really short ones? Haha maybe I am thinking too much into it…

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I always say write what you want; what you’re passionate about; what you’re feeling. I feel like it depends on what you’re talking about to how long your posts should be… I tend to vary on mine. I have long ones, and super short posts.

        Liked by 2 people

    2. I like how your poems have a lot of emotion in them. Its easy to relate to and pretty spot on. Also, your layout is really nice to look at and very easy to use. Nice job on that. Keep it up!. Also, your miss you poem reminds me of my Carnival post. If you wouldnt mind checking it out, I would love to get your feedback since your style seems to mesh with mine. In a romantic type of sense of writing.
      Thanks!
      river20blog.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Niyi!

      Are you following tags in your WordPress Reader? I just opened mine, and for a giggle I typed dubstep in the “Follow a Tag” text entry field. When I hit enter I was presented with a list of posts from bloggers who tagged their posts with the tag dubstep.

      Experiment with different tags until you find one that shows some stuff that interests you. If you happen across a post you like, look at the tags used in the post and follow any of those tags that seem interesting. You can always quit following a tag if it doesn’t pan out by clicking the X in the Tags list on your Reader.

      Helps?
      rudyblues

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Hi Sarah!

      I checked out your blog. A very good start! Keep up the good work.

      A couple of suggestions that will make your reader’s experience more rewarding. After all, that’s what we want, more readers, right?

      The first is categories. Categories are how you “file” your posts on your blog. I see from your “About” page (good job, an about page is important) that you might include posts about Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, LEGOs, and the NFL. These are obvious categories for you. So clearly your post “Football for Me” needs to have be in the NFL category. You can name your categories anything you want, they are your categories on your blog.

      You add categories in the editor, usually along the left side (at least for me, on my desktop, might be different if you’re on a tablet). Then you can add categories as links to your top menu, or if you have lots of categories, you can make a top menu called Categories (or anything you want) that drops down and shows all your categories. That way, when I come to your site to read your great posts on Harry Potter I can find them all in one place. When I click on the Harry Potter category I will be presented with all your Harry Potter posts.

      The other important thing is tags. Tags are how other bloggers (your readers!) find those wonderful posts you’re going to be writing. Choosing tags can be a bit of a test, but one way to do it is to follow a tag in the Reader and see if the posts that come up are posts that you would like your posts to be seen around. Some tags are “hot”, meaning lots of people use them. If you use a hot tag then your post might sink to the bottom of that tag list before anyone has a chance to see it. Experiment. Check this post out for more on choosing tags.

      https://wordpress.com/dailypost/2015/02/12/tagging-shelf-life/

      Hope this helps! See ya round the pool!

      rudyblues

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank you so much for the great tips! I’ve seen categories and tags and things on my draft posts as I’m writing them, but I haven’t quite figured out how to show them on my home page. Any tips on that?
        Thanks again in advance!

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Not all templates are the same, but I see your categories at the bottom of your blog. In most templates you can also add them to your top menu, where you currently have About and Contact. The template I use lists the tags I used for each post at the top left of the post. I think there also may be a “Tag Cloud” widget that you can use that will show the tags you use, so people can click them.

        Liked by 2 people