Feb 1, 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.
Show Comments

791 Comments

Comments are closed.

Close Comments

Comments

  2. Hello!
    I am just getting started with my blog site. I have posted a few entries and would like feedback (positive/negative).
    I’m trying to raise awareness about healthy living and inspire change.

    I am trying to figure out how to do a slide show for posts. There is so much information to try to scan through. It’s a work in progress though.

    Please check out http://susanbodyrenovations.com

    Leave a comment or click on the follow button.

    Thank you in advance!
    Love and hugs,
    Susan

    Liked by 3 people

    2. It takes time to build traffic. Keep adding good content and create an About page. Hopefully soon you will have more than just your mother in law reading 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Hi – I’d guess that, as a beginning blogger, you’re like a seedling just pushing its way up through the earth. All around you are full grown flowers and bushes shading your patch. As you grow and as you post, you’ll find your own sunlight.

      Finding more than close family viewers for a first post would involve such a giant slice of your personal luck allowance that you would have to give up winning raffles for the rest of your life.

      I’d say, and I’m only saying it because you asked, that you buried your main point beneath a weight of words. I think your main point was: “So now what? Let’s continue to improve. Don’t beat yourself up. You failed because you imposed the day that you may fail. So I didn’t jog today. If I am alive tomorrow, I will. But then again, I may not. That is the wonder of choice. WE can choose to or choose not to. We have the control. The number on the calendar does not.” That’s a useful, thoughtful idea to push out into the world, but it was almost hidden in among the brambles.

      I’d get the pruning shears out and cut your post back so that it can grow strong and true. Your words are worth reading, so don’t hide them in the undergrowth.

      And tag and all that.

      Best wishes
      Elaine

      Liked by 1 person

  4. I recently posted a new blog and it’s a pretty controversial topic. if you guys could read it and give me some feedback and maybe your opinions that’d be great! also if you could just check out my site’s entirety and let me know what you think I would really love it. positive and negative! I just want to know if it’s a likable page!

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Hey folks

    I’ve a blog about ‘reading books, drinking tea and seeking out places where you can do both’. There was a bit of a hiatus last year, but I’m keen to do much more on this and so would appreciate any feedback.

    My last post got some likes and resulted in a few more people following me. I’d like to know why that one! Was it because it had ‘sex and drugs’ in the title? Hopefully it was more than that, but any comments or insight gratefully received.

    https://penguinedition.wordpress.com/2016/01/27/sex-drugs-in-the-worst-way/

    Best,

    W

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi – what lovely penguins! do you draw them yourself?

      I can see that a drinking tea/reading books blog would intrigue people – and your penguins look so cheery that your blog looks even more friendly and welcoming.

      Maybe people came to your post because they’d heard of Prayers for the Stolen. It was dramatised on the BBC here last year. And they’ll have left your post satisfied because you wrote about the book from a position of personal interest. Your own personality shone through.

      Little by little, people will find you. We’re all needles in an enormous haystack, so patience is crucial. While you’re waiting to be found, find more tea shops and you’ll have a whole collection to write about – it wouldn’t be good to have thousands of readers deserting you because you’d failed to come up with new tea opportunities every week!

      I read the post on my laptop – it might be worth checking how easy it is to read on a mobile or whether you need to strip out a few words/break your paragraphs differently.

      Do keep writing – for its own sake and for the sake of good tea and good books.

      Best wishes

      Elaine

      Liked by 1 person

  10. I’ve been blogging for a few months, but I’m still new in the sense of blogging. If you could give me some tips for my blog that’d be great!

    Liked by 2 people

  11. Hi, i’ve moved to WordPress from Blogger and been blogging regularly for a few months. Its a photography blog for beginners and aspiring photographers. Check it out, i’m sure you’ll find something interesting 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Hey guys check out my new blog
    http://mummy2foursweightlossjourney.wordpress.com
    It as you can guess a weight loss blog with daily updates, daily Fitbit stats, weekly weigh ins, monthly total loss stats including photos.
    I’d love your comments, meal ideas, ideas on how I could improve etc

    Also there’s my life blog
    http://mummy2four.wordpress.com
    This covers general life l, being a mom, being a Carer, the OHs disabilities and the problems that come with them, possible ADHD in one child, another child with possible mental health problems, trips to the doctors paediatrician mental health team therapists family liaison via school and my depression along with all the good things that come with family life.

    Please take a look and maybe even follow them.
    Thank you

    xoxo

    Liked by 2 people

  14. Hello, guys!

    I truly appreciate the kind of atmosphere the Community Pool is giving to both old and new bloggers. I heard that here, I could get a good feedback to improve my blogging.

    I have a newly established photoblog, I was hoping to hear from you guys what you think and what else could be done to improve it. Here’s the link:

    https://lifeandangles.wordpress.com/

    You can go over some shots I took and after that, I would appreciate if you head over to my other blog. 🙂 https://unchartedpens.wordpress.com/

    I’d like to hear if there’s anything to improve and generally what you think about it. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  15. Hi guys!

    I’ve got a newly-established photoblog that I would like for you guys to check out! 🙂 I would love to hear some feed back, and I know that the Community Pool sets up a place for both old and new bloggers to know what others think and improve their blogging. 🙂

    I would be so happy if you guys check out https://lifeandangles.wordpress.com/ and https://unchartedpens.wordpress.com/

    Let me know what you think! 🙂 (The first one is a photoblog, for those who like photography, it would be awesome to hear from you!)

    Liked by 2 people

  19. My blog that I just started it creativewritingprojects.wordpress.com. My main worry is grammar mistakes and also getting more followers could be useful. Thank you for any pointers.

    Liked by 3 people

  23. Hi everyone. I’m a recent cancer survivor, and I recently decided to offer my thoughts on life during and after treatment. There aren’t many posts up yet, but my goal is to be active 2 or 3 times per week. I’d love any feedback you’re willing to offer. Specifically, I’d like to learn how to incorporate more videos and photos in the blog. My editing skills are rudimentary at best. The blog is called ExtraDonuts and the site is http://rottenlogic.net

    Liked by 4 people

    1. love your blog. if a video is on you-tube just copy the link address and post directly into the blog. photos are easy peasy (if I can do it anyone can) use the add media button in your post. you can select photos on your hard-drive or use them from pinterest, etc.

      Liked by 2 people

  24. Just posted my first blog on StoneAccentsofWilmington.com/blog
    I’m not sure how it all works but am interested in anything that can help me with my new business. saow.biz
    My first question is where does my blog “go?” who sees it? Any help would be appreciated.
    Thanks
    Chris

    Liked by 3 people

    2. not sure where it is going. when I click your username it goes to a sales website, when i highlight and search for your blog address i got a godaddy ad.

      Liked by 1 person

      2. i have fun blogging for my own personal expressions. Honestly do not care about followers, although it is nice to get feedback from people. Have been blogging for a few years. just recently started posting to the wp site (my blog is on my own domain) and have received some nice feedback.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. mine is more of a personal journal or at times letters to my friends and family. It is a way for me to share, to vent, to ask questions. but then I think I am probably an oddball in this aspect.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. hey Chris, your blog posted correctly in wp so it is now out there. and I checked on google by typing in the address and your site pops right up! I think I’d add pictures somewhere in there, but it does already have a nice clean look to it.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. If people search your name on google it will come up, or if your business name is tied to the account it will pop up as well. If you have a website for your business you should share your blog on it! I clicked your name and didn’t have any problems getting to your blog. Good luck! 😉

      Liked by 2 people

    4. Hi Chris,
      When you publish your posts, as long as your site isn’t a private one, your posts become part of the web — people might find them on search engines, when someone else shares a link on their blog or on social media, and — as long as you properly tag your posts — they will also find their way to the WordPress.com Reader, where other bloggers can discover them and your blog.

      Like

  27. Hi all!
    I just published a post about identity and how it shifts as time passes – all that through the lens of Harry Potter and the Hogwarts houses.
    I’d love to hear your thoughts about it, as well as any remarks about my blog in general since it’s freshly hatched! 😉 I’m also up for a random chat if you fancy it, internet friends are the best! x
    http://thestoriesiknow.com/

    Liked by 3 people

  29. Hi all! New here. I’m one of the usual pencil and paper writer. I like to free write on my own, but thought I would start sharing. Any advice I’d love to hear it. This is my first time blogging. Not quite sure how it works but would be greatful for feedback and seeing what all you guys have to share. Thanks!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I like your posts, and the image you have seems quite suitable to your content (i.e. distant, but thought-provoking…) But I think your next step is to get that About page updated! It might be my own bugbear but it’s the first page I visit on every blog just to get some idea of who you are 🙂

      Liked by 1 person