Jun 27, 2016 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Have you just published a new post and are dying for some feedback? Are you redesigning your blog and could use some layout or design advice from your more seasoned peers?

The Community Pool is for peer feedback and advice. Looking for more specific information? Check out some of these resources:

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).

Looking for free, self-guided courses to help you get started with your blog (or revive a dormant one)? Check out our current offerings at Blogging U.

To help us make the Community Pool a productive space for discussion, here are some tips you might find useful:

  • 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!
  • 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.
  • If you haven’t looked at our Commenting Guidelines in a while, now might be a good time.
  • No running on the deck.

Are you a new blogger looking to share your very first post? We have a special forum for bloggers just like you in our weekly First Friday posts.

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  1. Hi!
    I am struggling with my wordpress theme. It is mainly for my writing and I do not think it is conducive to leaving comments after each post. My “Comments” section is up at the top by the blog title. Can someone take a look and possibly recommend a better theme / design? I would like to add a call to action but am frustrated with it at the moment. Thanks much!!

    it is https://lonistrach.com/
    Loni

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Hi there,
    I have a website/blog which I feel goes in too many directions at once. My question is: is it better to focus on one topic per blog/website (e.g. yoga or knitting or painting ) or is it actually better to have it all on the same site?
    Thanks! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Just looked through your blog a bit. I think it’s fine as is. I’ve seen some bloggers do “Movie Mondays” and then “Music Fridays” (or whatever 🙂 ) to help separate their content, but I think a lot of these things are interconnected and readers will appreciate all of them. That said, I wouldn’t do 10 yoga posts in a row — just in case some readers don’t care as much about the yoga. I would mix up how I do my posts: one on knitting, one yoga, two painting, another knitting, etc. in whatever order works for you.

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thank you Natalie 🙂 it’s very useful.

        I just visited your blog Natalie and I really like your honesty. You write in a very direct and sincere way:) I find the theme you have chosen seem to suit you very well.
        The only thing I would say is maybe the about me section. Less is more… the less you write in there the more people spend browsing your posts to get you. If you put too much in the about me section then they feel that they have read all you have got to say in a nut shell…. but that’s just my 2 cents:)

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Just commented. Good content, good use of images. Good post length. Yay! My suggestion — don’t use bold font so much. Save it for a few really powerful lines instead, otherwise the emphasis gets lost.

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Hi,

      I just visited your blog and I like the fact it comes across as loose and introspective and I like the way you write and share random thoughts.

      I wouldn’t bother with a home page, I would let the blog be the home page.
      I would maybe make the about me more mysterious and loose, like the blog posts …

      I hope this is useful? 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    3. I have feedback on the *technical* aspects of your blog… When I hit “Home” I got out of your blog and into a virgin wordpress theme, and then I couldn’t get back again. I wasn’t able to follow the thread of what you were writing about – sorry.

      Liked by 2 people

    4. Great style. You had solid advice and presented it flawlessly. Your writing voice is super strong in the best way. My one suggestion would be to, once you start rolling out more posts, add Read Mores to the longer ones so scrolling through your blog is easier for readers.

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Just commented. Loved the poem! It’s so true and easy to relate to 🙂 Great work! Weird suggestion: maybe shorten your about me? You have a lot of words there (I had to scroll to leave a comment!) and I think your posts will be more powerful if you don’t put too much info in that section — let your posts speak for themselves 🙂

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Just commented. Good content, good use of images. Your posts are a great length, with just enough info to keep readers interested without overwhelming them with info they really don’t need. Great balance 🙂

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  6. Hey guys, My name is Fatimah If your one who is a lover of philosophy or poetry you must certainly visit my blog!!!!
    My blog is filled with abstract ideas that will make you question the question

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Just commented 🙂 Good content and great use of images. Suggestion: many creative writing classes warn writers to avoid adverbs (end with -ly). Looks like you use a lot and your poetry may be even stronger if you omit some of those pesky adverbs. Your choice, though!

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I’d be sure to take that on board!!!! Thank you for visiting my blog really appreciate the feedback. I’ll be sure to have a look at some of ur posts

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I just visited your blog Natalie and I really like your honesty. You write in a very direct and sincere way 🙂 I find the theme you have chosen seem to suit you very well.
        The only thing I would say is maybe the about me section. Less is more… the less you write in there the more people spend browsing your posts to get you. If you put too much in the about me section then they feel that they have read all you have got to say in a nut shell…. but that’s just my 2 cents 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. It’s a good point — and it’s funny you say that, because I just recommended to someone else that they shorten their about section. I guess the hardest work to judge is your own! 😉 Thanks!

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Hey,
      You’ve left the wrong link. This is to your stats page of your blog. To find your correct blog address actually search in your blog and copy that it should look like this:
      myblogname.wordpress.com or myblogname.com

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Hi, i just looked at your blog and i found the font of your theme a bit too small in the menu… maybe it’s just my screen though, but double check just in case 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Hello everyone. I recently changed the theme of my blog from Ecto to Hemingway Rewritten. I think I like the overall layout of the new theme, but I have one main concern. I tend to write rather lengthy posts, and the new theme has the text of the posts on the left hand side of the page, rather than the center. To me this makes the text look a bit off and harder to concentrate on. Do you agree, or think that the text being more to the left is fine? Thanks for the feedback!
    https://senshomines.wordpress.com

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I think it looks fine 🙂 But maybe I’m biased because I also use the Hemingway Rewritten theme! I enjoyed reading your posts — maybe you could add images? That would break up the text and might make you feel a little better/differently about the left justification of the text!

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Like Natalie, I’m rather partial to the Hemingway theme because I use it. Anyway, it’s a good change, because your blog looks more user-friendly than the last time I looked at it!

      That the writing goes to the left doesn’t bother me, but I know with my blog I tend change the text color to black for readability’s sake. The default grey can be more difficult to discern. Maybe you could try this and see how you like it?

      Liked by 2 people

  9. Hello again, Pool People!

    Thanks to your thoughtful advice, I have chosen a new banner and favicon for my blog. You can visit it at http://www.hermansneutics.com and lodge your outrageous complaints or shameless praise. Either way, I’ve got you all right where I want you! (insert ridiculous laughter here).

    Liked by 2 people

      1. You are very kind, Miss Pam. Leading by Grace taps a little into my last seminary class, called Team Leadership. I will tinker around later tonight. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I think the concept of a fashion blog is absolutely wonderful especially for people like me who’d rather read about something than watch a video on Youtube about it.

      One thing I could suggest is that when you are giving your fashion tips, maybe you could add photos of eat specific tip so that the reader can have a visual and you can have a way to break up the text just to make t a bit easier on the eyes.
      And maybe a more eye catching theme? Though I’m not sure of which one would fit!

      Other than that it’s looking good! Good luck!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Just commented 🙂 Good content! My suggestion — maybe incorporate images into the text of the post as well as the header? It’ll break up the text a little and add a bit of color to draw the reader’s eye.

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Like

      1. Thanks for the feedback. I have some pictures in a few of my posts but I have been planning to add more! I’ve had a look and left a comment for you 🙂

        Like

  16. Hey guys! 🏵🏵🏵🏵

    How are you ?

    My name is Davide and I’m trying to improve my self with blogging and with my blog, that is my first project that I’ve made just by my work!

    I like to write about all my passions and experiences, like journeys or nature, and a lot of food 🍟🍔🍕🌮🍝

    I’m trying to write both in Italian and English, especially the recipe, so everyone can do them more easily!

    Please, let me know what you think and give me some advices! 💚

    My blog ➡️ theguywhosaidalwaysno.wordpress.com

    Have an amazing day!! 👑👑👑👑👑

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh yes, I’m trying to believe in this blog and in my dreams, we’ll see the results! 😉 I just visited your blog and you’re a good writer, you have to continue with your work!
        Good luck my friend 🙂

        Like

    2. Nice content, nice images 🙂 If you want more readers, translate everything, not just the recipe. People who can’t understand Italian may feel left out if they can’t read part of the article!

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much and I’ll try to translate more, because this world is so big and English can help me to reach more people 🙂
        Your blog is so cute, and if you want, I would like to become one of yours new followers 😜😜

        Like

    3. Nice post, it is good to hear some non-agressive thoughts on Brexit (since every one has an outspoken opinion). I took a look at your other posts as well, and I really like the positive note.
      Feel free to have a look at my blog as well and don’t be afraid to have clear point of view. Even critics are welcome.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Ohw thank you so much 🙂 yes, I’m trying to watch the world in a positive way, change myself and maybe my life 🙂
        I really like your blog, it looks like a quiet place where to stay, and if you want, I would like to become one of yours new followers 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Just commented. I think it’s relatable! 🙂 Everyone has bad days like that, and your willingness to be honest will draw readers in. Keep it up!

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Like

    1. Nice post! Good content, good formatting 🙂 My suggestion: watch your spelling/grammar. You’ve got a few errors in there, and while they’re not huge deals, readers will always take a grammatically-correct blog more seriously 🙂

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Like

    1. Just checked out a few posts 🙂 I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, per se — I think most readers choose to “like” only and not comment. It’s easier, even if we bloggers want more comments!

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  20. Hi everyone!

    I literally just started a blog about trying to find myself as I start college next year. I’m new at this, so it would mean a lot to me if you could visit my blog and give me any tips or just let me know what you think.

    http://www.tdosg.wordpress.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Just commented. Good content. My suggestion: maybe add images! Color will draw the reader’s eye in and break up the text. In a post as long as your first one, a single image is fine 🙂

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Like

    2. You’ve got a pleasant writing style and I wish you the best of luck with your novel! If you aren’t able to get a professional editor before publishing, I suggest checking your comma placement. There were several places where I felt a comma should be (like after clauses or introductory phrases).

      (P.S. your book cover is gorgeous!)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks so much for the advice. Sometimes when you go over something you tend to go cross eyed after awhile! 🙂

        Like

  22. Hi All! My blog is usually pretty serious and always honest, dealing with mental and physical health drawn from my own personal experiences. I’m now pregnant and have continued the theme, but yesterday decided to add a touch of humor (while still remaining honest) to a post. I’m not a naturally funny person and while my regular commenters have seemed to enjoy the post I’m still not convinced that the funny side has shown through. Any suggestions appreciated, thanks.

    Pregnancy Woes: The Public Toilet

    Liked by 2 people

    1. This is going to sound mean (especially coming from a Dad)… I have zero interest in reading about pregnancy. So I jumped back to your mental illness posts. It seems like you use your blog much like I use mine… to process your thoughts. So here’s my question for you. By moving on from mental illness writing to pregnancy writing, are you noticing a change (better or worse) in how your mental health is doing? I’m finding when I write “other stuff” for a while, I need to revisit mental illness. When I Spend too much time on mental illness, I start feeling bad about myself. Would love to hear you thoughts. Funny how I can take someone’s question and make it all about me… Well, I *am* a blogger.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Ha, that doesn’t sound mean at all, I have plenty of female friends who aren’t interested in pregnancy either! I’ve personally found that the pregnancy hormones have sent my mental health (mostly anxiety) into overdrive, so most of my pregnancy posts have actually been mental health related, but just with a pregnancy and parenting focus as opposed to general social phobia or the like. I agree with you about needing to mix it up between mental health and ‘other stuff’ tho, I find it can become consuming if its just mental health but not helpful if it’s just other stuff. I also found the same with pregnancy writing so tried to mix that up too. I like that you use your blog to process your thoughts too, I’ll be having a visit shortly.

        Liked by 1 person

  23. I have been having a bit of trouble with my website traffic lately. I put out a new blog every weekday (just about), I incorporate WordPress tips, and I keep my tagging to no more than 7 tags; still no dice.

    I think I’m interesting and…a lot of other people do too? My problem right now is getting in front of others. Any advice? Check my blog out here:

    bigdudemakingbigmoves.wordpress.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. My best advice, if you don’t want to use money google optimizing your blog so when people search they can find it easier, is to make yourself be seen by supporting other bloggers, commenting, liking and all that. Then you’ll at least attract some attention:) Hope you can use my advice!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh yea, I’ve been doing that. I get decent amount of views and all of that and I show up on Google, but I just can’t seem to get in front of a “substantial” amount of WordPress users. Make sense? I hear you though.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. These are just my opinions, but your header picture is super pixelated, you might need to get a smaller image or a picture even! And speaking of pictures, try adding more! A lot of attraction is all about the visuals! I hope this helps! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    3. I agree with the previous comment, you have to get out there and read, comment, and like others. If you show interest in others with similar content, they will come over and see what you’re up to.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I hear you. I have been. There’s content on here that is great and I engage with other bloggers. Like I said to the other person, I just can’t seem to get in front of a “substantial” amount of WordPress users.

        Liked by 1 person

  24. Do you like cats? Do you like Alice in Wonderland? Do you like both of these things? My poem for the week is about a certain cat living in the mystical realm of Wonderland. I invite you all to read “Cheshire, Cheshire.” Please leave all likes/comments/feedback on the post page. Thanks in advance for reading.
    Drew

    Cheshire, Cheshire

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Just stopped by — good content, good use of images. My suggestion: watch your grammar! I saw a couple of un-capitalized “I”s in there. Not a huge deal, but readers will always take a gramatically-correct blog more seriously.

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    3. Lovely layout. I advise you to fill in the about page and your widgets, since some of them or not used but visible. Finally, I couldn’t find a “like” button 😦

      Like

    1. Good content, well organized. My suggestion: add some images! You’ve got a lot of text, and some readers may feel intimidated by that. By adding images, you’ll break up the text and draw the reader’s eye in.

      Would you be willing to check out one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever one sounds most appealing 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi Ragnhild 🙂 I looked at your blog. It’s pretty cool. I’m not sure why you feel you’re stuck ? Is it that you think more people should be ‘liking’ each post? A minor improvement could be to find a theme that gives more ‘real estate’ to your photographs. For example, in your 9 hopes for Australia post, there’s a number of great photos, but the entire content plus photo shows only on the left half of the screen, the right column is empty. Just my 0.02 – Vaibhav

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I think your post is reader-friendly. It’s easy to read and engaging. I like your summer bucket list for two reasons: (1) It has considerable variety. (2) Most of the items are free or affordable. Do you plan to make a checklist and include it on future posts showing readers the progress you have made? https://gracelead.co

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yes, I was planning on doing several posts related to the list, not
        consecutively, but here and there. Then perhaps a final post on the list at the end of summer. Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my blog, I’m glad you like it! 🙂

        Like

    3. I really enjoyed your post. I was instantly engaged and wanted to read more. In fact, I would love to read a follow up post to learn how your struggle with appreciating the house but wanting to travel has evolved. I have recently started working with an editor on a book I am working on and have found that it is helping my blogging as well. You may want to consider that as you have specifically noted that you want to take your writing to the next level. I am learning a lot about writing with more flow.

      Thanks for sharing!!

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Hi everyone! I started my entertainment blog about six months ago and I am struggling with ideas on how to bring in new readers and followers. I really enjoy what I do with my blog, but I don’t think it’s of any interest to other people because I’m not getting the interactions that I would like. I want my blog to be a safe place where people can come to discuss and review different forms of entertainment (music, movies, tv shows, books, etc.). My only problem is that I don’t know how to go about creating that space. I would really appreciate some advice.

    Also, do you think my blog would get along better if I added some video. Like do a couple of videos of me reviewing shows, instead of having everything in print form?

    The link to my blog is: http://www.RealTalk4Ublog.wordpress.com.

    Thanks so much, guys!

    Amira 😉

    Like

    1. Hey Amira,

      Creating a space for conversation is hard work and takes a long time. The blog I created in 2012 still doesn’t get many comments, even on posts which get hundred or thousands of views. Sometimes, readers comment on Twitter or Facebook instead of doing so on the post. Most of the time, we get no comments at all. Often, readers contact us by email if they have relevant feedback.

      There are useful posts you could read on the Daily Post about engaging your readers : you could highlight a question to your readers at the end of yours posts. I see you ask readers for their opinion, but it’s written in the same small font as the rest of the blog. You could consider adding featured images to your posts, using a bigger font (14+), adding a list of popular posts in the sidebar, and a header image for the blog. Do you have a Twitter and Facebook page/account for your blog? That would help a ton.

      But frankly, the first thing you should consider is setting yourself smaller goals in terms of engagement. You can’t compete with bigger blogs/websites/youtube channels/ etc. in terms of attracting readers and getting them to engage in convos. Try to create a community of bloggers and readers, maybe starting with your friends and family. See if you can guest post elsewhere, have guest bloggers write on your blog, etc. Again, several posts on the daily Post and Discover would be helpful to you in this regard. In any case, you seem to be posting rather regularly, so that helps as well.

      These are just my thoughts! Hope it helps!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much for your advice, Marie! It really helps to hear from someone who has been doing what I’m trying to do. I get the occasional like and comment too. I do have steady readers, but it’s just a hassle to get my readers to interact, which is why I will be taking a couple of your pointers. I have to figure out how to add the popular posts on the sidebar and I have no problem getting a group of friends together to discuss entertainment in person, it’s just harder to get that to translate onto my blog. I do have a personal Twitter and Facebook page, so maybe I should link those on my page as well. I just have to figure out how to do it.

        Like

    2. I looked at your blog, very nicely done! The first thing I noticed was that your tags are very specific, the only way they would be searchable is for someone to type in the exact same thing you named the tag. I think you should be much more general. As an example, use tags like music, awards, BET,Prince, Oscars, etc. I suggest you create some tags in your reader and see what comes up in quantity and similar content to yours. If you type in the specific tags you are using and only your blog comes up, you will know that your blog is not being seen by anyone. I hope that helps 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You’re advice helps a lot! I never would have thought of doing that, so thanks for sharing. I’m still kind of new to blogging, so I would’ve never thought that my tags could be a problem. And thank you for the compliment. I’m still learning, so, hopefully, my blog will get better with time.

        Liked by 1 person

  30. Hey everyone! I took a little hiatus on blogging, but I’ve decided to get back into it! I’m a resident doctor who enjoys writing about patients and life lessons they teach me! Don’t worry, there’s not a lot of medical jargon! Can’t wait to hear what you guys have to say about it and I would love to share my thoughts on your blog as well!

    Click here to check it out: https://doctormikesblog.com/2016/06/25/beach-ball-abdomens-the-ars-moriendi-and-why-i-want-to-be-an-oncologist/

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Hey great post! You have such an intimate, and often unshared perspective, into the medical world. I think you’re going to have a lot of good stuff to write. Your insights really add a personal touch and I love the reflections you share. Why people decide to go into certain medical fields has been sometime I’ve wondered on occasion, so reading your thoughts was very informative. You already know you’re in a tough line of work, but hopefully your writing and positive outlook, will come to aide you in more difficult times. Good luck!

      Photography: A Beginner’s Tale

      Liked by 2 people

    4. I don’t mean to fanboi, but I loved this post more than “like” would allow, just couldn’t think of a suitable comment!

      Liked by 1 person