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!
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  • 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. I like your reviews, one tip, if you wanna attract readers from the beginning of your post: Since people can only see your first sentences in their reader, start with a statement sentence that is going to dictate your review instead of starting with a general sentence.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Maybe add more colour to your layout? I agree with kimmo95, you need to draw the reader in with more of a longer blurb 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for the advice! Definitely going to change the blurb from now on and will look into adding more colour for sure! Thanks for the advice 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Hello! I don’t really know how to categorize my blog; a few keywords come to mind, but it’s not very specific. When I started writing, I just wrote on whatever topic started a spark of creativity. Although I know I definitely have a style, I’m trying to figure out if I should try to modify my content to fit into a specific category or keep going and just see how it turns out. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s the same problem I have! I know that I’ll probably do it at some point, (when I figure out how to:P), but at the same time I don’t want the categories to stop me from writing about the things that just come to mind. So my advice would be to made add a category called ‘random’ or something? That way if you don’t know where a post will fit in, you can just put it there:)

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Just write about what you are interested in. That is the most important. As for a category, setting a goal can help giving you direction. In my case that is reading the books in my list.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. It often happens that as you build your archives over time, you begin noticing patterns and clusters of posts that are related to each other. Going through your past posts might help you identify some of those, which you could then use as the basis of your categories.

      I should also add that categories are all about your blog’s structure and making the stuff you publish more accessible to your visitors, less about finding and settling on the themes you cover. It’s perfectly fine to retroactively categorize (or re-categorize!) posts; it’s only natural that your blog will change and evolve over time.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I’ve been playing with the file sizes on some of my photos to minimize them as much as possible for storage considerations, but I still want them to look crisp. If you have a minute, could you take a look at this post and give me some feedback on the photo quality? http://wp.me/p7rbGe-UQ Specifically look at the “tree with the crack down the trunk” (the smaller file size) versus the ones beneath it (all my “standard” size). Is the “tree with the crack” of acceptable quality, should I stick with the larger size, or find something in the middle? Thank you!

    Like

    2. I thought that “tree with the crack” was fine. If I look closely (because I know what I’m looking for because you said it was lower quality) I can see that it is not quite so sharp in places on the bark, but it certainly doesn’t detract from the post.

      Like

      1. Thank you for your feedback. Perhaps I won’t go quite so far down on the quality. I think I can get away with a little less than I had been doing, but not quite as far as in that photo. I had been saving my photos at 90%, but that one I tried all the way down at 50%. Maybe I’ll strike a happy medium at 70% from now on. Thanks again!

        Like

      2. I did an experiment last night and uploaded a photo at both 90% and 50% and flicked between them really quickly. It wasn’t a detailed picture but I got absolutely no discernible difference whatsoever!

        If it’s file size rather than necessarily download size that you’re worried about, you could host the images somewhere else.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. What a week of turbulence and….bah….trying not to dwell on UK matters at this moment in time so I came here to cheer up a bit and say hello once again to the blogging community…at least I can be multinational and full f hope with all my good friends in the blogosphere! Must keep soap box locked away…..

    I’ve just finished a kindness challenge, the last part of which is here

    https://fictionisfood.wordpress.com

    If anyone so wishes to pop over, like, comment or otherwise…expect a return visit and, more often than not, a follow 😊

    Have a great week all 😊

    Like

  11. Nice Post, this tips is not for only new bloggers or for bloggers who have gone idle, but for all bloggers. There are little rules here that even active bloggers overlook. Thanks Alot

    Like

  12. I’ve started blogging about a month ago. I’m basically sharing my journey towards a more authentic life, including all of life’s heart-break, bliss, and despair. I have opted for a minimalist theme, libre, and lots of white space. I find it easier on the eye.

    Here are some of my post examples:

    “Messy yet, but glorious”, as the title suggests it’s on the often not so glorious messiness of our life and the confusion that goes along with it.

    Messy yes, but glorious?

    “Little miracles” is about how a tiny raindrop on my bamboo saved my day.

    Little miracles

    “Yoga for perfectionists”, why it’s a tough thing to overcome perfectionism through yoga

    Yoga for perfectionists

    Hope you enjoy the reading. I would love to hear your thoughts on the content and the theme.

    my one life. today

    Like

  13. Hi people! My blog is pretty random; poems, rants, book reviews, movies and word-vomit. So if you’re into that kinda stuff, then please, feel free to check my blog out! 😀
    Any kind of feedback is also very much appreciated:)

    I’ll leave you with the link:
    ihaveabadsenseofhumor.wordpress.com/

    Like

  14. Hey guys! I’m back to blogging ever since 2010 and I’m now blogging about the happenings in my life. I will post anything about my current feelings and thoughts. It really motivates me if people would read my blog 😁http://lifeofwoonzy.wordpress.com

    Like

  15. Hello all,

    I don’t know about you but I’m fascinated by the map feature which shows the various countries your blog is being viewed from. It’s so lovely knowing your blog is being read by someone living on the other side of you and making an impact on them!

    So my question is pretty random, what is the best way to reach blog views from around the world? Do you have any suggestions on how I can reach out to particular countries?

    I would also love feedback on my blog if you have time to check it out: nashrahs.wordpress.com

    Thanks 🙂

    Like

    2. One way would be to look for bloggers and blogging communities from other countries and cultivate some relationship with them through visiting, commenting, and otherwise interacting with their posts. Interaction begets interaction!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. The format of your blog is difficult to understand. People can’t see what the blog or posts are about initially so they have to take the time to click to round images which are kind of obscure. I would consider a different theme.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Hi, everyone…Truly, here (that’s my name)… The latest New Kid On My Blog has been posted….It’s titled (Sun. June 26/16).”Seriously Folks…Just Kidding…”
    It’s hanging around, trying to look and act cool, and hoping you’ll show up and check it out. It’s more than a little quirky and whimsical…so, there’s a brief introduction, to give you an idea of where it’s coming from…then, letting its guard down, it lets it all hang out…and, ends with a behind-the-scenes glimpse of it’s quirky thought process. Show up anytime…your always welcome. And, I would love to return the favour. 🙂

    Like

  18. Hello! I published a post just recently. I’d love it if you’d read my blog, the latest one or any from the list. I’d love to hear from fellow bloggers about any ideas on how to make it ‘better’.
    caintsitstill.wordpress.com

    Like

  19. Hi everyone. I have been posting for a month now and I have difficulties to attract followers. Therefore, please critical comments are appreciated and of course I will have a look at your blog as well.

    Like

  20. Hi All! I would love for you to have a look at my blog and give me your thoughts. My questions are, can you tell what my blog is all about easily? Do you think there is something I could do to make it clearer immediately? When you see the blog, do you want to stay and read more? Answers to any of these questions would be much appreciated. http://www.cindyscreativecorner.wordpress.com

    Like

    1. Hey there, I’ve had a look at your blog. Sometimes it does need a fresh eye to notice things.
      Something that could help in a couple of ways are perhaps cover photos for your blog posts. People are drawn to pictures strongly, and even having a thin (so as not to distract from the content) picture could help draw a reader in.
      Another way it can help is by linking posts together, if they need to be. Titles/parts/volumes/updates are useful, and pictures might help in linking a couple of posts together (for example, I used the same image for a story of mine, so the reader understood which one they were reading).
      You have got photo-posts, so perhaps, if you did consider cover photos, they should be pretty slim and simple, so they don’t get cluttered with the photo-posts.
      I’m not sure why I’m rambling about photos and covers.

      As for your posts, I think your use of bold font can be quite effective. I found myself reading the word (“listening” or “observing” for example) and then reading the whole blog to find out why they were so emphasised.
      I also like it because it adds a unique kind of style, a rhythm, perhaps.

      I hope I’ve been useful, besides rambling about photos. I’m not an expert by any means on cover photos, so don’t take my word, but I’m speaking from an artistic point of view, in that I, as an artist, am drawn to pictures and photos automatically.

      Your blog also has a very comfortable and fresh vibe about it, just through the layout alone. I enjoyed looking through it.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much for checking out my blog! I agree about the photos and have been trying to figure out how to make that happen within my current theme. I really don’t want to change my theme and just can’t seem to figure out how to make the photos pop up beside each post. Thanks for the compliments too. I’m glad it looks appealing and will try to figure out how to get the photos in there.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. If your theme doesn’t allow for it, then either don’t worry too much, or perhaps put the photo first, before the text?
        It might be underneath the title of the blog, but it will probably still be eye-catching.
        Best of luck!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I got it pretty quickly. Personally, I like to see whole posts right away and not have to click “read more,” but this is just my personal preference and is no problem for other people. It does, however, mean that you have to work a little harder to get people to click.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks so much for your feedback! I sometimes wonder about the “read more” too. I’m torn as I can get more posts to show up on the page with the “read more” but don’t want to discourage readers either so I totally understand what you’re saying here. Good points!

        Like

    3. Hi. Just to give you my honest opinion, you haven’t told me your audience or what your blogs appeal to you. That is the message I got from visiting the Welcome Page.

      When I went onto the About page, I noticed all the writing was in 3rd person, I’m not sure who wrote it but if it was written in that way, I would expect it to come from a fellow blogger who recommended you?
      You mentioned the name Cynthia, I would put the last sentence on the About Page to be the first sentence and you repeated simply.cindy twice so I would modify those changes.

      I would have put ‘For Parents and Educators’ and ‘For Writers’ as headings on the top of your page so people can find them without needing to scroll down.

      Good luck none the less. I hope I have given you constructive feedback. Hope it goes well 🙂

      Feel free to check out my blog, it doesn’t cover a specific topic and feel free to share you views 🙂

      Cheers!

      https://realjoephill25.wordpress.com

      Like

      1. You are very honest and straightforward with your feedback. I appreciate that. Will check out your blog when I can. Thank you!

        Like

  21. Hello beautiful people! So I am struggling. I feel like our blog has great potential, I think its unique (or I hope..) and I can’t seem to find many people who are blogging about emigrating and how to get to a country you want to live in! What do you guys think of our basis? I like the lay out, but I am struggling to actually get people to read it and like it. What do you guys think of my writing? I do know I need to include more pictures, etc. All thoughts and constructive criticism appreciated!

    Our site is: http://www.emandwillowtakecanada.wordpress.com

    Em x

    Like

    1. Hi.

      I understand your British or come from England. Am I right in thinking that?

      I’m British myself 🙂

      I do have some feedback. If you are a couple, I thought it would be good to have yourselves doing a selfie and holding the Union Jack somewhere on your blog. I think it would be suitable on the About Us page. I just realised that this was a bad idea.

      On your recent blog about the Brexit campaign. I would have posted some statistics or some charts. As it is the UK, I would have discussed how many wanted to leave and/or remain in London compared to other parts of the country. As well as discussing the same thing with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

      I understand that there was a similar campaign that happened in 1975, I wasn’t born when that happened and probably you weren’t either but that is what I feel that is something worth discussing.

      realjoephill25

      https://realjoephill25.wordpress.com

      Like

  23. I’ve started a science blog, and I’m trying to get into the swing of regular publishing. I’m trying to take interesting research papers and extract what the public wants to really know – what are they doing, why are they doing it, and what did they get.

    Please drop by and let me know what you think! http://scicasual.wordpress.com/

    Like

    2. I wasn’t sure of whether I should comment there or here lol. But reading your morning routine certainly made me give a little bit of thought to mine.I feel as if since it’s summer I tend to let myself go a bit until august. I should certainly start picking up on some of your habits!
      I did notice a couple of spelling/grammatical errors mostly at the beginning. I’m not sure if it was on purpose or not –

      For instance:
      I stat of my mornings by waking up of cause!

      I was thinking it’d be:

      I start my mornings by waking up of course!

      Other than that your post was great! The pictures certainly solidified it.

      Like

      1. Thanks for the feedback! These errors were not intentional at all! I’m definitely going to edit.

        You should definitely try a morning routine in summer, even if it’s just to challenge your self or try something new!

        Like

    1. Hi Ruth.

      I’m fascinated about history myself. Historical events or places of interest has inspired me to write my views across. I’m very much into British history because I come from the UK myself.

      For instance I watched a documentary that focused on Versailles (not the drama version) and I wrote a blog about it because it was a trendy topic to cover.

      I would suggest that as your interested in history. Perhaps on your About page, you could expand on what history you are interested in so the reader is informed and maybe say what you hope to achieve from writing your blogs. But then again, you have already explained that in the first blog that you wrote. But I think it will be helpful to include what you wrote on your first blog in the second and last paragraph on your about page because as you continue to publish blogs the scroll bar on the right hand side will get smaller and smaller so that is my suggestion.

      The criticism I have is that you wrote part 2 of a blog called Digital vs Physical Archives. But there isn’t a part 1 anywhere or a link for it so my point is that myself and other bloggers won’t know what you wrote in Part 1 which would leave me baffled. Do make sure you publish Part 1 first before you move on to publishing Part 2.

      It would have also been nice to have a picture of you at an archive to show that your authentic.

      Those are my suggestions.

      Hope it helps.

      Do feel free to check out my blogs. There are some blogs I wrote about where it goes into my passion of history.

      RealJoePhill25

      https://realjoephill25.wordpress.com

      By the way, I’ve also send an email on your contact page 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for your feedback! I’m surprised you can’t see Part 1, as it was my second posting. I wonder what happened there? It has been published, it was all over Facebook because that one has a lot of family history in it. Maybe if you take another look you’ll find it. It has a cool pic of my Dad as a boy! I lost a lot of my photos after a hacking incident so my photos are limited, but I’m also cautious due to archives needing publishing permission, but I’ll build up another portfolio as
        I research going forward. I’ll certainly check out your blog. Thanks again!

        Like

    2. Hi Ruth, As someone very interested in History (especially the Raj era in India), I am intrigued by your work. I had a look at the first post and have some feedback – typically in any good book dealing with historical incidents (say by William Dalrymple) or a blog post by a historian, there’s a reference as one reads along (and footnotes or links depending on paper vs digital). Your readers will naturally be curios about much that you’ve written and it may be worth the trouble to include wiki links to unfamiliar terms, especially places you’ve visited to do this research, or say library websites. It reflects well on you as it shows you’re confident of your work and the reader can rely on you as a person of authority. Great post otherwise – especially the points about Phoolan devi. cheers! Vaibhav

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi, thanks for the feedback! I like your suggestion to back up with sources, which of course for the most part I have as that is my training. And again unfamiliar terms being defined or posting links to websites. That’s so useful thank-you 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Hi Ruth. I managed to find Part 1. My worry is, on the home page, each blog post that are published are displayed as text. But when I found Part 1, there was no text underneath that blog and it came out as an image? so you may have to look at correcting that. But I would suggest also inserting a link under part 2 of your blog on the first opening line to part 1 of your blog so it gives the reader to familiarise with the first part of your blog before they read part 2.

      I also forgot, as a historian, you may also want to think about inserting links of how you found your evidence, if you carried out internet research. If it’s taken from a book you may want to list the sources to support your argument you used and put those in at the end of your blog.

      Sorry to hear about your photos getting lost through having. I hope that hasn’t put you off writing.

      realjoephill25
      https://realjoephill25.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi, thanks for the further feedback. I’m a little unsure about publishing all my sources as a couple of you guys have fed back to me about doing that, and of course I can, because I want my work to stand up to academic scrutiny. However, limited photos aside, going forward I will as much as possible. I was wary about publishing my Pofumo photos as they will be copyrighted to the TNA as will any other archive document be copyrighted to its archive. I’d need permissions.
        Also my tutor at uni told us with public history, we don’t need to list sources but maybe suggest a further reading list. But I’m still so new to this that I can see some people really do want sources listed. So I will edit where I can to add the sources. Thanks so much, really useful advice. Ruth

        Liked by 1 person

    4. Finding another history blog on WordPress is a rare treat so I was happy to discover yours. Digital vs physical is an interesting topic–I prefer digital sources myself. I look forward to your future posts!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks! I’m trying to build up a portfolio but it will take time as I want to add new work, not just items studied at uni. More family history coming…it’s easier to write. Thanks for the follow too!

        Liked by 1 person

  26. Hello blogging buddies! I have three new posts.

    One is poetry and the other is not. Both of them are centered around culture. How we perceive crying and how we are artificially shaped by social media.

    https://reignoffaith.wordpress.com/2016/06/25/cascading-laughter/

    https://reignoffaith.wordpress.com/2016/06/25/the-cult-of-followers/

    I also made some changes to my blog. I added popular blog topics to my menu as well as my Twitter feed. I struggled with the formatting so I would love some feedback on that as well!

    Liked by 1 person

  27. I have one attempt at shaking this writers’ block:

    Which to Continue?

    Any and all feedback/comments (feel free to comment on the post directly) is hugely appreciated, as I really one of these snippets will become a lifeline at the moment.
    I’m reaching out a little further than I usually do because I have been given literally no direction by anyone on these extracts.

    Thank you so much if you decide to help me out. It would mean so much to me right now. Thank you.

    Like

    1. Hello. Thank you for sharing your writing. I think it is very creative, and perhaps abstract, which is very interesting. I read your first extract. I was drawn in enough to read to the end. I wanted to read more. I think that I would have been able to digest it more easily, and perhaps grasp it better, if it was better formatted. By format I am referring to both how it is physically laid out on the page, and the use and placement of punctuation.

      Thank you for sharing.

      Like

      1. Thank you. Although I understand how the formatting can be distracting, that was intentional. I feel it helps with the rhythm and flow of the character and the story, when the story needs to flow, or I can use it to make the story halting and juddering.

        Thanks you for taking the time to read my piece though!

        Like