Aug 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? 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. Just commented! Good content, good post length. My only suggestion: add some images 🙂 They break up the text and add some color to posts. Blogging is a very visual medium!

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much – very good idea and I will make sure I give some more time and attention to the visuals.
        Really like your blog, congratulations on your publications too 🙂

        Like

    1. Just commented. Great use of images (especially to explain an app) and good post length. If you’re looking for suggestions, I recommend avoiding abbreviations like “ur.” While these are faster and easier to type, they look much less professional than taking the extra time and typing the word out. Not a huge deal, but worth thinking about!

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Hi everybody,
    Thank you for this opportunity, I am a new author and I have never really blogged before so some insight is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.
    jansenblogsite.wordpress.com

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Well, blogging is a good way to get some knowledge and life experience off our chest. We all have knowledge and stories we want to get out into the world, you just happen to be the sort brave enough to get it published to a massive audience.

      Just be on the lookout for too many tags on a post. I’ve learned my lesson with that. Also, you have some misspellings that you should look into (you can always edit a published post).

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for the reply! I’ll check into those spelling errors, I have contracted the bad habit of favoring getting the words on paper rather then proofing my work, apparently many authors do this, but ill keep a better lookout for it. and I assume by too many tags your are referring to the 15 tag rules they have for discover?

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Just commented — nice blog. I like how short some of your posts are; they feel like little tidbits of advice and I like that! My suggestion: add photos to more of your posts. Your most recent one has that sick apocalyptic picture — but some of your other posts don’t have visuals like that. Try adding more to add color and break up the text.

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi Natalie, thank you very much for your thoughts, I did actually look at your blog and I definitely see what you mean about the pictures, it really brightens things up.

        Like

      1. Thank you for taking a look, I am a new author myself, and I have found a lot that has helped me learn some of the trade. Anything that I can give to those who inspire to someday be published I do.

        Liked by 1 person

    4. Hey, something that has helped me is to make clear goals for my blog. These goals can change as needed, but it has helped so much to know where I want to go with the blog. And be sure to make drafts of any possible post idea. Over time it will build up and you’ll have some options on what to write on next. Best of luck as you continue to write!
      Check out my blog about authentic living, thankfulness, and satire at: https://wondersinthewind.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Nice site! I just scrolled through — good post length and good use of images/GIFs. 🙂 My suggestion: right now your home page displays the full length of each article. If you use the “read more” tag when you’re creating a post, your home page will be shorter and your readers will be able to find more posts without scrolling for a long time. 🙂

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hello! ❤ As I've mention, I'm still learning the basics and I appreciate the suggestion so much! Thank you! On my way to your site 🙂

        Like

      1. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your comments. Sometimes I don’t know where my posts will go, but they always end up somewhere. I’ll check out your page.
        Cheers

        Like

    1. i ck out your blog i like it but as u were saying about word count i think the shorter the better. people only have so much time to stop by and you what to snap them up wiht good content but not too long …. 🙂 i hope this helps u do what u like to do 🙂 blessings see u on the blogosphere 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Awesome post! What a great lesson — I wish I learned it earlier! Good post length, great content. My suggestion: add an image. It adds color to your post and breaks up the text while also making the post seem shorter without removing any words. 🙂

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Hi, I’m Gloria from “Sun Requiem”! My blog is 2.5 months old with nearly 70 posts. The URL for my website is https://sunrequiem.wordpress.com and my most recent post you can find here (basically a post encouraging discussion in the comments): https://sunrequiem.wordpress.com/2016/08/01/senior-year-reading-list/
    Here’s one piece that I put a lot of heart into but is really underrated – “Fangirl Apologetics”: https://sunrequiem.wordpress.com/2016/06/12/fangirl-apologetics-%E2%99%82%E2%99%80/
    I’m visiting a lot of the sites above, look forward to connecting! Please enjoy, and keep up the amazing work!

    Like

    1. I really liked “Cracked Rearview.” Anyone can relate — it’s simple, but so powerful. Fabulous work!

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Well that is how things pop up in my head, like bullets! Writing brings me clarity and helps me clear my head. Maybe that is why…I’m not sure though 😛
        I find being natural important.

        Glad you enjoyed reading, thanks for the feedback 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I liked your post about intentional living. My blog is all about meaningful living, so it really struck a chord with me. Keep using images in your posts to break up the text, and keep posting awesome content! Be careful not to let your posts get too wordy — it’s an easy trap to fall into, for sure.

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Hello! I would love some feedback on my creative writing blog.
    It’s a pretty new blog (I started a month ago). So in those first two weeks, I posted nearly every day. It’s a pretty unsustainable habit given my internship schedule, so now I post every couple of days.

    Unfortunately, I’ve seen a decline in views/likes on my posts. Not sure if it’s due to my less frequent posting, or the posts themselves?

    Here’s a link to my blog:
    https://sonderwriter.wordpress.com/

    You can see a list of my top posts and recent posts on the right sidebar.

    I would really love any insight and tips that you guys have! And constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!!!

    Liked by 6 people

    1. I may know why your views declined — looks like you’re using more than 15 categories/tags. When you use more than that, WordPress actually blocks your post from Reader, so viewers won’t see posts with that many tags and therefore your stats will decline.

      Liked by 3 people

      2. Me neither! Someone on Community Pool once told (and the mods have since confirmed). I’d choose whichever tags/categories are strongest and stick with those 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  17. Hi,

    I am writing a film blog and since I just came back from a 6-months hiatus I am somehow trying to get back into the regular writing. I’d greatly appreciate any form of feedback (even if it’s criticism – I mean that!) about my reviews (are they too long, do they make sense and make you interested in seeing the film or not?)… or if there’s some other blog features that put you off…

    Basically any form of constructive criticism will be extremely welcome – as are compliments, but I am really not fishing for those and would appreciate your honest opinion 🙂

    https://nickysfilmdiary.wordpress.com/

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Wow, you’ve done this a while. Anyway, you give a rather in-depth critique of the movie, but if length is a concern, I suppose in your mind you’re at least aware that you may accidentally spoil something. The rating system’s good, especially as a way to conclude your post, but (especially for those of us in immersed in the tech age – we’ve all got ADD) remind us, preferably in bulleted format, why you would give something a 7 (out of 10?). If the bullets don’t have a lot of detail (“clunky writing” for example), the reader might ask themselves “what do you mean ‘clunky writing’?” and go back up to the main article.

      Just something to think about from a VERY casual movie-goer.

      https://scicasual.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Some of the most enjoyable reading that I find is on WordPress. Not sure if you can see the sites I follow but there are a few that are exceptionally well written in my opinion. I really enjoy humor blogs so if you know of any, let me know. While you’re at it, please consider taking a look and maybe even subscribing to mine: http://www.letmebefrankwithyou.com. I’d love to hear your opinion (if it’s not an angry one) and will offer you mine on your blog if you’d like. Thanks and keep writing! Frank

    Liked by 4 people

  20. Hello, friends! My name is Jan, and I am always looking to find more blogs about moms, parenting, kids, gaming, and every day life things! I also write about all the things I just listed! I also participate in daily prompts, photography challenges, and short story writing. Stop by and say hello? I’ll come by as well!:) https://superjangames.wordpress.com

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Potential advice: right now, your home page displays the full length of each post. If you use the “read more” tag when creating a post, you can show only snippets of the post, which shortens your home page and lets readers see more posts with less scrolling 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Whaaat?! I’ve on WP for years and never knew that was a thing! So you just add that to the tags and it does it automatically? That’s… literal magic. Thank you so much!

        Like

      2. It’s one of the options along the top bar when you create/edit a post. It has a dashed line on it 🙂 I don’t think anything will happen if you just add it to the tags/categories section, though.

        Liked by 1 person

  21. Hey Pool,

    Glad to ping here after a week, I am back with a special letter for someone who really own it, please spend for time to go through and I am eagerly waiting to hear from all of you, hope you all will enjoy the feel it bounds with!

    Wishing every single “Happy Reading”

    Here you go with the link:

    Who are you to me??

    Liked by 4 people

  22. Hello all! Go check out my most recent post about navigating career goals and dating in your twenties — there’s some fun Parks and Rec references thrown in there, too.

    Also coming up in a couple days is a round-up of what I’ve been reading this summer, so keep checking back in if you need book recommendations!

    Community Pool is one of my favorite parts of the week, honestly; I love finding new blogs!

    http://www.missionincomplete95.wordpress.com

    Liked by 6 people

    2. Great use of images, great content, good post length. All awesome stuff 🙂 I really enjoyed reading your blog. Keep up the awesome work!

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Like

    4. Hey!
      I love Parks & Rec as well! It was interesting to read how you are connecting your viewing experience with real life. I think you did a good job of spacing out the pictures/gifs/memes and text. It was sort of like a Buzzfeed articles with more personality, which I think is a good thing. Keep it up! Check out my blog about authentic living, thankfulness, and satire at: https://wondersinthewind.wordpress.com

      Like

      1. Thanks for reading and for the feedback! I went and checked out your blog too; I love the look and your about page! Also I noticed that you’re halfway to a year of blogging, so go you!

        Like

  23. Happy Monday Bloggers! I would love if you could stop by my blog Accidentally Single. Feel free to read, comment, like, and subscribe. The same will be returned. Thanks!

    Liked by 6 people

  24. Hi everyone,

    A friend of mine recommended that I post here to get some feedback / let people know that my blog exists so I thought I’d go ahead and give it a go.

    I’m a Christian who found faith at University, where I studied Natural Sciences; I’m now a PhD student. I sporadically take to my blog and write about things pertaining to faith from a perspective that people might not be used to. I’ve never really put my blog into the public eye, so don’t have much of a following, leading to a cycle of lack of motivation to keep it updated and of course not getting more views because it’s never updated. I’d like to change that!

    I hope you enjoy the blog, I’ll link to a post that’s sort of a logical start-point, but I’ve made a few other posts since then.

    Science and Faith: Logic, Reason, and God – Part 1

    Cheers! 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Just commented. I recommend adding images to your post to break up the text and add some color — but I enjoyed reading what you had to say! 🙂

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Hey – thanks for your feedback, I think pictures and a little more colour would probably add a lot to the blog… I will have to stop being lazy and actually do that! 🙂

        I’ve had a read of your blog post about taking a hiatus and left a comment – a very enjoyable and informative read!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I enjoyed your post. From one INTJ to another, I think you did a good job of explaining your thought process. As you noted, much of the angst is confusion over what vs. why. I left a comment on your post and noted another good book to read on the topic. https://gracelead.co

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for the encouraging feedback, always good to know that I’m on the right lines in getting down my thought process in the eyes of a fellow INTJ 🙂 Like I said in reply to your comment on my blog, it looks like your site is crammed with interesting posts; I will be sure to have a good read of it!

        Like

  26. Hi friends,

    How r you all?? Hope you all are doing great!!!!!

    This is a short piece which I published here a few days back. Have a read and please share your views: https://prasenjitghoshwordpresscom.wordpress.com/2016/07/28/death-of-innocence/

    If you love this one, you can go through my other works at: https://prasenjitghoshwordpresscom.wordpress.com/

    Any suggestion is welcome. Have a great night (it’s nigh here in India). 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  27. Hello love!!
    I have started blogging and my blog is all about fashion and fun..
    am a blogger from india…
    come and join make sure you follow me as well on the blog..
    and if you like my page dont forget to like,share and comment..
    Much love..,
    Theallurecouture❤
    Link👇
    https://theallurecouture.wordpress.com

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Hey there. I recommend adding a more personal background photo, so that at first glance the readers will be able to learn something about you.

      Like

    1. Nice post. Good content, nice list, good post length 🙂 my suggestion: add an image! Maybe of your yard, full of stuff… or, if you prefer something less personal, an image of clutter or even a store. Images are a great way to break up the text and add some color.

      Would you be willing to read one of my posts? Click on my name and choose whichever appeals to you most 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    2. Cool idea for a post. It has some very helpful tips. I hadn’t thought about using social media or advertising the sale on the internet. It’s nice to have some tips for something that can be done in so many ways. Thanks for sharing this. Check out my blog about authentic living, thankfulness, and satire at: https://wondersinthewind.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person