Apr 3, 2017 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Where bloggers come for friendly feedback and advice.

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 and guidelines 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, as well as for not starting numerous threads in a single Pool.
  • 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. Also note that including multiple links in your comment might automatically put it in the moderation queue, which will delay its publication.
  • 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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    2. That was lovely. I’m glad you write on WordPress. It would be exciting to see your writing over the next decade or two, as well.

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Cassandra! I read your post about spring. I really loved the feel of your first paragraph. I found myself wanting to hear more about what spring is like in Denmark. You should write more about your country!

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Totally relate!! I always thought in school that I hated English/Language Arts and that it was my worst subject! Turns out, it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life and is really the only way I’ve found to express some of the emotions I normally keep locked up. Thank you for this!

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank you, lilbeccs! It is amazing how some turning points in your life can change your feelings about things like writing. In my case, I used to express emotions verbally (often in the form of tirades, inappropriate remarks, etc.) I still love to talk, but writing is a safer place to express certain things. It also reigns me in so that I take more time to carefully think out what I want to express.

        Liked by 2 people

    3. I am a late comer to writing as well. But it has definitely been cathartic for me. Really helps me process my feelings and thoughts. I really enjoy reading other’s blogs too. I really liked yours!

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank you, themulliganlife! I’m glad so many of us have found a helpful coping method/release. I kind of mentioned it in my post, but I find the release not just a mental/emotional release, but even a physical one (through my fingers). Maybe that sounds strange.

        Liked by 2 people

    1. That’s a good story of how one event can change our perspective going forward. Toward the end you have some sentences with inconsistent verb tenses. Here’s a possible edited version: “Alok decided that the next time he meet his father, he would tell him that how much he loved him . He would express his feelings. He would tell him how important he wass to him and how much he looked up to his father.” https://gracelead.co

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks a lot. English is not my first language that is why I face some problems. Thanks for pointing out that.

        Liked by 2 people

  10. I am completely new to blogging. I love essential oils and I am not so new to them. I’m trying to find time to get my blog posts out there but I can’t seem to find enough time for it. Please check out my site. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. http://www.essential-life101.com I try to give as much information as I can and I have a post just about ready to be posted but needs a few touch ups first. I am completely open to any and all constructive criticism

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I cannot wait to read more of this. My wife and I just started using Essential Oils, so right away this catches my attention.

      I already love Peppermint Oil, Lavender Oil, Tea Tree and Rosemary oils… but I know there are many more out there to learn about..

      The lay out is nice and clean cut. Do you have social media links that you can add so that I can add you on Facebook/Twitter ….

      Liked by 2 people

      5. Okay, here’s how you do it. You have the button theme and when you are in the main wordpress screen and you click customize. Then click menus and social media. Let me know if that helps 🙂

        Like

    2. I love your website theme and layout. It really catches my attention.
      Sounds like you had fun getting to visit 221B Baker street. We have kept up with watching all of the BBC episodes which are mind bogglingly terrific 🙂

      Like

      1. Thanks for that advice. I will look into it.
        My advice for your blog is to get bigger fonts going for your titles. The blog page on your site looks pretty sparse so far.

        Liked by 2 people

  12. Hello, everyone! I’ve been blogging for a while, but really want to focus more on gaining traffic and *interested*, returning readers. Are there any tips some vets or successful bloggers could share about how to get the word out? Thanks!

    Liked by 3 people

  13. Hey guys, would love any feedback on my latest post and will happily return the favour!
    Do people generally post at a specific time? Do you share your posts on any other sites? Thanks!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Heey) Such a cool post! With all thise gifs and stuff, very entertsining) although I’d rather add a little more text, something about your own experience. Or delite all those additional text you have and just name those things. The reason to that is that the little-letters text looks a bit weird. I’m not saying it’s badly written, no, it just looks a bit out of there, you know? Or maybe it’s only the text at the very end? I dunno, it just looks odd to me)
      As fot the time, I know that some popular bloggers have day and time when they kinda have to post cause people are waiting, but as a starter I’dsuggest simply giving a good content)
      Personally, i don’t share stuff on other sies apart from rare post on Instagram ’bout new post or the blog in general))
      Sorry for such a longread)
      with love, Summer

      Home

      PS as for in here I’d suggest to add a real link like the one i gave above)) I’s just easier for others to access))

      Like

  14. Encouraging reader feedback and participation is my current blogging goal. My blog is a positivity blog about life events in family, teaching, and faith. I welcome suggestions and feedback. I also enjoy checking out the work of other bloggers so you can guarantee that I will reciprocate the favor. 🙂

    http://www.intentergy.com

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Enjoyed the content, it’s nice and entertaining, but the site is soo dark, I’d add a little more colors and ‘life’ to it) If you love grey, you can simply make it a little lighter so that your blog seemed a little bit more wrlcoming, yoy know?
      Everything else i great! And you already have a custom name which means you’re quite cool already))
      with love, Summer))

      Home

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Very informative and helpful, thanks, now i know how to backup)) As for the style and the layout I’ve got some thoughts) First, change either the background color or the text one, it’s very hard to read black text on a dark blue background) Second, try to make the pictures bigger so that I wouldn’t have to click on them to read and see what you have there)
      Everything else seems to be just fine))
      With love, Summer)

      Home

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for the comments. Were you viewing on a device? It seems there is problems with my theme where the white post background does not show up, just the regular background. I have considered changing theme, what do you think should I? Good to hear about the images, I thought it might be helpful to not take up as much room with the pictures, but glad to hear that it would be preferred to be larger like my other posts.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. I was viewing on the laptop, not the phone) I guess it doesn’t work anywhere? I think yoy should change the theme maybe?There are so many good ones, more modern and nice for an eye) Just choose one))
        Your welcome) I’d love you to check me out too))

        Home

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Ah, I just had a theme update that messed it up because it was working, so now New Theme, here I come. I will have to look into selecting the one that I think looks the best and works the best (I am picky and can take forever to decide) Thanks so much for the helpful tips 🙂 Will be looking at yours too 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Helloo)) Like the theme you went for, very colorful, but not too much) I like your secont post about motivation, it is really very important)) But you started talking ’bout that and then switched to writing, i know they are together, and it was kinda an example, but you made an example sound like the most important part)
      It’s only my opinion, you can build your posts however you want)
      With love, Summer)

      Home

      Liked by 1 person

      2. Thank you for the feedback Summervinn.. I am just a beginner in writing..Your review would really help me on how to develop a post.. I won’t edit the post but I’ll make sure that you won’t be disappointed in the future 🙂 🙂 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  17. Hello everybody..!
    I have started a tiny comedy segment on my blog. Would love your feedback and opinion on it..! (Don’t sue me if you have a mental breakdown after reading my jokes. I have no money)

    A New Thing..!

    Waiting with trepidation,
    Deek 🙂 😀

    Liked by 4 people

  18. A Vote!

    I’m doing the Dogwood 2016 photography challenge and I just posted four photos and a vote to accompany them for last week’s theme, Black & White Landscape.

    Anyone here care to cast a vote as to which one is the best of the four, it’d be much appreciated! (Also any comment you care to leave as to why.)

    Along the Thames (Black & White)

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    I’m also interested to hear of anybody else who’s doing the challenge!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Very cool blog! I voted for the “Photographer Taking Advantage of Low Tide” because of the texture show in the ramp he was attempting to work on. There is something about the idea of hanging in there with what you’ve got to get the shot. Keep up the good work. Your writing has a very pleasant tone as well.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thank you for voting and commenting! I’m quite pleased with the photographer although at first it didn’t occur to me at all that it might make a good black & white photo.

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Kaylee, for the past year I have seemed to average 800-1100 views per month. Of course my goal is to always increase traffic. My current ventures have been in more vocal sharing on social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instgram). I wish you lots of luck in your blogging adventures!

      Liked by 2 people

      2. Twitter is tough! I still haven’t got the hang of the hashtags or @’s but I keep trying. I think the biggest part of it comes from who you follow and how you interact with their tweets.

        Liked by 1 person

    4. I’m a new blogger. I’m not getting much views yet. But I have done fair amount of research on traffic growth. So I’ll talk about that.
      Social media plays a big role here as others have said. But Twitter won’t help much. In my opinion (and many other marketers) Facebook page and Pinterest is your best bet. Yes, Pinterest. You should start using eye catching graphics and those tend to be popular on pinterest. Also try to enagage people in Facebook. There is a option in page settings where you can target particular group of peoples. It will make sure that you get seen by the target audience of your niche. Apart from these, there are lots of other things to look for. But all of those will make a whole new post (let me know if you want me to write one) 😉 Best of luck with these two 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sorry I am just getting back, thank you so much for replying I will definitely have to look into starting a Facebook page for my blog as well as improving my Pinterest. Please let me know if you write that other post, I would love to read it 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Hannah, your blog is lovely. It will be exciting to read about your adventures as you earn your veterinary certification and the role your faith plays in the journey. Keep plugging away. Consider posts about why you feel called to care for God’s feathery and furry creatures. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    1. I don’t think that link will work, try this one instead
      ***https://diydear.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/flowers-and-food-💐/

      Liked by 3 people

    2. I like it! I’m starting a blog about food too, specifically in dealing with my children’s food allergies. Would you mind checking mine out? It’s at foodallergydad.wordpress.com.
      I really like your “5 products” post. We can’t have soy in our house… are the coconut aminos really a viable replacement for soy sauce?

      Liked by 1 person