Mar 23, 2015 / Community Pool

Community Pool

The place for advice, feedback, and friendly blogging conversation.

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?

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.

Photo by Brian Cantoni.

Show Comments

731 Comments

Comments are closed.

Close Comments

Comments

    1. I like your writing voice. My only suggestion would be to break up your posts visually with either sub-headings or images. Of course, that’s a personal choice, but I see you have a photo in a few posts. It helps give the eyes a break when scrolling down the page.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thank you so much 🙂 I think my previous community pool comment was also filled with a similar suggestion. the problem being, i find it difficult to find images that suit what i’m trying to convey or it ends up making a serious post feel silly. but i’ll make an honest effort moving forward 🙂 Thanks again 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Awe, I can’t comment on the last post 😦 I think it’s highly beneficial to have an end in sight while simultaneously going where your characters take you, and naturally exploring alongside them.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Haha, i definitely still have an end in sight. I just don’t write it down anywhere or make it official. Interestingly enough, that CAN cause problems, like i forget the end to certain subplots, but usually i just replay significant scenes over in my head so i don’t forget them.
        Aul

        Like

      5. Hi Aul, I have left a post below but it seems you may be able to offer me some advice on self publishing? My first novel is in the making and I am attempting to create the hype I need early on ready for when it’s completed. Any tips you can offer would come in very handy! Thanks. Mark

        Liked by 1 person

      9. Hey! I’ve already been following your blog for a while so I wasn’t going to comment but I wanted to give some advice about the picture thing. I got a lot of feedback about this too, and so I have started using royalty free “do whatever you want” images. Sometimes I find some that relate to my topics, or sometimes I just find a pretty nature picture or background and edit it to have a quote on it from my writing. My favourite website for photos is Unsplash, but I also use Gratisography and I edit them on Fotor and occasionally Picmonkey. I have really enjoyed putting photos into my posts, I hope this helps you in some way!!

        Liked by 2 people

      10. Hey Sherina, I found your advice interesting. Because of the business I work for I especially want to stay on the right side of the law, and so I post only my own photos. I had no idea what other bloggers did for pictures, so I’m glad to have learned something.

        Liked by 1 person

      11. I know what you mean. That happens to me too sometimes. I just discovered a resource for photos from Sherina over at sherinaspeaks.wordpress.com — It’s called Unsplashed and it has a ton of free photos that are kind of romantic and moody and could probably help illustrate some of the more abstract posts. Here’s the link: https://unsplash.com/grid

        Like

    2. In regards to your last post… I don’t know what happened. Did you get a new job? I feel like you said so much about how you felt you forgot to say what happened. Or was it all about your sprained ankle? I like that you act like you practically expected it to happen.

      Like

    5. I really like your blog…it reflects your personality, which is a great thing to have in the bloggers world:)
      I am trying to but the best of me on paper as well…it’s not easy:)
      I would add some visual to the posts…pictures.
      Good luck!

      Like

    2. Beautifully written post. Poetry is not my forte, so this is a critique coming from a writer of personal essays. I think if you edited – out the rhymes, it might be more powerful as a personal essay, but again that is just a personal opinion based upon my limited experience with poetry. Overall, a very powerful piece! Kudos!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Hello wonderful writery people.

    I’m thinking about taking my blog in a slightly new direction away from the news stories that I normally write about and more towards creative writing/ personal stuff, so it would be really cool if you could check it out and let me know if you have any feedback. I’ve just started doing a really cool poetry challenge also, which you should definitely check out.

    Blog to be found here:
    https://bencnicholson.wordpress.com

    Any feedback, positive or negative (I can take it, I promise) is always wonderfully appreciated and I’m always happy to check out other people’s stuff as well.

    Thanks as ever,
    Ben

    Liked by 6 people

    3. Hello Ben!
      Your poetry is great and yes I take full responsibility for the fact that you’ve posted poetry and also in the direction your blog is going because I told you to 🙂 So you’re welcome! lol But in all seriousness keep up the good work!
      Bianca

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi!

        Haha, that is actually a completely legitimate credit taking that you have just done there, so thank you very much 😛 Thanks for reading as ever, and as always looking forward to reading your writings 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    4. Hi, I really like your poetry so I say go for it and I think adding more personal posts would really enhance your blog. Unfortunately, I have to admit I find your theme kind of cold and even a little off putting….sorry. But never fear it wouldn’t stop me from visiting. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi, thanks for the feedback. You’re right, and I’ve been thinking about changing the theme for a while. I think it was fine for the sort of posts I was originally doing but now there is more poetry and stuff it does look kind of stark. I’ll have a look around and see if there’s anything I like better, thanks again. 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

    5. Hey Ben! I’ve been following your blog for a while now and I must say I’ve enjoyed watching your writing transition. I did enjoy your other writings about world news and such but your poetry is really fantastic! I’m just starting to get into poetry myself outside of my blog but I may consider joining that challenge. Keep up the great work in all of your writings! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks very much! You should definitely take the challenge if you’re looking to get into poetry on your blog at all, it’s a great way of making sure that you get at least one published per week 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I enjoyed reading the musings on your blog, Aakansha. You come across as very relatable and your posts are interesting. I had to search hard for something to “critique” because as the site says it’s a life blog and I think your personality definitely comes through.
      If I had to make a suggestion, I’d say that all the things in your sidebar could be a bit distracting as there is just so much to comb through.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Hi Aakansha,

      I like your blog, the layout especially, it’s simple and easy to navigate. The use of images on your sidebar and posts is great, that could be due to my attention span and love for colour 🙂

      Onto your content, it’s relatable. The posts offer variety from personal posts to poetry. Also the fact that you have a link to the poet’s corner is awesome.

      Liked by 2 people

    4. I’m really glad I found your blog! I had an inkling I would like it when I saw “I go to seek a great perhaps”, and this only intensified when I read your posts. You are very relateable in your writing! I blog about kind of similar things (my views on my life) so I’m really looking forward to reading more from you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It really makes me happy when I see people relating to my blog’s banner. It was written with much emotions and ardor.

        Thank you so much for taking the time and I’ll surely visit your blog. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    6. Hi. I took a look and liked your style. As a lifestyle blog you have the prerogative to post what you want, so the only (minor) critique would be to watch your spelling (ex: excited/exited)

      Liked by 1 person

    4. Tope’s blog url is linked to their handle, “Tope.” We’d actually prefer that folks don’t add their URL into signatures — it’s a bit spammy.

      Like

  9. Hello everyone,
    Last week I published the 10th post on my blog, Effective Thoughts. It was about “Health Is Wealth – A Conceptual Critique”. Two days ago I edited it effectively – added pictures and text – and updated it.
    Would love some feedback on it. Here is the Link;
    https://effectivethoughts.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/health-is-wealth-2
    Also feedback on the whole blog in general is highly appreciated. Here is the link;
    https://effectivethoughts.wordpress.com
    If you want feedback on your blog, just let me know!
    Thanks.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I am just reading your updated post now with the pictures, and I think it was a really good idea to add them! They break up the text and add to your overall point (which is a very good one, I might add). Keep up the great work!!

      Like

  10. Hi everyone, I am struggling with getting followers and I’m not sure why.I’ve tried changing a number of things but nothing helps! Could you please take a quick look at my blog and see what stands out as a possible problem? Maybe my categories of posts? Thanks tons.

    Welcome!

    Liked by 7 people

      1. I agree with mtaggart. Specifically on The TED talk post was hard to digest in its lengthy state. Maybe you could have turned it into a list of the most important/interesting points from the talk (broken up with some bolded subtitles/ sentences).
        Personally, I wasn’t sure what the blog was about, not that you have to limit yourself to a specific category or topic (I don’t either). But there was a lot of info and I wasn’t sure where to start to get a sense of your story.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Thanks for the suggestion. It’s a great idea, which I never thought of. I’ll definitely do that next time I have a long post. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Thanks for the great suggestion. I didn’t realize that the post was so long and tedious. I will definitely break down long posts in the future! 🙂

        Like

    2. Your blog is really interesting, I’m now following you! I quite like the categories, I think they help the reader find the types of posts they are looking for in your blog. You might want to change your theme though, it only takes up half the width of the page on my monitor, and a different theme might make the site more visually appealing to new followers 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Wow interesting idea, thanks, I never would have thought of that. Also thanks for the follow! 🙂

        Like

    3. Hey Amanda,
      I really liked the general look and feel of your blog. However, I struggled to get an understanding of what you want it to be. In my opinion this could be preventing you from getting more followers as people might not want to follow your blog if they dont know what to expect from it.
      Maybe you could set up an “about” page where you outline exactly what you write about.

      I also noticed some of your posts have loads of really great photos but others are just text – maybe try including more photos as I am always drawn to bright posts that are visually appealing.

      Best of luck
      H.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Great suggestions! Thanks so much. I think you may have hit the nail on the head and setting up an “about” page is an excellent idea….Thanks. 🙂

        Like

    4. Hey Amanda,
      Your content is great, but I do agree with mtaggartwriter about the lengthy posts.

      The only other aspect would be sidebars, maybe reduce the amount of information on there because it can be slightly distracting from the content, you could also try an about me page in your menu so that there isn’t a very lengthy description in your sidebar.
      I really like the blog though, all the best.

      -Natasha.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for the great suggestions. Yeah I obviously need to work on those long written posts. I alsolike the idea of an About me page. Thanks again.:-)

        Liked by 1 person

    5. Just stopped by and followed Amanda. Getting followers is hard work, getting yourself exposure like you are doing in the community pool does go a long way. It is what got me off the ground. 🙂
      Your blog is very positive. You have a wide variety of posts that would appeal to a large demographic. Keep hanging in there, and doing what you are doing. I do believe your audience will grow. 🙂
      ~Carl~

      Liked by 2 people

    7. Hi Amanda!
      First I think you should like your name to your actual blog because when I click on your name when you make a comment it goes to a page that says it doesn’t exist. So try to connect it to make it easier for people to find your blog.
      And second I just think your posts are too wordy sometimes less is more. If you shorten up your posts then people won’t get bored halfway through and stop reading and you are potentially losing a few followers that way! Anyway I do like your blog so I’ve followed! 🙂
      Bianca

      Like

    8. One piece of advice I would give is to have a follow widget (for WordPress blogs). I see you have one for email, and the bar at the top does give the option to follow on WordPress, but this might be helpful. Other than that, I would agree with the above comment to maybe split up larger posts and perhaps with your categories you could be a bit more diverse (for example, written posts – aren’t most of them written?). I really like your style of writing and am excited to read more from you 🙂

      Like

    9. Pretty much everything I was going to say has been said, but I’ll hit on a few things! When I first saw your blog, I just thought it was kind of busy. Not that that is a bad thing. I mean, mine is probably too simple to exist. However, as others have said, I couldn’t really get a feel for what your blog was about. At first I thought it was just re-hashing interesting news articles, but then there were happy posts with adorable puppies, and a recipe and such. As other said, you don’t -have- to have a theme, but you’re wanting an audience, people who kind of know what to expect when they visit your little slice of the pie. (All of the preceding is my opinion only, and I’m fairly new to this myself, so take it with a steamroller of salt.)

      Like

      1. Thanks Ben, It seems to be the advice of the day so I will definitely do something about it. 🙂

        Like

    1. If you’re able to work well with photographing food you may find restaurants in need of your skills. I know this from experience. I haven’t a clue if you’re interested in doing that, but it’s a need that exists.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I love your layout! And kudos on including a variety of food shots – however, I think your photos will benefit from good natural lighting. The photos of the maple syrup chocolate cake and the spelt rolls were much brighter and more vivid than others, and therefore more eye-catching to me.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi basilandoil.

        I agree with Jhaneel. You should try some natural light. Sometimes your colours get a little washed out and your food looks less vibrant as a result. Like the pomegranate seeds in your quinoa salad should pop out at me a bit more.I’m sure they give the salad itself a great splash of colour, but it’s not quite coming across. I still want to eat it mind you!

        Liked by 2 people

    4. I agree with the above comment about more natural lighting – the colours in the pictures would look really nice with more lighting. I’m going to show this recipe to my quinoa obsessed mom 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    5. Your blog is quickly becoming my go-to source for recipes when I find myself in a cooking rut. My only comment would be to use a different light source so that the colors of the ingredients would “pop” more.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Wow, thank you so much! That is amazing to hear 🙂 I agree with you on the photos, it’s something that’s on my to-do list to improve! Thanks!

        Like

    1. The topic you’ve written about IS very important. The world can be a cruel place and may turn you into something you never sought to be, but that is the beauty of choice.

      What you’ve written is something everyone needs to hear. Evil is evil due to deeds and regardless of colour and good is good due to strength of character that must be built.

      New follower 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi Jhaneel, I was just looking for general critique i.e. layout, content, that kind of stuff 🙂

        Like

      2. Ok. I just took a look and I liked the layout. It’s really easy to read and the menu at the top gives me an easy look at what your bog is about. You also have a good variety of content and post formats, which keeps the posts interesting. I agree with Sherina that natural lighting would help your food posts – as bright, sharp images are key when posting about food. Other than that, lookin good!

        Like

    2. Hello!
      Just visited your blog, my input would be more layout based (though I’m no expert). I like the simplicity of the blog and your content is very diverse, which is great!

      I would recommend maybe moving the stats, email follow and top posts and pages to a sidebar for easier navigation.

      Hope that helped 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you Natasha B! Can you just explain a little more about what you mean by it needs to be more ‘layout based’ please – I’m having a thick moment and just can’t understand.

        With the sidebar, I wanted one but the theme I have hasn’t got a sidebar on the homepage for some reason why I don’t know how to override. 😦

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Oh sorry! I meant my input is layout based, like I would mostly be telling you about what I got from your layout 🙂 No problem, it’s perfectly alright to ask.

        That’s alright then, the theme is good on its own, but I’d suggest exploring themes as well, just in case you find one you like more, though the simple elegance of your current one is really nice 🙂

        Like

      1. Thank you Sherina, I do need to improve my photos, I tend to take them in the evening with my iphone which doesn’t do any justice!

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Greetings everyone,

    I am always looking for feedback and love new eyes on my fun little travel blog Bulldog Travels. Please check it out.

    http://Www.bulldogtravels.wordpress.com

    Also, I have what I think is a simple question. I always see other bloggers including links in their posts to previous stories or other websites where they have edited the link down to one word users can click on. I cannot figure out how to do that and I think it looks so much better in a post. Does anyone know how to do that?

    Thanks! And happy travels.

    -Jenny

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Jenny, Great blog and awesome photos. My only thought is that they could be larger when they aren’t in a gallery/collage (like in the Uxmal post), so people can see more detail right away.

      Also, are you asking how to hyperlink a word in your text? If so, just highlight the word you’d like readers to click on and select that little paper clip/ chain link icon in the toolbar of your post. From there, you can insert the link to whatever post you desire.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank you kindly for the feedback! I will see what I can do about the photos. I am not sure how to make them bigger. The original files, in most cases, are large.

        And I will try the paper clip on the next post I write!

        Thanks again!

        Like

      2. Jenny — When you add a new image to to your post, you can selecting the image display size. The easiest way to do this is probably to click on the photo after you’ve inserted it into the post, and select the pencil tool that says “Edit.”
        This will open up a new box within the post that has several section, including “Display Settings.” In that section, you can change the image size to 1. thumbnail, 2. medium, 3. large, 4. full size or 5. custom size. I usually go with Full Size, which displays them at the largest possible size that fits with the blog’s template. You can play with the options to see what you like best.
        If you have a lot of photos with really large file sizes, then large might be best as anything bigger could slow down your loading time. But I’ve never run into that issue.
        Hope this helps. If not, maybe this post will do a better job explaining than I can: https://wordpress.com/support/images/image-settings/

        Liked by 2 people

    2. Hi Jenny, nice to see you here. 🙂
      See if this makes sense. 🙂
      1. Type in the text you would like to have appear in the body of your log. For example “My Next Travel Destination””
      2. Highlight/select, “My Next Travel Destination”
      3. There is a little button just above the text-entry area in WordPress that looks like a chain link. That’s the “Add/edit Link” button. Select that to open the Add/Edit Link window.
      4. Then Jenny, you will see a field for the url (web address) entry. Put the address there. I copy and paste from the website title page up to the http. For example http://www.travellingtothecanadianarctic.com
      I am still learning so much. I myself had someone help me with this. My e-mail address is on my “About” ” page of my blog, if you have any more questions.
      Take care friend,
      ~Carl~

      Liked by 2 people

    4. You have great content and your images are amazing! 🙂 Love your blog look as well, very minimal and clean.

      Liked by 1 person

    5. As someone’s answered your question, I’m just going to say I love your blog. I can only follow WordPress on my mobile, but it looks amazing. You’ve got a new follower here.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks for the comment and thanks for checking out my blog. I really appreciate it. I also love following other travel bloggers work. It helps me get a travel fix when I am stuck at home. I would love for you to follow me so we can keep in touch. Happy travels!

        Like

  16. Hey there everyone. My scholar friend Carol Hand and I started a new blog THE MIX in Jan. 2015 to discuss ancestry and invite anyone to contribute. We’d love comments too. Here’s the link: https://mixemag.wordpress.com/
    We are weekly on Wednesdays so please take a peek.

    Liked by 2 people

  17. Hi all – I’ve been posting more on my blog lately and while a decent number of people visit and view my posts, they rarely ever comment. I’ve tried leaving questions at the end of some posts, but still no takers.
    I would love to hear your general feedback on my blog and if there are any glaring problems that discourage engagement. http://jhaneellockhart.com/

    Thanks! I’ll be checking out everyone else’s blogs in the mean time.

    Like

    1. Your blog is easy and fun to read and wonderfully varied. In the issue of comments, it’s a tricky one, because it’s rare to get many comments unless your readers number in the hundreds. In my experience it’s rare to get many comments unless you post your writing in an environment like this, which opens it up to thousands of readers. I think it’s mostly about being engaged with the blogging community and then people will be more likely to actively search your stuff out and comment on it, rather than just passively scrolling through it. Either way, keep it up, you’ve certainly got some good stuff 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks, that’s good to know. Most of my traffic comes from social media, and I think those readers are unlikely to comment on the blog. Will take your suggestion and share my work here more often.

        Like

      1. Not a silly question at all! You’d have to click on the title of the post to go to that page specifically, which I think speaks to the question of whether or not posts should be presented in full on the home page (so it’s one giant scrolling experience) or readers should have to click through for each post (which is more work, but shows the comment section clearly). I’ve been thinking about that a lot.

        Like

      2. Is it possible to have the giant scrolling homepage and your most recent posts on a sidebar? That might help with your interaction? Speaking as an absolute novice, of course 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I definitely have been looking for a new theme that has the sidebar option (my current one doesn’t). From one “novice” to another, thanks for your suggestion – I think it’s becoming more and more necessary as i continue to grow the blog.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. One thing I am careful with is to ALWAYS leave a friendly reply to anyone who leaves a comment. If you can get a little dialogue going, even better. Are you visiting other blogs, reading their posts, and commenting? Benedict is right, the more readers you have, the more comments you will get. You also will get “regulars” who post on almost every post. Give it time and get out there and visit!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi lilypup, I do try to leave comments on others’ blogs regularly, but as with everything, I could certainly do it more often. Everyone needs a love. Your suggestions are all very helpful!

        Like

      2. Keep at it. It took me like five months to get to 100 followers and I worked hard to get out and “meet” people! You can do it. Don’t be a stranger….would love to see you around:)

        Liked by 1 person

    4. Hi, I’d agree with Benedict, comments are dependent on your readers, but you’ve definitely taken a step by sharing your link with us here.
      The blog is easy to navigate and very interactive in terms of pictures and colour. I’m a sucker for colour 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello,
      The layout of your blog is really interesting. The fact that the static page is a menu is creative!

      I like that you content is also motivational, we all need that 🙂

      Like

    2. I really enjoy the layout of your blog! I think the different categories you use are really interesting.

      I think you reach a wide variety of individuals which will attract more people since you appear to be writing on topics that are very popular.

      The idea of a menu on the first page, i agree, is very innovative. I am definitely following you and looking forward to your posts!

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Hey! I agree with the previous commentor – I looooove your blog’s layout. Probably one of the best I have seen… I aspire for my blog to look like that someday. Thanks for the inspiration there! I followed, and I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. The format works but I would put a space between the paragraphs. I also think some images would be nice to break it up. But I am no expert, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I really liked the content of the post. lily

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Tovala. Had a look at your blog and your style is very personable. My only suggestion would be to find some graphics to add to your future posts which would make them more appealing to the potential reader. Hope this helps

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hey there!

      Your most recent post is very insightful and a reminder to all of us to do what we would like to be done for or to us.

      I also like your about page, the fun facts are a nice twist.

      Feel free to have a look at my blog, always open to suggestions:

      https://tashab95.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you. 🙂

        A suggestion I have is to perhaps include a little more about yourself in your About page. For those of us who can’t write good poetry (*raises hand immediately*), and therefore struggle to associate with a poet (no offense – that’s our fault 😉 ) I think we’d like to know what books you like to read, how you spend your days, what movies you watch, etc. 🙂 Just a suggestion. (Not that I have the best About page. In my opinion, an About page is a constant work in progress…)
        But I must say, I really like your theme – it looks quite professional. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Hey!
        Thank you for your feedback and honesty especially.
        I’ll definitely do that, I understand that not everyone can identify with poetry (it’s not a sin by the way 🙂 )
        You don’t have to have the best page to give the best suggestions 🙂 Thank you once again 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  23. Hi everyone,
    I’ve recently published a post which is quite different in style to my other posts and would love to hear what you think!
    My usual style of posts is to outline a craft project I have been working on or that is in progress and include lots of pictures of the item.
    This post was a lot shorter than usual and was more about explaining a problem that I have found and asking others for advice.

    What I would like to hear from you guys is how you feel about this style of post, what you think of my post (link below) and how you feel it fits in with the rest of my blog.

    All comments appreciated.
    many thanks
    H.

    Croquis anyone?

    Like

    1. Your blog and post have me stumped. I have NO knowledge of your topic. However, I do like the gorgeous shade of green you have in your header. Are you using good tags on your posts so they are popping up in the reader? lily

      Like

    2. I grew up in the garment industry and smiled broadly when I read “croquis”! It’s such a niche thing that not many people know about and I haven’t heard the word or seen one in ages. My suggestion would be to link to a picture of one or upload a brief sketch to illustrate what a croquis is.

      Like

    1. Your blog is awesome! The only advice I could offer would be to maybe dress it up a little bit. There’s a lot of empty space. Also, engage with other bloggers (not saying you don’t, I have no idea), but you can’t be afraid to shamelessly self-promote! Comment, like posts, etc…

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Why thank you 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it. Self promotion is honestly a little bit lost on me. I’d have no idea where to start…

        Thanks for the comment re:the empty space. I’ll have a bit of a fiddle with the layout and whathaveyou.

        Thanks for following too! I’m just on my way to check your blog out 🙂 x

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Just read more blogs and comment on things you like and/or dislike! It’s tricky, especially if you tend to be more introverted, but the more people who become aware of you, the better. (he said, from under his rock, under a blanket, in his cave.)

        I never worried about followers, but they keep showing up anyway. I guess “if you write it, they will come” or something…

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I see I see, that kind of thing I’m doing slowly already which is good news! I just realised that although I’ve been posting my blogs to facebook, they’ve been posted as private so I’ve corrected that at least.

        I’m definitely an introvert, I think I might mention it in practicaly every post. But yeah, much easier to pretend to be an extrovert behind the nice, safe computer screen. There’s a reason I chose internet dating!

        Thanks for your insight lovely, I’m following your blog. Love your writing style and attitude. Keep ’em coming 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      5. I’m an introvert too and it can be hard to reach out. But I think reaching out gains more followers over time. Maybe try searching out other similar blogs or just blogs that you like and “liking” their content and more importantly, commenting. Commenting shows that you take more time with their content and shows that you are more willing to interact. I would say most bloggers will return the favor.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. HI!
      Your blog is fun in terms of colour, it’s very eye catching.

      In terms of content, based off what I’ve read so far, you attempt to engage your readers, which is always a plus. The content is funny too, I especially like the post on the stalker ex, good stuff there 🙂

      Increasing your audience, not the guru of wordpress traffic, but I’d say keep doing what your doing, interact with other bloggers and your reader base will grow.

      All the best!

      -Natasha

      Liked by 1 person

    1. The images you use on your blog are amazing. I think they make the biggest impact to a new visitor. What camera do you use?

      Like

    2. You’re blog is fantastic! Random, but organized. It’s always really cool to see how different people’s thoughts take shape on the Interwebs.

      My only question is if you’ve tinkered with your theme at all? Change the font or colors? I think it looks great but if you’ve had it for a while have you thought about switching things up?

      Liked by 1 person

    4. Love your blog! I like the way it is set up. It’s very welcoming. I like that some posts are photography while others are writing and others are a good blend of both. It’s easy to maneuver through. Great blog. Now following! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  27. I am so glad that such community exist. I am new to the blogging world and I welcome all the feedback and critiques. This will help me write better blogs from here on. Thanks for sharing these helpful hints!

    Liked by 1 person

      4. I deal with bipolar illness and friends have said no in the past when I have needed help. It has hurt like hell. But I have learned to move on from them and find better friends. Hugs to you!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Thanks!

      I think your blog is great, I like that your posts take an optimistic approach, for that I applaud you, optimism isn’t as easy as it sounds.

      In terms of layout, maybe add a few widgets, a follow button, other than the email follow, a couple of stats and categories would also help with navigation.

      I’ve never been good with images on my blog but it really does help with readability, you could give that a try 🙂

      Like

    1. Your blog looks great, and you have some fantastic photos. Also very jealous of your trip to Cancun, I’d do anything to get out of the cold right now haha

      Like

    2. Hi Courtney. As a travel blogger I was drawn by your subject matter. Looks like you’re having fun with your blog & ultimately that’s what it’s all about

      Like

  30. Hello everybody, first and foremost…
    I hope everyone enjoys their day!
    (It’s really a lot to be thankful for.)

    I would greatly appreciate if you guys would check out my blog and leave some feedback of any sort!

    I’ve also been trying to get more followers and direct more people to my site, I’ll accept any suggestions, Thanks Guys!!

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Hey!

      This is definitely a start to getting more followers, posting to forums like this will definitely boost your reader base and give you insight on improvement.

      Layout wise, I like the fact that your posts are centered, it’s interesting to read through.

      I’d suggest adding a side or bottom bar with widgets like a follow button, maybe an about page and some stats, just to know more about you and your inspiration to write.

      Hope that helps.

      -Natasha.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Hello! Looked through your blog a bit. I love how centered around God it is. It’s nice to find an uplifting religious blog! As far as getting more followers, use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. to your advantage! Post a link to your blog posts on your social media pages! Maybe even ask your friends to share them. It will be the easiest way to get followers!

      I enjoyed your posts and am now following!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Appreciate it! Thank you so much for the follow and the great suggestion. I will follow you back and return the love, have a great day :]

        Like