Aug 24, 2015 / Community Pool

Community Pool

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

Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/63057306@N04/5734415538">Beachfront Solutions</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(CC BY-SA 2.0)</a>

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.
Show Comments

610 Comments

Comments are closed.

Close Comments

Comments

  2. Hello! Leisel from Skill Up Skillet here, a weekly updated geek and game themed food blog. If you enjoy gaming, geek culture, food, and/or sarcastic humor you’ll probably enjoy what I have to offer. Last week I managed to semi-significantly injure myself in the kitchen so last Thursday’s post went up earlier this morning. Check it out and let me know what you think; I literally shed blood and flesh for this one. Seriously, with this post you are not allowed to say I’m not passionate about my hobby. You’re just not. =P
    Half-Life Crab Cakes: http://skillupskillet.com/2015/08/24/half-life-headcrab-crab-cakes/
    This is the only crab cake recipe you’ll ever need in your life. Also, this is the first-ever post where I use a sarcasm font. And I flip my skillet off. Good stuff here. Can’t wait to see what everyone has going on today. Tell me happy things; it’s rush season at work and I hate everything. I may adjust this opinion after 4 more cups of coffee.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Always fun stopping by your blog. Going to try these crab cakes after the next grocery trip. (I just went yesterday, so another week or so and I’ll be trying them!) Keep up the good work and GAME ON!

      Liked by 1 person

    3. That was hilarious, Leisel. As someone who is “culinarily challenged” it was refreshing to hear a hardcore skillet ninja admitting to not always getting it right, and even walking away wounded, as I often have, on supposedly do-able recipes. Your humor and transparency make this a real winner, not to mention the clear, detailed, photos! Always helpful for the inept chef. Oh, and you DO NOT come across as passionate AT ALL. What, do you not have a pulse? 😉 Thanks for sharing! Keep up the great work, and I hope your battle wounds heal quickly. 🙂 Audrey

      Liked by 1 person

    6. Hi Joe! What amazing photos! I particularly thought it was incredible how you managed to capture depth and scale, and you’re eye for color is fantastic. Really captivating stuff. Made me wish I’d been there with you! Great stuff! Keep being amazing! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  5. So hi Community! I have edited my blog a bit to make it better since last time! I wrote a blog post discussing the newest studies that have shown Hollywood to be quite anti-women in their movies. https://debatingtheworldanduniverseissues.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/why-hollywood-is-actually-anti-women-by-stereotyping-being-bias-and-restricting-women/

    I have also interviewed a Medical Lab Technician and Geneticist. You can click on the main page and it will show you those interviews. As always, looking for comments and improvements! What did you think? I will look at your blog in return!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Fantastic post! The stats really are shocking. I would only add one more stat to it – women always get paid less than men in Hollywood, even if they are lead actresses. Emma Watson pointed this out in her UN speech, and the Sony hacking scandal revealed Jennifer Lawrence got 5% (I presume film revenue) while Bradley Cooper got 10%. Hollywood really needs to wake up and do something about this.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Well, that’s truly disturbing when you think about it. Great informative article. Sounds like Hollywood is in need of an overhaul.

      Like

  6. Hi everyone! I’m Sherina, and I blog about my thoughts on life, current world news, and all sorts of other things. I have been thinking about switching up the layout of my blog, so I’d love some feedback! Here is one of my most recent posts, about how I want to remember my last year of high school:https://sherinaspeaks.wordpress.com/2015/08/22/remembering-my-final-year-of-high-school/

    As always, I would love to check out your posts!! Happy blogging 🙂

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Good luck, Sherina! Ten years ago, I was in my last year of high school too, and I am so glad that unlike my friends, I didn’t carry a phone. You will definitely have much more vivid memories, though some pictures can pop up on things like facebook and make you cry for the good times!

      Liked by 1 person

      2. My pleasure! The one thing you could perhaps consider is filling out your About page with a brief bio of you and what your blog is about. But the content clear and concise and easy to read.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Well first off you have a stunning page from the outside – even before i dive in it is very eye-catching and you have chosen your graphics really well…

      i also like your latest poem with the chairs – great imagery that is closely linked to the picture you used – really loved the last few lines describing the desolation and loneliness but knowledge that time will bring in the next crowd…

      Keep on
      love brett fish

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much. Recently i have started putting my thoughts in form of paintings also. The image i used for the latest post was actually painted by me. I am glad you liked it 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Hi everyone!
    I’m hosting an afternoon tea party today, showing some of my favourite recipes from around the blogosphere from the last couple of months.

    If you have a favourite recipe to share or just want to come along and meet some other bloggers over virtual coffee, pop a link in the comments of the post. I’ll be hosting one each month so you can also email me recipes at aloadabobbins@gmail.com and I’ll feature them in future parties 🙂

    Everyone’s welcome, hope to see you there! Here’s the link…

    Monday Munchie’s Tea Party!

    Liked by 4 people

      1. Thanks you so much! Please do, there’s some great blogs you can visit through the links – they put my cooking efforts to shame. Except for my cheesecake, I’m very proud of that!

        Liked by 1 person

    6. Want to delve deeper into your blog but I like the look of your blog and the ideas you bring..like having a tea party! Will check some more of your work out, and maybe head to the grocery store too 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      2. I’m sure I will. For the last month I have been coming to Community Pool every week and it is always worth it to see what people are up to, and the creativity that lurks within them.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Hi folks, I recently met my limit on the free blog subscription model. I upgraded to the mid range one and am contemplating the professional version. Anyone out there have any feedback on one versus the other? Does anyone have any information on the analytics that comes with the profession subscription? Is that valuable?

    Like

    2. I have always thought that longer more thoughtful posts are what people would be interested in. but, the more I do this the more I think they like shorter posts that keep their interest. I experiment from time to time with short and long. I have noticed I get more thoughtful comments on the longer posts though…who know. Do what feels good and people will connect with it I hope. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for that. I will probably mix it up between the long and the short posts. Could be that mine got a little formulaic so to mix it up I thought some short posts might be appreciated. You are probably right about the comments though. I think if people take the time to read a long post they feel compelled to write a thoughtful comment for sure. Thanks so much for the comment!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Mixing it up might do good for the creative process too. I feel more accomplished when I write something long with a lot of photos. But, I also think it is fun to just write short funny stuff. Immediate gratification I guess. 😉 Best of luck to you.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Looks great. Personally I’d like to be able to click on a Read More tag than having to scroll through a long post to see more posts, maybe something to consider.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank, you had actually mentioned that to me a few weeks ago and I had started to install the Read Me into my older posts but got sidetracked. Plan is still to get those on all my older (and longer) posts so the scroll down from my home page is not so long. Not going to worry about it right now for my newer shorter posts but it is a good suggestion. Thanks

        Like

  15. Hi gang, I am also wondering if anyone has seen an increase in traffic once they started using their own domain instead of the standard wordpress.com domain? I am always trying to figure out ways to increase my traffic off of search engines. Thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Well, i upgraded to the mid-range plan which comes with a free domain. So, I figured it couldn’t hurt. But upgrading to the professional version is more of a financial commitment and I am certainly trying to better understand if it is worth it.

        It’s too soon for me to tell if my search engine traffic is increasing. It has only been a few days since I upgraded. But, if you hit me back in a few weeks I can let you know how it is going. 🙂 I am curious about other people’s experiences who may have already done this. Cheers!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. It is a weird thing really, if you stay inside wordpress.com and just buy your domain through them, I think it pretty much stays the same. If you move to hosting your own through the wordpress.ORG site though, it is almost like you are starting from scratch again. I’ve heard of people getting the wordpress.com support staff to move the current followers to the new domain though which could help out a ton with traffic

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Hello fellow swimmers!
    I post in here almost every Monday. I’m always looking for feedback on posts and my site in general. I don’t have a specific genre or audience I post to..yet, but I so far with sharing what I have shared, I have been happy with the outcome so far. And since posting in this here Community Pool, I have received nothing but great advice, feedback and even gained a few followers. So Thank You!
    Here are a few posts I’ve done since last Monday.
    Take a look if ya wants to! 🙂 Here are the links!

    We DIY

    Today Was a GREAT Day

    Attitude

    Like

  17. Good day fellow writers!
    I’ve been blogging three months now. I’d be happy if you’d come by my blog and maybe get some feedbacks? I’d love to meet new friends too! Follow me! Hope to hear a lot from everyone

    Dane

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I read your post when it came out and I loved it. I love how candid your writing was and how honest it came off. And I love that in the end you ended up enjoying Yoga. I am a fan of it and love to hear when people enjoy it. Keep on writing!

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Pretty cool! I bought my domain fairly recently. I don’t know that I’ve seen any significant changes yet but having your own domain… it just feels right. More legitimate. Whatever. I highly recommend it. I’ve been thinking of making business cards since I’ve gotten mine. >_>

      Liked by 2 people

  21. Hello people!

    From this week I started my guest blog series, starting with Brent Kincaid’s poem. I would love any feedbacks on how to improve my series. There are two type of posts:

    1. Interview with the guest Blogger, the link is:

    Guest Blogger #1: Brent Kincaid Interview

    And the guest blog post, link:
    https://itsmayurremember.wordpress.com/2015/08/23/guest-blogger-1- you-dont-matter

    Please please check them out and let me know. Also, if anyone is interested in Guest blogging let me know!

    Liked by 2 people

  23. Hi all! I just started a blog a few weeks ago on being an expat in London, but am not sure if the blog is better suited to be an informational or a humorous project (though I’m leaning towards both). Here’s an example of a post, any thoughts on the tone or if you think that style of writing could carry a whole blog would be much appreciated!

    http://girlgonelondon.com/2015/08/20/american-driving-in-england-an-open-apology-to-uk-drivers/

    Liked by 5 people

      3. Your blog is so elegant! Such a pretty design. Maybe I’m biased because I’m hungry, but your food section is amazing and it’s pretty rare that I find a blog where I want to try almost every recipe. Oreos are my favorite, so I’m adding the cupcakes to my list of things to make, maybe with that oreo icing over the brownies you made. 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

      4. Thank you so much, I really appreciate such detailed feedback 🙂 That combination sounds amazing, i’m tempted to give it a try myself! Do let me know how the recipes turn out if you decide to make them

        Like

  24. Hi. I started my blog in January. I’m roughly eighteen, in a country that hasn’t quite welcomed writing and expression outside a professional field. I’m inexperienced, both in blogging and writing. I just need a single thread of hope, to know that appreciation is possible.

    Liked by 4 people

      2. I think your blog is elegant. I would consider putting some widgets at the side of the blog in case some of your users don’t scroll all the way to the bottom. I would also consider putting something at the top that indicates what the blog is about. For the casual person stumbling upon it they may not know what kind of a blog it is. Happy blogging and good luck with it!

        Liked by 1 person

      4. You my friend are as spontaneous as it gets. I’m getting landscape/nature/street/travel photography vibes. I adore photo blogs and Yours is very energetic and casual and I love the fact that it’s simple enough which means we get to focus on your art. Photographers are really versatile so I can only encourage you to explore different areas and try new things and from what I saw you are already doing this. I would love to see you do a photo Story, something that captures cultures, belief, people, societal problems. Set sail for an epic adventure. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Thank you ! I am always looking for new photo opportunities and ways to become a better photographer, thanks again for your lovely feedback and I will keep the idea of a photo story in mind is I ever get the chance to create one.

        Liked by 2 people

    4. i like your writing style – definitely worth carrying on and watching your audience grow as they find you – keep posting here once a week so people know where to look as well as commenting on other people’s blogs as well – i would suggest adding in line breaks between paragraphs to help break up your text as opposed to just a paragraph break…

      so a space in between paragraphs cos it gives the eye a chance to rest and the reader a chance to breathe otherwise seeing a big block of text can feel a little overwhelming. But word wise it is great so definitely keep in and be encouraged…

      An About tab at the top would be great with a short bio of who you are and what you’re trying to do.

      love brett fish

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much. That brought a smile to my face, really puts a lot of things in perspective. Lol, you are right. *Off to correct that*. Please drop a link to your blog.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I’m sorry I took so long, but I’m too busy reading and pondering on every post there. I am happy to see that we Christians can be open with these things that have so easily beset a great number of us and I can only encourage you to continue. This is what the church is for and the whole essence of the unity of the brethren. Thank you.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Your blog is very organised and fun to read. I don’t believe you’re average. You write in an articulate manner. I will be reading more of your posts from now on. #following. 🙂 Its nice to meet a fellow reader.
        P.S: put ‘The Nightingale’ by Kristin Hannah on your reading list

        Liked by 1 person

    6. Hi Daniela, I just visited your site and enjoyed reading one or two of your posts. “White House” is a story which grasped my mind and I believe you could easily develop it further. I wanted to know more about the main character. What does she do next? I didn’t notice a comments button or I would have commented on your blog. Perhaps you should add a space for comments. I’m sure you will soon be getting feedback if you do. I like the fact that your blog puts the focus on your words and there are no unnecessary distractions. You have talent. Keep on writing! Regards, Margie

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much. I have all intention to develop that story. I will put a comment section now. Again, thank you.. Please leave a link to your blog

        Like

      2. Thank you. Still new so we will get better as we keep writing. Love your post. I would say make paragraphs. It was alot to take in at once, the concept is there just work on structure. But over all, brilliant piece. ☺

        Liked by 2 people

      3. I adore your blog. Its so casual and I love the fact that you write like you’re having a conversation. Its also not restricted, which means you can talk about anything. I saw those beautiful books and the pretty journal, hope you’re using it. Trust me, it’s worth it.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I love my journal!! Got about 15, and all get used. A little bit of an addict. Its helps get ideas down and things done. Where would we be without them. And thank you for the lovely comment. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

      6. And yes, you’re right about my posts looking a bit overwhelming. A fellow blogger adviced me to leave spaces between paragraphs. I will correct it.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. The content is brillant though, a little on the darker side…….so well done!!! Love the fact your writing as if its actually happening there and then. Like your in their place. Dark but well wrote.

        Liked by 1 person

    8. I’ve only had a quick look, but I like the way you write! Like anything if you keep at it you will continue to improve and people will take an interest; it has taken me quite a while to build up even the small amount of followers I have! I would definitely suggest you comment on the community pool every time you make a new post, with a brief description of the post itself. I wish you the best of luck!

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Was wondering if I’m going to far out of my niche. The stuff in my niche (balance and moderation) doesn’t seem to be getting any traffic. Wondering if I could get some feedback if I should change my blogs theme. here are two post I recently wrote. Let me know which has more appeal.

    http://inbetweenmoderation.com/2015/08/21/balance-in-motion-and-stillness/
    or
    http://inbetweenmoderation.com/2015/08/17/first-day-of-school-another-step-in-the-journey/

    Liked by 2 people

    1. A personal preference, but I felt your voice more in the latter one– the school post. I don’t mind the theme, it’s clean and orderly, and easy to read, (the most important things!) but it lacked the flurry of personality that I felt in the posts. Both posts were enjoyable reads. Thank you for sharing them.

      Liked by 1 person

    5. Love your blog, very clean and the photos are on point! And the oreo cupcakes……..think i may need to give them a go. So chocolately, yum.
      Would love a little feed back on my latest post? Thank you. Xx

      Like

    1. Fatima, your blog is very well put together and is very easy to navigate. My suggestion for getting readers is post links to your articles onto your Facebook page and share with your FB friends from there.

      Like

    2. Hi Fatima, nice blog. My suggestion is to choose either text-based or photo based theme as per your future content. I feel current one is bit cluttered. Also use tags and about me page to increase traffic. Thanks. Keep blogging.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I love your post on Feng Shui! However, I can’t find the like button. Same with some of your other posts… I can see who’s commented on the post, but can’t find a way to like a post myself.

      Liked by 2 people

  30. Hi everyone I am new to the site I blog about life and mostly poems, i really love for anyone who can help me with some tips on how to improve on my site especially people into the world of art and literature, thank you.

    Liked by 5 people