Nov 23, 2015 / Community Pool

Community Pool

The place for feedback, advice, 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?

Did you just start blogging and you’re not sure how to get going? Has your blog been dormant for a while but you’d like to give it a jolt of life? Join our free Blogging 101 course (or any of our other offerings at Blogging U.).

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.
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    4. I recently got into some poetry too! And I have to say your work is inspiring and has some meaning to it. I’m currently reading more of your work. (I’m loving “Claim My Love”.)

      🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Adorable. I feel your pain. For some reason I’m only capable of growing crops (think tomatoes) and not killing bamboo. Bamboo’s virtually unkillable.

      Like

    6. I thought your poem was really good. I feel bad for the plant though. I care for plants in my house. Some have been with me for years. I guess it requires commitment. Trust me when I say that I did not have green thumb, either. You deserve cool green happy plants in your life 🙂 loved your thoughts in this poem. Yaz

      Liked by 1 person

    4. Hey Kevin,
      I enjoyed your blog a lot. As a fellow photographer, I was able to appreciate your work haha. I think you need a theme and really focuses on your photography a bit more. Because right now, I get the vibe that your photography is less the focal point, and primarily more about things you write about. Take a look at my blog, the theme I’m currently using is based for photographers and so you can clearly see my pictures more than my text. I hope that gives you an idea. Best wishes!

      Like

      1. Hi John, thanks for your thoughts. To be honest, of late I’ve been in a slump, creatively and so have been using photographs to keep my blog active.
        I did drop by your blog. World class pictures mate! Really tells a story.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. You’re welcome! I understand. Sometimes, it gets hard. I’ve been in those slumps a few times as well. I can completely relate. And thank you! I appreciate it. I just wanted you to take a look at my blog as an example of how I’m focusing on my pictures. But thank you.

        Liked by 1 person

    5. I really like your site! Your posts are displayed very clearly, and I can tell who you are just by looking at the front page (such as your interests, likes and dislikes, etc.). I also like the air of humor that lingers on your site; it’s very inviting. Well done!

      Like

    6. Kevin, I opened your site and the content is good. Unfortunately your pictures are somehow quite ‘hidden’. Try looking for a new theme that’s built specifically for showcasing your photos or create a page just for photos, without users having to click any more links.
      Hope this helps!

      PS: I like your content so I followed!

      Recently published

      Like

  5. Hi, I would really like some advice on how to better market my blog. Can anyone help me? I put my links up on Twitter, FB, Google Plus and although I do have some followers, (not enough) I would like people to interact more with my site. I do appreciate that it requires a bit more content and I am planning to work on that over Christmas, but I would still love any advice on attracting more followers. From a newbie! Thank you.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I’m a newbie too, but I’ve found that regularly sharing your blog amongst other bloggers helps – interacting and genuinely connecting with what other bloggers are doing, not being afraid to comment on blog posts or to like them is another great thing. Also, try to connect with things that you like by searching for tags on the Reader, for example ‘healthy eating’ tag or ‘funny stuff’. Then you’ll discover something new yourself!
      I’ll check out your site now too 🙂

      Liked by 4 people

    4. Hello,
      It seems like you’ve been blogging for quite some time now. Your blog layout and nice and I love the header image. It’s so adorable haha!
      Linking other social media accounts is a great way. But perhaps you can also add more popular tags onto your posts. And also, improving the ascetics of your blog. Like for example, you could add more pictures. And make them big enough to catch your viewers’ eyes. Usually these things help. It helped me haha.
      I wish you the best of luck!

      Liked by 2 people

    5. One good way that I’ve found to share your content is by adding tags to your blog posts on the WordPress site. I read in the Community Pool about how one blogger had a great deal of success doing this, so I followed suit. I’ve also found that sharing on Instagram is exceptionally helpful. Because Instagram allows the user to put as many hashtags as they would like, I generate a lot of traffic. Now, that’s not to say that I get a lot of people clicking the link to my site, but it is a great way to market yourself and what you do. I’ve gotten some traffic on my site because of Instagram, and it’s fun as well. Hope that helps!

      Like

  7. The above picture is the cutest! Hi Guys! Thanks again for initiating this community pool post, Ben.

    I’ve just published a blog with a motivational focus designed to guide entrepreneurs, business people and everybody really to live a successful life – it’s 5 steps to business based on Richard Branson’s words. Please let me know what you think: http://abigailirozuru.com/2015/11/23/5-steps-to-business-success-with-richard-branson/ Thank you!

    Liked by 2 people

  9. Hey, ok so I’m sort of new, and a friend and I are on worpress together, but every time I make a post she can’t see it and when she makes a post I cant see hers, I don’t understand!

    Like

    2. Nice little blog you have. I may have missed it, so forgive me if I did not notice it, but I didn’t see any sort of bio or about me section. The rest of your blog looks good and interesting blog topics as well.

      Like

    1. Love this. My site started off as a class project as well during my last year in college, so I can totally relate. I love that you focus on magic in the fantasy genre. My degree is in English, so something like is is my bread and butter, which I can’t help but eat up 🙂 When you are finished with your class, do you plan to keep up with your site? Because you’ve got some good pieces here. Good luck!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I actually didn’t start the blog for the class, I’m just using it as a medium for this latest project because we had to do a nontraditional project, so I’m certainly going to keep publishing work on it. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my work so far. Thank you!

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Hello folks!
    Just stopping by to wish all of you a HAPPY MONDAY!!!

    If you want to, take a stroll on over to The Hood https://themomhood.wordpress.com/ and check out some photos (plus an awesome photo giveaway ending tomorrow) or if you would like to read stuff on a more serious but humorous level, come take a peek at the Diary of a 30 Somethin! https://diaryofa30somethin.wordpress.com/

    All feedback, comments and cookies are welcome and highly appreciated!
    Cheers to a wonderful week ahead!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I commented on your post. I liked it. Your first post is humorous. I’d recommend adding an About section when you get a chance, and maybe the Instagram widget, since you mention you like to do Instagram (if you want it linked to your blog). Good luck!

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Really enjoyed reading that, you seem fairly similar to me (only difference being I’m in my 20s and always having a crisis!), followed you and can’t wait for more 🙂

      Like

    4. Man, I’m 23 and I feel your pain. It seems like everyone I went to college with is getting married, and I’m just here like, “Well, I enjoy tacos.” I love your first post. It speaks to me. I have to agree with christine2230, though, about having an “About” section. I know you introduce yourself in the first post, but it would be easier for the reader to have that information at the ready, especially when you’ve written 10, 15, 20 posts. But, I think there is a lot of potential for your site. I would love to see your site expand (over time, of course), because I think it could be supremely funny and unabashedly truthful. Good luck to you!

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Hello everyone! Happy Monday!
    Last Friday I decided to not sleep or contribute to society and instead watch all 13 episodes of Marvel’s new Netflix show Jessica Jones. Obviously I then wrote a post on it, so if you’ve also seen it, and even if you haven’t, check out my spoiler-free review of it! https://coolbeans4.wordpress.com/2015/11/20/jessica-jones-aka-i-watched-it/

    Also, if you want to make me happy, give my new Facebook page a Like! http://Facebook.com/coolbeans4/ 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    5. Love the new layout! It’s very clear cut and makes your page easier to navigate. Also, I love your header image btw. Keep up the good work (:

      Stop by my page if you have a chance! (www.anxieteas.wordpress.com)

      Like

  23. Hiya there! It’s been almost a year since I started my blog which is mainly about food and travel and a hint of photography on the side. Would love some input and suggestions on my blog in terms of content, layout and writing style as I am always looking to improving it! Would appreciate it very much!! 🙂

    http://eat8travel.com/

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Just In Time For Cuddle Season || Pillow Talk || Winter Segment is freshly pressed.

    Join the Creative Writing portfolio if you haven’t already! Simply Said, has posted the first installment of PillowTalk, helping you make the transition from Summer Flings to Winter Cuddling. Check out this list of possible Winter dates and find ways to heat things up!

    Summerflings are dying out now that Winter is nipping at our noses and Cuddle Season has begun.The dating scene changes with the seasons and whatever your relationship status (actively dating, Married, young couple, new couple) this list of winter dates from Simply Said is sure to keep the heat and your love life alive!

    Just In Time For Cuddle Season||Pillow Talk||Winter Segment – http://wp.me/pGLoH-b9

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Really cool post! I’ve always wanted to go to a record store like Rough Trade but there aren’t any good ones I know of down here in ATL. Keep up the great work!

      Also, check out my blog when you can! (www.anxieteas.wordpress.com)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hey Tanasia. Thanks for visiting. I just came from your blog and I’m not sure if you are asking for feedback or just visits? How long ago did you start?

        Like

      3. Only a week!? You’ve done a lot. Ok it’s called Tanasia’s beauty blurb but there is more than beauty there. Are you sure that’s where your focus is? There’s wrong with a lifestyle blog or life and beauty blog. And if you need more help join the free courses through the blog Daily Post Blogging, at Blogging University for help. They’re starting new classes in December.

        Like

  27. Hi all. My regular blogs pair my own photography with the music that I love. In my shorter series Photo Shuffle, I let my Ipod choose a song at random. It makes for a fun little game to play. This is my latest Photo Shuffle here-https://robpatdoy.wordpress.com/2015/11/18/soundtrack-of-a-photograph-photo-shuffle-7/

    Liked by 5 people

    2. Great concept for a blog. I like your Four Seasons section using the seasons to inspire. Keep it up from Debra @https://cultivatingtime.wordpress.com/

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Bloggers Unite for Peace. That’s the title of a post recently published regarding the growing terrorist attack culture many of us are seeing up close now across different continents. In response, a few of us just wanted to put our small collective voice out there to say how we feel.

    Bloggers Unite for Peace

    Anyway, I’m not here to seek your support or dissent for our opinion itself, but more to see how the wider blogging community views the post. In trying to keep this in line with the principles of this Community Pool, these are some questions you might like to pass comment on.

    1. As bloggers from around the world, from different backgrounds and religions, we wanted to be apolitical in how we presented our outlook. Do you think this was achieved?

    2. Was it too long, too short, too strong, or too passive, in terms of readability and therefore, reader impact?

    3. Any other (polite) suggestions you’d care to make?

    I’m not trying to spark some political debate here, just hoping to improve as a writer and fellow blogger. Many thanks for your valuable time is very much appreciated.

    Spike

    Liked by 2 people

    2. I love that quote & you have a very truthful perspective. I’ll definitely be following. I do have a response to that qoute. Once people understand NOTHING, evil has no chance. #NOTHINGMatters

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I didn’t have any promptus for it. I am just going to blog something about the day or something Christmas oriented everyday for the whole month of December up until Christmas.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I loved the style of your blog. It’s very cute and elegant. Definitely pleasing to the eyes 🙂 I loved all the categories you had as well! Great pictures and great posts. Keep up the great work and I wish you the best of luck!
      It would be awesome if you could also take a look at my blog and give me some feedback as well! Thanks in advance!

      Liked by 1 person

      3. Just got around to checking out your blog and I am very impressed! The set is great! The pictures are great! And the titles are catching to the eye! I followed 🙂

        Liked by 1 person