I am taking part in Teralyn's Critique My Blog Blogfest. Details Here.Basically anyone who would like can give me some feed back about this blog. Even if you're only slightly inclined or would only like to comment on one or two things, please feel free to do so. I'm really looking forward to improving my blog and seeing what is working and what's not.
You can either leave a comment. Any, and I mean ANY comments are welcome.
Some of the things you can discuss are:
Appearance: Does it appeal to you? Is it too busy, or too plain?
Layout: Is it difficult to navigate? Is it cluttered, or sparse?
Frequency: Does the blogger post too often? Not often enough?
Content: Are the posts interesting? Unique? Are they focused, or all over the place?
Quality: Are the individual posts too long, too short, too sloppy, or too generic?
Thanks so much for participating! I'm excited to see what everyone thinks.
The page is too stretched for my little netbook's 10inch screen so I only get the first two columns without scrolling across. I really like the pictures in the banner. I'd love to know more about what they are pictures of.
ReplyDeleteYou don't post often, maybe if you intersperse your long and detailed posts (which I love) with something short like a picture you've taken or thoughts on something you've read.
There's an odd white box in the middle of this post which I feel either shouldn't be there, or should be shorter.
The use of fonts in your headings is good. I like that it adds a bit of character.
Keep writing.
Kate
happenence.wordpress.com
Thanks Kate! I really appreciate your feedback. Fixed the odd white box which I didn't even know was there :) Good Ideas. Happy writing.
ReplyDeleteHello! I'm new to your blog from the critique blogfest, and I'm happy to meet you!
ReplyDeleteI love the colors and layout of your blog. I would love bio info next to your picture on the upper left. And, maybe identify your posting schedule. :)
Fully understanding the balancing act we all deal with in our lives, I'd like to see you post more often. You are a good writer and I thoroughly enjoy hearing about all your experiences during your stay in Thailand.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll forgive me for this, but I'm such a freaking perfectionist, especially about writing, that I encourage you to polish the mechanics of your writing a bit. If you'd like, I can recommend a good editor...but I won't push.
Overall, you've got a great site and I wish you lots of success with it.
Kevin
http://facetcetera.blogspot.com/
The thing that really hit me was those wonderful images in your banner. Well done. And I see a picture of some yummy food. I love food. I think I'm going to like it here.
ReplyDeletedebs/kelda
I like your header. I would like to see a bio under your picture. I rarely click on someone’s about page unless they have given my teaser in their bio section that convinces me I want to know more. I would move total pages views to the bottom. I like that your search feature is right at the top. I would also move ‘join this site’ and place it beneath ‘follow by email’ (similar things should be grouped together). I voted for ‘the culture’ as this is what will get me to come back to your site. Some of your posts seem a little long, but this can be fixed by adding a picture, or using headers to break the text into chunks (visually I prefer your posts that have pictures).
ReplyDeleteSome really good feedback everyone. Thanks so much for taking the time to critique The Travel Paige. I'm hopeful about the improvements.
ReplyDeleteHappy writing everyone.
P.S. If I haven't critiqued your blog yet, don't fret. I plan on critiquing everyone's from Teralyn's site.
Hey - another person from the Critique blogfest coming over to say hi, follow your blog & give you a critique!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking you probably only need one sidebar, since you don't have a whole heap of content in those sidebars. I have seen a fair bit of advice around the blogosphere lately saying that one sidebar is all you need. I got some advice on my own blog about putting my followers up higher, and I'd suggest something similar for you.
I can't comment much on the content of your blog as I'm new to it, but it seems like generally your posts aren't too long (and I don't like consistently really long posts). What little I see about the purpose of your blog makes it sound like a really cool thing & makes me interested in reading about your travel adventures (I travel a lot too).
I'm not really sure about the colour scheme. Don't get me wrong, it looks nice, elegant, that kind of thing, but white writing on a dark background can be a but harrowing on the eyes. At the same time, it's nice to see blogs that look different and individual. So I guess I'm a bit torn on that one!
Two things jump out at me.
ReplyDeleteFirst, LOOVE how you've personalized your blog. Great colors. Super design.
My pet peeve, however, is the ads. Yours are not intrusive which will keep me coming back :)
cool pictures! and nice layout.
ReplyDeletebut i'm trying to understand the theme, are you using the blog as a life abroad journal?
good posts and pics! posting on a regular basis will help followers know what to expect and look forward to =)
Thanks for participating in my blogfest!
ReplyDelete1. I saw this page without the black on top before it finished downloading, and I loved it much more than the way it is. It was simple, bright, and crisp.
2. I also love the pictures. They draw me in.
3. Your title is fantastic.
4. I couldn't find an About Me in the sidebar, and I think that should be up front in center. I want to know why you're traveling for a year, where you're going, who you are, etc.
5. You don't post very often. Could you post more? But don't apologize for it: that takes up space and time that I'd rather spend reading your post.
6. "Food and Babies" sounds like you're going to eat babies ;) Plus I was disappointed that you didn't post the recipe.
7. I absolutely love how this is a journal about your travels and I want to learn more. However, I don't think you should say things like "things are pretty monotonous" or "not much has happened." That's not interesting. Surely you could find something interesting to share with us, considering how many amazing experiences you're probably having.
I hope some of that is helpful!
I love your title and subheading. It's short, clear, and tells me exactly what type of blog this is, kind of like an elevator pitch. I love the pictures because they draw me in. I want to experience Bangkok vicariously since I can' be there, and your photos help me do that.
ReplyDeleteI think you should stop apologizing for when you post. It doesn't do anything for your readers, and you do it too often. When I click on one of your posts, I am hoping to find some interesting tidbit about your experiences in a different place and culture, such as some of your posts about the food and the language. Focus on those aspects more, finding language that will bring it to life for us. Your posts can be as short and simple as the description of the delicious dish you ate, even if it's only a few sentences and a photo.
Overall i like this. The header is good, and the colours are good too
ReplyDeleteThe text is a little tough to read with the background coming through. And some of the font is hard to read
It's homely though and welcoming so overall i have to say thumbs up
Matt (Turndog Millionaire)