PLEASE HELP: Review my Blog

  • I’m looking for constructive feedback regarding my blog. I would like feedback from all viewpoints; content, design, navigation, gadgets, tools, pics.

    I would like to introduce myself as a very new comer to the world of blogging. I have very little programming experience. I am an expatriate living in Amman, Jordan. I have very recently started my own blog called ‘wasapninjordan’ (East London slang for ‘what is happening Jordan?’). I have a keen in interest in Jordan from a visitor’s point of view. I want to share my experiences and information I have gathered over the year and a half that I have been in Amman, Jordan.

    I document all my pictures on Flickr and the album is growing. I try to find as much information that may be useful for the expatriate community living in Amman.
    I have decided not use my real name because I feel the interest of the blog should Jordan and what is happening in Jordan rather then the author of the blog.

    I would really any help that anyone can give me. I want increase visitors and encourage participation.

    I hope to hear from you all soon.

    Warm regards,

    Wa Sapnin Jordan
    https://www.wasapninjordan.wordpress.com

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

  • Hey Wa,

    I’d be glad to give you some feedback. I’m a professional freelance Web designer and a fellow traveler, if that gives any credence to anything I’m about to say. ??

    Content

    While your writing is clear and grammatically correct, it seems to be a little unfocused. Please don’t let me be the one to tell you to “only blog about one thing” but at least keeping on a general topic is often advised. For example, I don’t get the snowman thing. Also, those images that melt together for the transition make it hard to see what they are – they disappear so quickly. And I might consider not just copy and pasting entire articles, which seems to be what you’ve done in your February 10th post, “Increase in electricity…” (Incidentally, as your website lists it, Blog about Jordan day is on my birthday…)

    Design

    The design is fine, but I might consider slimming down the amount of content in your sidebar. If you pick the things you want to focus on, they’re much more likely to get attention than having everything you possibly could there.

    Using PHP if statements you can show different content on different types of pages, for example you could show related posts on single post pages or your blogroll on the index page. I’m not sure what kind of control you have over your code with WordPress.com sites, though, as my experience is limited to self-hosted sites.

    Then you might have a “Links” page or “Resources” page listing all of that other info. A resources page might be particularly useful for compiling all of the rental car listings, country codes, etc. that you seem to like to post. That way users could have both a post to show them about it initially, as well as a page presenting all of that info.

    Navigation

    The content I found behind the nav isn’t at all what I’d’ve expected, as the Links page has no content yet, really, and the Pics page again, I just don’t see that particular slideshow feature as being very usable.

    Not trying to be too negative. ??

    You’ve got a great start, just keep tweaking. If you enjoy blogging, then this should be a good time for you. You definitely have a great premise and are likely filling a niche less often attempted.

    Good luck!

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)
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