An invite to criticize my blogs overall construction

[virgellapana]

Originally Posted by Sweetcelebgossip

Hey I like you blog Techno Primer it's neat. How did you get your sponsor's on your page? thats something I want to do to my blog at sweetcelebgossip.com

I'm glad you like my blog, i've been to your blog as well and i must say that you a nice thing going there. Keep it up cheers

[ChickenFreak]

When I say "cluttered" I'm referring to the large number of items in addition to the posts themselves - the translation, the MyBlogging Readers, the BlogCatalog readers, all the Twitter icons, all the Subscribe Or Share links, all the "You might also like" pictures, the Archives and Categories and Comments thing - all those many things, combined with the ads, means that to me there are just too many things going on.

I realize that you're not going to get rid of the ads, but I think that you could certainly lose several of the other items.

All those things also sort of split the mood of the blog - the clean design and relatively impersonal prose suggests that you're going for a professional blog, but the followers and "be my friend" suggests a very personal blog. So the folks looking for pure news information will be put off by the stuff and the folks looking for a friendly personal blog will be put off by the distant tone.

I would probably lose the "Comments are DoFollow" picture, because that suggests that you only expect people to read your blog to grow their blog, and that implies a lack of faith in your own content, if you see what I mean?

But returning to the personal/impersonal split - I'd go for personal. There are bazillions of tech blogs out there, and it's just not likely that you'll beat the really big guys at their own game of providing impersonal timely news on technology.

So I'd go with personal, or with a quirky take on the information, or preferably both. I suggested elsewhere (can't remember of it was this site or another) that someone with a similar blog try going with stories about unusual ways that people are using technology in everyday life. Yeah, here's the post:

My blog not appearing in google????

It's just an example. I also recently noticed a site called Cranky Fitness, a site that has a different take on the no doubt wildly overfilled area of fitness blogging. It also has a very distinctive look, compatible with its "different take", so you may want to choose your quirk before you change your design.

ChickenFreak

[virgellapana]

Originally Posted by ChickenFreak

When I say "cluttered" I'm referring to the large number of items in addition to the posts themselves - the translation, the MyBlogging Readers, the BlogCatalog readers, all the Twitter icons, all the Subscribe Or Share links, all the "You might also like" pictures, the Archives and Categories and Comments thing - all those many things, combined with the ads, means that to me there are just too many things going on.

I realize that you're not going to get rid of the ads, but I think that you could certainly lose several of the other items.

All those things also sort of split the mood of the blog - the clean design and relatively impersonal prose suggests that you're going for a professional blog, but the followers and "be my friend" suggests a very personal blog. So the folks looking for pure news information will be put off by the stuff and the folks looking for a friendly personal blog will be put off by the distant tone.

I would probably lose the "Comments are DoFollow" picture, because that suggests that you only expect people to read your blog to grow their blog, and that implies a lack of faith in your own content, if you see what I mean?

But returning to the personal/impersonal split - I'd go for personal. There are bazillions of tech blogs out there, and it's just not likely that you'll beat the really big guys at their own game of providing impersonal timely news on technology.

So I'd go with personal, or with a quirky take on the information, or preferably both. I suggested elsewhere (can't remember of it was this site or another) that someone with a similar blog try going with stories about unusual ways that people are using technology in everyday life. Yeah, here's the post:

My blog not appearing in google????

It's just an example. I also recently noticed a site called Cranky Fitness, a site that has a different take on the no doubt wildly overfilled area of fitness blogging. It also has a very distinctive look, compatible with its "different take", so you may want to choose your quirk before you change your design.

ChickenFreak

IC, Point well taken and i agree with your comment on the do follow image, it should be taken down along with the translation widget. As for the rest of the widgets, some will be relocated or taken down while others will stay put. I can't imagine my blog without a widget (although i agree that it distracts my readers) and at the moment its too clean and too white, without widgets it would look cold, flat and boring don't you think? As for the characteristic of the blog, well...i'm still not decided, but i think a little personal touch as you've mentioned will do make a difference.

I'm still not finish with the changes though, that's why i posted this thread, to ask my reader's opinion about the things i would not usually be aware of. I pass the credits to those who have contributed to the outcome of this changes, kudos to you all!

[reeves1]

I thoroughly enjoyed the blog

keep it up

[virgellapana]

Originally Posted by reeves1

I thoroughly enjoyed the blog

keep it up

I'm glad you enjoyed the visit reeves , did you noticed anything you think i need to change?

[stephen todd]

Originally Posted by virgellapana

I would really appreciate more feedback from fellow members, cheers

Sorry, but I won't even waste my time looking at blogger blogs

Let me know when you've got something self-hosted - then I'll take a look

[ChickenFreak]

Originally Posted by stephen todd

Sorry, but I won't even waste my time looking at blogger blogs

Let me know when you've got something self-hosted - then I'll take a look

You're joking, I hope?

The vast majority of the leading blogs covering my favorite hobby are blogspot blogs, and most of them are more professional-looking than most of the self-hosted blogs that I see mentioned here.

Wandering off to check another niche that's mostly occupied by professionals, not hobbyists... and, yes, about half the blogs are Blogspot, one or two are Wordpress, and less than half use their own domain.

Spending the extra ten dollars a year to have your own domain name really doesn't transform the whole blog.

ChickenFreak

[writingismylove]

wow~! I love both blogs~ especially the Health Pit Stop~!

Both blogs are structured in a very professional way, and have relevnt information =] The widgets are very clever (I loved the calorie counter~!) but sometimes pop-up adverts get in the way. The load up speed was pretty fast ^^ but perhaps the 'Techno Primer' blog is a little too monochrome, and the 'Health Pit Stop' blog's header is a little too plain/flat.

Hope this helps ^^

Oh, and please visit my 'StoryBlog' at: w w w. writingismylove. blogspot .com
x JenJen

[virgellapana]

Originally Posted by stephen todd

Sorry, but I won't even waste my time looking at blogger blogs

Let me know when you've got something self-hosted - then I'll take a look

A blog will always be a blog whether it is run on a free blogging platform or self hosted. In fact, there are numerous blogs hosted on free platforms that excel on their niche compared to their self hosted counterparts. I also bet that there are gazillions of blogger blogs that are doing well than the blogs you listed .

[virgellapana]

Originally Posted by ChickenFreak

You're joking, I hope?

The vast majority of the leading blogs covering my favorite hobby are blogspot blogs, and most of them are more professional-looking than most of the self-hosted blogs that I see mentioned here.

Wandering off to check another niche that's mostly occupied by professionals, not hobbyists... and, yes, about half the blogs are Blogspot, one or two are Wordpress, and less than half use their own domain.

Spending the extra ten dollars a year to have your own domain name really doesn't transform the whole blog.

ChickenFreak

I couldn't have said any better...