After writing my two 31DBBB guest posts, my plan was to cruise through to Day 31, celebrating the end with a small brunch amongst a few close friends.
John Lennon and life had other plans for me, and I was asked for one other project commitment: opening free fringes to peer review.
So my blog is open for review not only from the 31DBBBers, but my regular readers and lurkers as well. Thank you soooo much for your thoughts.
According to the blog AdSense Tracker, the five things to consider are the blog’s purpose, layout, content, activity and believability. I like that. That makes sense to me. Let’s do it:
Purpose
Is my blog’s purpose clear to you? Is the blog itself generally appealing? When the dryer buzzes or your Outlook meeting reminder dings, are you so wonderously caught up in my existential angst that you ignore your responsibilities? Or had you already closed the Web browser twenty minutes ago in boredom and confusion?
Layout/Usability
Is the design inviting or does it remind you of the cowbells and airhorns that one time at your brother-in-law’s wedding reception? Is your reading experience organized? Are the common elements like feed subscriptions and contact information easy to find? Do you often feel you need to go lie down after visiting?
Content
Is it original? Is the tone inviting or off-putting? Do you spend time feeling like you’re catching up willy nilly or do the stories and events have a natural flow? Do you want to be my friend? Check yes or no. Is the content relevant? Are the links?
Activity
Frenetic or just right? Too much, too little? Do you feel invited to comment even when I’m in a pissy mood? Do you ever check back here for replies to your comments if you’ve left some? Wanna get some Starbucks later?
Believability
Does my blog sound authentic? Down to Earth or pretentious? Friendly or stabby? Do you ever wonder in the middle of the night what I would do if I were in some perilous situation you’ve found yourself handling? Am I your moral inside voice? Two words: con.doms. Then: liq.uor. In that order, that’s very very important.
- Bonus questions:
- What’s your favorite thing about free fringes?
- What’s the thing you wish I’d get rid of, never to be seen again? List only one. Gaw.
I’m thinking if you feel like going all @ebertchicago on me, take it to your own blog and write it up, which will give you a great writing exercise and attract traffic to your space. Linking to bloggers is time-honored link bait; we follow our mentions like flies on dirty children.
Other than that, brief and awesome in comments…
I dig your blog because it’s real. It’s one of my favorite spots on the interwebs!
.-= Tex In The City is dying for you to read Happy Mid Year! =-.
Real like Band-Aids on sale at Walmart…
I love that you’re all over the place-topic wise. Your voice is really unique! I do come back sometimes to check on comments, but not all the time. Use-ability is good.
Did I cover it?
You did cover it, thanks! I don’t think I’m am all over the place topic-wise since my main topic is generally “holy cow, what just happened here??”
Hey, it’s me again. Yeah, that guy. Just wanted to stop by and say hi.
And that’ what it feels like reading your blog. Like catching up with a good friend. So good that for the life of me I can’t recall how we became connected. That’s pretty cool. Gives it an almost mystical, eternal feeling. Like it has always been and was meant to be.
The lack of theme/direction is makes the Fringe a real place. I’m not big on blogs that are pushing some sort of agenda.
Are you done unpacking? Or are you saving one box till your first anniversary there? Sounds like a cool tradition. You should start it.
Even better: saving the last box in the freezer! I am often cited as someone’s mystical connection. I appreciate that, just wish there were more money in it.
OMG, I can’t even tell you how psyched I am that someone else in the blog world posts on the weekend!! Well, my blog world, you know? I was LMAO at your NaBloPoMo ‘killing me’ comment.
I come here because I like what you write & love how you write it. No theme really, a smidge of this and that otherwise known as your life. It’s interesting and so are you.(yes, authentic)
I always feel compelled to comment; isn’t it rude not to converse when someone is speaking to you?
And yes, I do come back to read your replies.
My favorite thing? The daily posts I’ve come to rely on while drinking my 6 a.m. java. I love that you are consistent in writing. Least favorite? I would be completely honest (since you asked) but I don’t have any advice on what you should do away with.
Just sign me: Not so brief or awesome, as directed.
I love being the neurotic jump start to your day! For a while, I was posting maybe three times a month. My last job was trying to kill me. I’m glad to return to the mental place that allows me to write freely.
Yes. I have been so caught up I lost track of time. I find your “tone” or “voice” very appealing. Sometimes I miss on comments because I want to think about it some more first and then don’t get a chance to get back while it’s still relevent but you usually give me something to think about and I like that.
Thanks! The something to think about is my main target. Glad I’m hitting it occasionally…
I don’t have enough brain cells to reply to your questions thoroughly, but I will say that your blog is lovely, easy to read, and very real. Your personality jumps out from every post. I keep coming back because you’re so charismatic, I’ve made a friend without even knowing you in places not online.
What kind words. Charisma: I should totally start a cult.
[...] review Erica Mullenix’s blog, Free Fringes, and give her some [...]
I love the neat and consistent look of your blog.
The only thing I would recommend (and this is only from a personal preference) is only use one sidebar or one main sidebar with a double one underneath – I think that you have ample space for it.
For your contact me page, I recommend cformsII
Thanks, Phillip! I’ll install the contact form asap. The last one I used was incompatible with so many of my plugins, it kept shutting down my blog.
I am actually a better fan of the three-column footer as far as sidebars go, but my template modification skills go only so far. Which is not very.
1. your purpose is not apparent, but your header has enough open space to provide a purpose statement. I really do believe in clearly and unambiguously stating your purpose, else your target audience will not stay and look around. Your brand is portrayed through your purpose statement and that is the most fundamental, often best advert you can ever have.
2. Layout – nice and clean, uncluttered, straightforward. That’s all meritorious. However, it is a bit bland – add some color, spice it up a bit.
3. Content is king as far as I am concerned – you must position and differentiate yourself in the market. Differentiation is the greatest key to marketing and yet it is so often eclipsed by images, symbols, pretensions and veneer. Superficial appearances can get an audience for a while, but differentiated content will keep them and grow your market share.
4. It may be a bit too intense, but I can only judge by your blogroll.
5. Yes, its simple, clean layout certainly has an air of authenticity about it.
Peter, welcome to the fringe and thanks for your input. I’m not really concerned with market share. This is a personal blog and it’s illegal here in the states to profit off your life events and/or family in any way. Oh, wait, never mind.
Personal blogs, IMO, don’t really need purpose statements. I think the about me page nicely sums up what this place is all about. I was a little paranoid when you said my target audience will not stay around to read, so I checked my analytics. My bounce rate, which measures the rate of those who stay to read against those who bounce away immediately hovers around 30 percent, meaning nearly 70 percent of my readers hang out long enough to read the current post, if not longer. I’ll take that. That’s a very decent number.
I always begin by saying that I am aware that my comments here are based on my opinions and my preferences from someone that has very little blogging experience. With that said I hope I can help.
1) Purpose: I cannot tell where you have defined for your readers what your purpose or goals are. A good place to start would be a byline in the header section. It also might help to let readers see what categories your writing falls into. When I show up on a blog the first two things I do is read the header for the byline then look for what categories the writer is publishing content for.
2) Layout/usability: I am not a fan of the double sidebar. But that is personal preference. I think it allows for clutter because of a need to fill so much space or it allows for a lot of empty space down the page when the homepage or post page run long (this happens when you have a lot of comments). I think your rss link should be higher on the page near the title.
3) Content: Your writing seems to be random in nature. That is okay unless you are trying to reach a certain audience. Also, I visited your about page and followed the link for “answering the unasked question since 1968″ and found that particular article included several foul words. Again, this is personal preference, but that type of language is offensive to me and would keep me from becoming a regular reader.
4) Activity: The wordpress plugin “subscribe to comments” will allow you to have a check box under your comment box for folks to subscribe. As is, I have to search for the feed for subscribing to comments. Of the words you have given to choose form I would say that ‘stabby’ is the word I would choose to describe you blog.
5) Believability: Your blog does have an authentic voice.
6) My favorite thing: The rotating media box on the homepage.
Hope something here will help. Have a great week!
7) What would I get rid of: The lifestream in the sidebar
Wow, what a detailed review! @ebertchicago would be proud. I giggled at the several foul words admonition. I am aware that participating in a blogging series with Christians would perhaps bring people to my blog who might be offended by that. No worries. My stabbiness serves a different target audience. I’ll try making the “subscribe to comments” feature more prominent.
Hey, Erika
I like your blog. I remember reading at the beginning that this is a personal blog read by family and friends, so I don’t think you’re missing in the content department at all. You’re serving your audience, and yes I do want to be your friend. Too bad we don’t live close enough to have coffee/tea/whatever, but if you and your family ever come to the Black Hills, give me a shout.
I’d suggest putting up some sort of motto or purpose statement like “Keeping up with me is a full time job” or some similar quip that would clue in new readers. But it’s not necessary — your target audience knows what the blog is for.
I don’t like the three columns, tho I understand the need for simplicity and keeping to the template. But the three columns kind of dazzle and confuse my eyes and look busy to me. I’m using the new 2010 template that comes with WP-3. It has lots of choices for where you put stuff. I don’t put that much stuff up because my blog has a different purpose from yours, but it might suit you if you care to check it out.
Your style is friendly and sassy and cute. Not terribly accessible to outsiders, but then your blog’s goal is communicating with people who know you in the flesh.
I like the way you write, and I think this blog is just perfect for your purposes.
It has a friendly tone despite the fact that I usually don’t have the depth of understanding I’d like. (I’m always nosy, I’m afraid)
Blessings, Cindy
What a thoughtful and open-minded review, Cindy. Thanks. I think what people are looking for in my header is a tagline of some sort. I have rotating taglines that appear in the title portion of your browser and when you hover over the blog title in the header. Depending on the template, it’s sometimes more prominent than others.
My family and most off-blog friends are not readers of my blog, however un/fortunate that is. My regular readership is a blend of Internet stalkers and friends collected over the years through blogging. I’m a little sad free fringes seems inaccessible to outsiders, but that could be my regular personality making frequent guest appearances. I’m a circle the wagons kind of girl.
I hear you on the confusing sidebars. I’ll tidy it up my first free weekend. Looks like the first week in July, maybe.
Thanks for the invitation to the Black Hills. As soon as I look that up on a map, we’re there!
Things have changed quite a bit since my last visit here. I like the new streamlined look. Everything appeals except for the busy sidebars and the lack of a little color.
Your writing style fits your audience and expresses your personality. I don’t think I would feel comfortable commenting on your posts as I feel they are quite personal.
But if you would like to have Starbucks, I’d be glad to talk over coffee–although we’re almost on opposite coasts. In AZ all we have is beach, no water.
I agree with the others that your purpose is not clear to the reader who is breezing by. But if someone reads your posts, they will understand your purpose in writing. You also make that clear under one of the tabs.
Your writing is clear and definitely original. Your thoughts do flow together well which is important to any writer as you well know.
Thanks for the opportunity to visit.
Janis
Beach, no water: funny! Thanks for the review and the compliments…
It appears I’m late to teh fray again – sorry
You asked about purpose – do you know I rarely ever consider a blog’s purpose except my own. So when I land on yours (for example) it matters not a jot why so long as the content you provide appeals to me. So far it does and I’m grateful for the 31DBBB for introducing me to you.
As far as the layout goes I have no issues with it – but I really don’t like / get the ‘lifestream’ thing. Maybe drop the second sidebar column if your theme allows for that (mine doesn’t so I’ve got my son ‘fixing it’ for me)and add what remains to the first column.
Also, a slightly wider post area would work better but it’s ok as is if that’s too hard to fix.
Outside of this I have nothing else constructive at the moment … love your style and the wit. Keep on keeping on as I keep saying.
Thanks for the kind review. The Lifestream is actually how I navigate to your blog and to others in my blogroll. I can remove it, but that would make it very difficult for me to know who’s posted when. It’s like a handy RSS feed. Maybe I’ll move it to a less prominent place since it’s confusing.
That’s cool erica – it’s your blog you do what youy have too
I follow the ramblings of the 31DBBBers via two methods. First is the 31DBBB list on twitter (mine is private but there is a public one as well) and secondly I have the William Dicks RSS feed in my RSS reader.
Horses for courses I guess.
Anyway I came back to comment on something I menat to say earlier and that is your 14day comment policy. I can understand wanting to restrict it but – and taking me as an example – I frequently find I get to blogs slowly due to life getting in the way and want to comment but can’t because the 14 days have gone.
What am I saying? I’m saying consider making it 30 or 60 days. That still allows for it to be relevant but also allows tortoises like me to get in with a comment.
Ah, but there is no point in opening the blog for review if I’m not going to make necessary adjustments. I moved the lifestream, renamed it, hid it from everyone but me. Heh.
The 14 day comment thing: one, spammers love old posts and Askimet seems to falter past 14 days. Plus, since I try to reply to each comment up to a certain point, I’d hate for a new reader to comment on something from two months ago, then I gotta say something. I’d rather keep the discussion timely. Slow tortoises can always send me an email!