Blog review

When it gets to this time of year I always end up trying to decide whether I should change anything about my blog (and my website too come to that).

I don't want to change the actual template as I don't use a standard template  tinkering can be a bit disastrous as changing the html can have unforeseen consequences.

Last year I made the page wider to allow for larger images. I don't know about you but I tend to be drawn more easily to blogs with large images but then I tend to like things to be visual. Give me a book - other than a novel - without pictures or with poor pictures and I find the effect to be turn off rather than turn page. So the large images will stay. I couldn't even manage to write this totally non-visual post without adding an image or two. I'm not being critical of blogs that I visit that have small photos - they must be special to attract my attention despite not pandering to my craving for the big picture!.

I do have one question though about images - can you have too many images in a post? Also do you prefer to see a lot of separate photos or for the photos to be displayed in a slideshow or video. I use a slideshow when I think I have too many images to show separately but have no idea whether people actually view the slideshow or not!

Then there is the balancing act between text and images. Again I tend to err towards personal preference in that I find small blocks of text tend to hold my interest more. If I come across a large block of text I tend to scan for bits that interest me rather than reading the lot. If my posts are long they usually have more pictures. I also like to break up my text by adding extra space between paragraphs. Maybe this is a left-over from my days of creating worksheets for primary children but is it appropriate for adults? And can a post be too long or too short? Too long that readers lose interest and too short that they consider it wasn't worthwhile to visit?

Then there is the content - this is a gardening blog isn't it so is there a place for non-gardening posts? I've rationalised that garden wildlife, cooking and gardens that I visit are OK as they are garden linked but what about when I sneak in a photo of let's say a swan which I'm not likely to have popping into my garden? If one managed to land it would have to walk away as there wouldn't be room for it to take-off again. Does something non-garden related make visitors tut at me and shake their heads in disgust. (Tanya, Jo and Mark have told me more that once that it's my blog and I can write what I like on it but what do others think?)  As this post isn't a garden related one it's possible no-one is bothering to read it and I'm 'talking' to myself. Maybe I should add yet another blog for non-gardening photos (a sort of weekly photoblog) but would that be a pain for people who like to see different photos on this blog - would they bother going to another blog? (And I already have two other blogs anyway and two websites so maybe I'll just edit my blog description!) I'm rambling now aren't I?

I'll no doubt have a ponder about whether to change my header image and to what? I do change it through the seasons but the format remains the same and I can get a bit bored of taking the same shots. Maybe I should go for something more like my Facebook header. Yes I'm afraid I've been drawn in to Facebook and Twitter!

Then there is the dreaded word verification which I have disabled, The latest version that has a photo of a number to identify is a nightmare.  On blogs that still use it, I seem to need several refreshes before I get a number that I can actually make out. I'm also convinced that sometimes when I get the verification correct, Blogger just throws me out for the fun of it! I'm sure blogs that use this miss out on some visitors commenting! If moderation is used anyway the system is really surplus to requirements. Maybe people don't realise it's there so it's always a good idea to try leaving a comment on your own blog to see what type of experience visitors have. No need for me to even think about reinstating it despite getting masses of spam at the moment. Blogger seems to do a good job of identifying it and even though spam piling into my email is a pain I can delete most before it is published.

Then should I/shouldn't I remove some of the blogs that have been inactive for a few months from my bloglist or if I do will I miss them if they spring back into action? It's easy to pick out which blogs haven't been updated recently as they are the ones at the bottom of my list. I find ordering blogs according to when they publish new posts is really useful as I can quickly see which have updates. I often wonder what has happened to blogpals who have suddenly gone quiet. Of course there will be new blogs to add to the list and new people to 'get to know'. It's always good to find a new interesting blog. Some new bloggers stick around and others like new allotment gardeners quickly seem to lose interest or maybe find they haven't time to keep going.

I really do find other people's bloglists to be a great way of finding new blogs to visit so would urge everyone to add their favourite blogs to their lists so I can find them. I already have a few that I am visiting at the moment which I think will be added to my list shortly.

Finally my thank yous to everyone who has taken the time to comment on my posts and give me the encouragement to keep posting, also to everyone who has become a follower - whether you comment or not it is good to know you are there and to everyone who has mentioned my blog in their posts or added it to their bloglists to send new people my way. 

So is it just me or will you be having the same kind of thoughts - I look forward  to seeing how 2013 turns out blogwise as well as garden-wise!

Copyright: Original post from Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments http://glallotments.blogspot.co.uk/ author S Garrett