Here’s an update on my progress for Kim’s latest assignment in the Blog Improvement Project.
I’ve kept her suggestions in the default font, added my accomplishments in italics, and I’m looking for response from you with the bolded questions:
- Write (or update) your “About Me” Page — Rather than write a separate “About Me” page, I changed my “Attention Authors and Publishers” widget to “Who is Too Fond of Books?” with a little info about my blog. I added (blue! That was an accomplishment!) links to the items I have indexed on separate pages (book reviews, interviews, Spotlight series), and a link to open a blank email addressed to me. How do you like these changes? Do I need a separate About Me page?
- Update your contact information – I kept the “Contact Me” tab, which opens to a form that will send an email to me. I also added the link to a blank email in the “Who is Too Fond of Books” widget. I could add the email address to the widget, and delete the link and/or Contact Me tab … opinions?
- Add some sort of picture of yourself (if you’re comfortable with that) – I don’t mind doing this, I just don’t know where I’d put it. My blog is 2-column, and I’m not willing to do a major switch (to 3-column) right now. I could add it to the “Who is Too Fond …” widget, but that makes the widget awfully large. Again, I’m open to suggestions!
- Update your Blogroll — (hanging head) I didn’t do any work on this! Will re-read the article Kim gave us ( “Does My Blog Need A Blogroll?” ) and decide if I’m going to make any changes.
- Create a link to your Archives on your front page – I have archives and a search box. The archives are down toward the bottom of the page, but I’m OK with that (because I don’t know how/why it’s useful to jump to a particular month of posts). The search box is below my “Who is Too Fond …” and Giveaways widgets. Do you think it’s too low?
- Add a link (or make sure a link is there) so readers can subscribe to your blog via RSS – I already had this one checked off!
- Get to work on other basic blog maintenance you’ve been meaning to do – Check my progress in this other set of bullet points:
- I must figure out how to get my pic (for lack of a better symbol) on the URL bar – yay! Success! My favicon should be looking at you right now
I found the step-by-step at amoswong.com. - edit CSS so the search box doesn’t overlap my page tabs – again, success! Many thanks to Trish at Hey Lady! who talked me down from the ledge on this one!
- delete wish list tab and keep an amazon wish list link - I deleted the wish list tab, but have yet to create the Amazon wish list and link … something for another day! [[update 4/13/09 - I'll be looking for another way to automate my wish list; Amazon isn't the answer for me]]
Having been fairly productive at knocking some blog basics off my list, I have to ask, can you see anything else that’s missing or needs adjusting?!?
You’ve been hard at work. I decided to skip this assignment.
I like how you redid the contact information … I think it is just great how it is…and I like having the links in blue — easier to find and use the one you want.
I personally like having the archives higher up where I can see them easier but that is a matter of personal preference, I guess. My feedback would be that it is too low. This is why I switched to a 3-column layout — I could have all my navigation stuff on one side and the rest of the stuff on the other. But that is a big chunk to bite off (but maybe it is easier on WordPress than Blogger.)
As for a photo, could you put a small one inserted to the left under your “Who Is Too Fond Of Books?” section? This seems like the obvious place — where we get to “meet” you and put a face with a name. Not sure how easy that is for you.
And if you want more feedback, I would move your tag cloud up higher (could replace the archives perhaps) and your Technocrati thing so people see it –otherwise I think it might get lost!
Hope this is helpful!
I like the flow of your blog…always have. It’s easy on my eyes and let’s me focus on the content
Links in blue is excellent, I like when it’s easy to see what you can click on and what you can’t. I don’t think you need an About Me page unless you want to have one, it’s all sort of optional
Nice blog feng shui.
To answer some of your questions, I love the “about” info and think that would be a good place for a photo, if it would fit anywhere near there.
I also think it’s probably okay to have the contact info in two places, less of a chance for people to miss it.
Personally, I never mind scrolling down a little to find the search box on someone’s blog.
BTW, I’m glad I’m not the only one who needs to be talked down from a ledge every once in a while!
I like the polishing you’ve done. I especially like the new pages. I discovered that you interviewed a couple of authors I’m interested in. So, thanks. I’m in agreement with the little picture of you in your Who Is Too Fond of Books section. Your picture is your avatar and I think that people associate your picture with your blog when you are out commenting, etc. Then when they see your picture when they come in here they have an ‘oh-yes-I-know-her’ moment and it’s a good one. Thanks for the tip on the favicon (another pix). I’m going to try that out.
I’m glad my advice helped! And your blog looks fantastic.
An about page? Why? Are you some major celebrity or something? What will it say? Fan of Susan Helene Gottfried; nothing else matters.
*grin*
Seriously. I don’t know what to put on my OWN About page!
Kathy – it gave me the push to complete several items on my “to do” list (there are more still on the list!)
Jenners – thanks for the feedback! I’ll definitely be adding a pic in the “who is too fond …” widget. I’m going to wait to move the widgets around until we complete this next assignment, about social networking media. Then I hope to group all my “places I am” together (and higher up).
Ti – Thank you! I was pretty proud of myself when I listed all my reading challenges (complete with links) on the sidebar. I’m getting there, learning this stuff!
annie – if only I could extend that feng shui to the house … why is there always so much laundry around here?!?
Shana – wordpress has a newer version, and since I’m self-hosted it’s a little more involved to upgrade. I have to back up, disable plug-ins … there are some other scary-sounding things, so I haven’t done it yet. I’m still on the ledge with that one … Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Margot – definitely will add the pic, and that’s the spot for it. I’m glad you like the interview tab, I thought it made sense. I was so pleased when the favicon worked and I saw my teeny-tiny face up there.
Susan – of course! About me: West of Mars Groupie … ’nuff said! (grin) I’ll keep that stuff between me and Trevor off the page (grin again!)
Well your blog looked awesome to begin with but it looks great now too!
I don’t see where the picture of you is, or do you just mean the picture when you comment? You have put enough info about yourself in your sidebar but if you wanted to share more you could create an about me page. This page would be about your other interests, family, what else you do besides blogging (is there anything else? LOL) etc…
The contact info is fine, blogroll is fine except that I’m not in it LOL (just kidding)
The only other thing I see is that your Buying Books for the Holidays picture is cut off a little in the sidebar. the 9 in 2009 is cut off, at least for me. Also currently one of the pictures in your currently reading widget isn’t showing up although I know that’s Library Thing, not you.
So basically it’s fine LOL.