Comments on: How Can I Make ProBlogger More Useful for You?

By: Turkey Photo

Turkey Photo — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:49:50 +0000

Another vote for case studies

By: Jungle Mama

Jungle Mama — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:25:18 +0000

I’ve just started reading your site and love it very much. There is a lot which does not pertain specifically to me as I am a “Mommy Blog”. Do you know how much I hate that term? I really do! I want to be recognized as something other than a Mommy Blog. How do I pull myself out of that rut? I’ve got a little niche that we are an overseas family, but to tell you the truth, the experience has had it’s great disappointments and I fear the blog would go to close to the edge if I described them, though how can you help scratch the surface on some of those issues. Well, aside from outright asking you to tell me what I should blog about, if you’ve got some advice for how to get an average Mommy Blog into a new realm I’d be grateful.

As far as your design, it would be nice if you could clarify your lists along the top. So many titles I’m not sure what I’m looking at or where the link will take me. Will I stay on your page or go somewhere else?First impression was a little . . . can I use “scary” and not offend you?

Thanks for all of your great reading material you’ve given me :)

By: Nathan Chapman

Nathan Chapman — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:03:24 +0000

I read your blog about once a day, and I am constantly finding that the site design seems too cluttered, especially around the header. I appreciate how hard it is to design blog themes, but Problogger could really do with an overhaul.

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:52:10 +0000

I love your writings. But I hate to see some shallow and quickly written posts. 1-2 post per day is enough provided they are really meaningful and useful to us.

PS: I don’t really like your Speedlinking post. I come to your blog just to get your opinions and not others ;).

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:49:30 +0000

I think it would be interesting to have forums where people could ask your readers for advice on specific things (a la “How do I make my landing page more sticky?”). That way we could get feedback from all your readers, who, presumably are interested in such things and likely constantly looking to learn more and refine their already existing knowledge, and not have to use up your valuable time.

By: Mark Levison

Mark Levison — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:05:35 +0000

How about solve the worlds major problems: climate change, world peace, …. :-)

Oh you meant relevant feedback:
1) No videos or podcasts please. I can read much faster than you can speak. I just don’t have time for them. Consider I spend about 30-60 minutes a day reading blogs.
2) Allow the main column to a bit wider on large screens. Not infinitely wide – maybe 50% larger.
3) I struggle to keep up as it is so please don’t increase the posting frequency.
4) A few case studies might be fun.
5) As I’ve suggested via the contact form a story on Click Fraud – especially the risks of having your adsense account suspended through no fault of your own.

Cheers
Mark “Notes from a Tool User” Levison

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 05:25:42 +0000

A Print Plugin. I have a friend who doesn’t have access to the internet but loves your stuff. I love printing it out and reading it somewhere else and as everyone knows ie is useless at print and firefox isn’t much better. I have seen some sites with a print plugin and they work extremely well.

By: racketboy

racketboy — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:55:26 +0000

One of the comments above gave me a good idea to agree with.
I’ve toyed with the idea of paying contributers to keep my blog going strong. (I’ve been writing for over two years and have less time than I used to)

Coming up with strategies for organization and payment would be great. Determining a fair payment amount is the hard part. (Knowing how much a person’s post is worth to me/making it worth their while to write for me)

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:06:37 +0000

One suggestion I would like to make is that you consider starting a Bloggers Forum.

Your readers base is impressive. I’m sure there are plenty of blogging enthusiasts who would be delighted if you were to start a blogging forum.
Use Invision Power Boards. They offer regular upgrades and their forums are already high quality.

If you start this bloggers forum, I would be one of the very first to join up. I would be ecstatic at all the blogging knowledge I would soak up in there.
You could call it the Probloggers Forums.

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:47:10 +0000

I cannot believe people want you to “review” their site. If they are reading this blog on a regular basis, and your archives, they don’t need it reviewed, they’d pick up enough tips. Like you don’t have enough to do! LOL! Okay, rant over. :-)
My suggestions:
Design: Perhaps consider going fluid on the width. I am seeing some huge resolutions at my little site, and with your traffic, it must be mega times more than I see. I’m coming to believe that is the way to go.
Content: Keep doing what you’re doing. I’m nowhere near to monetizing my blog, but it’s maybe something for the future. Even though I’m not ready, and may never be, due to being very niche specific, and not something that a lot of people would read, the suggestions on building traffic and respect are the best. In fact, that’s how I found this site in the first place.
I think the amount of posts is just right, along with the divisions between the content. And the length is good. Maybe I have a higher attention span, but too short posts (other than speedlinking ones) are a waste of a visit. You have a lot to say/teach and you do it in an effective manner.
Forum: Uh-uh, no way. I don’t think you’d want the hassle. And it is a major hassle, and with your traffic, you’d have to have dozens of moderators. Comments work fine, don’t let anyone sway your opinion on that. You’re just opening up a can of worms if you start one. (Visions of flame wars, spam, spam, review my site please, etc.).
Also, personal to Darren: I think very few of us read that quote mentioned by Gavin Smith as a plea for sympathy. Whether a blog makes money or not, no one wants a new you knowwhat ripped, just to slam the Darren, and I think you have a high caliber of commenters here. :D
I can’t think of anything else, other than to keep up the great work. You are appreciated.

By: Bob Blick

Bob Blick — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:53:40 +0000

Answering questions from time to time. Wordpress is easy but yet can get a little complicated. Things you can’t figure out why they’re happening as there seems to be no logical answer and no way to find the answer. Yep – I have such a problem right now. :-)

Overall though, this is an excellent site and should be frequented by anyone interested in doing blogs.

By: MajoTajoJulia

MajoTajoJulia — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:18:42 +0000

How about read my emails?.

Also I would like you to see to write more about SEO , who is doing that stuff for you etc.
Find for us how people can get better ranking in SE?
Why don’t you use keywords? or Meta Tags.

By: Chris Peters

Chris Peters — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:20:03 +0000

Hi Darren,

First of all I’d like to say that this blog has been my favorite since I found it. I love the design because it’s easy to oversee and when you are new you simply check out the key articles to start with.

Some mentioned a Problogger forum but I advise strongly against it. Not because a forum is no fun but because a forum and a weblog are two different kinds of communities. You have built a community here, something that is vital to your success and I believe a forum would undermine your ‘formula’ as it is now.

This weblog is regulated very well, updated more than most blogs and therefore you don’t need user generated content besides the comments you get. Case studies about monetizing forums are welcome given the number of votes for even though it’s almost off-topic being a different medium.

The quantity and the quality of posts is perfect, I think this topic will tell you all you need to change. This topic itself is the key to improvement, readers are actively involved in the process of change: a win-win situation.

I’m sure you will continiue to deliver high quality on Problogger and I wish you the best of luck.

Kind Regards,

Chris Peters

By: KiwiPulse

KiwiPulse — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:59:11 +0000

I’ll vote for a Forum, I know it represent more of your time to moderated it. But it will help you to simplifly your work by getting ideas on the discussion forum. Having a active growing community, thats priceless :D

By: Truden

Truden — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:25:08 +0000

Hi, Darren :)

Thanks for this topic.
Great attitude about your readers, which we don’t see so often.

I’d like to hear from you “what a new blogger should not do”.

Love your design and hope that after the revamp the load time will improve (it’s not always that bad).
Your post infrequency is just perfect.
Not too dense and not too occasional – keeps me happy to see it in my feed reader ;)

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:21:11 +0000

How about reviewing a different blog every week? Not just the big, popular blogs but any one of the millions out there. I think this could help people relate this info more easy back to their own blogs.

By: April

April — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 07:32:57 +0000

Could do with a bit of help on multi-author blogs and payment options. I have a site which is a few years old and want to turn it into a blog on fashion, beauty etc. I though of allowing the blogger to keep all the adsense and affiliate money from their post whilst I keep money generated from the sidebar.

Does this sound like an OK idea?

Thanks

By: Scot

Scot — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:37:56 +0000

Darren

I think post length is perfect – I read via RSS and have consistently read through every problogger post. I find I get the most value out of longer posts, as opposed to shorter newsy posts. Speedlinking breaks that up beautifully though.

Regarding a forum: While I think introducing a forum would enhance the level of community amongst the biggest Problogger contributors, some of your (presumably numerous) quiet (backseat) readers may find it slightly alienating miss out on a significant part of the discussion that might occur.

Posts concerning the range of tools you’re currently using to earn money via blogging would be appreciated, because although you’ve covered it before there is a feeling of content dating very quickly online. Also, many people like me are looking to find the most appropriate and respectable form of advertising/other revenue earners for their sites. No one wants to be scammed though, and a word of recommendation from you goes a long way.

Your case studies have proved most useful to me. Plus content generating ideas like your last series, which I thought was a fantastic re-energiser for pro blogger.

Cheers
Scot

By: topSPINme

topSPINme — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:06:09 +0000

Maybe allow your readers to submit their blogs to you for review. And then you would post what’s good/bad in this particular blog. I believe you have solid patriotic readers, but no matter how hard they try following your tips, still end up unsuccessful especially in terms of readership. I guess they would like direct first-handed practical solutions to their blogging dilemmas. That way, it can be pointed out what specifically in their blogs work and doesn’t work.

By: Colin

Colin — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 05:43:20 +0000

Darren

I think you’re doing a pretty good job right now. I’m reasonably new to the site but have enjoyed your daily tips.

I put my vote in for a forum as well.

Col
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BloggingWorks.. But only if you do it right!