Header:
I don't like how the header is longer than the blog. I think
they should be the same size and line up evenly.
I like the changing pictures on your home page. I feel like
I got to know you a bit in looking at your family. That was fun.
The header is large and caught my attention
immediately...always a good thing. There may be a little too much
green and I think it might look better if you made the middle
stripe white. This could just be my personal preference though.
I don't like that the header runs off the right side of the
page. The fonts and colors look a little outdated, but with the niche of
the blog, I get that they're earthy and natural looking. I do like the
burlap-looking background of the header.
I like the header. It is attractive, serene, and is a
good graphic representation of what the blog is about.
I love the photo slideshow that illustrates every major
theme, in the same order as the index pages. The photos themselves are
very attractive, and they relate well to their embedded links.
Sidebar (Arrangement and Appearance)
I love "About Us" is right at the top, followed by
the social media buttons. I do wish the sidebar started right under the header
and that the menu preview didn't stretch across the page. I don't see a search
button, which is a huge deal, and I'm not sure why there are social media
buttons AND widgets for all the social media platforms, too. That seems like
overkill.
I like how you have the about us right at the top of your
sidebar. But I think it looks a little busy with the twitter feed, and I think
you should make your popular posts more prominent - larger or darker font and
larger images.
I might recommend putting the "Top Posts and
Pages" section higher up and more prominent.
loved the about me section with the picture of your family and also loved the location at the top of the sidebar. You may want to choose a darker shade of green for your post links to make them easier to read.
How easy it is to follow on social media
It's very easy to follow you on social media. Your
social media buttons are easy to find and you have additional spots to make it
easy to connect with you on Twitter, FB and Pinterest.
It's VERY easy to follow on social media, considering the
buttons and the widgets.
Content
The most relevant to me was How I Feed My Family Of 5 For
Under $100 a Month series. You have some awesome tips and I enjoyed
reading them.
The posts are LONG. I suggest either teasing a few
paragraphs with a "read more" link, or at the very least adding more
photos, using more bullet points or lists, something. There are just a lot
of words broken up by... nothing. I read the first story, Preparing for a
Medical Emergency, and found it to be mostly the story of the hospital visit.
There were a few tips at the end (this would be an ideal place for bullets or a
numbered list) but they wouldn't apply to a lot of people (most people have
cell phones, don't have college-age kids without licenses, etc.
I read the second post, about groceries, and really wished
the numbered list was more obvious (it just looked like more rows of text).
This would also be an easy place to insert photos because it's just so text
heavy.
Great advice on Summer School for Homeschool. However,
it was really long. I stopped reading about a third of the way down.
Try adding some headings to break up the content to allow for skimming.
Also, try shortening your pieces. There’s great content in there
just lost amid the text.
I am amazingly impressed with you feeding a family of 5 for
under $100 a month. That’s mind blowing.
Being from the city (DC metro area like you!) and am now the
dweller of one of the largest cities in the world (and the largest on the
continent of Africa) homesteading is a mystery to me.
I appreciated learning a bit about your adventures and look forward to
applying a few tips as we head to the States for a Stateside assignment.
I have spoken in a number of churches in Appalachia
and always love it. It’s so beautiful and peaceful there.
Next I clicked around on the index pages and dove into the
"How I Feed My Family of Five for Under $100 Every Month"
series. Wow! Honesty. Personal Responsibility.
Discipline. Sacrifice. Conviction. I will read every word.
How easy it is to read (fonts, etc.)
I think the green font in the sidebar is a little harder to
read because it's too light.
The fonts are easy to read, though you may want to break up
the posts with more pictures if possible.
The font could be a size larger. The color is nice, and it's
easy to spot hyperlinks. Again, though, the lack of something to break up the
long posts makes it difficult to read.
How easy it is to navigate, and find what you are looking for.
Your navigation is great. I love the categories and
subcategories...they are precise and make it very easy to find what you're
looking for.
There's no search bar! I LOVE the scroll to top button
(going to have to get one of those) and the menu at the top seems to cover
everything.
Overall appearance
My very first impression of the blog is extremely
favorable. Why? It has a clean, uncluttered, orderly
appearance. It has just what you need above the fold: an attractive
header, a statement that tells you what this blog is about, index pages, and
nice looking photos.
Yes, this blog has ads, but I had to "work" to
find them. Clearly this blogger cares more about sharing content than
monetizing her blog.
I would suggest using a “Read More” link for your home page.
That way I can see several of your most recent posts quickly
Since your header is such a big part of your home page, I
think you might want to add a second color to liven it up a little.
Perhaps if you made the stripe in the middle white or off white, you could
have your name in a different color.
Overall, it looks pretty clean but also dated. I suggest
updating the header, even with something basic from PicMonkey. There are plenty
of scripty fonts that look a little more updated, a little less DIY church
bulletin.
Other comments or suggestions
You post a lot which is fantastic. I don’t know how
you post as often as you do, homeschool your kids, and take care of your house.
You are super woman.
Your scroll-to-top button- and the fact that it works- is
genius. Add a search box. Overall, you have a lot of great content to offer.
How can you make a blog look
homey and tech savvy all at the same time? I am jealous. :)
This is a great blog. Nice job, Amanda!
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