# What Makes a Good Blog?



## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

So I started a blog. I have no idea what I'm doing really. I want it to be informative. I've been living this lifestyle for quite a while now and I'm thinking I can offer an interesting chronicle of the things we make and do. 

Can you give me a critique of my blog (just two posts so far) and offer some blogging tips? I don't regularly read any blogs but I find them when I Google something and enjoy them very much. 

http://artisanfarmsteadliving.blogspot.com/


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Also, I could add the blog to my web site instead of using blog spot. The advantage of blog spot is that the layout is more user friendly. Like I can label every post with cheese so if you want to read more about cheese you can just click the side tag. The advantage to putting it on my web site is that all the added content will bring in more traffic. Opinions?


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## katlupe (Nov 15, 2004)

cmharris6002 said:


> So I started a blog. I have no idea what I'm doing really. I want it to be informative. I've been living this lifestyle for quite a while now and I'm thinking I can offer an interesting chronicle of the things we make and do.
> 
> Can you give me a critique of my blog (just two posts so far) and offer some blogging tips? I don't regularly read any blogs but I find them when I Google something and enjoy them very much.
> 
> http://artisanfarmsteadliving.blogspot.com/


It looks good to me. As you build it up you will get more traffic. But you really need to promote it. And the only way to do that is to network with other bloggers. I read tons of blogs, and many are not the kind that I would normally follow. But they follow me, they make comments on my blog, they put my blog's button on their blogs and I am listed in their blogrolls. So I have to make an effort to network back with them. Just because many of the bloggers are not into homesteading does not mean they cannot embrace a part of this lifestyle. I see it in my own followers. Teach them and they want to know more.

I network like crazy. Not only for my blogs (I write 4) but for my 3 websites also. So networking is the best thing you can do for your blog and your website. It may bring your followers to your website. 

Your writing is good. Your photos are good. People like to see how to do things and you have done a good job on that.


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Thanks for the input! I admit it might take me awhile to get around to networking with other bloggers but I'll work on it. I am still trying to learn how to navigate and edit stuff on blogspot.


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## katlupe (Nov 15, 2004)

cmharris6002 said:


> Thanks for the input! I admit it might take me awhile to get around to networking with other bloggers but I'll work on it. I am still trying to learn how to navigate and edit stuff on blogspot.


I posted your blog to my Facebook page and hopefully it would get some hits from that. Many of my friends on FB are also from this forum. I also started a thread on the blogfrog and posted your blog link there. Many people will probably visit you from that. Check your stats and maybe you will at least get some followers and comments from that. I think some of them will really like the cheese recipe!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Thanks Kat! I am finding blogs to follow and even posted a comment. I also read a bit at blogfrog. Looks like some great info there. You have already been a tremendous help pointing me in the right direction :thumb: I was wondering how often to post. Right now I have a ton of ideas, should I just go for it or should I pace myself?


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## katlupe (Nov 15, 2004)

cmharris6002 said:


> Thanks Kat! I am finding blogs to follow and even posted a comment. I also read a bit at blogfrog. Looks like some great info there. You have already been a tremendous help pointing me in the right direction :thumb: I was wondering how often to post. Right now I have a ton of ideas, should I just go for it or should I pace myself?


Well I have been trying to post every day this year on my main blog, Homesteading On The Internet. But it is not easy. I write 4 and a have 3 webstores. One is new and I am really working on that mostly at the moment. Plus, it is gardening time. That sets me back usually, but we are having wet weather so I am inside and can work on them this week. 

All I can say is to post as often as you possibly can. If it is a few times a week then do that consistently. Don't post a lot, then not for weeks or months. Eventually, you may want to add paid ads to your site and you will need the content to attract them. 

Good luck! :clap: Joining Blogfrog is very beneficial to a blog!


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## Halfway (Nov 22, 2010)

Very informative!

I like it and will "stay tuned". :goodjob:


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

This is just my personal preference, but I hate web pages that scroll over a background. I find it difficult to read and distracting. I also tend to avoid sites that have long posts and don't provide a print capability. If I find something interesting, I may want to print it to read it or print it to file it.


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## katlupe (Nov 15, 2004)

MoonRiver said:


> This is just my personal preference, but I hate web pages that scroll over a background. I find it difficult to read and distracting. I also tend to avoid sites that have long posts and don't provide a print capability. If I find something interesting, I may want to print it to read it or print it to file it.


Well you can't please everyone. The best thing about blogs is that you can write them the way you want. I love scrolling backgrounds and long posts! So that is how I do it. So you can write your blog without them. Everybody is different. You can copy the post you want in wordpad and then print it out. I don't print out anything myself...........I am trying to eliminate all that paper.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

katlupe said:


> Well you can't please everyone. The best thing about blogs is that you can write them the way you want. I love scrolling backgrounds and long posts! So that is how I do it. So you can write your blog without them. Everybody is different. You can copy the post you want in wordpad and then print it out. I don't print out anything myself...........I am trying to eliminate all that paper.


The OP asked for input and I gave mine.


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## katlupe (Nov 15, 2004)

MoonRiver said:


> The OP asked for input and I gave mine.


Oh, I thought you were talking about your own blog in general. Sorry, I didn't understand what you meant.

One thing I thought about what you said about printing out what is written on the blogs, many bloggers now are using copyscape so nobody can copy what they write. They are afraid people will copy it and then print it somewhere else as their own.


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## katlupe (Nov 15, 2004)

cmharris6002 said:


> Thanks Kat! I am finding blogs to follow and even posted a comment. I also read a bit at blogfrog. Looks like some great info there. You have already been a tremendous help pointing me in the right direction :thumb: I was wondering how often to post. Right now I have a ton of ideas, should I just go for it or should I pace myself?


Lots of my friends on the Blogfrog commented on how much they like your blog. Keep doing what you are doing. Your recipes are great! I love recipe blogs like Pam's and your's. Very good topics! Especially gives me great ideas for meals!


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

LOL I have no idea how to be a "Good Blogger"..... in fact I've had several pretty harsh comments made about my blog, either on it's content or complaints about it being too wordy... I don't have a huge following...But I blog for me & for a few family members so I'm happy with it  I can't post often as I don't have home internet (I'm on my cell for internet) but I post when I can...

I follow several blogs that I really enjoy but I doubt I could keep up with their kind of posting pace until I have home internet..

I like the layout/colors on your blog and I think it's off to a great start! Loved reading about the bees


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

Katalupe- What is BlogFrog??

My cell isn't letting me load the page (its a tempermental Android phone!) but I'm curious about it..

I should be near WiFi with my laptop this weekend so I'll hopefully get to check it out then...


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Thanks for the good advice Kat. I agree sometimes you connect with a critique and it makes sense to make changes and other times you just have to stick with what you like. I am thankful for all the input. The help and support here is amazing! 

I like my background but I do think my Mozzarella post is too long from a scrolling standpoint. I don't know how to change that without cutting content.



katlupe said:


> Well you can't please everyone. The best thing about blogs is that you can write them the way you want. I love scrolling backgrounds and long posts! So that is how I do it. So you can write your blog without them. Everybody is different. You can copy the post you want in wordpad and then print it out. I don't print out anything myself...........I am trying to eliminate all that paper.


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## tojo66 (Apr 9, 2011)

I'm new to blogging, too. Yours seems very nicely done and I will be following it-(love the yogurt post!) Happy blogging!

Tojo66
www.blessedlittlehomesteadlife.blogspot.com


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I enjoy your Blog. I love the post on the old cook books!! I'm a follower


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## seeknulfind (Jun 6, 2011)

Hi Christy,

I took a quick look and I'll jot down my thoughts without looking at the other posts so you know why if I'm a bit redundant.

Overall your blog looks quite nice. Great pictures and a comfortable "feel". Good subjects too.

As far as the posts go - I prefer to have less posts on one page and with navigation to other pages on the side. Why?

First of all, people visiting your site are likely to find it by following a link. Whether that link is on a search engine or from another site, they saw something that interested them.

For example, I might have found your site while searching for "mica in soap". I come to the page and that is what I see. Great. But then I see "Milking Goats". Okay. Do you use the goat's milk for soap or what? If I am only interested in soap then you may have lost me.

On the other hand, if I see some navigation on the page listing other pages (with enticing titles) then I might see something else I'm interested in.

I see you do have navigation but I had to actively search for it. If your article was on it's own page this would be less of a problem.

Please understand I do not use blogger much - I use wordpress and I host them myself with my own domains. It costs a bit more but I have lots more control.

About the articles themselves - your photos are beautiful and you write well but I might not spend much time on your site because what I want is information. HOW do you create such lovely soaps? Where do you get the Mica? (great place for an affiliate link!) What if I'm new to soap making? Can you show me how to get started? (here you could link to good books - even your own - or even a beginning soap making course - lots of possibilities here.) 

All in all you've got a nice blog here with the potential of being a great blog.

Andy


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Thank you so much for your input Andy. I find your suggestions very helpful! One thing I really relate to is providing more info. I really need to open up more and that is what I'll be working on. I am still trying to work blogging into my life and I have a long way to go before it feels like a natural part of what I do but I am enjoying it


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## seeknulfind (Jun 6, 2011)

Hi Christy,

You are entirely welcome. Blogging can be quite hard because one is expected to keep posting. I have a hard time with that.

One question (because I'm to lazy to look): how much control do you have over your ad placement and look with blogger?

Andy


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## hmsteader71 (Mar 16, 2006)

I think it looks good. Your soaps are beautiful!


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Hehehe. I found your blog through some means or another and I didn't know it was you until I saw this thread bumped! I'm Marissa - I've made a few comments on your blog.

Ok, now to the "being perfectly honest" part. I just got all the blogs I read onto a blog feeder this morning. I had a bunch bookmarked and just clicked on the links everyday until my husband informed me that was the 'lame' way to do it. So while transferring to Google Reader, I weeded out the blogs that I never find interesting or I don't feel like commenting on. I was *this* close to not adding yours to the reader...but it did make the list!

Why was I about to stop reading your blog? The subject matter is interesting to me of course and the blog is visually pleasing. The problem (for me) seems to be in the delivery. I feel that many of your posts are very informative (the recipe for feta and chevre, for example) but they are lacking in "personality". I see in your last post in this thread, you say you need to open up more - and I fully agree!

Most of the information on your blog can be found elsewhere on the web. It's hard to come up with something entirely original. What makes a person choose to read your informative blog over someone else's informative blog is usually the PERSON behind it, at least for a genre like this.

My husband (who is an avid blog reader) read some of your posts and wondered if you had "farmed them out" since they were so impersonal. I didn't even know that existed, but apparently people pay others to add content to their site and it can usually be seen by 'bland' content.

I also agree with seeknulfind - while the info is good, there is usually something lacking in the completeness. You;ll notice that I asked what kind of cream separator you use. Also the stuff about the mica...although the post was worth it for the pictures alone! Yummy!

Sooo...I hope that didn't sound too harsh! I only read about 7 blogs right now and you are one of them! So obviously, I enjoy it. It's just such interesting timing that I had this conversation this morning and then this thread was bumped for me to see!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Not harsh at all Marissa! Thank you for following me, I will do my best to earn that privilege  I hope in a short time more content and personality will be evident in my posts. My natural writing style is very formal and I need lighten it up a bit. I think the more I write (it's only been a month) the less constrained I'll sound. So grow with me, I'll get better, I promise :happy:
Andy, I think I have full control over where the amazon ads are placed. I have some control over how they look. After your last suggestion I moved my navigation to a more visible location. When you end up on a post through a search or post link, the post should be on its own page. The only time you get more posts (7 posts) is when you link to the blog homepage. I hope that makes it easier for people.

About ads/selling One thing I was thinking of doing is creating pages one of which would be an equipment list with amazon links with all the stuff that helps me make everything and also a book shelf with helpful books. I just don't want it to look like a catalog...

I would also like your opinions about posting my blog to my web site. Right now I have a link to my blogger but I could put a blog on my website by posting to both places. My web site blog template is VERY limited so I wouldn't want it as a stand alone... 

Thank again, you all are so supportive and helpful!


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## rootsong (Jun 22, 2008)

I haven't even clicked yet on your link to take a look at your blog. But I just wanted to quickly share what I personally think makes a great blog:

Lots & lots of large, clear, colorful pictures. 

No lonnnngg paragraphs. They've got to be broken up and/or have pictures put between. 

Personal, not just like an article from a magazine.

Zero politics. Unless you are specifically writing a political blog. Which is a hard one for me because I am sooo darn opinionated! lol But if I am reading a lovely blog that I may be considering adding to my blog list, and then come across some mention of politics that are different than my own views, I am immediately distracted. Without even trying, my brain then judges the writer based on the political comment & it's never the same again. I hope that doesn't sound ridiculous. 

By far, the most visited pages of my wee little blog are the "how to pages". People end up on them daily, after Googling things like "how to make shampoo" or things like that. Actually, my very, very most visited page of all time is the one where I wrote about turkey butchering. I feel lame though because it was my 1st time & I was doing it with friends so my post isn't a real step by step helper. But people from around the world Google "how to butcher a turkey" & end up on that page several times a week!

So, if you reeeeally want to get some blog hits, perhaps you should write a step by step on how to butcher a turkey. LOL!

The only other thing I can think of off the top of my head is to be sure you have a little "about me" blurb somewhere obvious. I really don't enjoy blogs that don't have them. I'm left to wonder "who is this person? a man, a woman? do they have kids? what is their deal?" 

Geez I'm chatty this morning. :typomat:


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

cmharris6002 said:


> About ads/selling One thing I was thinking of doing is creating pages one of which would be an equipment list with amazon links with all the stuff that helps me make everything and also a book shelf with helpful books. I just don't want it to look like a catalog...


I HATE blogs that I feel like are just out to promote one product or another. Even if they aren't a product the blogger is selling. I've stopped going to some blogs/forums that are inundated with ads. I like blogs with no ads, but I realize some folks are trying to generate revenue. Perhaps one day I will do that too, but right now I'm just having fun so I like reading other blogs where the person seems just be having fun with it. But I doubt you will ever find somebody that says they love to read blogs for ads! 



> I would also like your opinions about posting my blog to my web site. Right now I have a link to my blogger but I could put a blog on my website by posting to both places. My web site blog template is VERY limited so I wouldn't want it as a stand alone...


I just recently made the switch from blogger/blogspot to hosted on my own website. I love that the two are integrated and clearly connected. I'm using wordpress for the entire site (static pages too). I have yet to find a "following" plugin that I think is as easy and intuitive as the google one but mostly it's because I've never done the following thing myself until this morning so I had no idea what to look for. So I think I will be able to come up with something that will be as user friendly.

There is something that just seems more "professional" about a blog on your own domain. Wordpress is free to get on your domain and then you can spend a bit of money on a template. I went with an expensive one and it was only $35. I REALLY like this site for finding awesome templates:

http://themeforest.net/

Mine is the Amplus template. These things are so customizable - see how I've changed it on my site. And I didn't even go out of my way, just changed colors, etc.

So if you are willing to learn to use wordpress (it wasn't so bad!), I think that's probably your best bet.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

rootsong said:


> By far, the most visited pages of my wee little blog are the "how to pages".


 Another hippy-goth dreadlocked natural birthing homesteading momma!?!?! And SKINNY PUPPY!?!?! I still wear one of their shirt sometimes and get "looks". *adding to blog reader*


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## seeknulfind (Jun 6, 2011)

Hi Christy,

Full control is good (not that "I'm" a control freak or anything). For some reason I thought you had adsense on the site. 

How you structure you blog depends a lot on what you want your visitor to do. I'll make a couple of assumptions here but if they are off target then some adjustments may be needed. (Otherwise, you MUST do EXACTLY what I say ALWAYS 

All kidding aside, after looking again, I see you have a link to your primary website. Thus I'll assume that you'd like to guide folks there to buy soap or take classes. (Is there a video class in your future? I know, big project, but how many folks can you fit in one live class?)

Anyway, if you have bars of this soap for sale, why not link to them? You can suggest something like - "If you love this soap, click here to have some shipped right to your door. (Makes a great gift too!)" 

Or even something like: "I have a few bars available for purchase - click here for more information..."

Another tweak you may want to consider is to limit the posts on the first page to the first few sentences. Be sure to...






stop someplace like I did above as this nearly forces the reader to read the whole post.

No matter what you do, I urge you to consider what you would like your visitors to gain from your posts as well as what you want them to do after they've read it.

Andy


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## seeknulfind (Jun 6, 2011)

P.S. I'm all for you adding your blog to your website. More control and you are no longer at the mercy of blogger. I see no reason you couldn't post short summaries of your posts to blogger and point those visitors to your site also.


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I think what I really want my blog to do is inspire people to try some new projects and support a slowed down kind of lifestyle where it's worth it to wait 10 hours for a glass if tea  I know people are supposed to make money blogging but I don't know much about all that. I put the amazon links because I had people asking me to put where I get all my stuff.

I have no experience with blogging, I didn't even read blogs unless I ran across them on google. I just had so many people telling me 'you should start a blog'. They want to learn more about all the stuff I do and the problem is, I really do all this stuff and I don't have a lot extra time to put into my blog.

I put an RSS feed on my web site. I'm not sure that is the best way to do it though.


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## PMcNemar (Jun 5, 2011)

I think your setup looked great! I'm going to follow you and see what other neat things you have to talk about.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

cmharris6002 said:


> I think what I really want my blog to do is inspire people to try some new projects and support a slowed down kind of lifestyle where it's worth it to wait 10 hours for a glass if tea  I know people are supposed to make money blogging but I don't know much about all that. I put the amazon links because I had people asking me to put where I get all my stuff.


I love this attitude for blogging. I think I read only blogs that have this kind of theme.

So in that case, I wouldn't bother with ads. Link to all the supplies in your posts. I don't think you need a supply list on a separate page - perhaps when there is a lot of content, just for organization sake.

I went to your webpage. The link was never obvious to me until I saw seek say it was there. I do think the blog feed on your site is at least better than immediately going to another webpage. And you can always change these things in the future. Just keep working on it!


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## seeknulfind (Jun 6, 2011)

cmharris6002 said:


> I think what I really want my blog to do is inspire people to try some new projects and support a slowed down kind of lifestyle where it's worth it to wait 10 hours for a glass if tea  I know people are supposed to make money blogging but I don't know much about all that. I put the amazon links because I had people asking me to put where I get all my stuff.
> 
> I have no experience with blogging, I didn't even read blogs unless I ran across them on google. I just had so many people telling me 'you should start a blog'. They want to learn more about all the stuff I do and the problem is, I really do all this stuff and I don't have a lot extra time to put into my blog.
> 
> I put an RSS feed on my web site. I'm not sure that is the best way to do it though.


Hi Christy,

Fair enough. Profit is not always measured in dollars. 

For my part I think blogging (web log) started out as a means to share one's experiences with a wide range of people. The "making money" aspect came later.

If you are content to share your life I don't see where anyone should have a problem with that. 

And since I now have a better idea of what your goals and aspirations are, I'll back off on the marketing aspects.

So the best input I can offer now is to keep doing what you are doing. You're off to a great start. I'm sure you'll find your bog will start taking on a life of its own.

I still think moving the blog to your own domain makes sense. You are already paying for hosting and a good hosting plan should allow plenty for your blog.

If you want to keep the "artisanfarmsteadliving" - it's a simple matter of creating a subdomain under the domain you already have so it would look like this: artisanfarmsteadliving.goatmilksoapandlotion.com or you could buy artisanfarmsteadliving.com (it looks like it's available) and add it on as a stand alone.

Either way, your hard work stands a better chance of staying online. Maybe I'm paranoid but I just don't trust these blogging hosts to keep my content for me.

Andy


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## equinecpa (Mar 21, 2011)

Christy;

I see you've embedded your blog on your webpage. That's what I did with my accounting blog that replaced my newsletter. I did adjust my blog page width so that when viewed through my webpage you can see the sidebar links -that way people can move around the blog whilst on my webpage and can opt to follow the blog -I may be wrong but I don't think people who find your blog through your webpage will see your links to become a follower?

I love your topics and my, you have been prolific! I've playing catch-up with my blog -I have a whole list of topics/events to write about that occurred earlier this year while I was submersed with tax returns. Only now getting them typed out...


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

> I did adjust my blog page width so that when viewed through my webpage you can see the sidebar links -that way people can move around the blog whilst on my webpage and can opt to follow the blog -I may be wrong but I don't think people who find your blog through your webpage will see your links to become a follower?


Excellent advice!! I am going to try to do that but I might need your help. I don't know if I'll need a different template, to adjust the RSS feed element on my web page or the page width of my blog but I really think the people need the labels and archives available.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

My understanding is that if you are using an RSS feed on your webpage, all you are going to get is the post. You'll have to import it in some other way to actually see the entire 'blog' as it appears on blogspot. I'm new to the RSS feed stuff though and Carolyn may have a way to do it!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I just tried every trick I could think of and still, I only get the post.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

That's what I was thinking.

I don't know if this is the best way, but iframes will work. Here's a tutorial:

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2007/11/make-iframe-to-contain-another-blog-on.html


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Marissa, I just wanted to thank you here for passing on the Stylish Blogger Award to me. I know I just barley made the cut on the short list of blogs you read  You have really helped me a lot. I am starting to feel more like I am talking to real people and not just putting stuff out randomly into cyberspace.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Yeah! I honestly wait for each new post from you now. I've either gotten more used to your voice or 'you' are coming through better in the posts. I think the photo of your daughter (right?) really helped - a personal touch, showing real people are behind the blog. I need to do this myself actually as there are virtually no pictures of anyone on my site! :O

Isn't it nice getting comments? I never realized until I got a few people commenting on mine and it just feels like people care. It has made me far more active in commenting on other people's - even if I have nothing that interesting to share!

Now I've got a question for you! You have 47 likes on facebook. Are these just from your new blog or did you have a facebook page before? I don't "get" facebook yet - my husband made me sign up saying I HAD to do it if I was ever going to get a good following. But I still don't really see how to use it well. I have 7 "likes", all either people living at the farm or close relatives! Any tips?


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

It took me a long time to 'get' facebook too. I have a farm page,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Providence-Hill-Farm/259725353141
I post most of my blog updates there so I get a lot of reads from FB. Also, I'm finding that many others are 'sharing' links to my blog on FB so that helps. I 'liked' your blog but I don't see it at the bottom of your posts anymore? Send me a link to 'like' your farm on FB! Also do you have a "like us on facebook' option on your site aside from liking the blog post. I get 'likes' from my web traffic.


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Marissa I found you farm and liked it  Now where did you get that pretty 'Sand Holler Farm on Facebook' link???


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

??? Um...are you speaking greek?  

I'm using "wordbooker" - a plugin for wordpress. Plugins are equivalent to gadgets on blogger. One of the options was for having a "like" link on the page. I didn't change any settings - it just grabbed my profile pic and did that.

I'm not sure about the "like" on the post and the "like" on the whole page. I just don't get the settings on my plugin yet. I'll fiddle around with it some more. I haven't been able to get the "like" to show below posts when viewing the whole blog (instead of an individual post). That's probably what you saw. I hope it's still there on the single post page (it is for me). I need to add the sharing stuff. I didn't really know what that was...I guess I still don't but if people use it, it couldn't hurt!

And I "liked" your farm too! 

I noticed that you have a lot more comments on the posts to facebook. I really think comments help retain readership. The plugin I'm using can "push" or "pull" comments to and from facebook. See if the google gadget you are using can pull the comments from there and put them on your blog (and vice versa).


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