Construstive feedback on my Blog

[Savvyftw]

First, I would like to thank you for checking this post. I was just wondering if I could get some constructive feedback on ways I can improve on my blog and blogging techniques. I really love blogging and clothes that's what brought me to SL. A goal I had for this year is to get into blogging for shops with a bunch of others like me who love clothes and want to talk about some amazing products.

Blog:

https://modernnoirblog.wordpress.com/

Flickr:

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/138486088@N08/

[Buttacwup Float]

I will offer a couple things. First, clearly from Flickr your taking plenty of photos, why not include those in your blog. It's one thing to highlight that a new item is available somewhere, but I think on a blog the power comes from showing how you mix it with other items to make an outfit. So from a constructive side of thigns, I would say include more personal photographs.

As a general comment, and totall personal opinion. Feebie blogs are sorta meh. I think when a freebie is really awesome and can be included into a wardrobe its great and I like to know about them, but I think that just covering the freebie/dollarbie side of things gets old quick. This is no different than seeing a blog that covers the same outfits from the same top designers week after week. I guess to me it should be a mix. 

The blog looks nice style wise, I love the big photo layout and most importantly it works well on mobile.

[Tari Landar]

I disagree entirely about the freebie part, though I agree with the rest of your post.

Freebie blogs dedicated to Sl residents actually do very well. They are quite often sought after, especially for new residents, or people that help new residents. As long as the content is good, the photography is well done, the creator names are well placed(urls to mp, or slurls to the store are necessary here, too), a freebie blog can reach a much larger audience than most others.

To the OP:

It helps to branch out, connect with other bloggers, most importantly bloggers that share similar content. Sharing things such as major events, hunts, information for new residents etc... is good too. The reason these kinds of blogs do as well as they always have, is because they make perfect resources for newcomers and oldbies alike. They tend to hit every audience. The peope that don't enjoy these kinds of blogs, wouldn't be looking for, or referencing them anyway, so you really have nothing to worry about when you don't cater to them.

There are TONS of fashion blogs, and other websites geared towards SL fashion. There really isn't any way to find some "new" way to present this kind of information that hasn't already flooded the 'net. Most of the traffic to those kinds of sites and blogs, is repeat, not new, traffic. I would expect that most folks, want both. Freebie blogs, on the other hand, aren't as many in number. GOOD blogs that discuss the free and cheap, are even fewer in number, yet they're the most sought after, especially after one of the most popular went by the wayside. Trust me, they are *the* most high in demand type of blogs/websites. You just have to know what you're doing in order to make a good run for it.

I think you're off to a brilliant start. I like the layout of your main page, it's a bit different than those we're likely used to seeing. I will say though, if your entire goal is "fashion" in general, you have some very tough competition, and it's not really a market that's necessarily needing more additions. That's why I suggest sticking with a niche, freebies, cheap/discounts, group gifts, cool places people can go for free fun, etc... Those are all things people look for the most. You can see evidence of that simply from reading the forums. Fashion, as a whole, however, others have pretty much locked down. That's not to say you couldn't, but it will be difficult to get your foot in the door, and then later actually get IN the door, completely. 

[Trinity Yazimoto]

im going to offer here my opinion and some tips (from a customer/reader point of view and also from a designer one), you are entitled to take or leave the whole or part of it :matte-motes-wink:

 

First about your pics (flikr stream)

i see your comp probably can't handle having advanced lighting model enabled, thus no shadows. But you still can improve a lot your pics.

First thing, you want to show smth you are wearing, you dont need really to show a wide view of everything around you. So lowering your angleview is a first important step. (you can do this from the preference menu>graphic tab> 3rd or 4th tab on the top ( i dont remember now, and i cant go inworld right now). lower it till somewhere between 600 and 800 and you will see your pic will focus way more on what you want to show.

Second important thing is to take your time when you do a photo. It takes a long moment before being sure nothing has been forgiven (an hand going inside the body, hair going inside the face etc......) if you can't adjust one item, let's say hair, well, then use another one. Also, there is a hud called Animare that will allow you to adjust the pose you are using, moving an hand outside the body for instance.

Third thing : the windlight settings. Even without ALM on, you can have a great difference by using different windlight settings. If you are using Firestorm viewer, they are in the quick preference little window, otherwise you can browse them thru the sky editor preset. Do not be shy and play also with the sun position slider, it will surprise you and you will see that colors can render really differently according to it.

in a nutshell, do not be afraid to spend a lot of time for a single pic.

Also i see you often use static screen behind your avatar. That's a matter of preference, but i usually dont like it, bec i think it lacks of deepth. That said, ive seen some really well done so well it may vary according the quality of the screen used and also the post processing.

If you dont yet, i would recommand you to get a bit familar with a photo editor software (gimp is free and there is a ton of good and easy tutorials to follow on the web for it) that will help you to improve your pics, correct lil unwanted imperfections, and also you can even create your own shadows with it.

Now about your blog. 

Personnally, (maybe bec i am a SL fashion designer) i have no interest in seeing the vendor pic in a blog, except if the blog is the one from the creator themselves. I think the purpose of a blogger is to give their own interpretation of an item. Of course, i understand some see this hobbie as more creating a sort of catalogue, but this is not the kind of blog i like to read.

For me the blogger must have a kind of artistic skill too, as they are the interprets of smth. Like a singer will sing a song writen by another person. A blogger must interpretate an item. 

Thus they must style the item (as said in a previous post mix and match with other items), find the decor that will enhance the item, the right pose, the right lighting etc. 

So my preference goes to the blog showing original pics and not vendor pics. (again this is just my opinion and a matter of preference, vendor pics can have good sides too but imho its a different goal than the one i would have if i had to be blogger)

Good point for you : the text ! It's so rare to see text in sl fashion blog ! Don't be shy and write ! add your own opinion about the item, where you did find it, what you like in it or u dislike, how you think its must be worn.

Of course dont forget the credits for everything (even the location you used for shooting the pic) and the slurl. 

Dont write a book either, ppl dont like wall of text either. You have to find the right compromise. 

Some advices also for helping your blog to be known :

Share your blog posts : fb, flikr (post the link in the description of your pic), google +, twitter (and for all those medias, keep increasing your ammount of contacts, the more you have, the bigger exposure you ll get for your blog)

join some fashion spaming groups that are dedicated for this purpose and will allow you to post a notice about each of your blogpost.

Check creators blogger policy and see how you can apply for they be your sponsor, so you can recieve their bloggers samples and blog for them. 

 

Well i have probably forgotten several things i could say, but well, here is already some feedback from me. 

Hope this will give you some inspirations :matte-motes-smile: