Entrecard Blog Review: Michael Aulia’s Blog
The first thing I noticed when I visited Michael Aulia’s Blog was the familiar layout. 
Have you ever found when you buy a new car that suddenly there are so MANY cars on the road similar to yours? Cars you never noticed BEFORE you bought yours? I find the same happens with wordpress themes. Since I’ve been using this theme, I have come across MANY blogs using the same theme. Of course, they don’t look the same as my blog and most people wouldn’t notice. But because I’m using it and so a little more familiar with it, I tend to notice where I didn’t before.
Michael has written a great post on Entrecard basics which I would recommend for anyone considering joining Entrecard (or who’ve recently joined). This also includes a screenshot of the Entrecard dashboard with a bit of a “tour” of what is what. His follow up post about becoming more noticable on Entrecard is also a great read.
Things I Like About This Blog:
- The theme chosen! GREAT choice!!!
I like the way this layout allows quite a lot of information above the fold and yet has an uncluttered appearance. - Easy navigation including a clickable header (my favourite kind!!!)
- An interesting variety of topics covered. I know “niches” are the big “thing” with blogs but I’m someone who is easily bored so I don’t mind a bit of variety in the blogs I read.
- Good length posts which provide plenty of “meat” without taking up my whole “lunch break” to read.
- A friendly welcome note above the fold on the home page AND a great “About” page. I really liked the inclusion of reviews of the blog AND Entrecard recommendations. I’ve not seen this in an About page before but it’s a great way to show prospective readers what others are saying about the blog. In fact, it’s an idea I might even “pinch” at some point in the future.
Things I Would Do Differently If This Were My Blog:
- The colour scheme doesn’t really appeal to me but then colour is such a personal preference that you’re never going to satisfy ALL your readers.
- I was concerned about the lack of response to reader comments in the latest posts but further delving revealed that the blog author has been responding in the past. My personal opinion is that blogs are a public medium and therefore it is good to have the interaction public as well (in most cases).
- I don’t like having to click through to read the rest of a post. However, it would seem that this kind of layout is becoming more popular so it may be something I just have to get used to. What I was pleased to note was that the feed offered is a full feed showing respect to the blog’s readers and their limited time.
- I don’t like flashing ads and so try not to use them too much on my blogs. However, the one flashing ad on this blog is in the header and so it doesn’t take much scrolling down in order to take it out of my line of sight.
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Comments
Thanks River. I’m finding these reviews very interesting and challenging to do. They involve really delving into a site more than I normally would. And considering what I do and don’t like is teaching me a LOT about blogging and different ways people go about it.
6 in a mini with 13 bags of groceries???? What a HILARIOUS image!!!!! 
I remember my cousin working on his first car which was a mini (he was about 6 years older than me).
The kids were little so 3 fit in the back seat with a bag of groceries under each set of feet, a bag between them, another bag on each small lap two bags between my feet, one crammed in behind hubby’s feet and two bags in the tiny boot space. The baby was on my lap, there were no laws prohibiting this back then. Things were better when we got the kombi, we spaced out the kids so each had a window seat and couldn’t touch each other and the groceries all fitted in the back.
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Such a great review! I’m actually inspired to go over and check out Michael’s blog. Going there now….
I’m with you on the similarity thing. Years ago we were desperately in need of a new car and managed to afford a (leyland) mini. Suddenly minis were everywhere! I’d never seen so many. Same thing a few years later with the Kombi.
(Ever seen a family of six crammed into a mini with 13 bags of groceries? Fun times……)