Suggestions For My New Blog Please

[mommyenterprises]

I have finally started a blog that I have wanted to start for a LONG time. I might have a professional template built for me, but for now I have went with a free one and made some edits.

I would appreciate any feedback so I can get this blog off to a good start!

Here you go:

http://www.ThisMomCanCook.com

[Ellen C Braun]

Hi Stefani,

Looks good!

2 quick suggestions- the background is a bit dark, can you make it lighter or switch it to white? Also, since recipes are an evergreen topic, you probably want to remove the dates on your posts, so they don't appear "dated".

[mommyenterprises]

I was thinking of making the background behind the post white. I just have to figure out what part that is in the .css file.

[Clay Franklin]

Great site.
Personally I do not like the grey.
Red is the color that makes you hungry. That is why it is in restaurants.
I would photo enhance the pictures to make them brighter. The spaghetti does not look very appealing.
Use photoshop and auto enhance to brighten up the pictures.

I love the header - very cool.

check out hungry girl dot com and allrecipes dot com for ideas

[SSMockingbird]

I like's it! What time should we come over for dinner? :)

I may be hyper sensitive to this right now as I am taking advantage of a spring snow day here in Colorado to review some of my web properties. I am concentrating on footers today.

I notice that your footer for this site could use a few updates to include somethings.
Just my 2 Cents . Consider something like this:

<center>
<p><a href="http://www.thismomcancook.com">This Mom Can Cook</a> ~<a href="http://www.thismomcancook.com">Recipes From The Kitchen Of A City Raised Mom</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.thismomcancook.com/About">About Us</a> | <a href="http://www.thismomcancook.com/TERMS">Terms and Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.thismomcancook.com/PRIVACY">Privacy Policy</a></p>
<p>Copyright © 2010 Recipes From The Kitchen Of A City Raised Mom. All Rights Reserved. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.mommyenterprises.com/" target="_blank">A Network Site of Mommy Enterprises</a></p>
</center>

[Engage]

I think it looks really great (honestly) just the way it is. Suggest you call the design done, and keep on with the content.

Signup form above the fold, excellent.

Hmm... Maybe more work on your USP, your unique identity? "City raised mom" is a start, but perhaps not a hooky enough hook?

Elevator speech. Can you explain to readers in 10 seconds, right at the top, why your recipe site is more interesting than the thousands of other recipe sites?

As example, see Lynn's photo at top of this forum. It's a good hook, even though it's not actually related to the topic. A nice smiling face, leads the reader in to, who is this nice person, want to know more about her, etc.

Good luck!

PS: Whoops, sorry, forget about Lynn's face, and read her tag line in the logo. That's a really good hook, very concise, very informative, right to the point of why a reader should be here. "Self-Starters Weekly Tips" by itself wouldn't quite do it, but the tag line closes the deal.