Blogger Tips and Tricks

How to Follow Blogs

There are a few different ways you can follow a blog on blogger.

1.  If the blog has a follow button, you can click this.  It will ask if you want to start following.  Click "Follow."  You should now be following the blog and you will be able to see new posts in your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).

2.  If a blog has the Google Friend Connect widget, you can follow the blog by pressing the "Join this Site" button.  Click "Follow This Blog" and you will now be following.

3.  The newest blogs do not automatically have a follow button or the Google Friend Connect widget.  To follow these blogs, copy the URL of the blog.  Then go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home) and click the "Add" button below where it says reading list on the left side.  Paste the URL in the box and click follow.

How to Write a New Post

There are a couple of different ways you can quickly write a new post.

1.  Go to dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).  Click on the orange button with the white pencil next to your blog title.
2.  Go to your blog's page and click "New Post" in the upper right corner - it should be next to your email.

How to Read Posts/Get to Your Dashboard

The link to your dashboard is https://blogger.com/home.  That is where you can read the blogs you follow.  Scroll down to below where it says reading list to see the latest posts.  There are some other ways you can quickly reach your dashboard.

1.  Click the orange button with the white B on it in the upper left corner.  It looks like this.

2.  From someone else's blog, you can click the link saying "dashboard" in the upper right corner next to your email address.

How to Change the Look of Your Blog

1.  Go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).

2. Click the down-pointing arrow next to the pages symbol.

3.  Choose template to choose a template from your blog.  There are lots of very nice pre-made templates available - they're all very easy to read.  If you want to get further into customization, I recommend you choose the picture window template.  Click "customize" to work from there.

How to Change Who Can Comment On Your Blog

1.  Go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).

2.  Click the down-pointing arrow next to the pages symbol.

3.  Choose settings (it is at the bottom of the list) and go to Posts and Comments.  Here you can choose who can comment on your blog and turn off the word verification feature.  The word verification can make if very difficult for people to comment on your blog, so they won't even try.  If you get spam, you can always delete it.  You can also require that someone must have either an Open ID or a google ID to comment.  Additionally, you can require that you approve any comments before they appear on your blog.

How to Change Your Blog Title/URL

1.  Go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).

2.  Click the down-pointing arrow next to the pages symbol.

3.  Choose settings (it is at the bottom of the list).  Here you are able to change your blog's title and URL.

How to Change Your Name

This is how to change the name you are commenting and signing your blog posts as.

1.  If your blog if hooked to Google Plus, you will have to change your name on Google Plus.  Go to https://plus.google.com and then hover over "Home" in the upper left corner.  Click Profile.  Click on your name.  There you can change your name.

2.  If your blog is not hooked to Google Plus, go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).  Click on your name in the upper right corner.  Click "Blogger Profile."  Click "Edit Profile" in the upper right corner.  Change your Display Name and press "Save Profile" at the bottom of the page.

How to Get a Follow This Blog Button

The newest blogs do not automatically have a follow button or the Google Friend Connect widget.  This can make it difficult for people to follow them, in order to do so, they must leave the blogs page.

1.  First you will need a image that says Follow.  You can find one on the internet or make your own using Photoshop or some other kind of graphic editing software.  This is an example of a follow button.  Feel free to use it on your blog.  Upload your image onto an image hosting site, such as Image Shack, Photobucket, or Imgur.

2.  Next you need to know your blog ID.  Your blog ID is a long string of numbers, not your display name or username.  To find your blog ID, you need to look at your settings page.  Go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).  Click the down-pointing arrow next to the pages symbol.  Choose settings (it is at the bottom of the list).  Look up at the URL.  It will include your blog ID.  Copy the number after it says blogID.  For example, the blog ID for this blog is 6988818256832678852.

3.   Use this code to create your follow button code.

<a href="http://www.blogger.com/follow-blog.g?blogID=YOUR BLOG ID"target="_blank" ><img src="YOUR IMAGE URL" height="133" width="200" /></a>

For example, the code for this blog is:
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/follow-blog.g?blogID=6988818256832678852"target="_blank" ><img src="http://i.imgur.com/wnzeGX4.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>

4.  Go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).  Click the down-pointing arrow next to the pages symbol and choose layout.  You should see a template of your blog.  Click to add a gadget over the side of your layout - it should be above the "About Me" section.

5.  Choose HTML/Javascript.  In the content area, paste in your custom code and press save.  Now you should have a follow button!  Test your follow button by clicking on it.  If it asks you to follow your own blog, you've done it right.

How to Add a Blog Roll/List

1.  Go to your dashboard (https://blogger.com/home).  Click the down-pointing arrow next to the pages symbol and choose layout.  You should see a template of your blog.  Click to add a gadget over the side of your layout - it should be above the "About Me" section.

2.  Choose Blog List.  Here you can choose how you want the blogs to appear (in alphabetical order or in the order or most recently updated.  You can manually add the blogs you want to appear or choose from the blogs you are already following.  If you want to add all the blogs you're following, choose select all and press add.  Once you're done, press save.

3.  Now you can drag your blog list where you want it to appear on your page.  Once you're done, press save arrangement.  You should have a blog list now!