Posts Tagged ‘blogger’
Google Plus One Button Tutorial
This Google Plus One (+1) button tutorial gives site owners an easy way to add the social button to each post or page of their blog. Instructions include tutorials for Blogger and WordPress format blogs or you may want to include the Google plus one +1 button on your main site pages.
First, here’s some background information about the new Google +1 application. With the release of Google +1 yesterday going from “by invitation only” to everyone, this allows all users to sign up for the beta version and begin socializing in new ways that are similar yet superior to Facebook.
Where you see the +1 button on any site you visit you may click the +1 button to add and save that post or article to your free Google +1 account. Your +1 feed will look familiar if you’re already using Facebook. Similar to Facebook you may share content you like with a circle of contacts that you can specify by groups as friends, acquaintances, family, and more.
Visit the Google Plus One website to learn more basics.
As with anything new, the technical aspects may be daunting for novice site owners. Adding the Google +1 button to your website and blog should be easy with this +1 button tutorial.
To get the Google +1 application working you need two things. First, you need a script callout to the Google API or Application Programming Interface. Secondly, you need to add a chunk of code that automatically adds the +1 button to your site and blog posts. In layman terms you need 1) a connection to Google to add the function, and then 2) code to display the button on your website.
Important: ALWAYS backup your template before making changes. A single typo can ruin a web design layout, so protect your website to insure a roll back option if something goes wrong.
Blogger with Blogspot Address Instructions
If you have a free Blogger blog with a Blogspot address, the Google +1 button setup is added from the admin backend. Log into your account, select “Design” and then select the “Edit” link to the right under “Posts”. In the popup window of options and settings slide down and select the square radio button for “Show Share Buttons” if not already checked, and then slide to the very bottom and click “Save”.
That’s it. You’re done! Exit and visit your blog to confirm the +1 button has been added to every post.
Blogger Custom Domain, Template Site, or Static Web Pages
If your Blogger blog is on a custom www domain (like yourblog.com, not yourblog.blogspot.com), a template based website, or you have a static website design (no template), begin by inserting the following line of code between the opening <head> and closing </head> tags near the top of your template (or static page).
<script type=”text/javascript” src=”https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js”></script>
This code will “connect” to Google’s secure server to provide the functionality for your +1 buttons.
Step 2 is adding code that displays the Google +1 button. Copy the code shown below to insert in your Blogger blog, site template, or each individual page if your site uses static pages. Insert the code in the specific place where you want the Google +1 button to appear.
<div style=’float:right’>
<g:plusone size=”medium” expr:href=”data:post.url”/></g:plusone>
</div>
For example, I decided to use the above code as-is modified and placed the Google +1 button (with 3 others) near the top of posts on my Blogger platform personal blog “Growin’ Up in Maine” with childhood stories and floated to the far right on the same line as the date posted. Visit that blog to see it in action.
The code may be customized, also. You may change the Google +1 icon size from small to medium (middle) or standard depending on the size you prefer and where you want it placed. In addition, you may want to change the float right to float left, also.
Note: Once placed in your blog or site template the buttons publish automatically with each new post or article. If your website design doesn’t use a template, but only static pages, you must manually insert both of the above codes each time you create a new page.
WordPress Blog Format Instructions
The majority of my blog designs are in the WordPress format because of ease of use and the large number of plugins designed to do functions automatically. Search and you’ll find several 5-star rated plugins for adding the Google +1 button function. I tested 3-4 and then chose the Google ‘Plus one’ Button by kms for my WordPress blogs and as featured in this tutorial.
The fast and easy way to install the WordPress Google +1 button is from the admin backend. Log into your account and then click on the down arrow in the sidebar heading for Plugins. Select “add new” and a new screen offers a search option. Input “Google ‘Plus one’ Button by kms” then select the Search Plugins.
The only option that should appear is in fact the plugin by kms. Under the name are links to details and install. Click on install and then “yes” on the following “Are you sure” nag message. The plugin will be installed automatically. When you return to the plugin options select “Activate”.
Next, under Settings in the left sidebar you should now see a link to Google +1. Click that to complete the setup. Set the first two options from the dropdown menus. My choices were “middle” under “size” (medium button), “below the post” for location, and then 3 of the 4 check boxes under that leaving “on first page” blank. Select “save changes” and you’re done. (Update: With additional testing, I moved the +1 to the top and added Twitter, Facebook, and a bookmarking dropdown.)
Choose alternate options from those I recommend to suit your preferences. Please note that this blog is a WordPress custom design. View the +1 button after the last line of the text and right above the “Share and Enjoy” date as subsequently moved to the top of posts next to 3 other social icons.
Closing Comments on the Value of Google +1
Besides the social value of Google +1, eventually those “votes” by visitors to your site may affect seo search engine optimization and page ranking. Google has dominated the search engine market for years with superior robotic algorithms to evaluate website content to rank pages.
The human factor of real people making real choices and recommendations that may be measured will certainly enhance Google’s position. Their reputation depends on relevant results to search requests. The human factor of +1 will certainly help.
For site owners, the early adopters adding Google +1 buttons to their website gathering +1 fans may likewise have an SEO advantage over their competition.
Comments are welcome. Feel free to call or email me with any questions, and keep in mind I may be available to handle the Google +1 button installation for a modest fee if you run into problems or lack of patience.
Makeover of First Blog Ever Designed
I finally got around to a makeover of the first blog template I ever designed which seems overdue after being in custom web design full time since 2004 and doing websites more as a hobby since the mid-1990′s.
The screenshot here (smaller than actual size) is from the newly designed Growin’ Up in Maine personal blog where I tell stories of “Childhood Memories of Small Town Maine Life During the 1950′s and 60′s”.
While at it, I moved the blog from free hosting on Google’s Blogspot.com to a custom domain. Buying the custom domain through Google for $10 includes free hosting, so the old blog has a new template and home on a TLD top level domain.
The future cost to keep it online is $10 a year.
Originally the plan was to use the blog as a test site for offering custom blog design services, and the intent was to learn template design from the experiment then trash the blog.
To my utter surprise people my age in the boomer generation just loved the stories that brought back memories of their childhood. Based on the popularity and positive feedback I decided to keep the blog going.
The top header in the Blogger template design uses original photographs I took this summer in Maine for a widescreen view of the place we referred to as Down Back for 3 generations in the 1900′s.
Additional photos and video footage were used to create a YouTube video that you may want to view showing that special place including the old swimming hole Down Back on the Sebec River in Derby, Maine.
At times I’ve gone months without writing new stories, but that’s about to change after this makeover of the first blog I ever designed. Watch the video. Check out the new look of the Growin’ Up in Maine template and blog.
Bookmark the site or subscribe to the rss feed to read future stories about what it was like living life in a small Maine town.
Multiple CMS and Blog Conversions
Recent completed web design work includes multiple cms and blog conversions done for the Mountridge LLC family of websites including: AdamsHomeownerServices.com, MainStreamMemorabilia.com, and AdamsFloridaServices.com.
Both Adams sites were converted from static pages to a custom cms content management system which allows the owner to add, edit, or delete content 24/7. The MainStream Memorabilia online store website was updated with a bolder look. All 3 Mountridge LLC websites include custom matching WordPress designs that were converted from Blogger.
Visit each blog for news or advice about products and services from the following links, and then use top navigation to view the matching look of their main websites.
Adams Homeowner Services handles Florida vacation or long term rental property, the MainStream Memorabilia e-commerce store offers movie and tv star autographed memorabilia, and Adams Florida Services specializes in residential or commercial Orlando area landscape and lawn service.
Action Plan for Blogger FTP Blogs
For owners who have a Blogger blog design hosted on their server instead of Blogspot or a Blogger custom domain, the Blogger FTP publishing service to post and upload content to your server via FTP will cease on May 1, 2010.
If you have a blog that uses the Blogger platform, you should have received an email from the Blogger Team within the last 30 days announcing the date and reasons. The time to implement an action plan for Blogger blogs published to your server is NOW.
Google owns Blogger and explained that the small fraction of Blogger users who do publish via FTP does not justify the cost to maintain ongoing security to allow publishing to servers outside Blogger’s control. If you own a Blogger blog design hosted on your server, and you plan to continue being an active blogger, you MUST take action.
You still have two months to implement because the original deadline of March 26th in the announcement email was extended to May 1st. Act now. Plan now. Implement well before the deadline to avoid the risk of losing content.
This does NOT affect blog owners with free hosting on Blogspot who have a blog address like yourblogname.blogspot.com, or Blogger designs if you have a custom Blogger domain redirected to their servers.
If I designed your Blogger platform blog then you ARE publishing via FTP to your server and MUST take action. Here are the options to consider for affected blog owners:
1. If you choose to take no action you permanently lose the ability to add posts to your blog.
2. The most practical solution may be a technical setup moving to a Blogger custom domain.
3. An alternate solution is moving from a Blogger design to WordPress at significant cost.
NOTE: Other options may exist. The 3 presented are based on my experience and customer base.
Option 1 may be practical for blog owners who have not posted to their blog in 12 months, or more. Your blog most likely has zero ranking and if you have truly abandoned your blog, you could remove it or let it just sit. Do nothing and existing posts will remain on your server unless you remove them.
Option 2 is the most practical and perhaps cost effective solution for blog owners who want to remain active in publishing blog posts. The technical steps to move from your server to a blogger custom domain means redirecting existing pages to point to the Blogger server, and then future posts will go there automatically.
I do not plan on offering this one-time fix as a service. Instead, the following resources may be referenced when choosing to use the custom Blogger domain option. This means you may hire someone or choose do-it-yourself.
Information: http://blogger-ftp.blogspot.com/
FAQs: http://blogger-ftp.blogspot.com/p/faqs.html
Tutorial: http://www.newsome.org/2010/01/how-to-move…
NOTE: I am NOT offering this Option 2 conversion as a service because of the learning curve, limited time to act, and my choice of Option 3 to convert from Blogger to WordPress. I did not do an in-depth review of the above resources, so it may be more difficult than expected depending on your experience and circumstances.
My choice is Option 3 for the blogs I own. The “engine” that drives a blog consists of 100′s of custom programmed files that make the blog work properly including publishing posts, filing posts by month, or archiving them, and more. For Blogger designs this “engine” or blog platform resides on the Blogger server outside the control of the site owner.
WordPress platform designs begin by uploading their software “engine” to your server, so the security control does not require extreme measures because the system is allowing access by you to your server, not a third party server.
To convert a Blogger blog to WordPress requires a new template design, export of blog content from Blogger, conversion of that content compatible to WordPress, installation of the WordPress “engine” software and template on your server, import of converted content into WordPress, and finally file redirects of archives, tags and labels to WordPress format archives, tags and categories.
The move to WordPress is the most time consuming and costly choice. While taking control is a key advantage of WordPress, maintaining control was really the problem at Blogger. They share enough of their software engine to publish only, so to protect the security of people interacting with their server they will no longer permit FTP access.
The Blogger decision to cease support for publishing to an owner’s server via FTP was unforeseen, and certainly out of my control. A blog is still the easiest way to “add original quality content often”. That phrase is the essence of how websites succeed, so I will continue to promote and encourage my customers to be active blogging.
If you have questions or need help understanding your blog or an action plan, email me soon. The deadline is approaching quickly.
Custom WordPress Blog Design Price
A new page for Blogger custom blog design pricing has been revised to include a custom WordPress blog design price. In addition, the price page lists a new service for converting a Blogger template and moving to WordPress. Here is an excerpt from the new blog design price page linked above:
For owners of Blogger format blogs interested in converting a Blogger template and moving to a WordPress template and theme, we can provide optional services. For existing blog designs in Blogger to export from their format and import into a custom WordPress theme, our technique will capture all blog posts.
Visit this blog converted from Blogger to WordPress to see a live example custom WordPress theme and matching main website.
The custom WordPress blog design price page includes the optional service to export from Blogger to WordPress with details on the process involved to maintain all posts, labels, archives, and search engine friendly (SEF) file names.
Custom Integrated Blog Design Launch
A second custom integrated blog design launched this week for author Ben Furman of Black Hawk Press. Mr. Furman is an independent publisher and writer, and former FBI Counterterrorism Chief who writes two genres of fiction. The audience for his mature content blog on counterterrorism is adults, and the latest blog features information about his fantasy adventure series for young adults.
Each custom integrated blog matches the pre-existing web design and each sidebar features a custom logo graphic as shown above to illustrate the theme of each blog. The original blog included posts on both themes, and the new blog separates content based on the target audience. Included in the custom integrated blogger template design is an audio player so visitors may listen to book excerpts, also.
The main site has more information on all books including reviews and links to purchase online.
Custom Blogger Author Blog Launch
A new custom blogger template launched earlier this week for the publisher and author blog of BlackHawkPress.com. The new integrated blog design color scheme and graphics match the pre-existing web design for a consistent look. Adding a custom integrated blog to any small business website enhances search engine optimization, or seo, and helps attract search engines.
Black Hawk Press is an independent publisher of counterterrorism novels by Ben Furman, publisher and author, as well as another genre with an adventure series of fantasy novels for young adults. Mr. Furman provides an inside look of worldwide intrigue and suspense based on real world experience aimed at adult readers. The childrens series of fantasy adventures offers excitement while providing positive messages for young readers.
The Black Hawk Press blog will feature posts with audio excerpts from their books, insider information about counterterrorism, and professional writing tips by Ben Furman. Follow this link to the custom integrated blog design for Black Hawk Press author Ben Furman to compare the look to their original web design.
Demo Blog Template Layout Change
The demo blog of custom Blogger designs is a revolving look at custom blog template work in progress, and the demonstration was revised again. Readers may visit the test blog used for customer review and approval to see the current design.
The blog custom template, xhtml, css, and custom graphics change for each client, and it may be interesting to view the rougher look prior to approval and formal launch. While the current custom Blogger theme may change depending on when you view this post, at the time it is a custom integrated blog template to match the main site of Black Hawk Press, a publisher and author in Charlotte, NC.
Visit the main site of this publisher of adult action adventure and children’s fantasy novels to view the layout, and then compare their site to the custom Blogger integrated template that I created.
Once approved and launched, the next custom blog template project may have replaced the demo for Black Hawk Press. In that case, follow the above link to their main site and then view their blog to see how closely both the site and integrated blog match.
CMS Web Design and Blogger Templates
The demo section of custom CMS web design and Blogger template services of the Small Business Resource Center was officially released today. View actual customer designs being prepared for review and approval in this web design and cms demo showroom of customer web design projects including custom Blogger templates.
The web design demo section for custom web design services displays client project work in progress and finished web designs. The CMS custom web designs may rotate, yet for now there are 2 finished websites, and a new demo cms design in work. The custom blog demo includes 3 posts that demonstrate adding an audio player, a video player, and other basic options.
The demo blog features an audio program with a podcast episode about adding Integrated Blogs for Small Business Websites, and the video is a tutorial showing advanced methods of creating web graphics. The blog post content will not change, but the look will. The color scheme and graphics of this demo Blogger blog template will change often to match new customer projects for approval prior to launch.
Visit the CMS Web Design and Blogger Template Demo home page to view web design and custom blog projects for launch in the near future, as well as finished designs.
Custom Integrated Blog Site Addition
A new custom integrated blog template design and site addition launched recently for Pacific Rent A Car, a car hire rental company in Cyprus. The new Blogger template for this international client matches their main website except for the addition of a new blog button in the top navigation. Here is a graphic of the matching blog top header and navigation buttons shown smaller than actual size:
The company manager made several comments about the completed car rental blog integration:
I am totally happy. Thank you for the great job. I worked with two different companies from India and they were not able to finish it. You are so professional. I am glad that I trusted you. Thank you very much.
Berkan Ocal, Manager, Pacific Rent A Car, Kyrenia Cyprus
The matching website integrated blog graphics and color scheme are nearly identical and passed tests for cross browser compatibility. While confirming my custom integrated blog design matched their main pages correctly in all major browsers, I reported that their main website only displays properly in IE.
Depending on when they correct their code, readers comparing my design of the Pacific Rent A Car blog and main site are reminded that I only created the custom integrated blog which was done in xhtml with css and displays well in all browsers. Their main site may not depending on your browser. The customer has contacted their original site designers to correct the cross browser compatibility.
A special thanks to Mr. Berkan Ocal for placing his order and confidence with me for a custom integrated blog. The trust of an international client more than 10,000 km (6600 miles) away for custom web design services is certainly appreciated.
Web design full-time since 2004 and giving freely helps me learn what customers need. Call today for no obligation web design advice.