Getting Started With Blogger

Below are the most popular and recommended tutorials to get you blogging with your new Blogger blog!  There are more advanced topics and tutorials on this blog, but there are specifically selected to get you started and teaching you some of the basic concepts of blogging.

 

How to compose a post with or without an image:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/07/how-to-create-a.html

 

Using Categories in sidebar:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/blogger-using-c.html

Adding Image to Sidebar:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/blogger-adding.html

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/blogger-alterna.html

To keep images aligned in post:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/did-you-knowto.html

Creating a Link List in sidebar (such as Blogs I Like to Visit or My Favorite Sites):

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/09/blogger-creating-sites-i-like-to-visit-in-sidebar.html

Creating a photo album:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/07/did-you-know-th.html

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/blogger-using-p.html

Storing files online:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/blogger-storing.html

Or some use Google Docs (I will be writing a tutorial about that soon).

 

Enjoy!

Getting Started With Typepad

Below are the most popular and recommended tutorials to get you blogging with your new Typepad blog!  There are more advanced topics and tutorials on this blog, but there are specifically selected to get you started and teaching you some of the basic concepts of blogging.

 

How to compose a post with or without an image:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/07/login-to-your-t.html

 

Using Categories in sidebar:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/typepad-using-c.html

 

Adding Image to Sidebar:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/typepad-addin-1.html

 

To keep images aligned in post:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/did-you-knowto.html

  

Creating a Link List in sidebar (such as Blogs I Like to Visit or My Favorite Sites):

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/09/creating-sites-i-like-to-visit-in-sidebar.html

 

Creating a photo album:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/09/typepad-photo-albums.html

 

Enjoy!

 

 

For Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Using Internet Ads - Statement For Blogs

If you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and use internet ads to direct visitors to your blog, then as part of the new Stampin' Up! Internet Policy the following text should now be on your blog:

"This is my personal blog, I am an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, and I am responsible for its content. Stampin' Up! Does not endorse the use of or contents of the classes, services, or non-Stampin' Up! Products I may offer here."

To add this in Blogger:

• Login to Blogger.
• From the Dashboard, click on Layout.
• Click on Page Elements.
• Click to Add a Gadget (or Add a Page Element). Choose HTML/JavaScript (which will allow more flexibility in formatting or just plain text).
• For the Title or Label enter "Stampin' Up! Disclaimer" for example.
• In the large text box, copy and paste the text above (without the quotes).
• Save Changes.

To add this in Typepad:

• Login to Typepad.
• Click on Typelists (green tab).
• Click on the white text "Create a New Typelist".
• Choose "Notes" and then give it a name such as "Stampin' Up! Disclaimer".
• Click the "Create New Typelist" button.
• In the next window you do not need to add a label unless you want to. However, in the large text box, Notes section, copy and paste the above policy statement/disclaimer. Save changes.
• Publish or remember to go to Design, Select Content and check this new typelist under the list of available typelists.
• Then remember to go to Design, Order Content to drag and drop where you would like this new typelist in your sidebar.
• Save Changes.

Hope this helps!

 

HTML for Creating an Image Hyperlink

Here is the code you need to add a picture to your blog.
 
The generic format:

<a href="name of the site you want to go to when the user clicks on this" target="_blank">
<img src="name of your file from your Typepad file manager or other source">
</a>
 
The target="_blank" means to open in a new internet window (so you don't take focus away from your blog).
 
Okay, so here is an example using the above format:

<a href="http://www.blogsbyheather.com" target="_blank">
<img src="http://blogsbyheather.typepad.com/logo.jpg">
</a>

Related articles and HTML help:

• http://www.blogsbyheather.com/html_help/

• http://www.w3schools.com/tags/default.asp

Hope this helps!

Blogger: Creating "Sites I Like To Visit" In Sidebar

On many blogs, you will notice something similar like "My Favorite Links" or "Sites I Like to Visit" or "Charities I Donate To".  In Blogger, this is called a Link List type of Page Element/Gadget.

Creating the list:

• Login to Blogger.
• From the Dashboard, click on Layout.
• Click or go to Page Elements if you are not there by default.
• Click on Add a Gadget (used to be Add a Page Element).
• From the list, scroll and choose the Link List.
• From the Configure Link LIst window that now appears:
• Add a Title for your list, such as "Blogs I Like To Visit".
• Leave blank the "number of links to show in the list".
• You may want to choose a Sort Order or leave "Don't Sort".
• New Site URL: this is the URL or actual address of the site, such as http://www.blogsbyheather.com.
• New Site Name: This is the textual respresentation that will show in the sidebar, such as "Blogs By Heather". So when a user clicks the Site Name, they will be directed to the Site URL.
• Click ADD LINK button.
• To add another, the only 2 fields you need to enter is "New Site URL" and "New Site Name".  Then click ADD Link button.
• Continue until you have created the list. As you are building the list you will see it in the bottom of the Configuration window.
• When you are finished, click SAVE.

Arrange in sidebar:

• It is now added to your sidebar at the  top. 
• Simply drag and drop it where you would like it to be in the sidebar.
• click the SAVE button.

You're done! View your blog to see your results.

Hope this helps!

Typepad: Creating "Sites I Like To Visit" In Sidebar

On many blogs, you will notice something similar like "My Favorite Links" or "Sites I Like to Visit" or "Charities I Donate To".  In Typepad, this is a typelist, a Links type.

Below are instructions on how to create the typelist and then to show it on your blog:

• After you login, click on the green tab named "Typelists."
• Click on white text, "create a new typelist."
• From the next screen,
• • Step 1: Select a type of list under the List Type dropdown,
  • Step 2: Give your list a name, such as "My Favorite Sites" or "Sites I Like To Visit".
• Click the Create New List button.
• Enter a Title for your link that will show in your sidebar under this new typelist, such as "Blogs By Heather".  This is a textual representation of the link or a label for the link.
• In the URL box, here is where you type the actual blog site or website address, where the visitor will be directed if they click the link, such as http://www.blogsbyheather.com.
• Click Save.
• Click Add Item at the top to continue adding more sites until you have completed your list.  In the future you can always come back to the Typelist and add more items or remove items easily.

Adding it to your sidebar:

• When you are finished, go to your weblog and click Design.
• Click on Select Content - choose the new typelist by checking it "Sites I Like To Visit". Then save.
• Then click on Order Content. Here you can drag and drop where you want the new list in your sidebar. Save changes.
• Then click View Site (top of your screen) or View Weblog to see your changes!

Hope this helps!

Blogger: Making the most of your sidebar

As you may already know Blogger does not have the "Pages" and "Feature This Post" features and abilities that Typepad has. However, all is not lost.  The important thing to remember is that whatever information you would want quickly and easily accessible to your blog visitors can be put in the sidebar.

Also, there are 3 column blogger formats that can allow more "room" in sidebars. See this tutorial about that: http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/did-you-knowyou.html

Use the HTML/Javascript gadget/page element for the most flexibility. In it you can write text as well as create hyperlinks, insert images, add PayPal buttons and more (for example, see my Fresh Cuts Tote and Notes sidebar item….www.handstampedbyheather.com….which is a Blogger blog). 

Adding a Page Element/Gadget

• Log in to Blogger.
• From the Dashboard, click on Layout.
• Click on Page Element (if not there by default).
• Click on Add a Gadget (or Page Element).
• From the list provided, choose HTML/JavaScript.
• Give a Title if you wish (such as Fresh Cuts Tote and Notes, like I did in my sample, www.handstampedbyheather.com).
• In the large text box, here is where you add regular text, hyperlinks, or PayPal buttons.  NOTE: If you don't have an online storage place for images, then right above this page element I would add a "Picture" page element of the picture corresponding to this new page element.  In my example, that would be that I would add the Fresh Cuts sample image by Andrea Walford right above my class detail and PayPal info.  So it is a separate page element but they will look like they are together.
• Okay, once you've added your text, hyperlinks or other information, save changes.
• Then drag and drop this new element(s) near the top of one of your sidebars so you and your visitors can see it quickly and easily on your sidebar.

Note:  This HTML/Javascript item, can simply be a table of contents to other important posts on your blog, or link to you DBWS, an image, class desciption and sign up, whatever you'd like.

In putting something in the sidebar, you can move it to the top, to be the first or 2nd item in your sidebar so visitors see it right away and it will stay there until you delete the page element.

Hope this helps!

 

Typepad Photo Albums

Many demonstrators use galleries, or photo albums, to showcase a large quantity of images - not just those in their posts.  I use it to keep a gallery, or portfolio, of completed blogs I've setup.

Here are instructions on how to create a new photo album, and then how to add images to it.

Creating a New Album

• Once logged in to Typepad, click on the green tab named "Photo Albums".
• Then, click on the white text labeled "Create a New Photo Album".
• Here, give the album a name (is really the only thing you need to add, but you can scroll down and set other options, set as thumbnail size, photo size, etc.)
• Click the "Create New Photo Album" button.

Uploading Photos

• Click the "Upload Photos" button.
• You can upload at most 5 at a time.
• Select the number of files you wish to upload at that time (1-5).
• Then in the text boxes below, click the related "Browse" button and locate the desired file to upload.
• Click "Upload".
• Now you will see the thumbnails and can edit the photo name and photo caption (which I use for a photo description - which can include HTML as well).

When you uploaded all your photos and want to add it to your blog for the first time:

• Go to the green Design tab and choose Select Content. 
• Scroll down to Photo Albums, and check the check box next to your newly added album. 
• Now go to Order Content and drag and drop where you want to have your gallery located in your sidebar.
• Save changes.

Hope this helps!

Registering a Domain Name with Go Daddy

A few customers wanted some help with registering a domain name with Go Daddy.  A domain name is in the form of www.blogsbyheather.com, where as most blogs have their blog platform in your blog addresss, such as www.heatherporto.typepad.com (so you would know this is a Typepad blog).

So, what I had done, like many others, is register the domain name, www.blogsbyheather.com, and have it mapped (Domain Mapping available in Typepad) to my Typepad account (www.heatherporto.typepad.com).  So notice that when you come to my site, www.blogsbyheather.com, you do not see www.heatherporto.typepad.com in the address bar at all.  It basically makes your blog appear like a traditional website.

NOTE: I have used www.namesecure.com to register domains as well and successfully implemented Domain Mapping (such as this blog, www.blogsbyheather.com).

Anyway, here are the instructions that I could get to w/o actually paying and completely the registration.  This is as far as I could go but let me know if you get stuck (heather@blogsbyheather.com).

• Go to www.godaddy.com
• In the upper left corner of middle left area, type in the name you are looking to use as your domain.
• Once you find one, make sure ONLY the .com is checked.
• scroll down the bottom and click Proceed to Check Out.
• On the next screen, simply click NO THANKS. Continue to Checkout.
• Domain Registration Information…..
• Select – I would like a new Go Daddy Account.
• Enter your name and contact information needed (* means required).
• Click Continue.
• Do NOT click anything else and click Continue.
• Again, leave this screen alone except change if you want 1 YEAR instead of the default 2 YEAR purchase, then in the middle check if it is being used for Business (which is the default) or Personal.
• Then click NO THANKS. I’m ready to checkout.
• Don’t check any other services, Scroll towards the bottom and check your payment method.
• Check that you read the agreement terms. Then click Check Out Now.
• Enter more billing information.
• Enter account information(such as username, password, pin and more).
• Then click Continue…..

For more information on Domain Mapping with Go Daddy:
http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/typepad-domain.html

Hope this helps!

Add a Sock Monkey Clock (For SU Demonstrators)

This post is for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators, but can be used by anyone with a blog that would like a cute clock added to their sidebar.  Judy Veasey, a Stampin' Up! demonstrator told me about this while I was setting up her new blog - thanks Judy!

There is one that looks like the new Sock Monkey!

• Click here to get it!
• Under the monkey, click on view HTML.
• At the next pop-up window, click Accept.
• In the next window, select your time zone.
• Change the size of the monkey if you'd like, but the 150x150 will fit in your sidebar.

For Typepad

• At the bottom of this window, you can click "Add Widget" and it will show prompt you to login to your Typepad account if you are not already. Then it will display an area called "Add a Sidebar Widget", where you will select which Weblog you want to add it to. 
• Select the desired weblog (if you are using Advanced templates there is another way of doing this with adding the HTML -- contact me for those instructions separately).
• Give the Widget a name.
• Then click "Add Widget".
• Then, you can go to the Design tab of your weblog, and choose Order Content to determine where you want to place the newly added widget.

For Blogger

• Select and copy the HTML/JavaScript in the first text box.
• Login to your Blogger account.
• From the Dashboard, choose Layout.
• Click on Page Elements (if not already there by default).
• Click on Add a Gadget.
• Choose HTML/JavaScript.
• Enter a Title (or leave blank).
• Paste in the HTML/JavaScript into the large box.
• Save changes.
• Then, drag and drop the new element to where you want it displayed in your sidebar.

Enjoy!