It’s time for the next installment of the New Blogger Series!
This Week: Blog Design
So, what do ya’ll think of my new look? Don’t you just love it? As I was researching for this post this week I instituted a bunch of changes, for the better I hope. Let me know what you think!
If you’re new make sure you check out last week’s Top 10 Blogging Basics.
I had so much fun this week playing with my blog layout and design!
I love that it condenses so much information while keeping it all easily accessible on the front page. Now, if you have WordPress this is a simple little gadget that is easily added, if you have Blogger (like I do) it’s a much more complicated process! Luckily, I was determined to get this gadget (I saw it on another blog and fell in love with it so I really wanted it!), so I found the simplest way to add it to your blog:
Adding a Tabbed Gadget to Blogger
This was easy peasy to install and customize (I don’t understand a thing about HTML, but his instructions were very simple). Just follow his easy instructions to install. Then you can go back into the HTML gadget and customize the colors. Anywhere you see # that is where you insert the color code. Here is a fantastic color code chart that you can use to customize the colors anywhere on your blog:
Instead of using the generic About Me gadget I used a text gadget so I could customize a little bit. By using a text gadget I could make my picture larger and added the social media buttons to the bottom. How you ask?
Making a Customized “About Me”
Inserting a larger photo: Upload a picture to PhotoBucket then go into Edit and then Resize. Mine is set at 125×125. Now copy the HTML code for the photo, you will then go back to your text gadget and switch to HTML then paste the code. Now you can switch back to RichText to write your About Me.
Making personal social media buttons:
(Until April you can still use Picnik so I suggest you do this asap.)
Update: I now use PicMonkey and it’s fantastic (and free!).
1. Search Google Images for a wallpaper or background that you like.
2. Save the image to your computer then upload it to Picnik.
3. Once in Picnik: crop the area that you want for your button. Then play around with the fonts and images to make your button look how you want it to. Save each button individually to your computer. Then upload them to PhotoBucket.
4. Once in Photo Bucket you can resize the buttons to whatever you want – mine are 50×50.
5. Now go back to your text gadget and go into the HTML. You will paste this code:
Image Address” border=”0″ />
6. Okay, where it says Social Media Address you will copy and paste your Twitter page, Facebook page, or Feedburner url, etc. and in Image Address you will paste the Direct Link for the image that you want associated with that social media address. This is why I suggest using PhotoBucket- because when you hover over your image a box will pop up with options for Direct Link and HTML). Make sense?
How about adding your signature to the bottom of every post?
Creating your signature: I’ve seen some creative signatures out there but my learning curve right now puts me at just wanting something simple. This is SUPER simple and super cute! Mylivesignature.com has so many different signatures to choose from! Use the Signature Creation Wizard and follow the steps to create your own signature. Once complete you will click “Want to use this signature?” then click “Generate HTML Code”. Now copy and save that code.
Adding your signature to the bottom of every post AUTOMATICALLY: That’s the key, having it load automatically! I have enough to remember, so this is a great little personal touch. You could even use this for your emails. Go to your dashboard, go to Layout, click on Settings, now to Posts & Templates. You will paste the HTML code for your signature into the Post Template box. How easy was that?!
What about my wallpaper and header?
The Cutest Blog on the Block has so many free choices plus lots that you can buy. These were free. I just mixed and matched to get a customized look that I’m really digging!
Stay tuned….
Topics on the way include:
Blog Lingo
Branding your photos
Optimizing Feedburner
Making the most of Linky Parties
Using Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Stumbleupon to grow your blog
Trading Blogs Party: kinda like my first HGTV/TLC love: Trading Spaces… we’ll team up, trade blogs, and instead of redesigning a space we’ll write a guest post for each other’s blog! I’ll be posting more information and the sign up on this next week- so we’ll be ready to go by the beginning of March!
Do you have any fun blog design tricks?
Please share them with us!
What else would you be interested in learning?
Have you learned something that you would like to do a guest post on? Email me!
Hi! Thanks so much for following through LF. I’m here, happily following back! Excellent Blogger Tips! I’ll definitely be back to check out more.
Have an awesome weekend!
Mary from Go Ahead Take A Bite and Spilled On The Kitchen Table
Melissa,
Thanks so much…you actually addressed several of my questions! That’s great. I’ve bookmarked you so I can come back AND I’m linky following! I might try to squeeze in some time this weekend to play and see what I can do myself. Yay!
Uh oh. I’m here on a Friday night. Glass of wine by my side … and your talking HTML …
So I’ll tell ya that I’m following you back and thanks for the nice comment on my blog!
Linda
it all started with paint
Hi Melissa, thanks so much for following, loving these tips and following you right back!
xo K
Great tips! Thanks for sharing. I’m following you back. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
-Mackenzie @ http://www.fridaynightdatenight.blogspot.com
It’s all greek to me but I’m not computer literate at all, thanks for the tips and I’m following you back on FL!
Rondell
Hey Melissa just started following your blog. Thanks for stopping by mine hope to see you around, I know I will be checking back on you blog often! This is a great post by the way.
Love the tips. I would also say only have your links on one side. When I go to a blog that has things on both sides it takes too long and too confusing to find things.
Thanks for this post. Can’t wait to try it.
I’d love to know how to make the smaller buttons all in a row for things like pinterest, facebook, etsy, etc that all have an individual link.
Denise (asprinkleofthis.blogspot.com)
I got the code for the signature but can’t figure out where to put it in the blogger html code. Can you explain just where it goes? Thanks.
Sure. In your blogger dashboard (main page) go to Settings, then Posts and Comments. On the right there will be a box labeled Post Template. Just insert the html code in this box. Then your signature will automatically load everytime you make a post.
This was great. Following you. I’d like to know how to add a pinterest button.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog, I’m now your linky follower!
new Linky Follower! hope you follow back and come check out my great giveaways going on!
http://giveawayhog.blogspot.com/
After pulling my hair out for the last month (since I started my blog) trying to figure out the HTML for making an “About Me” page, I discovered that the new blogger interface actually has an awesome “Pages” feature just like word press. You just click the “Pages” link under the Overview, Posts, then Pages. I was so excited to see this!! You explained this so well, but I thought I’d share my excitement! I love this series, btw, since I just started my own blog!
Rachel
from
Blue Moon Sun
Hi your new look is cool!
Dolly
Thank you so much for posting this! I just used the signature wizard and cannot wait to post a new post so I can show it off! Thanks a million!
~Any quick tutorials for adding the follow me on pinterest button?
if you google add a pinterest follow me button it will take you to the pinterest site which will give you the HTML code to put on your post template
Thanks so much for all your great tips, I hope you will check me out and give me any feedback!
http://www.missinformationblog.com
Thanks for all the great tips! Thank you for the kind comment on my blog. I’m your newest follower! If you get a chance, I’d love it, if you could follow me back. Have a great day!
Thanks for the info about the tabbed gadget! I’ve seen them on other sites and always wondered if/how to create one in blogger! Great tips!
Hi Melissa, I have seen that you have a really lovely blog design, very professional look!So, i was wondering if i could ask for your help? I´d like to get a index page made of images that links to their post as you have for “My creations”, or “Yummy Eats” and what I dont know is if there is a widget that updates it as you post or if you are making it by hand, first a thumbnail of the photo, then the text, then the link…
Ups, sorry for the long letter.
I´m following you and be back very soooooonnn!♥
Hi, following from Linky Followers!
Debbie refreshrestyle.com
Great tips, thanks for the research and tutorials. Good job.
Have a God Filled Day
Shirley
Excellent tips!! Thanks SO much for sharing at the Kiss Me I’m Irish linky party over at I Gotta Create!
I would also encourage you to share these blogging tips at the Blog Tips Cafe party on my blog to get even more exposure. It’s open all year just for blogging tips, so it gets lots of visits and clicks. The top posts have well over 100 clicks <3
http://igottacreate.blogspot.com
Thank you for your tips! Simple, easy instructions. Thank you!I was able to add a signature to my blog!
Pamela
pammiej2002.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for the ideas and how-tos! I’m really new at this and my blog looked really boring. This definitely helped make it look less cookie cutter!
mscandmisse.blogspot.com
You’re a STAR tonight over at I Gotta Create! Thanks so much for linking up to the Blog Tips Cafe linky party. C’mon over and grab your feature button! I love your series and will be staying tuned. Hope you come back and link up more great ideas <3
Melissa, how did you get the white band behind your blog title to go away? It’s supposedly transparent, but on my page it shows up as a white band all the way across the page behind the title. Very annoying!
Following you here now Melissa. Hope you’ll follow on mine too. Looking forward to some of your tutorials.
Blessings,
Coleen, an American in Ukraine
Hi Melissa, I’m following you here now. Hope you’ll follow on mine as well. That helps me stay connected with my followers.
Blessings,
Coleen in Ukraine
http://www.vintageterrace2.blogspot.com
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for the insight on how to put a button in! I have been trying to figure that out for the past week and gave up on it after trying to get it for 2 days straight! Some of this stuff can be very confusing. Again Thank you!
Great posts I am learning so much. Can you tell me please, can you also add your signature to your pictures on each post in this same manner?
Thank you & Many Blessings
Hi Melissa! WOW, so many great tips and so overwhelming. I learned a great deal here, though some of the things worked and others didn’t – like the signature. I really like it but mine only shows up if I create a link at “links to this post”
What am I doing wrong? I added my HTML to “Post Template” box.
I backlinked your awesome blog on my webpage here: http://mrsbrechtl.blogspot.com/2013/02/spicy-cajun-crab-soup.html
I’m not sure what’s going wrong– Unfortunately I wrote this post a while back and don’t use that method for my signature anymore. Now I just have a copy of the html and manually add it to all of my posts because I use Windows Live Writer now (it’s a free download that makes writing posts sooooo much easier). I know I’m not much help– I’m horrible with html and try to share things that I learn because I know there’s got to be others out there that are html “dummies” like me. Here’s a good tutorial that may help: http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/tutorials/how-to-add-a-signature-to-your-blog-posts-updated
“Search Google Images for a wallpaper or background that you like.”
Pretty sure ripping off someone else’s stuff like that is copyright infringement. What happened to giving credit when credit is due?
Mind if I use your background, header, or your personal about me picture? Only I’m not going to ask. But it’s okay because I found this site on Google, right? (I’m not actually going to do that, but I bet you’d be upset if someone actually did)
I stopped reading after that suggestion.
Oh my gosh…I am so sorry. Apparently this post needs updating– it’s a REALLY old post and it’s from when I was first learning to blog. Back then I didn’t know all of the rules– but I do now and I would never steal someone elses work. Thank you for pointing this out to me as I’ll make sure to go back through my old posts and make sure I’m not relaying false information. I completely forgot about most of the stuff in that post and most of it doesn’t make sense now since my layout has completely changed.
Again I really am sorry about that– I’m sorry it offended you so badly.
Great blog! I’m making mental notes of all these tips!