In today's blog post, I want to show you how to set-up an auto-updating recipe index for your food blog on blogger. This has been one of the most requested tutorials of all time.
I can understand this, it is actually a very good practice to put your users (readers/audience) first, and with Google changing its algorithm ever so often it's even more apparent that the future of SEO is much more reliant on good design and user experience.
What does this mean for you as a blogger? It means, you want to make it extremely easy for your readers to find content that they are looking for on your website easy and confusion-free.
One of the best ways to put years worth of content in front of your audience is through putting it up in a category that updates automatically as and when you publish a post. This is exactly what I'm showing you how to do in this post.
Here are some of the requirements of this tutorial:
- You'll need a blogger theme that has a gallery page layout enabled on label pages or a theme can be easily customised to have gallery pages on label pages.
- You'll need to have all your blog posts sorted into the labels you want
How to get a gallery enabled blogger theme
One of the simplest ways to do this would be to buy a theme (usually not that expensive). I recommend this theme from my shop, or this one to completely forego having to go through this tutorial (Cookin' Daily is a responsive blogger theme which comes with a built in-recipe index and it updates automatically and the best part is the free installation that I offer with all my themes along with lifetime support for theme related issues).
If you don't have the budget for a blogger theme, I'll show you how to use a free theme from blogger to do so as well. Of course, I recommend upgrading to a premium theme whenever you can because of the added features and customisability.
TIP : If you intend to blog seriously and to make it a full-time or part-time income maker in your life, I do definitely recommend investing in your blog by having a functional and beautiful design and brand.
Let's get into it.
INFO : You need to have labels in your posts for this method to work!
Step 01: Grab the HTML
First, you will need to copy and save this HTML somewhere you won't lose it. I prefer using Trello or Evernote. But you can use whatever you like.
<div class="recipe-index">
<a href="THE LINK TO YOUR BLOGGER LABEL" target="_blank">
<img alt="ALT TAG FOR YOUR IMG" height="400" src="LINK TO YOUR IMAGE" width="600" />
</a>
<br />
<div class="desc">
<a href ="THE LINK TO YOUR BLOGGER LABEL">NAME OF THE CATEGORY</a></div>
</div>
Step 02: Install the CSS in your blogger theme
Now that you have saved the HTML for use, you will need to add the CSS to your blogger theme. To do this:
- Go to Theme > Customise > Advanced > Add CSS
Then you will copy the following code:
/* Recipe Index Code by Balkeni Studio
-------------------------------------- */
div.recipe-index {
margin: 5px;
border: 1px solid pink;
float: left;
width: 48.8%;
}
div.recipe-index:hover {
border: 1px solid #777;
}
div.recipe-index img:hover {
opacity: 0.5;
}
div.recipe-index img {
width: 100%;
height: auto;
max-height: 400px;
object-fit:cover;
}
.desc {
padding: 15px;
text-align: center;
}
.post-body img, .post-body a img, .post-thumb img, .post-thumb a img {
margin:0;
}
@media screen and (max-width: 1216px) {
div.recipe-index {
margin: 5px;
border: 1px solid pink;
float: left;
width: 100%;
display: block;
margin: 0 auto;
margin-top: 10px;
}
div.recipe-index img {
width: 100%;
height: auto;
max-height: none;
}
}
/* END - DO NOT REMOVE THESE CREDITS!
-------------------------------------- */
Now that you have copied the code paste it in the Add CSS section then click Save.
You are now ready to set-up your Recipe Index page.
Step 03. Make A Recipe Index Page
The next step is to make a page in your blogger blog and call it "Recipe Index". You will then go to the HTML section of your blog and paste the HTML you saved in the first step.
Note: You will paste this same code in this page according to the number of categories you have. So, if you have 6 categories, you will paste this code in 6 times.
Step 04: Adding in your content
It is already mentioned in the HTML you copied how to customise the contents of your gallery, but for your ease of use, I'll mention it here as well.
- THE LINK TO YOUR BLOGGER LABEL: This is the link to the label of the category you want to use. To grab the link of your label, just view a post with the label you want, then click on that label, once that page loads, just copy the link from the address bar.
- THE ALT TAG FOR YOUR IMAGE: This is purely for SEO purposes and for people with disabilities like visual impairment when they read your website. You will write the name your image describing what it is here. For example, apple pie.
- THE LINK TO YOUR IMAGE: You should have your image for the category uploaded in the media for your blog, just right-click the image you want to use and grab the link of the image and paste it in this section.
- NAME OF THE CATEGORY: You will add the name of your category here.
And that's it. You're done! Now, this page will automatically enable people clicking on the categories to be taken to your most recent posts in that category, and it will keep itself updated.
Easy, right?
P.S. wanna forego all this hassle? I've got just the product for you!
Cookin' Daily - A Responsive Blogger Template
Cookin' Daily is a premade blogger template specially designed for food bloggers, or bloggers in the health, wellness, lifestyle or nutrition industry. It comes with a custom landing page and an auto-updating blog recipe index, beautiful gallery pages and a blog layout that's optimised for running ads on your blog and offers your audience a great user experience by keeping it simple yet branded and easy for your audience to find any post they are looking for!
I hope you liked this tutorial! If you have any questions about this tutorial or a step confuses you, feel free to leave a comment below for help.
However, please do not attach your blog links in the comment, If I'll need a link to your blog I'll reply with further instructions to get in touch with me. Comments with links will not be published and will end up in the spam!
If you've enjoyed this tutorial, please support my work by donating using the buy me a coffee option (you can even use the coffee icon at the bottom-right of your screen!), it really helps me write more tutorials. Writing blog post takes a lot of time and effort as many of you may already know, and I want to be able to keep the blog alive and free for all of you.
A small donation really helps me stay motivated and be compensated for the time, energy and effort I put into my work. As always, thank you so much for your support! Wondering why donate? Read about my mission here.
Alternatively, you can even help me spread the word by sharing this blog post with your followers!
If you've got any other tutorial or blog post in mind that you'd like to read about, make sure to send in a request here. I'd love to write for you!
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If there's anything else, I hope you let me know in the comments down below. It's always lovely to hear from you all! and if you'd like more support feel free to join the community for bloggers on blogger (FB group) and the new bloggers (FB group) run by me to help you with all you blogging and blogger woes!
This year, my focus has been more on helping bloggers with branding. One of the first steps towards a rememberable brand is a distinct logo that your audience just connects with. For a lifestyle blog, this can mean having your own photo turned into an illustration!
If you follow me on my personal Instagram, you'll know I love watercolours. Thus, when the opportunity presented itself I did not think for another second.
This particular look was achieved digitally using my ipad pro, apple pencil and my favourite watercolour brushes for the illustration and my trusted adobe suite for making the logo and the blog header.
Blog Header
Logo
Over all, we were happy with how it turned out. Using your own self as a reference for an illustration, guarantees a unique stylised logo and header.
Keywords: cute, girly, preppy and full of life.
If you're interested in getting a logo similar to this one or something else entirely, feel free to get in touch or visit my shop!
When you are considering starting a blog with Google's Blogger platform, it can be scary if someone tells you that blogger is not a good blogging platform, one of the most common reasons cited is not being able to monetise your blogger blog effectively or at all
And so, I've decided to help you understand why the statement above is not true. You can have a blog on blogger and you can monetise it effectively and even to great lengths. It's no different from having a blog on any other blogging platform.
I have been blogging on blogger for a bit over 4 years at the time of writing this blog post, I do earn from my blog. And my blog along with my work is the only job I have ever had. I've not worked a traditional 9-5 a day in my life, I do however work 8 hours a day usually.
I'm here to prove to you that it's not only possible to run a blog successfully on blogger but also your entire business if you know what you're doing. But more on that in a moment, let's first learn why blogging on blogger does not affect your ability to be able to earn from your blog.
How do bloggers actually earn an income from their content?
I've actually given you a bit of a spoiler already. Bloggers earn from their content. Most bloggers that earn an income from their blog do so by mainly the following streams of monetisation:
- Advertising using an ad network or selling direct ad spaces on their blog.
- Affiliate marketing
- Selling services/products
- Paid sponsorships/Brand sponsorships
- Donations
Blogger terms of use and content policy are simple, they do not state that they own any content you create on their platform or limit your use of their platform in a way that you would not be able to use these mentioned streams of monetisation.
Now, my question is, do you still feel it's not possible to monetise a blogger blog? I run this blog on blogger, I have been able to monetise it using all mentioned streams of monetisations. And it's not just me, there are other bloggers on blogger who make a part-time and/or full-time income from their blogs.
In my 4 years of working with bloggers on the blogger platform I've seen them all being able to monetise their blogs, in fact, I believe that they do have somewhat of an advantage, you know. And I'd like to prove my point, so here we go.
Why bloggers on blogger may have an advantage over other bloggers who use different blogging platforms?
It all really comes down to how Blogger is made and who owns it and how it is a free to use platform. This is where you can really see how much of an edge you get if you use Google's Blogger platform.
Let me explain more about this:
- Out-of-the-box blogger is SEO friendly, with means to be able to make it even more so. You can add meta tags, custom robots tag and enable meta descriptions and so much more. It's easy and most of it is just a few clicks away, not very complicated.
- Blogger is free. This makes it a great choice not only for those on a budget but even those that do not have budget constraints. Whether you are a new blogger or a more experienced one, blogger is a platform which allows you to host your blog for free forever. It doesn't matter how many visitors you get - which on other platforms cost you, the more you have the more you pay. And the best part about having a free platform is that you can invest your budget into other things like a premium blogger theme that makes your blog look more professional, or a logo — the same money you would have given away to your blog host if you were on another platform.
- You can easily integrate AdSense into your blogger blog. In fact, there is an earnings tab that tells you if your blog qualifies for AdSense if it does you can sign up with a few clicks, it's easy and you can start earning a passive income right away if you have enough audience on your blog.
- Blogger is affordable. Custom services and tech support for blogger is usually more affordable than for other platforms. I offer tech support and services for the blogger platform, and it is quite affordable. If you're new and can't afford to pay, you can join my Facebook groups for free help or help based on a donation. It's all about building a loving and nurturing community where you don't have to feel guilty, bad or ashamed of not having a budget and wanting help. We don't judge. All bloggers are welcome.
- Blogger is simple and easy to use. It's straightforward. You can create pages and you can create posts, you can categories them and a lot of it is drag and drop. The rest is just clicking of buttons here and there. Support is available through the official support forum, or you can even get in touch with me (I'm a product expert who volunteers in the official support forum too.) And if all else fails just write about it in the comments section of this post and hopefully I'll have a resolution for you.
These are just some of the advantages of blogging on blogger. I feel the community over at blogger is really good. Personally, for me, I've made long-lasting connections with many of my clients and the people in my Facebook groups, I regularly connect with them and everyone takes care of each other.
I value honesty and transparency, leading a heart-centred business is important to me. And at the core of it all is actually helping bloggers and keeping things affordable around here.
I know you may still be feeling a bit apprehensive or hesitant even when it comes to choosing your blogging platform, you may have heard things like blogger isn't customisable, or it lacks plugins and more. I'd like to address some of these fears that make you feel like you're missing out.
What are the most common myths attached to the blogger platform?
Let's start by discussing some blogger myths that you may have read everywhere but are actually not true:
- Blogger owns the content you create: No, that's not true. As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, blogger's terms of service and content policy never indicate that they own the content you create.
- Blogger does not have plugins: That's true. But the thing is, blogger is made differently and does not need plugins. It uses widgets and you can code in any custom functionality you might need on your blog. Personally, I have custom features and codes added in that help me make click-to-tweet sections, tables, buttons and more. You could have them installed on your blog too, I offer these as part of my services and they are usually a one-time setup. Moving forward, you just have to copy and paste code snippets in your blog posts. I've helped clients add star ratings, Facebook like buttons, recipe indexes and more.
- Customisation options are limited: This used to be true because bloggers gives you only a handful of templates to choose from. And without coding knowledge, it was quite limited what you could make your blog do. But now, you can choose from a variety of blogger templates that are fast, SEO-optimised, and look beautiful on all devices as they are responsive. The best part, they are very affordable!
- Blogger templates are not optimised for SEO: SEO is a vast topic, to think a template can help you get a Google Page #1 rank shows in of itself your lack of SEO knowledge. There are many on-page, off-page and technical aspects of SEO and they keep changing apart from some basic ones. My own line of blogger templates are SEO-optimised to the point they can be. My clients do report an increase in traffic after using one of my templates but I believe most of it is to do with a good code-structure and the design of the templates that make them look professional. Many people have commented on the fact that you can no longer tell the difference between a blog designed on blogger or any other platform because of how customisable the nature of the blogger platform is!
- You can't sell your products on Blogger or have your own store: Back in the early 2000s the options were truly limited, but now, you can sell directly on your blogger blog. Physical or digital products. Even your own services, for that matter and it's one of the most affordable ways to sell online through your blogger blog. If you don't like this solution you can even use other solutions like blogger shop set-up that I offer to my clients. It's a shop hosted on a blogger blog, managed and maintained by you. I offer free training, advice and consultation if you opt for this package. If you want to see a demo of the blogger shop and what yours could look like, have a look at Balkeni Studio's Blogger Shop. It's customisable and you can choose from a range of designs and costs only a one-time setup fee instead of a monthly recurring fee!
- Blogger is old and can be shut down any minute by Google: Blogger is old, but as of late it has received many a complete revamp, a mobile responsive structure and many new changes. I would doubt Google wants to shut it down after it is spending so much time re-vamping things around. But in the scenario, years later, if Google decides to shut it down, I'm sure it will give us options to migrate our data and enough time to do so as well. Companies and products are shut down and abandoned all the time, but I don't think its time yet for blogger as the community here is thriving.
Now, let's get back at the question we bean with. Is it possible to monetise your blogger blog? I believe knowing what you know now, you should already know the answer, but let me make it clearer for you.
Can you actually monetise a blogger blog?
Yes, yes you can! And you'll have the tools available to do so as well. I've mentioned many resources here that can help you get started and effectively monetise your blogger blog. The beauty of starting on blogger is that you can experiment with it.
Just start and find out if blogging really is your thing, I feel it's a great option for bloggers and service-based entrepreneurs. The best thing is, it's free so you won't have to feel like you're running out of budget and everything is so costly. You won't feel money holding you back from making your dreams a reality.
And the best thing? Your blogger blog can grow with you. Once you get how things work around the blogosphere, and your blog starts to grow you can invest back in it, you can start to sell your own products, services and more.
As a web designer, blogger is my platform of choice for bloggers and service-based entrepreneurs. I feel it accomplishes everything one may need to run a successful blog or freelance business.
Conclusion
Well, you already know its more than possible to monetise a blogger blog and now you also know why you should start a blog on blogger. I really think you should be able to make an informed choice that isn't influenced by someone wanting to make money off of you but backed by actual advice.
And now in case you do decide to blog on blogger I'd love for you to get in touch with me and hopefully join my community.
If you've enjoyed reading this blog post, please consider donating to my blog. It helps me put more content out regularly for you to enjoy and take your blog to the next level. If there is a blog post or tutorial you'd like to see, you can request it here.
And finally, don't forget to follow my blog by adding it to your reading list or signing up to receive blog posts directly in your inbox.
P.S. Need consultation about your blog? I'm here to help you. No matter what you're looking for. Let's get in touch and help you take your blog to the next level. You can choose between any of my two consultation packages or book a one-hour intensive session with me.
Or help me spread the word!
Over the years bloggers on blogger have always had a bit of a tough time. They've complained that the HTML section of the post adds some many extra "<div>" tags to their blog posts. In my time using blogger, I have also seen this happen to my own posts sometimes and If I didn't write and format my posts correctly, the HTML quickly becomes a mess.
Recently blogger came out with a new update, this introduces a new system that blogger never had before and it does tackle the problem of blogger generating extra "<div>" tags every single time in blog posts when a line break was added, or when a new paragraph was created.
I'll talk to you about the new system in a bit and what it means for blogger going forward but for now, I'm happy to report that I'm no longer facing the DIV problem anymore where it just creates an endless stream of div tags in the HTML mode of my post.
So why was it a problem?
When Blogger adds extra div tags in blog posts it creates unnecessary HTML in said blog posts, this can cause your blog posts to sometimes behave in an unusual manner when it comes to the formatting of the post. The main problem that bloggers were encountering was that these extra div tags were creating problems with Mediavine; a premium ad network. And when ad revenues drop, it becomes a source of panic, worry and in some cases complete overwhelm.
I regularly tell my clients and other bloggers on blogger to share all bugs, glitches and problems directly with the blogger team by using the feedback button. It's a question mark icon, next to your blogger account image in the blogger dashboard on the top-right corner. At the time of writing this post, it's actually the third icon from the top-right.
This small act makes sure blogger is free from glitches and you get the best blogging experience on blogger.
How was this problem solved?
Well, blogger announced some updates this month. These updates involved the introduction of a new updated way of generating HTML in blog posts, including <p> (paragraph) tags. When you start using <p> tags, you won't notice anymore casual div tags in your posts and if you're still using the old way blogger generates HTML for blog posts, then pressing shift+enter on your keyboard will create a <br> (line break) tag for you without any extra HTML getting generated in your blog posts.
How to toggle between the old blog post HTML and new HTML generation?
It's quite simple, and like most other things in blogger, you can do so with just a small click in your blog post editor. Once you're in the blog post editor, you'll see a handful of icons that allow you to edit and format your blog posts.
They look like this.
You'll see this image says Paragraph, in your case, it might say either of these two:
- Paragraph (new HTML generation)
- Normal (Old HTML generation)
Just make sure to set whichever mode you prefer before you start writing your blog posts in your blogger blog.
And that's it, you're done.
I hope this blog post has helped you understand your blogger blog better and will help you use your blogger blog in a more efficient way. I hope this post will also solve any of your Mediavine ad displaying problems in your blogger blog.
Feel free to share this post with your friends if you think they'll benefit from it as well. You can subscribe to my blog posts so that you will receive them directly in your e-mail inbox, additionally, you can even add my blog to your reading list.
If you've enjoyed this blog post, help me keep the good work up by donating to this blog. It helps me make more tutorials, posts and content that will help you blog better for free for you to enjoy. Your small donation helps fund this blog. You can read more about my mission here.
If there's any other blog post or tutorial you'd like to see on blogger or blogging in general you can request it here.
P.S. Did you know? I've got two Facebook groups dedicated to helping you!
- For bloggers on blogger (best for bloggers on blogger, come discuss all your blogger related stuff, issues and more directly with a blogger product expert — that's me.) Join here
- For new bloggers (Promote your blog posts in the weekly promotional thread, find like-minded people, network and grow your connections, plus blogging tips to help you go from $0 to $500/month). Join here
P.P.S. I'm on buy me a coffee because this blog is run on coffee. I make exclusive content there for bloggers, all my supporters get access to that content along with goodies from my shop for FREE. You also get access to many other perks and pretty wallpapers for your desktop, phone and tablet every month. It also houses some really cool codes for taking your blogger blog to the next level that are pretty much plug and play for you to have fun with.
Oh, and I love reading your comments and responding to them, or just say hi, I'd love to hear from you either way! See you in the comments section down below!
If you've been wanting to start a blog, and were considering blogger as your blogging platform of choice but were immediately told off by other bloggers, then you will find confidence in this post because we are about to prove everyone wrong, once again.
If you're new to this series, Blogger on Blogger is my brainchild. It's my interview series that I've started to let people know that's acceptable to start your blog on the blogger platform, and whether your blog makes money or not is dependent on a hundred different factors none of which are labelled as your "blogging platform".
In this interview, Brenda, a full-time blogger will share why the blogger platform works for her and might work for you too, there's no need to be afraid of the platform.
Q.
Is your blog hosted on the blogger platform? If yes, then how long have you been blogging? And what do you blog about?
Answer:
Yes, my blog is hosted on the Blogger platform. I started this blog in April 2009. In 2012, while recovering from double ankle surgery, I decided to move my blog to Wordpress.org. I moved myself there, with the help of an eBook.
I had a lot of trouble on WP with getting hacked, etc., so after a year I moved it back to Blogger. On WP, you can simply add one too many plug-ins and your blog disappears till you figure out which one was the culprit. I had that happen a few times. And it's pretty scary when you go to your URL and it's empty!
In the interim of moving my blog back to Blogger, a technical problem with my domain host (Godaddy) caused me to lose all my posts from 2009-2013. But I didn't give up. I just started all over again. Since I post daily and sometimes twice daily, I now have quite a few posts built back up.
I had several blogs before this one, so have been blogging a total of about 9 years.
I blog about home, garden, frugal tips, my everyday life, and a little bit of everything.
Yes, my blog is hosted on the Blogger platform. I started this blog in April 2009. In 2012, while recovering from double ankle surgery, I decided to move my blog to Wordpress.org. I moved myself there, with the help of an eBook.
I had a lot of trouble on WP with getting hacked, etc., so after a year I moved it back to Blogger. On WP, you can simply add one too many plug-ins and your blog disappears till you figure out which one was the culprit. I had that happen a few times. And it's pretty scary when you go to your URL and it's empty!
In the interim of moving my blog back to Blogger, a technical problem with my domain host (Godaddy) caused me to lose all my posts from 2009-2013. But I didn't give up. I just started all over again. Since I post daily and sometimes twice daily, I now have quite a few posts built back up.
I had several blogs before this one, so have been blogging a total of about 9 years.
I blog about home, garden, frugal tips, my everyday life, and a little bit of everything.
Q.
Why did you choose blogger to be your blogging platform and do you currently earn an income from your blog? If yes, would you say it’s full-time or part-time?
Answer:
Blogger is simpler and it is free. That is the main reason I like it.
Blogger is simpler and it is free. That is the main reason I like it.
Q.
Have you worked with brands on your blog before? If yes, were they worried you’re not professional because you’re on blogger or was your blogging platform never a concern?
Answer:
Yes, I make a full-time income. I have an annuity that isn't nearly as much as I make blogging that helps out. But I work full-time and would estimate that it is a full-time income.
Yes, I make a full-time income. I have an annuity that isn't nearly as much as I make blogging that helps out. But I work full-time and would estimate that it is a full-time income.
Q.
Do you think it matters what platform you use for blogging? Or is it the content and value you give to your readers that attract them to your blog?
Answer:
My blog platform has never been an issue with brands. But for 2017 I decided not to work with brands or guest posts or anything other than what I'm doing daily. I don't think readers like sponsored-type posts, as I don't like to read them myself. So I just decided not to do any of that anymore.
My blog platform has never been an issue with brands. But for 2017 I decided not to work with brands or guest posts or anything other than what I'm doing daily. I don't think readers like sponsored-type posts, as I don't like to read them myself. So I just decided not to do any of that anymore.
Q.
According to you, what are some of the pros and cons of blogging on blogger?
Answer:
I have been on quite a few blog platforms in my time. I started out with Typepad. I then went to Wordpress.com. Then Blogger. Then Wordpress.org, and back to Blogger. I really think it is about the content, not the platform.
I have been on quite a few blog platforms in my time. I started out with Typepad. I then went to Wordpress.com. Then Blogger. Then Wordpress.org, and back to Blogger. I really think it is about the content, not the platform.
Q.
Why do you think blogger is a better blogging platform in comparison with the other blogging platforms out there?
Answer:
My main problem with Blogger is that it's hard to get help when something happens. I have had my blog URL hijacked and taken over by a blogger in Italy who was on Blogger also. I have had my blog stolen. And I've had trouble finding someone who could help me figure out what to do.
I truly believe that a company that works solely with Blogger would be quite beneficial. I think a lot more bloggers would stay on Blogger if that was the case.
Maybe a private forum of some variety would also help. Perhaps even a forum with a Blogger company that has a small monthly fee. As I rarely have gotten the Blogger forum help to respond to my questions.
My main problem with Blogger is that it's hard to get help when something happens. I have had my blog URL hijacked and taken over by a blogger in Italy who was on Blogger also. I have had my blog stolen. And I've had trouble finding someone who could help me figure out what to do.
I truly believe that a company that works solely with Blogger would be quite beneficial. I think a lot more bloggers would stay on Blogger if that was the case.
Maybe a private forum of some variety would also help. Perhaps even a forum with a Blogger company that has a small monthly fee. As I rarely have gotten the Blogger forum help to respond to my questions.
TIP : That's exactly what Balkeni Studio is about! I'm passionate about helping bloggers on blogger platform succeed, I don't want technical or support problems to deter you from having an amazing blogging experience on blogger. That's why I offer a range of services, blogger templates, branding elements, e-commerce on blogger and I offer custom services to match your needs, all you will need to do is get in touch with your custom request.
Q.
Is support, tech help, and customisability (of templates, etc.) an issue on blogger? Do you feel that your blogger blog lacks on these fronts?
Answer:
No, I use third party templates, so I can get pretty much whatever I want for a good price. I have also learned over the years and can fix or customize some things myself.
Blogger gives you lots of areas in which to customize with their platform. So that is nice. I don't have any trouble figuring out how to do something if I really want to do it.
No, I use third party templates, so I can get pretty much whatever I want for a good price. I have also learned over the years and can fix or customize some things myself.
Blogger gives you lots of areas in which to customize with their platform. So that is nice. I don't have any trouble figuring out how to do something if I really want to do it.
Q.
Is it true that you don’t own your content on a blogger blog and blogger can shut down your blog any second?
Answer:
I don't know what exactly gets a blog shut down, but that has never been a problem for me. I think you own your content just as much with Blogger as you do with Wordpress.org.
Because if you happen to not pay your hosting bill with WP, there goes your content! No hosting company is going to keep your blog online if they don't get their money on the stated date.
Blogger is its own host and therefore that isn't going to happen. Although I have heard a few cases of blogs disappearing. So I don't really see the difference.
I don't know what exactly gets a blog shut down, but that has never been a problem for me. I think you own your content just as much with Blogger as you do with Wordpress.org.
Because if you happen to not pay your hosting bill with WP, there goes your content! No hosting company is going to keep your blog online if they don't get their money on the stated date.
Blogger is its own host and therefore that isn't going to happen. Although I have heard a few cases of blogs disappearing. So I don't really see the difference.
Q.
Do you think you one can’t effectively monetise a blogger blog? Is it hard to monetise a blog that’s on blogger?
Answer:
I personally have never had a problem making money on Blogger.
I personally have never had a problem making money on Blogger.
Q.
Blogger is a very limited platform, once your blog grows, you’re going to have to shift to some other platform. Do you agree with this statement? If yes/no then please give your reasons as well.
Answer:
Not true. Blogger is not limited at all. It has no limits.
Not true. Blogger is not limited at all. It has no limits.
Q.
Any advice for those that are just starting out their journey on the blogger platform as a new blogger?
Answer:
I really think that when people on WP tell you that you can't do this or can't do that in terms of growing your blog on Blogger, it is a complete falsehood.
I don't see Blogger as limited. Instead I think the blogger might be limited in their abilities. Because if you reach out to others and do some research, you can do the same things on Blogger that you can do anywhere else. It just might take digging a little bit more.
But I've never minded digging!
I really think that when people on WP tell you that you can't do this or can't do that in terms of growing your blog on Blogger, it is a complete falsehood.
I don't see Blogger as limited. Instead I think the blogger might be limited in their abilities. Because if you reach out to others and do some research, you can do the same things on Blogger that you can do anywhere else. It just might take digging a little bit more.
But I've never minded digging!
Know More About Brenda
If you have just started your blog on the blogger platform and you know nothing about it, this post is for you. If you are thinking about starting a blog, I have some other tutorials for you.
NOTE : this blog post is for the new blogger dashboard. If you're looking for a post about the old dashboard, please stay tuned. Once it is live, I will update this article with a link to that post.
By the end of this post, you will be confident in your way around the blogger dashboard. You'll know about all the settings available to you in the dashboard that you can use to manage your blog easily.
To make this blog post easy to understand I have divided the blogger dashboard into four sections, the top section, left section, middle section and the right section.
We will be covering in detail what buttons and features each of these sections have.
Top Section
TIP : Click on the image to enlarge it.
Starting from the hamburger menu (≡) on the very left: Clicking on this button will collapse the navigational tabs on the left (Which is also called the main menu). These tabs lead to other places inside the dashboard, by default the posts tab is open every time you log in to your blogger dashboard.
Then you'll see the blogger logo along with the text letting you know you are in the blogger dashboard currently.
There is a search box located in the middle of the top section. If you would like to search for anything such as a post, whether published or not you can use this. You can even search by typing the post name or some of the words that are present in the post name. For a more detailed search guide, read this post from Google.
Next, you'll see a grey circle with a question mark, this is specifically to help you understand how you can use the search box more effectively. It leads directly to the post I linked above. It's always there and easy to access so that you can look it up for reference whenever you need.
Moving on you'll see another question mark, this question mark serves a different purpose. You can access two places using this button. You can enter the blogger help forum (this is where normal blogger users volunteer to help each other with blogger related problems.
I myself am a blogger product expert in the forum, you can check me out here.) or you can send feedback directly to blogger about an issue or general features/updates you might want to see (for example, password-protected pages and posts is a great feature blogger blogs don't have, you can send in this request in the feedback telling blogger you want this feature and how it would be beneficial for you).
INFO : The same button is used for Help and Feedback, remember, help takes you to the support forum and feedback lets you send any feedback. Also, please don't expect blogger to respond to your feedback. It is only for sending feedback.
Unfortunately, there is no "customer care" available for blogger. There is no contact number you can use where someone from their support team will get in touch with you.
That is why I started the dedicated blogger section on this blog. I wanted to help you, the information on this blog, to the best of my capabilities is accurate, tried and tested. And it's all free. So I encourage you to add this blog to your reading list or signing up to receive blog posts directly in your inbox. Just so you're always in the loop about the latest about blogger, tutorials and obviously ways to use your blogger blog by taking it to the next level.
I'm here to help you with your issues on your blogger blog. I'm a real person you can talk to with years of experience using the blogger platform. I try to give out as much free information as possible. If you need me to help you troubleshoot, or look into something for you one on one, you can have a look at my services here.
The Left Section
TIP : Click on the image to enlarge it.
Not much has changed in the left section. For the most part, it remains the same. Let's take a look at the few changes there have been before we get into what each button is for:
- The help and feedback button which had previously been relocated to the left navigational menu, is no longer there. This button has now been moved to the top section as mentioned above.
- And addition has been made in the form of a new button, this button is called, "Back to Classic Blogger" all blogs using the new blogger are able to switch back to the classic editor if that's what they prefer.
NOTE : The classic blog editor is not mobile responsive, unlike the new blogger.
The left section of your blogger dashboard serves the purpose of helping you navigate around the blogger content management system.
First, you'll be able to see the name of your blog, and then right underneath you'll see the link to view your live site.
Then you'll see the navigational menu laid out in a clean manner, you have all the tabs you'll need to make the most of your blog. This navigational menu is always visible by default unless you click the hamburger menu (≡) in the top section.
Right underneath the navigational menu tabs, you'll see the Reading List tab. This tab allows you to read other people's blog, it's easy to follow blogs you like and you can stay updated anytime, anywhere.
Then a small button is located to help you go back to the classic (old version) of blogger if needed.
The middle section
TIP : click on the image to enlarge it.
- You can now see the small arrow on the top with the number of posts you have on your blog. This arrow is a filter and if you click on it, you'll be able to sort blog posts on the basis of, All, Draft, Published and Scheduled.
- Then blog posts are visible, now will notice that the status of the blog post is now visible in this section instead of being in the right. The way the labels where shown have also been improved upon. Personally, I prefer this. It also tells you the number of labels on each post now.
You'll see an image (if you've added an image to your blog post) thumbnail, otherwise, you'll see the first letter of your blog post title. you'll also see the title of your post, labels and date of creation in the middle section.
The Right Section
TIP : Click on the image to enlarge it.
- You'll notice many changes here. You'll see the number of comments and views have changed in design. Now, there is a number in front of the icons respectively.
- Other than that you'll also see an "eye" icon, which you can use to preview the post (this used to be in the middle section before).
- There are three dots, once you click them you'll be able to see three options, Discard (Trash/Delete), Apply Label and Publish.
- Your image and author name are also shown in this section.
I hope you've enjoyed this detailed, in-depth tutorial and it will help you adapt to the new blogger in a guided way.
There are many more changed sections in the new blogger dashboard which I will be covering in the next posts over the course of some weeks. I hope these posts will be beneficial for you.
As always, if there is anything just let me know in the comments down below!
If this blog post has helped you, in any way please consider donating to help me publish content more regularly. This blog as you know is powered by hours of work and coffee (it's expensive!, by the way).
Your kind donation really helps me keep up this blog, costs related to running it and helps motivate me to keep bringing the latest news, status, and tutorials to you.
You can even follow my blog add it to your reading list, or sign-up to receive all my blog posts in your inbox so you never miss them.
And lastly, you can request for a blog post or a tutorial you need but can't find on the blog.
Discover Amanda Bankson
A responsive blogger template lifestyle bloggers
Discover our premade responsive blogger template that will brand your blog online without burning a whole into your pocket. Offers a premade colour palette, typography (custom fonts)and a theme built in to reflect your brand style.
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Typography
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Premade Blogger Template
Features
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- Three-level-menu
- Stylised widgets
- Custom typography
- Premium blog header
- Well documented
- Responsive theme
- Customisable colours
All sales on digital products are final, unless you purchased two of the same kind.
Theme FAQ's
Do you offer installation?
Yes, we do. All you need to do is get in touch and I will install the template on your blog for you.
My images are not aligning properly.
For images to appear exactly like they do in the demo they need to be 1200px wide and set to original size and centred. If your images are smaller, the template will adapt as long as they are set to original size and centred.
Are the read more breaks automatic?
No. You need to add them in manually by adding the page break option from the blogger post editor.
Is this template SEO-friendly?
Yes! All our templates are SEO-friendly.
Do you offer support?
Yes! We offer lifetime support for problems in the theme. If you need customisations, those cost extra.
Can I resell these templates to my own clients?
You may purchase this template to build an individual client's site but you may not remove the credits. They need to stay intact. You may not claim our work as yours.
Can I purchase this template elsewhere?
You can purchase the template directly from this post without any worries. Or via our shop.
What do I do if I want some customisations?
Please get in touch with us, customisations usually cost $5-$15.
Do you offer any other perks?
Yes! if you have a template from our shop, all our other services come with a 50% discount. You can explore our services here.
Can I see a list of detailed features and information?
You can view the more information, including a live demo of the theme in the shop.
Many people have been bringing the issue of being unable to comment on blogger blogs using the Safari browser. If you've been having this issue, you're about to hear some good news.
There are many bloggers who wrote to me highlighting this issue, and since I experienced it too recently (after upgrading my Macbook) I just had to dig deeper into it.
This issue is fixable and you're going to learn exactly how to fix this issue in this post.
01. Clear Browser cache and Cookies
The first step is to clear out your browser cache and cookies.
NOTE : This will log you out of all websites you are currently logged into. Please make sure you have all passwords stored somewhere or you remember them!
When I mention Tab, I mean the set of options that look like this:
- Open your Safari browser
- In the tab click on Develop > Empty Cache
- Then Click on Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All
You've successfully managed to empty cache and cookies, check to see if your comments are working now. If they are still not working, continue to step 2.
02. Disable Safari Extensions
Sometimes extensions can cause conflict on websites. You'll need to check if any of your extensions on Safari are causing this:
- Click on the Safari tab > Preferences > Extensions
- Now disable each extension one at a time and see if the comments work.
- Once you've repeated this step for all your extensions you'll know if the extensions were causing this issue, if you still can't comment on blogger blogs then you can turn your extensions on again and move onto the 3rd step.
03. Enable Cookies and Cross-Site Tracking
If none of the above steps have helped then:
- Click on Safari > Preference > Privacy
- Make sure that Block cookies is unchecked.
- Make sure that Prevent cross site-tracking is unchecked.
This should definitely help solve the issue once and for all!
If this blog post has helped you, in any way please consider donating to help me publish content more regularly. This blog as you know is powered by hours of work and coffee (it's expensive!, by the way).
Your kind donation really helps me keep up this blog, costs related to running it and helps motivate me to keep bringing the latest news, status, and tutorials to you.
You can even follow my blog add it to your reading list, or sign-up to receive all my blog posts in your inbox so you never miss them.
And lastly, you can request for a blog post or a tutorial you need but can't find on the blog.
As a blogger product expert in the Blogger Forums, and a tech and design expert who offers services related to the blogger platform, I find it important to discuss some known issues and more about the blogger platform.
Recently bloggers have been reporting that their images in blog posts have disappeared leaving a minus sign on grey circle. This is an issue that seems to be affecting all blogger blogs.
The good thing is that blogger is aware of it and is working on a fix. However, there is no official ETA available on the resolution.
My personal recommendation
This issue has been affecting all my blogs as well. If you are impatient on a resolution I recommend swapping out your images, this means re-upload them to your blogger blog posts.
When will a fix be available?
As I mentioned, there is no official ETA available on it, however I'm keeping a close watch on the issue itself and will update this blogpost whenever a fix is offered.
Additionally you can even follow this post on Blogger Forums to stay updated.
TIP : Always keep your blog backed up, with a copy of your post and the images stored locally on your computer.
This will help you to easily replace images or content if something goes wrong! In case you don't have the images stored with you, you should click on the image link in your blog post editor, go to Google Album Archive or From This Blog and you should be able to get the image back into your post.
If this blog post has helped you, in any way please consider donating to help me publish content more regularly. This blog as you know is powered by hours of work and coffee (it's expensive!, by the way).
Your kind donation really helps me keep up this blog, costs related to running it and helps motivate me to keep bringing the latest news, status, and tutorials to you.
You can even follow my blog add it to your reading list, or sign-up to receive all my blog posts in your inbox so you never miss them.
And lastly, you can request for a blog post or a tutorial you need but can't find on the blog.
Recently, I painted this beautiful floral wreath with yellow roses and red peonies making it a perfect fit for this weather. It was time well spent. With real watercolour stimulation, it's hard to say it's handprinted, but digitally.
It's available for purchase on my shop, my Etsy and on Canva as always.
Q.
Is your blog hosted on the blogger platform? If yes, then how long have you been blogging? And what do you blog about?
Answer:
Yes, I've been blogging since 2008. However, I been blogging on Blogger platform since 2013. My blog is about my experience and reviews with different things like travel, beauty, clothes, events and other things. Pretty much, my blog is lifestyle, full of different topics.
Yes, I've been blogging since 2008. However, I been blogging on Blogger platform since 2013. My blog is about my experience and reviews with different things like travel, beauty, clothes, events and other things. Pretty much, my blog is lifestyle, full of different topics.
Q.
Why did you choose blogger to be your blogging platform and do you currently earn an income from your blog? If yes, would you say it’s full-time or part-time?
Answer:
I chose Blogger because it is an easier platform to use, and no hassle of worrying about getting hacked or blog crashing due to spike in traffic. Plus, Google is King, why not use a product from Google?
I earn a full-time income using Blogger, and was able to quit my job two years ago thanks to my blog.
I chose Blogger because it is an easier platform to use, and no hassle of worrying about getting hacked or blog crashing due to spike in traffic. Plus, Google is King, why not use a product from Google?
I earn a full-time income using Blogger, and was able to quit my job two years ago thanks to my blog.
Q.
Have you worked with brands on your blog before? If yes, were they worried you’re not profes- sional because you’re on blogger or was your blogging platform never a concern?
Answer:
I've worked with several different brands and been featured in different national publications and not once was it a concern that I was using Blogger platform. Honestly, I've had people tell me my blog is easier to use and navigate.
I've worked with several different brands and been featured in different national publications and not once was it a concern that I was using Blogger platform. Honestly, I've had people tell me my blog is easier to use and navigate.
Q.
Do you think it matters what platform you use for blogging? Or is it the content and value you give to your readers that attract them to your blog?
Answer:
Content and value is what's important, not what platform you're on.
Content and value is what's important, not what platform you're on.
Q.
According to you, what are some of the pros and cons of blogging on blogger?
Answer:
Honestly, nothing I can think of. Well, Blogger does need to do HTTPS for custom domains.
Honestly, nothing I can think of. Well, Blogger does need to do HTTPS for custom domains.
Q.
Why do you think blogger is a better blogging platform in comparison with the other blogging platforms out there?
Answer:
Easier to use and not slow to load up like other platforms.
Easier to use and not slow to load up like other platforms.
Q.
Is support, tech help, and customisability (of templates, etc.) an issue on blogger? Do you feel that your blogger blog lacks on these fronts?
Answer:
Blogger lacks tech help and support which can make people not want to use their platform. I wish there was a phone number for Blogger so I can speak to a live person.
Blogger lacks tech help and support which can make people not want to use their platform. I wish there was a phone number for Blogger so I can speak to a live person.
Q.
Is it true that you don’t own your content on a blogger blog and blogger can shut down your blog any second?
Answer:
Not true! You own your own content and can take your content anywhere you go if you happen to leave Blogger. However, yes, there are rules you have to follow with Blogger or take a risk of getting shut down. But if you follow the rules you will have no problems.
Not true! You own your own content and can take your content anywhere you go if you happen to leave Blogger. However, yes, there are rules you have to follow with Blogger or take a risk of getting shut down. But if you follow the rules you will have no problems.
Q.
Do you think you one can’t effectively monetise a blogger blog? Is it hard to monetise a blog that’s on blogger?
Answer:
Nope. I monetize my blog in many different ways like affiliate links, ads, sponsorships, and with my eBook.
Nope. I monetize my blog in many different ways like affiliate links, ads, sponsorships, and with my eBook.
Q.
Blogger is a very limited platform, once your blog grows, you’re going to have to shift to some other platform. Do you agree with this statement? If yes/no then please give your reasons as well.
Answer:
Not true. Blogger is not limited at all. It has no limits.
Not true. Blogger is not limited at all. It has no limits.
Q.
Any advice for those that are just starting out their journey on the blogger platform as a new blogger?
Answer:
Enjoy the journey on Blogger, and don't let naysayers push you to other platforms. Use a platform that works for you.
Enjoy the journey on Blogger, and don't let naysayers push you to other platforms. Use a platform that works for you.
Author Bio
A mom of two teenage girls. A full-time, professional mom blogger based in Metro Atlanta, Georgia. She enjoys learning and reviewing new products. She's a passionate brand influencer.
Here at Balkeni Studio, I want to make sure I encourage people to learn, grow and become the best versions of themselves. Obviously, I want to impact as many people as possible.
An year ago, I made the decision to work with small business, solopreneurs, and creatives. To help them brand their business and blog online instead of going after the big clients. I did this, because I like supporting small ventures with big hearts.
I like working with heart-centred businesses, not for-profit ones. Ones that want to genuinely help their customers. As I've served clients with all kinds of budgets, I realised, so many more could benefit from my work as a designer if only it was more affordable.
Till date, this has been the biggest challenge to my business. I don't wish to compromise on the quality, and there is only so many clients I can help at a given time.
And let's not forget bloggers and creatives who simply cannot afford my services at the moment. I still wish to help them.
After brainstorming for quite some months, I was finally able to take the plunge. I'm offering more and more of my designs, graphics, and more on Canva!
Working with clients over the course of 4 years I have made note of one thing repeatedly, you guys dig Canva. It's understandable, because it's free and lets you design easy.
So, to make design and branding more affordable for you guys, Balkeni Studio will now be contributing to Canva. This will include images, graphics, clipart, designs and templates.
Why Canva for Affordability
Canva is free, you can't go over budget with something that's free. Canva has premium elements you can use in a design for $1. Imagine, an endless supply of quality graphics from Balkeni to you at $1. If that isn't a STEAL, I don't know what is.
I actually just feel so amazing about offering this to you guys because I know for a fact that this will encourage you to DIY your design, do it better and make branding your blog online an easy task for you.
As I add more DIY design tutorials on the blog, I hope my Canva graphics and templates will help you. You will still be able to purchase all design elements from my Etsy and the Balkeni shop in inclusion to Canva.
Why I'm Doing This
As I already mentioned, it means the world to me to help YOU. Every single blogger that I can drive towards success, makes me feel like I'm making a difference in that person's world. There's nothing more satisfying than seeing my clients happy because it's working for them.
And you know what I hate?
I love your work, and I know I need this, I just wish I was able to afford this..."
- Every new blogger on a small budget ever.
So, this is my solution to your branding on a budget needs. I've done most of the brand work for you. All you need to do is make it your own, encourage yourself to be creative and watch your brand flourish.
I hope you'll love this Easter surprise.
If you like the content I create, and it has benefitted you in anyway, please consider donating. The thing is, blogging IS hard-work. I put in hours of work in each tutorial I write here, and tons of research into bringing quality information.
I don't push one-size-fits-all into the work I do, also this blog is powered by pizzas, coffee and fruit cream. That's expensive. Help me keep up the good work by supporting my work.
Alternatively, you can add my blog to your reading list, or sign-up to receive all my posts in your inbox. You can even request a blog post or tutorial you really want to see on the blog.
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