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Saturday, May 31, 2008

How to Hide Your New Blogger Navigation Bar?

Navigation bar in New Blogger serves as easy navigation between blogspot blogs. It also allows you to login easily. However, a lot of Google bloggers removed it for the aesthetic purpose. In my opinion, it may take it longer to load your blog too. According to Amit Agarwal, a well known professional blogger from India: "There's some hope now. Google recently organized a road show in select Indian cities to promote their Blogger platform. Ankit attended the event and requested clarity on the navbar policy from the Googlers present at the roadshow. They immediately called up their team based in Google's Bangalore office and confirmed to Ankit that it's legal to hide the navbar."


So if you are interested in hiding yours. The following steps will show you a couple of ways to hide it and it is pretty easy:
  • First login to your Blogger account.
  • Second click on Layout/Edit HTML. See the screenshot below: Layout/Edit HTML
  • Next make sure you back up your template before you go any further. See the screenshot below: Layout/Edit HTML/Backup Template
  • Next holding Ctrl and hit F, copy and paste </head> line in the search box to find it.
  • Then copy and paste one of the following codes right above </head>.
    #Navbar1 {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    display: none;
    visibility: hidden;
    }

    #navbar #Navbar1 iframe {
    display:none;
    visibility:none;
    }
    div.navbar {
    opacity:0;
    display:none;
    }
    #navbar-iframe{
    height:0px;
    visibility:hidden;
    display:none
    }



    This is how it turned out to be:
    body#layout #sidebar-wrapper,
    body#layout #newsidebar-wrapper {
    width: 150px;
    }

    #Navbar1 {
    margin: 0;

    padding: 0;

    display: none;

    visibility: hidden;

    }


    ]]> </b:skin>
    </head>

  • Finally click on SAVE TEMPLATE button to save it.
I have tried all of them and all of them worked for me. Good luck to you.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Interesting In Getting a Header Image for Your New Blogger?

I've just added a header image to this blog. What do you think? Adding an image to your header makes your blog quite unique than other people's blogs. So each blog should have its own uniqueness. It is one way that reflects a blogger's personality too. If you are interest in that, then follow the instructions below to get yours up.

  • First you have to have your own image(s) ready either on your PC (personal computer) or on your free hosting website.
  • Second login to your Google Blogger's Dashboard and click on Layout/Edit HTML/. See the screenshot below: Layout/Edit HTML
  • Third find out your header image dimension by searching the following codes from your template editor:
    #header-wrapper {
    width: 930px;
    //it only tells you the width here
    margin:0 2% 10px;
    border:1px solid $bordercolor;
    }

    You can hold Ctrl and hit F at the same time to bring up a search bar. Then copy and paste #header-wrapper { in the search box to find it.
  • Once you found out your header image's width, you need to guess the header image's height; mostly its height is about 140 pixels.
  • Next you need to customize your header image dimension. I use Microsoft Paint which came with my PC to Sketch/Srew the header image. You may use Photoshop if you know how.
  • Then head back to your Blogger's Layout. Click on Edit in your header section. See the screenshot below: Header Image Section
  • A new window will pop up. Type in your blog title, blog description, and browse your customized image here either from your PC or from the web. Choose your placement and make sure you click on Save Changes button to save it. See the screenshot below: Upload Header Image
Now go ahead and check your blog to see how the header image turned out to be. Good luck! If you like this tutorial, then make sure you subscribe to it.

Related articles
Adding Graphic Background to Blog Header
Interested In How to Change Your Header Images?
How to Replace Your Header Image in WordPress.com Blog?

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Get a Trackback Service for Your New Blogger. Learn How?

As you know Google New Blogger doesn't provide a trackback service which is disadvantage in a way that we could not detect who has linked back to us. A trackback is especially used to facilitate communications between two blogs. If both bloggers have a trackback service, then you'll be notified in your comments if any blogger has referred one of your entries in his/her blog.

Using a trackback service effectively will no doubt increase traffic to your blog. Therefore it is worth of using a trackback service in your blog. I've been searching on the Internet trying to find a trackback service that you may consider to use for your Blogger too. Here are some Free online trackback services that allow you to send trackback pings:

  • Simpletracks - Send Trackack pings even if your blogging tool doesn't do Trackback. Javascript must be enabled in your browser.
  • Trackback wizard - Create a manual trackback to alert a blog of your linking to it.
  • Haloscan - A free weblog commenting and trackback system for weblogs and websites.
  • The Wizbang® Tech Trackback Pinger -This form can be used to send a trackback pings to any blog that accepts Trackbacks. You do not need to have a Trackback system on your blog to send pings.


Updated on 2/21/2010: Haloscan will be shutting down on Feb 28, 2010. It seems Echo is taking over. It provides 30 day free trial. After that you'll need to pay $12/year for its service.

Related articles
Haloscan Trackback: What? Why? How?
What’s a Trackback? Permalink? Post slug? Ping?

Saturday, May 10, 2008

How to Expand Your Minima Stretch Template?

Did you know that this blog uses Minima Stretch template which is one of New Blogger's default templates? Minima Stretch only provides two columns. However, I expanded it to be three columns here. Do you like it? Expanding your template gives you a few advantages. Not only your template looks better but also gives you the flexibility in adding more page elements to your sidebars as well.

You may wonder why you should bother: you can just search the Internet and get your favorite one out there. Well, to be honest with you, those third party templates have embedded third party codes within the templates. That means you either advertise for them or link back to them. That is why I prefer doing it myself. If you are interested, then read on and follow the instructions to implement them:

  • Always backup your template before you do anything. Click on Layout/Edit Template/Download Full Template: Layout/Edit HTML/Backup Template
  • Find the following codes in your HTML editor by holding Ctrl and hit F. Then search for it by copy and paste the first line of the codes in the search box. Depending on which Minima template you used, yours may look different than mine:
    #outer-wrapper {
    width: 750px;
    margin:0 auto;
    text-align:left;
    font: $bodyfont;
    }

    #main-wrapper {
    width: 400px;
    margin-left: 15px;
    float: left;
    word-wrap: break-word;
    /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
    overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
    }

    #sidebar-wrapper {
    width: 150px;
    float: right;
    word-wrap: break-word;
    /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
    overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
    }
  • Add a new sidebar wrapper right after the above codes. See below in green and pay attentions to those blue spots:
    #outer-wrapper {
    width:
    970px; //pick your own width here
    margin:0 auto;
    text-align:left;
    font: $bodyfont;
    }

    #main-wrapper {
    width:
    500px; //pick your own width here
    margin-left: 15px;
    float: left;
    word-wrap: break-word;
    /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
    overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
    }

    #sidebar-wrapper {
    width: 220
    px; //pick your own width here
    float: right;
    word-wrap: break-word;
    /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
    overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
    }

    #newsidebar-wrapper {
    width:220px;//pick your own width here
    float: left; // float to right if you want to have a three-column template with two sidebars at right
    word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
    overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
    }
  • Find the following codes:
    <div id='main-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>
    <b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' title='Blog Posts' type='Blog'/>
    </b:section>
    </div>

    <div id='sidebar-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='sidebar' id='sidebar' preferred='yes'/>
    </div>
  • Remember you just added a new sidebar wrapper. Now you need to add a new section to your style sheet too. See below in green. The following codes will produce a three-column template with left sidebar, blog posts, right sidebar style.
    <div id='newsidebar-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='sidebar' id='newsidebar' preferred='yes'>
    </div>


    <div id='main-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>
    <b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' title='Blog Posts' type='Blog'/>
    </b:section>
    </div>

    <div id='sidebar-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='sidebar' id='sidebar' preferred='yes'/>
    </div>

    If you want to have a three-column template with blog posts, right sidebar, right sidebar style just like my blog here. Then use the following codes instead:
    <div id='main-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>
    <b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' title='Blog Posts' type='Blog'/>
    </b:section>
    </div>

    <div id='sidebar-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='sidebar' id='sidebar' preferred='yes'/>
    </div&gt'


    <div id='newsidebar-wrapper'>
    <b:section class='sidebar' id='newsidebar' preferred='yes'>
    </div>
  • Next find the header codes. See below:
    #header-wrapper {
    width: 660
    px;

    change the width number to meet your needs:
    #header-wrapper {
    width:
    970px; //pick your own width here
  • Then find the footer codes. See below:
    #footer {
    width: 660px;

    Change the width number to meet your needs:
    #footer {
    width:
    970px; //pick your own width here
  • Finally save your template
Let me know if it is working for you. If you have any questions, just leave your comments here.

Related article
Three Columns Minima Template

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Want to Have a Tracker for Your Blog?

If you like to find out how your blog/website does everyday, then you probably need a tracker for it. Getting a tracker for your blog/website is not hard. There are plenty of trackers available online that you can register for Free; but how do you know which one is suitable for your blog/website? I did some researches and provide you the list below so you can find one that meets your needs:

  • AWStats - AWStats is a free powerful and featureful tool that generates advanced web, streaming, ftp or mail server statistics ...
  • FeedBurner - Allows weblog owners and podcasters the ability to manage their RSS feeds and track usage of their subscribers.
  • newGood Counter - Permits you to track your web sites statistics around the clock for Free. Simply sign up, insert a piece of code in your website, and watch your traffic being tracked in real time.
  • Google Analytics -Use Google Analytics to learn which online marketing initiatives are cost effective and see how visitors actually interact with your site ...
  • SiteMeter - A fast, free Web counter that features custom counters styles. Site Meter creates dynamic 3D charts showing visitors, page views, country maps ...
  • StatCounter - A free yet reliable invisible web tracker, highly configurable hit counter and real-time detailed web stats.
Update: This blog uses both Google Analytics and StatCounter. I like both of them. However, StatCounter offers more goodies. Things like popular pages, keyword analysis, recent pageload activity, and more ...

Related articles
Top 5 Blog Statistic Trackers
How to track your blog visitors?

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