Rich Gifts Blog Design and Graphics for Christian Ministry

Showing posts with label Tutorial. Show all posts

How to Add a Twitter Tweet Button to Your Posts

When you add a Twitter "Tweet" button to your post, your visitors can easily share your post on their Twitter wall with just a click. It's also a quick and easy way for you to Tweet your own posts. You can add a Tweet button below your Post Title, below the Post, or both. Just follow these instructions. (Even though these instructions are written using Blogger's New Interface, they are still appropriate for the old interface except possibly in the navigation.)

From your Dashboard click on Template from the drop-down menu as shown in the image below. (You can click on the image to enlarge it if you need to.)

From the Template screen, click on the HTML button. A window will open up with some cautionary information. Click Proceed. Don't worry you won't mess anything up. :)

In the EDIT HTML screen, check the box that says Expand Widget Templates.

If you want the Tweet button to appear below the Post Title, find the code that looks like this (or very similar to it):

If you want the Tweet button to appear at the foot of the Post, find the code that looks like this (or very similar to it):
<div class='post-footer'>

The easiest way to find the code is to hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard and press the letter F. A search box will open where you can enter the code you are looking for and it will take you right there in the HTML section.

Once you have located the code, copy the following code and paste it directly below the code above. Be careful to copy all of the code exactly as it appears below. Change the words in blue text to your Twitter User Name. (If you have previously added a Facebook LIKE button using my tutorial, then you can post this code below the code for the Facebook LIKE button.)


<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>
<div style='text-align:left;padding:5px 5px 5px 0;'>
<a class='twitter-share-button' data-count='horizontal' data-related='' data-via='RichGifts' expr:data-text='data:post.title' expr:data-url='data:post.url' href='http://twitter.com/share'>Tweet</a>
<script src='http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' type='text/javascript'/>
</div>
</b:if>


The pasted code will look like this. The green code is what you look for, the red code is what you paste.

<div class='post-header-line-1'/>


<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>
<div style='text-align:left;padding:5px 5px 5px 0;'>
<a class='twitter-share-button' data-count='horizontal' data-related='' data-via='RichGifts' expr:data-text='data:post.title' expr:data-url='data:post.url' href='http://twitter.com/share'>Tweet</a>
<script src='http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' type='text/javascript'/>
</div>
</b:if>


Now click the Preview button located just below the HTML field box. Your preview should show the facebook Like button in the appropriate place. If it isn't right just click the Cancel button below the HTML field box and try again. If it is as you want it, click the Save Template button.

The Tweet button will automatically appear on every post.

Now click the Tweet button on this post and share it with your friends.

If you are having trouble or just don't want to do it yourself, I can do this for you for $5.00. Just use the Payment Button in my sidebar and specify what it is for. Be sure to provide me with an active email address to contact you. I will need access to your Blogger Admin to install the code.

Thank you to Karla at Empowering Christian Women for requesting this tutorial.

Click to LIKE my Facebook Page for more tips.

You might also like these Tips & Tutorials:
How to Setup a Navigation Bar in Blogger's New Interface
FREE Names of Jesus Desktop Wallpaper

Blog Designs and Graphics for Christian Ministry

All content on this site is copyright protected. Using or obtaining the graphics on this site in any way other than specified on this site is a violation of the copyright. Please respect my work.© 2008-2011, Edie Moore

How to Setup a Navigation Menu Bar in Blogger's New Interface

You can organize your blog so that your visitors can find specific content more easily by creating a Navigation Menu Bar. Maybe you want to add an About Me page, organize your Bible Studies in one place, or link to your website. I have written this tutorial to help you accomplish this.

If you're not using Blogger's new interface these instructions should still help you but the visual will be different. If you don't know about Blogger's new interface you can read about it on this post.

Creating a Navigation Menu is done in two Parts. Click on any image to enlarge it.

Part 1

1. Go to your Dashboard and on the right side of your blog name, click the drop-down arrow to reveal your admin navigation and select Layout.

2. Click "Add a Gadget" from the gadget located below your Header and above your posts.

3. Select the gadget labeled "Pages" and save it.

Part 2

1. Click on "Pages" in the left navigation bar of your interface.

2. Where it says "Show Pages As" click on the dropdown arrow to select where you want your navigation menu to appear. Your options are horizontal across the top, vertical in your sidebar, or not at all (if you want to remove it later).

3. Now select the drop-down arrow next to the "New Page" box. You can select "Blank Page" which will add a blank new page to your blog, or "Web Address" which will allow you to link to a page on another site. Home is automatically added to your navigation menu and points to the first page of your blog so you don't need to create a Home page.

Blank Page - When you select "Blank Page" a text editor opens up where you can write and publish your page content just like when you create a new post.

    a. Enter your Page Title in the field box at the top. It's a good idea to keep the Page Title short, one or two words is best since this will appear in the navigation menu.

    b. Write your page content in the text editor.

    c. Click "Publish". When you publish your page, it will not appear on your Home page but will appear on a separate page instead. This gives your blog the feel of a website and not just a blog.

Web Address - When you select "Web Address" a window will open with two field boxes.

    a. Enter your title in the first field box.
    b. In the second field box enter the url (website address) to the page you want to link to.
    c. Click "Save"

4. After you have added your Pages they will appear in the Pages section of your interface where you can choose to edit or delete them, or revert the "pages" to draft.

That's it! Your Navigation Menu bar should now appear on your blog.

Other Posts You Might Enjoy

How to Use PDF Documents on Blogger
How to Merge Content from One Blogger Blog to Another
How to Create a Link

How to Add a Facebook Like Button to Your Post

The facebook Like button replaces the previous facebook Share button. When you add it to your post, your visitors can easily share your post on their facebook wall with just a click. You can add a facebook Like button below your Post Title, below the Post, or both. Just follow these instructions. (Even though these instructions are written using Blogger's New Interface, they are still appropriate for the old interface except possibly in the navigation.)

From your Dashboard click on Template from the drop-down menu as shown in the image below. (You can click on the image to enlarge it if you need to.)

From the Template screen, click on the HTML button. A window will open up with some cautionary information. Click Proceed. Don't worry you won't mess anything up. :)

In the EDIT HTML screen, check the box that says Expand Widget Templates.

If you want the Like button to appear below the Post Title, find the code that looks like this (or very similar to it):

If you want the Like button to appear at the foot of the Post, find the code that looks like this (or very similar to it):
<div class='post-footer'>

The easiest way to find the code is to hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard and press the letter F. A search box will open where you can enter the code you are looking for and it will take you right there in the HTML section.

Once you have located the code, copy the following code and paste it directly below the code above. Be careful to copy all of code exactly as it appears below.

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>
<iframe allowTransparency='true' expr:src='"http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&send=false&layout=standard&show_faces=false&width=450&action=like&font=arial&colorscheme=light&height=35"' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' style='border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:35px;'/>
</b:if>

The pasted code will look like this. The green code is what you look for, the red code is what you paste.

<div class='post-header-line-1'/>

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>
<iframe allowTransparency='true' expr:src='"http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&send=false&layout=standard&show_faces=false&width=450&action=like&font=arial&colorscheme=light&height=35"' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' style='border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:35px;'/>
</b:if>

Now click the Preview button located just below the HTML field box. Your preview should show the facebook Like button in the appropriate place. If it isn't right just click the Cancel button below the HTML field box and try again. If it is as you want it, click the Save Template button.

The Like button will automatically appear on every post.

If you are having trouble or just don't want to do it yourself, I can do this for you for $5.00. Just use the Payment Button in my sidebar and specify what it is for. Be sure to provide me with an active email address to contact you. I will need access to your Blogger Admin to install the code.

Click to LIKE my Facebook Page for more tips.

Blogger's New Interface - Dashboard

Have you seen Blogger's new interface? If you don't know what I'm talking about then you probably haven't seen it. Some of you have probably been using it for a while in "Blogger in Draft".

Now when you sign in to your blogger account and go to your Dashboard, in the upper right corner there is a link that says "Use the New Interface". When you click on it you are immediately taken into a whole new look and possibly a whole new level of confusion. :) Don't worry, it's every bit as easy as the old interface. But if the confusion is too much to handle all in one sitting, you can click on the link that says "Switch Back to the Old Interface" and you will be taken back to your familiar safe place.

Eventually Blogger will push everyone out of the nest so I'm going to do what I can to teach you how to fly now. So if you've decided to brave it, when you first enter the new Dashboard this is what you see. You can click the image to enlarge it.

This is your new Dashboard.

Column 1 lists all of your blogs by name and provides some basic statistics.
If you want to write a new post then click on the pencil image in column 2.
Column 3 offers a drop-down menu with your navigation options.
Column 4 offers a button that will take you to your blog as it is viewed by your guests.
If you have any hidden blogs you can see those by clicking on the "View More" link at the bottom of column 1.
Underneath your list of blogs, where it says "Reading List" is a listing of the blogs you follow and their latest posts.

I will be reviewing all of the settings and options to help you familiarize yourself with the new interface.

Other Posts You Might Enjoy
How to Setup a Navigation Menu Bar

How to Use PDF Documents on Blogger - Webs.com Option

In my previous post I introduced you to DropBox, a public resource for storing documents that you can link to from your blog. Today I want to show you another option, Webs.com. I told you about Webs.com in this article and how you can use it to grow your blog ministry without having to move your blog. One great way you can use Webs.com is to privately store your PDF and other documents for you to use as you like on your blog.

Webs.com is a free website. You can just follow the link to sign-up. The free website does have some limitations, it is free after all. :) I think it may take about a week before you have access to upload files. Not sure about that. I've been using mine for so long I don't remember.

On to the tutorial.

1. When you sign in to your webs.com account it will take you to your Dashboard.

2. On the left there will be a section labeled SITES I'VE CREATED (you can have multiple websites). Click on the VIEW CONTROL PANEL button under your site name.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

3. Click MANAGE PAGES & APPS.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

4. Click FILE MANAGER.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

5. In this section you can create folders to organize your files. You can upload images, documents, and media such as videos. Select the folder you want to store your documents in (or make a NEW FOLDER).

(Click Image to Enlarge)

6. Click SINGLE FILE UPLOADER. (You would need to upgrade your account to use the Multi File Uploader.)

7. Click BROWSE to locate the file you want to upload.

8. Click UPLOAD FILE.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

9. Now you can just click on the file and it will open your PDF in a new tab.

10. Copy the URL (website address) and link it into your blog post or sidebar. Where ever you want your visitors to access it.

If you don't want to wait a week to upload your pdf files, you can gain immediate access by upgrading your webs.com account. Upgrades begin at only $3.75 a month.

What I love about using webs.com is that my files are stored on my own private site and I have access to them anytime I want.

I don't have to install a 3rd party software on my computer and nothing in remotely accessing my computer.

Also, as I've mentioned before, using webs.com provides opportunity to expand my ministry beyond just a blog.

How to Use PDF Documents on Blogger - DropBox Option

Sometimes you might want to share a PDF document on your blog such as an excerpt from your book, or a marketing brochure with details on your upcoming speaking engagement. Documents like PDF files need to be uploaded to a storage area on the internet in order to be displayed on your blog. Blogger doesn’t offer storage space for documents so today I’m going to provide you with two options for using PDF documents on your blog.

If you like online Tools and Apps then you might like DropBox.

DropBox is just that, a free online application for storing PDF documents. You download their software, install it on your computer, and it automatically uploads your specified documents to the DropBox website where it is stored. Then DropBox provides you with a link to the file that you place on your blog or in your post and when your visitors click on the link they view your document.

Some things to consider: (this is not a comprehensive review of all the features)

I have read the terms of DropBox services and I have to say that they do appear to be a company of integrity. They honor intellectual property rights (copyright) and state that they protect your intellectual property rights to the fullest extent within their means. Integrity is always a plus in my book.

DropBox is a public document storage host. This means that they have control (not you) over how and where your documents are stored, saved, backed-up, protected, and deleted. If you delete your files they might not actually be deleted from DropBox storage, at least for a while.

When you install the software on your computer it links the DropBox website to your computer and it stays linked. There is a button to unlink but I discovered when I did unlink, a window opens everytime I start my computer prompting me to sign-in or register. Both of these hit a nerve with me. I don't like outside sources linked to my computer and when I turn off a piece of software on my computer I want it to stay off until I decide I want to turn it on again.

If you stay linked then DropBox uses your computer's bandwidth. You can limit the bandwidth it uses but there are trade-offs. Reducing bandwidth could cause files to upload or download slower. Increasing bandwidth could cause your computer to run slower.

DropBox does have a limit on free storage space available for your documents. In many cases it is likely to be enough but if you upload large files you might need to upgrade to increase your storage space. Upgrades start at $9.99 a month.

In my next article we'll look at another option.

Growing Your Ministry / Blog

You've been blogging for a while, things are going well and now you feel it's time to grow your ministry. Your simple blog isn't quite enough but moving could cost you more than is in your budget, or you might lose your subscribers in the transition. There is another option.

Instead of going through the time, expense, (and worry) of moving your blog, just add another dimension. Webs.com offers free websites where you can add apps, store documents & files like pdf documents, start a forum, and setup a store.

So how can this add dimension to my blog?
I'm glad you asked. :) In webs.com menu bar you can add an external link directly to your blog, and on your blog you add navigation to specific pages on your website. Let's say you want to add a store to your blog. You would setup a STORE menu on your blog that links to your store that is hosted on webs.com. Then from the menu bar on webs.com there would be a BLOG link to bring your visitor back. Sound confusing? I'm in the process of setting mine up now. Click this STORE link. Then click the DESIGNS link in the menu bar at the top of the page to get back. The links can be setup to open in a new tab or just go straight to the page from the same tab.

To pull it all together you will want to give both sites the same or similar designs as I have done with mine. (Yes, this is something I offer as part of my services.)

Since webs.com is free you can use as few or as many of their options to enhance your blog and open up a whole new world of growth potential. They also offer upgrades with more options starting at under $4.00 per month.

Next I will show you how you can use webs.com to store your pdf documents for use on your blog.

How to Download and Install Desktop Wallpapers

Click on the Desktop Wallpaper image of your choice for the full size.

For Windows Users:

Once the image has fully loaded...
Right-click on the image above. A drop-down menu will appear.
Select Set As Wallpaper if that is an option and the image should appear as your desktop wallpaper.
If it is not an option select Save Image As and save the image to a folder. (Remember where you saved it.)
Right-click on your desktop and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
Select the Desktop tab.
Click on the Browse button and locate the folder where you saved the image.
Double-click the image to select it.
Click the OK button and you're finished!

For Mac O/S 8.0 Users:

Once the image has fully loaded...
Move your curser on the image above and hold the mouse button until pop-up menu appears
Choose Save Image As to save your selected image to your hard drive. (Make note of where on your hard drive the image is saved)
Open the control panel and click on Desktop Pictures.
Click Remove Picture and then click Select Picture to choose your newly saved image.
Load the new wallpaper from where you saved it on your hard drive.
Choose Position Automatically.

Mac O/S 9.x:

Once the image has fully loaded...
Hold the mouse button until the pop-up menu appears.
Choose Download Image to Disk to save your selected image to your hard drive. (Make a note of where on your hard drive the image is saved.)
Open the Appearance control panel and select the Desktop tab at the top.
Click Remove Picture.
Locate the new image on your hard drive and drag it into the preview pane on the left.
Choose Position Automatically.
Finally, click on Set Desktop.

How To Merge Content From One Blogger Blog To Another

You have multiple blogs and you want to delete one but you don't want to lose the content. You can easily import your posts from one blog to the other. Just follow the steps below.

1. Beginning in the blog you want to move content from (we will call this blog A). Go to the Settings tab.
2. Under the Basic link, at the top you will see Import blog - Export blog - Delete blog Click on Export Blog.
3. Click the DOWNLOAD BLOG link.
4. You will be prompted to Open or Save file. Select Save File.
5. Save the file to a folder on your computer. Be sure you remember where it is.
6.Next go to the blog you want to move content to (blog B). Go to the Settings tab.
7. Select Import Blog.
8. Click the Browse button and locate the folder on your computer where you saved the file from blog A.
9. Select the file and click Open.
10. Enter the Word Verification in the field box.
11. If you want your imported posts to publish automatically when they upload, select the "Automatically publish all imported posts" check box. If you do not select this box then your posts will appear in the Edit Posts section and you will need to publish them manually.
12. Click Import Blog.

That's it! All of your posts from blog A (including comments) will now be in both blogs. Both blogs will remain in tact and no information will be lost. Only the posts will be transferred, not the design or the sidebar gadgets.

How To Block An Unwanted Follower

Alice at From the Heart asked how to block an unwanted follower from the followers gadget.

Click the Sign In link directly under your followers gadget in your sidebar.
Sign In.
Click on the Options link above your followers gadget but under your name.
Select Manage Members.
Locate the follower you want to block in the followers list and click on the picture.
Click the Block This User link located directly under their name.

You're finished!

Those Anonymous Spamming Commenters

Here are a few tips to help curb the spammer commenter. They are trying to promote themselves, their websites, or their products so they leave comments like the ones below.

美麗 said...

有人兩眼一舌，是為了觀察倍於說話的緣故。 .......................
In this case all of the dots and boxes would be links to different websites.

Or they leave a comment like "Beautiful Design. Best Blog Designs" .

One option is not to allow anonymous users. Go to Settings and click on the Comments section. Scroll down until you see this option and select your preference. Remember that some legitimate comments are sometimes left by anonymous users so this may not be the best option for your blog.
Who Can Comment?
Anyone - includes Anonymous Users
Registered Users - includes OpenID
Users with Google Accounts
Only members of this blog

Turn on your comment moderation. This is also found in the Comments section of your Settings. I try to leave comment moderation off in consideration of my commenting guests. When the spammers become abundant then I will turn it on for a period of time. This will cause them to give up on my blog and go elsewhere.
Comment moderation

Always
Only on posts older than days
Never

Delete comments left by the spamming commenter. Do not just ignore them. When you leave the comment with the links in place, you are helping to promote those spammers by increasing their search engine page rank so they will return to your blog and leave more spam. To delete the comment just click on the little trash can icon under the comment then select Delete Forever. That will completely remove the comment and all links.

Update Your Blog Thumbnail Image in Networked Blogs

You have a new Blog Design that matches your ministry purpose and your personality, but your Networked Blogs thumbnail image is your old blog design. Here is how to update it in Networked Blogs.

   1. Go to Networked Blogs.
   2. Click on the ADD YOUR BLOG button at the bottom of the page.
   3. Login to your facebook account.
   4. In the upper left corner underneath the Networked Blogs logo, click on Profile. (NOT your facebook profile)
   5. In the section that says Blogs I Write, click on your blog title.
   6. On the right side underneath your blog image, click on the Refresh Thumbnail link.
   7. When you refresh the page it should show your current layout. It may take a few minutes to update.

That's it!

Four Ways To Improve Your Page Load Time

When you go to a blog or website and it takes more than a few seconds to load what do you do? Most people move on to another blog. Here are some ways to improve your blog page load time.

1. Too many special effects like falling snow and animated graphics. Try not to load up on special effects. If you do use these placing them in the right sidebar and closer to the bottom of the page will help your page load faster.

2. Scrolling images. In an effort to clean up your sidebar you may have decided to put all your friends buttons in a scrolling widget. These can actually decrease your page load time if you have a lot of buttons. It will help to put these in your right sidebar and closer to the bottom of the page. A better solution is to put all your buttons on a page of their own with a navigation link to the page.

3. Interactive widgets are one of the biggest culprits for decreasing your page load time. By interactive I'm referring to widgets that have to retrieve information from another site in order to function properly on yours. Music players, clocks, and calendars are all examples of this type of widget. If you don't need it then consider removing it. If you must have these try to use as few as possible and don't place them at the top of your blog page. The footer or at the bottom of your right sidebar is the best place to help your page load faster.

4. Pages with less information load faster so setting your home page to display three posts or less will help improve page load time. You can set this up in the Formatting section of your Settings in blogger.

Use Labels to Increase Your Search Engine Page Rank

Did you know that using the Labels field box below your post editor will help increase your search engine page rank and potentially draw more people to your blog? That's right. The labels don't have to be visible on the outside of your blog. Search bots will find the labels and apply them as keywords in your page ranking. Be sure to use labels that are appropriate to your post content.

Increase Your Search Engine Page Rank - Using Description

One way you can increase your page rank in Google, Yahoo, and other search engines is to use your blog description wisely. Your blog description is actually used as a meta-tag for search engines to find your blog. It is the perfect place to enter keywords that someone might use in a search to find your blog even when it is not physically visible on your blog. Search engines look under the hood too.

For instance... If you are an author and speaker for Pro-life ministry you might consider keywords like "Christian Speaker, Author, Writer, Pro-Life Advocate, Abortion, Women's Ministry". You would then write your blog description using as many keywords that pertain to your ministry as you can.

Keep it real, honest, and logical, and don't over use keywords. It doesn't help and can actually hinder your efforts.

How To Put Text in a Blockquote

One of the things I am asked frequently is how to put text in a blockquote.

This is a blockquote. It is an area of text that is indented to make it stand out from other text. I always decorate the blockquote when I design a blog so that it has a border and/or background like you see here. Not all templates come with a decorated blockquote.

Placing text inside a blockquote is very easy. From within the post editor, you highlight the text you want in the blockquote, then click on the button in the menu bar that looks like quote marks.

You will see the text indent, but you won't see the decoration until after the post has been published. That's all there is to it! Now go blockquote to your heart's content.

Blogger Post Formatting Problems

Are you experiencing formatting problems when you post in Blogger? You might try the newer Post Editor that is available.

Just go to your Settings under the Basic link. Scroll down under the Global Settings until you see "Select post editor".
Select the " Updated editor".

This seems to have fewer formatting problems.

Auto Signature or Text in Post

These instructions will show you how to make your signature or a line of text, like a scripture or quote, automatically appear in every post. This does not change previously published posts.

1. Select the Settings Tab.
2. Click on Formatting.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page where it says Post Template.
4. Type your text into the field box.
5. Click Save Settings.

Done!

How to Pay Using the Payment Button

If you are having trouble making payment, the instructions below will walk you through the steps to complete your payment.

I appreciate your business.

1. Click the Payment button located on the sidbar.
2. Enter the amount of payment in the field box.
3. Click "Update Total".
4. To pay by credit card you do not have to login to PayPal. Just click the continue link as shown in the picture below for step 4.
5. Enter your credit card information in the field boxes.
6. Click "Review Donation and Continue".
7. Click "Donate $xx.xx Now" to confirm your payment.
8. A confirmation of payment will appear on the screen with all the details of your payment and a receipt will be emailed to you.
9. I will contact you to let you know that I have received your payment.

How To Create a Link

1. Select the text you want to link from to highlight it.
2. Type the URL (website address) that you want to link to.
3. Click the button that looks like a chain link from the menu bar.

Thats it!

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