Getting Help
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 27, 2009
Configuring your Blogger blog to work with your own domain and a thirdparty
host can be confusing and challenging. Luckily, you can find help in a
variety of places as you work your way through the process.
Blogger Help
http://help.blogger.com
The official Blogger.com help site provides a wealth of information to help
you start your blog, including information about custom domains and external
hosts.
Blogger Buzz
http://buzz.blogger.com
The official Blogger.com blog provides updates about new features and
enhancements that can make your blogging life easier.
Blogger Help Group
http://groups.google.com/group/blogger-help
The official Google Group dedicated to providing Blogger.com help is a useful
resource where users help each other find answers to questions and solve
problems. You can join the group and post your questions to find help from
people around the world.
BloggerHelp channel on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/BloggerHelp
The BloggerHelp channel on YouTube has several useful video tutorials
to help you use a variety of Blogger features, including a video
that shows you how to set up a custom domain: www.youtube.com/
watch?v=2X8RMLsN61I.
Blogger Buster
www.BloggerBuster.com
The Blogger Buster blog is written by Amanda Fazani, a freelance blogger and
a Web and blog designer. She writes clear and easy-to-follow posts on her
blog, which is all about using Blogger.com. Her blog also includes a forum
where visitors can further discuss questions and problems.
Publishing via FTP
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 27, 2009
The longer you blog, the more courageous you’re likely to be about tackling
new tools, particularly those that allow you to expand and enhance your
blog. Using a third-party host is one of those options you might want to use
one day. When you use a third-party host, you must publish posts to your
blog using an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) connection.
In other words, you need to connect your Blogger account to your third-party
hosting account to upload your files to your blog. To do so, you have to
? Follow the directions provided by your external host to configure your
account with that host to be able to receive, store, and publish your
blog correctly.
? Configure your Blogger account to correctly send your blog files to your
third-party host.
The following steps walk you through the process of configuring the settings
in your Blogger dashboard to begin publishing by way of FTP to your thirdparty
blog host:
1. Obtain your FTP path from your third-party host account.
The FTP path tells Blogger where to put your files on the third-party
host’s server when you transmit them through your FTP connection.
2. Open the Publishing page from the Settings tab of your Blogger dashboard
and select the FTP link to switch to FTP publishing through a
third-party blog host.
A new section of the page opens, where you can enter your FTP settings.
3. Enter your FTP server (typically, your domain, such as yourdomain.
com), your blog URL, your FTP path (from Step 1), and your blog filename
(obtained from your third-party blog host). Then select the Save
Settings button.
Your blog is now configured to use FTP publishing.
4. Go to the Posting tab in your Blogger dashboard and select the newly
available Status tab.
This step opens a page where you can republish your blog in order to
reflect the updates you just made.
5. Select the Republish Entire Blog button.
Your entire blog is automatically republished using the FTP settings you
just configured. Be patient. If your blog is large, this process can take
several minutes to complete.
After you set up the FTP settings for your blog, you also need to change the
path for your blog archives on the Archive Settings tab of your Blogger dashboard.
You also have to redirect your blog’s feed to your new feed files on the
Site Feed Settings tab of your Blogger dashboard.
Much of the work to set up your blog using a third-party host is done within
your hosting account. Each blog host works a bit differently, so you must work
directly with your host to ensure that your account is configured correctly to
work with your Blogger account.
Don’t be afraid to call and ask your host for help in setting up your blog. Most
are quite familiar with the challenges bloggers face in trying to move their
blogs to their own hosts and are happy to help you successfully make the
move.
Using a Third-Party Host
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 27, 2009
The process of using a third-party (or an external) host other than Blogger to
store and deliver your blog is more complex than redirecting your domain
name. Blogger wasn’t originally created as a blogging platform to be used
through third-party hosts, but in recent years a work-around has been created
to make Blogger more competitive with applications such as WordPress
that work seamlessly with third-party hosts. Although the work-around isn’t
perfect, it gets the job done.
A third-party host is a company that stores your blog’s content and makes it
available to visitors online. Two primary advantages to using a third-party
host are flexibility and control. With a third-party host, you can add any
feature that you want to your blog and grow it as big as you want as long
as you’re willing to pay for the space that’s needed. You can choose from
a wide variety of blog hosts, including BlueHost, GoDaddy, 1and1, Network
Solutions, and more. Be sure to research several blog hosts before deciding
on the one that will work best for meeting your needs at an acceptable price.
Even if you host your Blogger blog by using a third party, you’re still required
to adhere to the Blogger and Google terms of use and policies.
Although using a third-party host gives you maximum flexibility and control,
it requires more technical knowledge, effort, and time to make everything
work correctly, and of course, it requires that you pay hosting fees. It’s up to
you to weigh the pros and cons of using a third-party host or sticking with
Blogger as your host. Whatever you do, don’t make a decision without fully
thinking through the process as well as the benefits and downsides of making
the switch.
Using Your Own Domain
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 26, 2009
One of the first issues that bloggers consider as their blogs grow is whether
they need to have their own domain names. Free blogs from Blogger.com
always include the .blogspot.com extension. For example, if your blog’s
URL is www.MyGreatBlog.blogspot.com, you might want to obtain your
own domain name that doesn’t include the .blogspot.com segment of the
URL. You can search available domain names through Blogger or a thirdparty
domain name registrar, such as GoDaddy or BlueHost. In this example,
you might find that www.MyGreatBlog.com or www.MyGreatBlog.net
is available. You can purchase one of these domain names and then redirect
your Blogger blog to it. That way, rather than have users type www.
MyGreatBlog.blogspot.com to access your blog, they can simply type
www.MyGreatBlog.com.
Having your own domain name not only streamlines your URL but can also
give your blog a credibility boost simply because a custom domain name
can symbolize a long-term investment in your blog. Many free blogs that are
published simply to generate money from advertising provide little in terms
of valuable content. Of course, you can find many fantastic free blogs as well,
but the number of spam blogs seems to grow faster every day. Branding
your blog with a custom domain name can help your blog stand out from the
crowds of spam blogs that blanket the Internet.
Obtaining a domain from Blogger
A helpful Blogger feature is that you can use your own domain name and
Blogger will still host your blog for free! You have to pay for your domain
name, but Blogger makes it easy to obtain your new domain and redirect
your blog to it directly from your Blogger dashboard. All you have to do is
follow these steps:
1. Click the Settings link for the appropriate blog from the home page of
your Blogger dashboard, as shown in Figure 16-1.
This step opens the main Settings page within your dashboard.
2. Select the Publishing tab from the top navigation bar on the Settings
page, as shown in Figure 16-2.
The Publishing page opens, where you can obtain your custom domain
from Blogger.
3. Select the Custom Domain link, shown in Figure 16-3.
A new section of the page opens, labeled Buy a Domain for Your Blog.
The Publishing tab
4. In the Buy a Domain for Your Blog section of the Publishing page,
shown in Figure 16-4, enter the domain name you want to purchase
in the box labeled What Address Would You Like Your Blog to Have,
and then click the Check Availability button.
Blogger responds and tells you whether the requested domain name is
available. When you find an available domain you like, select the appropriate
Google Checkout button to purchase the domain.
You have to pay a fee to obtain a custom domain name. Blogger charges you
$10 to register a domain name through a Google partner for one year. You
must renew your registration when the one-year registration period is over.
When you obtain a new domain name through Blogger, you must sign up for a
Google Apps account (for free) during the registration process. This account
facilitates the domain name registration process. You can learn more about
Google Apps in Google Apps For Dummies by Ryan Teeter and Karl Barksdale
(Wiley).
When you switch to a custom domain, your old URL, which included the
.blogspot.com extension, is automatically redirected to your new domain,
so visitors who bookmarked your blog can still find it.
Buying a domain from a third party
If you purchase your new domain by way of a company other than Blogger,
click the Switch to Advanced Settings link (refer to Figure 16-4). A new
Advanced Settings page opens, as shown in Figure 16-5.
In the text box labeled Your Domain, enter the new domain name you registered.
Note that when you register your new domain this way, you have to
update the Domain Name System (DNS) settings for it so that the Internet
knows that it exists. The steps you follow vary among domain name registrars,
so check with yours for specific instructions on how to update the DNS
settings for your new domain. Also, be aware that it can take several days for
DNS settings to finish updating and for your new domain to start working.
Overall, redirecting your blog to a new domain is fairly easy and causes few
problems. It’s definitely something to consider early in your blogging career
to make the transition process as easy and painless as possible for you and
your readers.
Moving Beyond Blogger
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 26, 2009
The longer you publish a blog, the more it grows and the more often
opportunities arise for you to enhance and expand your blog and your
overall online presence. In fact, the time may come when you want to remove
the .blogspot segment of your blog’s URL, which is automatically included
in all free blogs hosted by Blogger.com. Many people perceive that section
of a blog address as amateurish. Whether they’re correct is open for debate;
there’s something to be said, however, for investing in a domain name of
your own that typically costs very little but helps you create an online brand
and credibility for yourself and your blog.
As your blog grows, you might want to pursue the option of hosting it by way
of a third party other than Blogger, to allow maximum flexibility and growth.
Keep in mind that obtaining your own domain name and third-party hosting
is an added expense that you have to continually pay for. Making the decision
to switch from a completely free blog to one that requires a monetary
investment shouldn’t be taken lightly or be done hastily.
This chapter explains some of the pros and cons of using your own domain
and a third-party host to help you make informed decisions and get started
after you make the decision to venture out into the world of domain name
registration and third-party hosting.
Podcasting with Video
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 26, 2009
A video blog (or vlog) contains videos rather than written posts. Vlogging is
becoming more popular everyday as bloggers try to find ways to reach new
audiences and inject more personality into their blogs. Of course, you can
include an occasional video post — or even frequent video posts — on your
blog, although a true vlog is made up entirely of video posts.
Before the term vlog became popular, people referred to video blog posts as
video podcasts and to audio blog posts as audio podcasts. Blogging vernacular
has changed to differentiate between these types of posts, but you may still
hear the term podcast to refer to both video and audio posts.
Using vlogging equipment
Vlogging is a fun way to share information and elicit comments from visitors,
but it requires special equipment and considerations. First, you need a
camcorder (or webcam) in order to upload videos to your computer’s hard
drive, and you need to take the time to understand how to use video editing
software. Luckily, a variety of video editing software programs and applications
are available. Some are even available for free. Determine your ultimate
vlogging goals, and then do some research to find the video editing program
that best meets your needs. Popular video editing programs include Final Cut
Pro, iMovie (Mac), Vlog It (Adobe), and Windows Movie Maker.
After you set up your camcorder and video editing program, make sure
that you have a high-speed Internet connection — online videos are nearly
unwatchable unless you have high-speed Internet access. This concept
applies to your audience, too: If the majority of your readers (or potential
new audience members who are driven by your video content) don’t have
high-speed Internet access, they may not be able to watch your video posts.
You can learn more about vlogging in Video Blogging For Dummies, by
Stephanie Cottrell Bryant (Wiley).
Creating a vlog with Blogger
After you create a video and store it on your computer’s hard drive, you can
upload it to Google Video directly from your blog post editor in Blogger. The
following steps walk you through the process of adding a video to your blog:
1. Click the New Post button on your Blogger dashboard.
This step opens the blog post editor.
2. In the blog post editor, click the Add Video icon on the post editor
toolbar, shown in Figure 15-7.
It’s the second icon from the right and looks like a filmstrip. The Add a
Video to Your Blog Post dialog box opens.
3. In the Add a Video to Your Blog Post dialog box, click the Browse button
to find your video on your computer’s hard drive (see Figure 15-8).
You can upload videos in AVI, MPEG, QuickTime, Real, and Windows
Media formats. The maximum file size that’s allowed is 100 MB.
4. In the Video Title text box, enter a title for your video.
This title is used to store your uploaded video in Google Video, which
can be accessed at anytime at http://video.google.com.
The videos you upload by way of Blogger are stored in Google Video,
which features videos uploaded from people around the world.
However, the videos you upload by using the Blogger post editor are
stored as private videos on Google Search, which means that they don’t
show up in searches on Google Video.
5. Click the Upload Video button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Your video is automatically uploaded to your blog post.
The process of uploading your video can take several minutes. Be
patient and let the process complete before you navigate away from
your blog post editor.
The speed of your video upload can be affected by the file size, resolution,
and your Internet connection speed.
6. Add a title to your post by typing it in the Title text box and then click
the Publish Post button. That’s all there is to it!
You can view your post live online to see how it looks. Figure 15-9 provides
an example of how a vlog post looks.
Visitors can click the Play button, located beneath the video, to watch your
vlog post. By using vlogging, your visitors can see and hear what you have
to say, making the experience on your blog seem even more interactive than
written blog posts can provide.
Podcasting with Audio
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 26, 2009
A podcast is an audio or video blog post. It can be about any subject you
want, and it can be as long (or short) as you want. A variety of tools are
available online and offline to help you create an audio file, upload it to the
Web, and then publish it on your blog. This section focuses on audio, and the
“Podcasting with Video” section focuses on video.
After your podcast is published in one of your blog posts, your readers can
listen to it and comment on it. The reader experience is exactly the same as
in a traditional written blog post, but rather than read, visitors listen as if
they’re listening to a radio broadcast. The comment, conversation, and linking
process works the same as it does with traditional written blog posts.
If you’re truly interested in knowing all the tricks and tools to become a top
podcaster, read Expert Podcasting Practices For Dummies by Tee Morris, Evo
Terra, and Ryan Williams (Wiley).
Making the case for podcasts
It has been said that podcasts have drawn a completely new audience to the
blogosphere over the course of the past several years. A medium that was
once enjoyed primarily by people who liked reading became a medium that
now attracts people who enjoy listening, too. In fact, podcasting has grown in
popularity so quickly that Web sites dedicated entirely to sharing bloggers’
podcasts have popped up, and some have even turned podcasts into online
radio shows, such as the one at www.BlogTalkRadio.com.
No single format for podcasting success exists. If you search the Internet, you
can find podcasts on just about every subject imaginable. From cooking to
sports, music to gardening, and everything in between, people are creating
podcasts about it. The key to podcasting success comes not from the topic
you’re talking about, but, rather, from what you’re saying. The same recipes
for successful blogging can be applied to successful podcasting.
Say something interesting, and people will come.
You can also promote your podcast just as you promote your written blog
posts. Additionally, a number of podcast directories are available online,
such as the one at www.Podcast.com, that allow you to post your podcast
link and drive traffic to it.
Just as podcasts can attract a completely new audience to your blog, they
can also alienate (or at least confuse) your current readers. Test the waters
with your audience to ensure that they’re receptive to podcasts. If necessary,
provide detailed instructions to help your current readers understand how to
listen to your podcasts.
Ensuring that you have the
right podcasting tools
Unfortunately, to create a podcast, you probably need to buy some equipment.
It’s essential that your podcasts are recorded clearly, or else no one
will listen to them. Make sure that your microphone works well and has
excellent sound quality, and record your podcast when there’s no chance
that background noise will interrupt the recording.
Podcasting also requires the use of sound recording and editing software.
Luckily, some free options are available online, such as http://audacity.
sourceforge.net. You also need a place to store your podcasts online. You
can use a hosting or storage site, such as BlueHost (www.bluehost.com)
or Box (www.box.net). Alternatively, you can use a service such as Gabcast
(www.gabcast.com) or Hipcast (wwwHipcast.com), both of which offer
methods for you to easily create podcasts and publish them to your blog.
Be certain to check the fees and restrictions for hosting or storage providers
to ensure that the offerings and price meet your needs.
As you research sound recording, editing, hosting, and storage providers, look
for free trial offers so you can take a test drive before you commit to paying
for anything.
As podcasting becomes more popular, people are continually branching out
and trying new methods and tools. For example, Skype users (www.skype.
com) can talk to each other over the Internet for free. The conversation can
even be recorded, saved, and published on your blog as a podcast interview!
Creating and publishing a podcast
Creating a podcast can seem intimidating the first time you do it, but after
you try it, you’re likely to fall in love with it. Follow these directions to get
started:
1. Record your audio file and save it as an MP3 file.
MP3 files are commonly used for audio files, and they play on most computers
and audio players. Imagine someone downloading your podcast
and listening to it on his iPod during a morning jog!
2. Upload your podcast file to your host or online storage provider.
No one can hear your podcast unless it’s available somewhere online
for them to access. That’s where the host or storage provider enters the
picture.
3. Copy the URL for your podcast and keep it handy. Then open your
Blogger dashboard and click the Settings link.
The Basic Settings page opens.
4. From the Basic Settings page, select the Formatting tab in the top navigation
bar.
The Formatting Settings page opens.
5. On the Formatting Settings page, shown in Figure 15-2, scroll down to
the Show Link Fields option.
You use the Show Link Fields option to set your blog to enable enclosure
links. Once allowed, you can link to your podcast file from directly
within the blog post editor in your Blogger dashboard.
6. Select Yes from the Show Link Fields drop-down menu, shown in
Figure 15-3. Then click the Save Settings button.
This step adds the appropriate enclosure link field to your blog post
editor.
7. Select the Posting tab from the top navigation bar, shown in Figure
15-4, to open your blog post editor.
You now see, under the Title text box, a Link text box, where you can
enter a URL that you want your title to link to. For podcasting, however,
you want the link labeled Add Enclosure Link, which appears under the
Link box.
8. Click the Add Enclosure Link.
A new section of the page opens, as shown in Figure 15-5.
The Enclosure Link box
9. Enter the URL of your podcast under the URL heading in the Enclosures
section.
Blogger autodetects the mime type of your podcast file, so just leave the
Mime Type field blank.
10. To add more podcasts to your blog post, click the link labeled Add
Enclosure Link again.
Another text box appears, as shown in Figure 15-6 where you can add
another podcast link URL. Continue adding enclosure links until all the
podcast links you want to add to your post are included.
When your blog visitors view your blog post that includes your podcast, they
can listen to it by just clicking the mouse!
If you burned an RSS feed for your blog by using FeedBurner, you can also
burn a feed for your podcasts that can be recognized and played in various
feed readers, such as Google Reader, and by sites such as iTunes, Juice (formerly
iPodder), and NetNewsWire. You can also monetize your podcast feed
through FeedBurner.
Blogging on the Go: Mobile Blogging
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 26, 2009
Blogger users can publish blog posts using their cellular phones with Blogger
Mobile. You simply create a message — which can consist of text, video, or
a photo — and send it to go@blogger.com. A new blog is automatically created
to publish your mobile blog posts, and you receive a return a message
that provides you with the address for your new mobile blog — or mo-blog.
You also receive a “token” (sort of like a digital code) that lets you claim
your new mobile blog from your existing Blogger account. Just log in to www.
go.blogger.com, enter the token in the Claim Token text box (see Figure 15-1),
claim your new mobile blog, and follow the instructions that are provided to
merge the blog with your existing Blogger blog. You can modify your mobile
settings at any time by clicking the Mobile Devices link that appears on your
Blogger dashboard after the initial setup is completed.
To create a mobile blog, you need to use a participating carrier and have a
service plan that includes multimedia messaging and text messaging. (Also,
your phone must be able to send and receive text messages.)
Imagine that you’re on vacation and see an amazing sight that you want to
share with your blog readers. Using Blogger Mobile, you can — within minutes
— snap a picture with your cellular phone and send it to publish on your
blog.
Blogging from Different Media
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 26, 2009
As you become more comfortable with blogging, you might want to
branch out and try new methods of creating content and new technology
to add interest to your blog. Using Blogger, you can blog on the go,
publish audio and video blogs, and more. It’s up to your creativity and the
technology you want to invest in. Remember that it’s your blog, and you
decide what you publish on it.
With those creative opportunities in mind, this chapter introduces you to
some of the different media available to help you create and publish content
to your blog. Although some of the techniques discussed in this chapter
require you to purchase additional equipment, remember that none of these
options is essential. (They’re just options.) You might want to try some of
these techniques right away, or you may never use any of them. Again, it’s
your blog, so you run the show.
Setting Up Multiuser Team Blogs
Posted by Blogger Templateson
July 26, 2009
As your blog grows, you might find that you want to invite additional bloggers
to write posts on your blog with their own bylines. There are many reasons
to start a team blog, such as to
? Add different voices to a topic
? Increase post frequency
? Increase exposure
Luckily, Blogger makes it quite easy to add team members to your blog, set
permissions for each member, and even remove members later, if necessary.
Adding team members
Adding a team member to a Blogger blog is as simple as sending an e-mail
through an online form and clicking your mouse button a few times. Follow
these steps to add a team member to your blog:
1. From your Blogger dashboard (refer to Figure 14-4), click the Settings
link for the appropriate blog.
This step opens the Basic Settings page (refer to Figure 14-5).
2. Select the Permissions tab from the top navigation bar.
The Permissions Settings page opens, as shown in Figure 14-8.
3. Click the Add Authors button in the Blog Authors section.
A text box appears in which you can type the e-mail addresses of people
you want to invite to become authors on your blog, as shown in Figure
14-9. Be sure to separate each e-mail address with a comma if you’re
entering more than one.
4. Click the Invite button.
An e-mail is automatically sent to each person whose e-mail address you
entered in the invitation field (see Figure 14-10). Each individual’s e-mail
address to which an invitation was sent appears on your Blogger dashboard
with the date the invitation was sent on the right side of the page
(see Figure 14-11). Each person invited to become an author on your
blog receives an e-mailed invitation that she must respond to in order to
gain access to your blog.
An Invite Again link is also included, which you can click to resend your
invitation. A Remove button is also included, which is discussed in
greater detail in the section, “Leaving a Team Blog,” later in this chapter.
When the invited author responds to the e-mail invitation that was sent
to him by clicking the link in the e-mail and signing in with his Google
Account username and password, the status on the Permissions page
for that member changes to Author.
A Grant Admin Privileges link appears next to each author. This link is
discussed in detail in the following section.
If the link within an e-mail invitation to join a team blog doesn’t work, the
recipient can try to copy and paste the link into her browser window rather
than simply select it with her mouse. Not all links always work in an e-mail
program.
The link included in a team blog invitation works one time only. If a recipient
clicks the link but doesn’t complete the login process to accept the invitation,
the link is no longer valid and a new invitation must be sent to that person.
Establishing the blog administrator
and permissions
On any team blog, at least one person must have access to all the features
and functionalities of the blog and be able to make necessary changes to
it. That person is the blog administrator (or admin), and he controls all the
blog’s settings, including being able to
? Modify the template
? Add and remove team members
? Edit or delete posts
You can have more than one blog administrator for a blog, but at least one
must be defined within the blog’s settings.
You can change blog administrator settings by visiting the Permissions page
within your Blogger dashboard. As team members accept your invitations to
join your blog, their statuses change to Author. Authors are allowed to write,
publish, and edit posts, but nothing else.
A Grant Admin Privileges link is included next to each author’s name and
e-mail address . If you want to give a specific author access to the various settings
of your Blogger account for this blog, click the Grant Admin Privileges
link next to that author’s name and e-mail address. Her status changes to
Admin. Similarly, you can remove that person’s administrator privileges by
clicking the Remove Admin Privileges link next to that admin’s name and
e-mail address. It’s that easy!
Joining and leaving team blogs
Although you might want to add or remove team members from your own
blog, you might also be invited to write for other blogs. If so, you should
understand how to join (and leave) another blogger’s team blog.
Accepting Blogger author invitations
When you’re invited to join a team blog, you receive an e-mail like the one
shown in Figure 14-10. To join the blog as an author, simply click the link
provided in the e-mail and log in as instructed using your Google Account
username and password. That’s all there is to it. You can now create and edit
posts for that blog. The blog also appears on your Blogger dashboard login
screen and in your Blogger profile.
Leaving a team blog
Leaving a team blog is even easier than joining a team blog. Simply visit the
Permissions Settings page of the Blogger dashboard. If you’re an administrator
of that blog, you can simply click the Remove link next to your name and
e-mail address. If your status is set as Author, a Remove Yourself from This
Blog link appears. Simply click that link, and you’re done. Your posts still
appear on the blog, but you can no longer access the dashboard to write or
edit posts, and the blog is removed from your Blogger login dashboard and
profile.
