| CREATING URL LINKS (for blogger.com) |
The horizontal navigation bar is the list of links that a visitor can choose from when they arrive at your blog. The horizontal nav bar, usually runs across the blog somewhere near the header (above, within, or below). In order for those links to work, you must provide the URL (or web address) of where you want the link to take your readers. You have several options for setting up a URL. All URLs begin with http://www.
- LINK TO AN EXTERNAL LINK: The URL can be for an external site oustide of your blog domain (such as a "shop" link that takes the visitor to your e-commerce website, or a "MySpace" link that takes the visitor to your MySpace page.)
- LINK TO ONE PARTICULAR POST: The URL can be for one particular post within your blog. You would set up a link this way when you plan to only make one post about the topic, or you only need a small amount of info for that link... such as "About Me" or "Contact". In order to retrieve the URL, you need to make a post with your info (or a "coming soon" to be edited later). When you make the post, hit publish, go to "edit posts", find that post and click "view" (not "edit). This will actually bring up that one post in a separate URL- so no other posts will show up. Copy that URL and that is what we use to link.
- LINK TO A LABEL: The URL can be for a label within your blog. When you make posts, you have the options of assigning labels to identify the post topic. If you'd like a link to just display all posts from a given label (such as "giveaways", "reviews", etc... subjects that will have multiple posts as time goes on.) then make a post, add a label, and hit publish. Then go to "edit posts" and "view" ("not edit") that post. When the page comes up, click on the label at the bottom of the post. That will open the URL for ALL posts with that label. Copy that URL. As you add posts with that label, that URL will bring up all posts with that label starting with the most recent first.
- LINK TO CONTACT MAIL SERVER: The URL for your "Contact" link can be a page where you tell your readers how to contact you. Or you can set your contact link to automatically take the reader to their mail function, by creating the link of mailto:youremailaddress.
| CUSTOM DOMAIN FOR YOUR BLOG! |
Using a custom domain for your blog means eliminating that pesky .blogspot portion of your blog URL and creating a fun and unique address for your blog!
The easiest way to purchase a custom domain for use on your blog is directly through blogger. Simply login to your blogger account, choose "settings" and then "publishing". Click the "custom domain" link and follow the instructions to search for and purchase an available domain. Purchasing through blogger means that you won't have to do any modifications to your DNS settings, blogger will do it all for you!
If you have already purchased a custom domain through a registrar like godaddy.com, you'll need to adjust your DNS settings (CNAME) to point to your blog. Sour Apple Studio does not directly assist in this process, but you can follow the blogger.com tutorial for this process HERE. If you should have trouble, feel free to contact blogger or open a support ticket to them for help!
The easiest way to purchase a custom domain for use on your blog is directly through blogger. Simply login to your blogger account, choose "settings" and then "publishing". Click the "custom domain" link and follow the instructions to search for and purchase an available domain. Purchasing through blogger means that you won't have to do any modifications to your DNS settings, blogger will do it all for you!
If you have already purchased a custom domain through a registrar like godaddy.com, you'll need to adjust your DNS settings (CNAME) to point to your blog. Sour Apple Studio does not directly assist in this process, but you can follow the blogger.com tutorial for this process HERE. If you should have trouble, feel free to contact blogger or open a support ticket to them for help!
| HOW TO INCREASE YOUR BLOG TRAFFIC! |
Want more readers?
- COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT! Visiting other blogs and leaving comments is the single best way to increase traffic to your blog. Everyone loves to receive comments, and good blog etiquette is to return the comment love! So when you comment on another blog, you're likely to gain one new reader, and perhaps more. And ALWAYS return the comment love you receive! The Secret is in the Sauce
- SHARE YOUR BUTTON! All of my blog designs include a standard 125x125 pixel blog button that you can use to advertise your blog. Share your blog button with others and encourage them to place your button on their sidebar. Definitely go to www.entrecard.com and sign up to share your button. Entrecard is a small widget that you place on your sidebar to display the buttons of other blogs, and in turn, your button will be randomly displayed on a variety of blogs out there in blogland. This is a fabulous way to get your advertisement seen by the blog world!
- JOIN BLOG NETWORKS! There are hundreds of blog listing network sites out there (just google 'blog network'). Sign up and list your blog at any/all of these sites, and get the word out there about your blog. Make sure to check out THIS ARTICLE on various sites to join in order to increase your blog traffic.
- HAVE A GREAT BLOG DESIGN! Okay, this is a shameless plug for my blog design services, I admit it. But I do believe this is true, and it's one of the reasons I am so passionate about blog design. It doesn't matter what you have to say, if nobody stays on your blog long enough to read it. So instead of picking a run-of-the-mill, standard and boring blog template, consider making the investment for a brand new custom blog design. Wow your old readers, and entice new ones, with a unique and fabulous blog makeover.
