For those not yet familiar with the new "Responsive" class themes, I offer my demo 4 "Responsive" blogs - one blog per exciting theme.
You can see the links to the 4 demo blogs, at the top of the sidebar.
You have to make an effort, to find the sidebar, however. The effort is necessary, to help the "Responsive" class templates replace the "Layout" / "Designer" class templates - and their special "Mobile" template.
See the linklist "Responsive Templates Tests", in the pop out sidebar?
Whether you are viewing this blog as The Real Blogger Status, or as Now, Ya See It - Now, Ya Don't, or even as Custom Domain Redirection, And "A" Referral Servers, you probably are not looking at the sidebar.
If you do want to see the sidebar, just click on the "hamburger" icon, in the upper right corner of the screen.
Click on the "hamburger" icon, to open the sidebar.
The "hamburger" icon is in the upper right corner.
The sidebar, normally hidden, to let the post content be more readable on a tiny "phone" display.
The "pop out" sidebar is one majorly innovative design feature, that helps the "Responsive" class templates replace the "Layout" / "Designer" class templates, and their special "Mobile" template.
The pop out sidebar is only visible, when you want to access sidebar content - by clicking on the "hamburger" icon.
Now, you see it.
Now, you don't.
Click on the tiny "right arrow" icon, to hide the sidebar, when the sidebar is open.
So yeah, if finding the sidebar is now an effort for your readers, I sympathise. But the hidden sidebar has a practical origin - it's not purely cosmetic.
If you recently upgraded your #Blogger blog to use an exciting new "Responsive" theme, and you can't find the sidebar, with its wonderful complement of gadgets, that's because the sidebar is now hidden.
Just click on the "hamburger" icon, and all will be seen.
Making a blog searchable is the first step in getting search traffic, and readers, for our blogs - when we want them visible to the public.
Not all blog owners want their blogs visible to everybody. Complementing the ability to publish a blog, and have it visible only to invited readers, Blogger gives us the ability to make the blog invisible, to the search engines.
If we want readers for a blog, and do not have a private reader audience in mind, we first make it visible to the search engines.
The Privacy wizard, on the Blogger dashboard, lets us choose whether to make a blog visible to the search engines.
Start with the dashboard Settings - Basic page, and Edit the Privacy setting.
Select "Yes" for both options - if you want the blog indexed.
Select "Yes" for both options, if you want the blog indexed. This is how you start getting search traffic, and readers, for your blog.
- Add your blog to our listings?
- Let search engines find your blog?
And click "Save changes".
Having made the blog visible to the search engines, continue by publishing lots of informative, interesting, and unique content. Make it a blog that people will read - and that search engines will index.
If you prefer the blog to be invisible or private, on the other hand, select "No" for both options. Then continue by developing your private audience, as you like.
There are more settings - for owners who want to fine tune search engine access. Both the Blogger dashboard Settings - "Search preferences" page, and the "Google Search console" (previously known as "Webmaster Tools"), have a rich collection of settings, complementing "Privacy".
If you really want to fine tune these settings, look at the Settings - "Search preferences" page, and the "Crawlers and indexing" section - but read and heed the serious advice.
Warning! Use with caution. Incorrect use of these features can result in your blog being ignored by search engines.
You can read more advice in Blogger: Help people find your blog on search engines - and Webmasters: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide. And you'll find Webmaster Central: Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking and Webmaster Central: Search Console useful for personal advice, complementing Blogger Help Forum.
Since Webmaster Forums supports owners of static websites, as well as owners of Blogger blogs (and other blogs), not all Search Console / Webmaster advice and tools will be useful for Blogger blogs. Be selective when considering Webmaster instructions - and ask questions in Blogger Help Forum, any time you feel the need.
The "Privacy" wizard is where you start - and similarly where some blog owners should stop.
The Blogger "Privacy" wizard, on the "Basic" Settings page, provides the start to getting a blog indexed by the search engines - when we want a blog indexed. Not all blog owners want their blog indexed - and that need makes the "Privacy" settings relevant.
Several months ago, I took a leap into the future, and upgraded this blog to use a "Responsive" class template.
There are four "Responsive" templates - Contempo, Soho, Emporio, and Notable. The differences between the four include more than merely the visible design.
My serious opinion about template choice is that two people, each starting a blog about the same subject, and using the same source of content, will still have different perspectives - and each will probably choose a different template.
Anybody who asks me, bluntly
Which template is a better choice, for my blog?
Gets my facetious reply
Whatever template encourages you to write more original and quality content, in your blog, is best for your blog.
It's your blog. Your blog is valuable, because of the content.
Our clean, exciting new look.
Our boring previous look.
If you want more advice, I'll offer you my four "Responsive" class test templates - Contempo Test, Soho Test, Emporio Test, and Notable Test. You can examine this post, and compare the visible differences, on each of the four.
The navbar is gone.
Where's the navbar?
It's possible that the navbar contains details that are not compatible with hosting on the Google CDN. Is this why Blogger started providing a "Report this blog". gadget?
The sidebar is now hidden - unless you need to see it.
See the linklist "Responsive Templates Tests", in the pop out sidebar? You need to click on the "hamburger" icon, in the upper right corner of the screen, to see the sidebar.
The "pop out" sidebar is one majorly innovative design feature, that helps the "Responsive" class templates replace the "Layout" / "Designer" class templates, and their special "Mobile" template.
The pop out sidebar is only visible, when you want to access sidebar content, by clicking on the "hamburger" icon.
There are more, undocumented improvements, too.
Besides the "Mobile" template that is now redundant, there are significant differences between the four "Responsive" templates, that may encourage choice of one or the other. As I continue to upgrade the older posts in this blog, to look better using "Notable", I'll start discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each.
If this interests you, move your blog forward, by choosing an exciting "Responsive" class template, from the dashboard "Theme" page.
Pick one of the new and exciting "Responsive" class templates - Contempo, Soho, Emporio, Notable.
You can setup your own demo / test set, easily enough.
If necessary, setup your own test blog set, with your own test posts - and compare your content on the different templates, to see what your blog will look like. Or, you can use my sidebar menu "Responsive Templates Test" - and look at my four test blogs.
My personal choice of the "Notable" Responsive template, was not immediate - it took several days, and some experimentation using various tests - and my 4 test blogs. You can take your time - and change your template, as you feel the need.
The Real Blogger Status has moved into the future - and is now using a new #Blogger supplied "Responsive" class template. It's going to take some work, to make the blog truly look good under "Notable" - but progress always has a price.
One of the simplest ways to make a blog useful is to add label searches.
Adding label searches, in page / post text, is not easy - unless you know how to build the URLs. Here's a label search from this blog.
http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/search/label/Blogger%20Magic
All that I want, when using that label search, is to add another reference to my "Blogger Magic" post series.
"Blogger Magic" emphasises how easy it is, to use Blogger. How easy is it, to remember that syntax - to add a label link? Maybe, a "Blogger Magic" reference, in this post?
When you read a blog post, that has label references, look at the bottom of the post.
Please note the advice, at the bottom of the post.
Look in the post footer, for the "Labels" section.
Here's the bottom of another post, from this blog.
Here's the bottom of this post.
Note that not all blogs will provide a "Labels" posts section. That is an owner choice.
Look at a label link, in the "Labels" section of the post - when provided.
There's the bottom of two of my "Label Search" posts - "Blogger Magic - A Blog Within A Blog", followed by this post "Blogger Magic - Adding Label Search URLs". Now, look at the Labels links.
In most blogs, the Labels links would be labeled "Labels". I call mine "Topics". As owner of this blog, that is my personal choice.
Also, in most blogs, the "Labels" section will be found, in the post footer. Some blog owners have chosen to position their "Labels" in the post header. This, too, is their choice - and carries with it, some risk.
See "Label Search"?
Look in the browser status area, when hovering over the link caption.
Look at the "Topics" section. See "Label Search"? Hover the mouse cursor, over the "Label Search" link.
See the label search URL, in the browser status area?
Look in the browser status area, when hovering over the link caption.
Hover the mouse over "Label Search", and look in the browser status area.
blogging.nitecruzr.net/search/label/Label Search
For a blog using an HTTPS redirect, you might see a slightly different URL.
If this blog uses the "HTTPS: Redirect" option, you might see it slightly differently.
https://blogging.nitecruzr.net/search/label/Label%20Search
Click on either of the above 2 links. OK, I cheated with the second link - since this blog, right now, does not support HTTPS - and I obviously don't want you looking at an HTTPS Error display.
Whether HTTP - or HTTPS - is in use, there is the label search link.
Whichever you see - and decide to use - with your blog, there is a label search URL. Now, get a label search URL from your blog - and use the URL, in another page or post in your blog.
This post opens many links in new tabs / windows, intentionally.
BTW - and if you have clicked on any of the links above - and since you have apparently read to this point - I have to warn you that many of the links, above, are intentionally coded to open in a new tab / window. That is necessary, based on the nature of the links in this post.
Many of the links in this post are clickable, simply to illustrate to you the content in label searches - as opposed to links which lead you to additional information in the blog. So as not to lead you away from this post, you should not lose context after clicking on a link - as long as you simply close the new (illustrative) tab / window.
My sincere apologies, if my seemingly gratuitous opening of new tabs / windows inconveniences or offends you.
Some #Blogger blog owners want to use label search URLs, in page or post text. Getting a label search URL is easy enough, when you look in the post label search section - which is generally in the post footer.
SSL has been an option, for BlogSpot published blogs, since late last year - and we still see occasional questions, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue, about its use.
When I saved my post, I saw the error messageThis page contains HTTP resources which may cause mixed content affecting security and user experience if blog is viewed over HTTPS.
I clicked "Fix" - and the error message went away. Should I have to go back and "fix" all my old blog posts, this way?
This blog owner will be better off, with "HTTPS Redirect" disabled.
Until HTTPS availability, for all Internet content and services, becomes a consistent reality, there will be problems with Blogger blogs - and confusion, as in the example.
Custom domain publishing is the most vulnerable Blogger feature, with blogs using "HTTPS Redirect". It's not the only possible complication, though.
Some blog owners will be better off, not enabling "HTTPS Redirect" - or if enabled, they will need to disable it.
HTTPS Redirect can be easily disabled.
"HTTPS Redirect" is not difficult, to disable. Go to the dashboard Settings - Basic page.
Click on "Yes".
Select "No".
And, the option is disabled.
And the owner won't see the confusing "Fix" / "Dismiss" options.
Now, you can publish the blog, to a custom domain. With "HTTPS Availability" not optional, blogs, with essential features that don't provide SSL, will still have unsatisfied readers who will demand HTTPS.
Some blogs would be better off with "HTTPS Availability" as an option.
You cannot eliminate all confusion, until SSL is uniformly available.
I will note, however, that disabling the redirection will not eliminate reader concern, from "Mixed Content" alerts - nor will it prevent owner confusion, from Post Editor warnings. As long as SSL is (may be) involved - automatic redirect or not - and until every Internet feature and service uses SSL consistently - there is going to be some confusion.
Some #Blogger blog owners will need to disable the "HTTPS Redirect" option, to publish their blogs as they need. Right now, "HTTPS Redirect" is an option - and "HTTPS Availability" needs to be an option also.
Some blog owners decide to include music, to accessorise their blogs - and the first thing they ask for is instructions.
Please give me step by step instructions, to add music.
They don't consider that adding music, for any blog, will be their personal choice - and a music player will be personal too.
The choice of music player needs to be based on the music library provided.
You will probably want your music choice to match the blog content.
Some one who wants to provide classical music won't want to add a music player, published by a disco / techno website. Similarly, if you want to decorate your blog with country music, you will not be pleased by a player provided with a jazz website.
Each music website will provide their own player, to accompany their music library - and their own installation instructions, to install their player. You will probably be provided HTML / JavaScript code, by the website - so you will want to add an HTML / JavaScript gadget.
Position the player so it is convenient and visible, to your readers.
You will want the player controls to be visible - so you should position the new gadget, in a convenient and visible location, on the blog.
The one suggestion, that is consistently provided, is that you should choose a player that lets your readers choose whether to listen to the music. Please, don't use any player that only provides "autoplay".
The choice of music will be yours - and some readers will choose to view your blog. But some will choose to not listen to your music - and unless you want to limit reader population to those who can listen as they view, you will want to make the music optional.
Some #Blogger blog owners want to decorate their blogs with music - and they request detailed instructions for adding a music player. Music players are individual to the website providing the music - and the smart blog owner will choose the website, for one offering an appropriate music library.
One question, that I have never seen specifically asked, is about our following, reading lists, and blog subscriptions in general.Why do I have to login to Blogger, to maintain my Reading List?
The blog follower / owner has asked a question that is involved in various problems, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue - but with this question so easily overlooked.
The Blogger dashboard Reading List, which so many use transparently, is unique to each of us.
Similar to the confusion about the email address, mysteriously displayed on our Blogger dashboard, is the unstated detail that each of us has our own personal set of followed blogs - and consequently, our own Reading List.
If you want to maintain the (Blogger Following / Google Friend Connect) Followers community, on your blog, you are forced to do this, as part of the Followers GUI. When you are able to access the Reading List "gear" icon, and "Manage Blogs I'm Following", you have already logged in - possibly, without realising.
Sometimes, blog owners have learned of various dashboard shortcuts - and use them transparently. All blog dashboard access requires a login - to simply prove, to Blogger, that you are the owner of the blog in question.
Most blog owners understand, instinctively, that they must login to access each blog dashboard. Not everybody realises, however, that they have their individual Reading List - also accessed by their own login, on the dashboard "home" page.
Along with having your own Reading List, you have your own reading list maintenance wizard (aka "Manage Blogs I'm Following" - or possibly the Google Friend Connect equivalent, for Blogger accounts that use Google+ profiles). To access your own wizard, you must identify yourself, by logging in to Blogger.
Failure to use the right Blogger account, or using a computer that prevents proper identification, leads to an empty Reading List - or to a list with just one entry. This is one reason for some people claiming that the Reading List is unreliable.
When you purchase a domain - either as part of the "Buy a domain" wizard, or when you purchase directly from a registrar - you are free to use any registrar that you wish, for the purchase. The "Buy a domain" wizard (which should be your preferred method of purchase) lets you use either eNom or GoDaddy - and which registrar you use is your choice - though the choice is not made obvious, by the wizard layout.
The selection of which registrar to use, in "Buy a domain", is always your decision - though the selection process is somewhat obscure. Just go slowly, and look carefully for the right link.
Start from the Good News display. Find the tiny link at the bottom - "Learn more", next to the name of the chosen registrar.
And, there it is. If you don't like the choice made for you, pick the other.
The choice is right there - you just have to know where to look.
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Last week, I issued my annual reminder to blog owners, to consider their blog holiday decorations with care. That reminder mainly focuses on the more controversial issue of blog hijacks, and computer hacking. Besides the long term and subtle computer hacking, your readers, visiting your blog decorated with the latest animation, will have a more immediate and obvious problem to consider - browser freezes and other computer overload problems.
Besides the blatant blog hijack threat, there's another challenge from the animation, for you to consider. The animation - falling hearts / leaves / snow - requires intense processor activity. Every time one heart / leaf / snowflake changes position on the screen (ie, "falls"), the processor has to redraw the screen, with the heart / leaf / snowflake in the new location. Similar to one Designer Templates problem, many computers will run a bit slower when displaying a blog with decorative animation.
People who publish blogs, that are appropriate for these decorations, tend to have readers who may not have purchased a new computer for a couple years. Older computers tend to be marginally able to deal with the load generated by the latest browser updates and other newer software - and adding animation on your blog may be just too much extra load.
Similar to the effect from blog owners who install automatically playing background music, your visitors may decide that reading your blog makes just too much trouble for them.
If people stop visiting your blog, because their browsers freeze up, you'll need to revisit your decorative decision. Maybe, thinking about it now is a better idea.
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One odd feature of the dynamic templates - giving your readers the choice how they want to view your blog - is a detail that not everybody seems to get.
In the ongoing discussion What do you think of Dynamic Views?, we see some dissenting opinions.I don't like the fact that readers can change the way they view my blog. I want things to be viewed the way I set them up, and not have them be changeable by the viewer.
Personally, as long as each view lets some people view my blog, I'm happy to let anybody select the template that lets them view the blog, as it pleases them.
As a blog publisher, my goal is to provide content, that's interesting and useful to my readers.
If all of the Dynamic Templates display the blog posts so my readers can read the posts, why should I care what format they select, to display the posts?
I chose to show my test blog - Musings, using the Magazine view, as the default. If some people choose to continue to read the content using Magazine, that's OK. If others decide that Timeslide is more their preference, that's fine too. The people using Timeslide to view the blog are still reading the blog - and maybe some people using Timeslide are people who might not choose to stay, if Magazine is the only choice.
You can't display this blog, using a dynamic template, any more. You may wish to evaluate dynamic views, for your blog, very carefully.
Personally, I'll let my readers decide. Their computers, their decision. But, it's your blog - and in the end, it's your choice.
