Setting up Blogger Step 2 - The easy way to add Blogger widgets / Page Elements

Changing colors and the basic layout is all well and good, but the real fun begins by adding 'Page Elements'.

After upgrading your blogger template ong with changing the layout of your blog you will now have the ability to add 'Page Elements'. To add a page element, go to 'customize' That should bring you to the 'Template' tab with 'Page Elements' selected.

Page Elements are like little widgets for your blog which you can place and style to your liking.
There are quite a few canned 'Page Elements' set up already for you to use, just select 'Add a Page Element' to launch the 'Page Element' browser window.

The first element I added was Google Add Sense, easy, once you click on it you will be able to format the layout of the Ad Sense module, which I recommend you do so your page doesn't end up looking jumbled.

Now that the basics are set we can walk through a slightly more advanced addition to your page with one of my favorite (no pun intended) favorite widgets.

I found the AddThis widget to be just amazing. So head on over to http://www.addthis.com/ and sign up for your free account. It is a simple little widget that lets your viewers add your posting to the social network or bookmark engine of their choice very easily. See the one at the end of this post try it out with your social bookmarking engine of choice.

Click "Get the code for your widget", then select the bookmark image you like, I liked the thin one that simply says "Bookmark". If that doesn't get much love I'll probably try the "Share This" on next.

Next select Blog from the drop down, another drop down will appear, select Blogger and then click the button to proceed. Very simple.

Now on the next page you will notice several different ways to get this widget onto your blog. You could simply click on one of the buttons near the top to add the widget to your blog (choose the one with the drop down it's better), probably the easiest way, but when I tried this it added the widget fine, it looked great on my blog, but it didn't work. So I tried the next method listed just bellow the buttons.

By following the instructions on the page I was easily able to add the widget to the end of each post, a much better place than at the top of my blog or someplace else. Just highlight the code you see on your screen like the one bellow.

just as the instructions indicate you will have to go back into your blogger account, navigate to the 'Template' tab, then to the 'Edit HTML' page.


Next you will have to click inside the HTML code window so that you can find the text, but before doing so make sure to select the check box marked "Expand Widget Templates". I recommend you hit [Control 'F'] so you can search for the proper place to insert the code you are about to insert.

Here is where you should paste the code from above into. Paste it just bellow the post-footer div tag.

Now you are ready to save and enjoy! Now every post will have this wonderful widget attached so that your readers will be able to share your content.

-randomic

Set up blogger step 1 - Upgrade your template..now

So now I have the site template set up the way I need it and I ready to get started.

I am glad I set the foundation for this site before I started updating it regularly and I recommend you do the same. A word of advice for setting up a site/blog with blogger, when setting up your template for the first time...upgrade the template as immediately.

Upgrading your template is easy and will allow you to, among other things, change the layout of your blog without hard coding (remains an option), add page elements and change the color scheme from the default layout.

If your blogger site is already heavily formatted you will loose all of your changes so make sure to back up your code before you upgrade.

Once you've upgraded your template you will have more options to enhance and customize your blog.

-randomic