Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I know I am needy. ;) I've never done this (on my own) before, and I am blog challenged. Anybody? Pretty please. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I am a bit tech challenged, but I will help if I can. I did give advice to a relative about setting up a blog. What do you need to know? Have you decided on a blog platform yet? Did you decide on a name yet? Good advice is to match your url to your blog name if you can..if you end up changing your name, then they won't of course... I was on blogger for 5 years and then just recently moved it all over to wordpress self hosted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 I have the name, and the url is set up. It's on blogger. I know what I want, but I don't know how to get it. :lol: The story of my life... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 maybe not helpful, but what I did- and what I am doing now... (I am on wordpress now, but I have a new blog linked to it on my tabs- a blogger blog) is find a template that comes as close to what I want in my mind...and then hire someone to get it to where you want to be. There are some designers that will do a blogger blog pretty reasonable.... not free, but I figure I always spend money on my hobbies, so this hobby makes me happy.... so, try playing with the different templates to get as close to what you are thinking of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Where do you find these blog designers? I didn't even know people did that as a job, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Nakia, I don't know how to set up a blog, but am anxious for you to learn so you can show me how. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 First off if you are just starting out on blogger use the old beige interface. They just started letting people try out the all white new one and it is a bit more confusing to start out with. I would use the beige until you get used to it a little more. Second before you send out invites for F&F to subscribe test out the follow by email by subscribing yourself and creating a first post. It could take up to a day for your email to be received. You can set delivery times and track subscriptions through feedburner. The easiest way to get there is settings/site feed/click on feedburner link. I don't know what else I can suggest. If you have any questions.... Um, okay. I actually do not know what an interface is or what a feedburner is. Methinks this is harder than I thought. Is there a "blogger for dummies" website? Nakia, I don't know how to set up a blog, but am anxious for you to learn so you can show me how. :tongue_smilie: Don't hold your breath, girl. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Blogger actually makes it really easy. I was typing on my iphone so didn't go into too much detail. When you are in Blogger setting up your blog in the top right there should be a link about the interface (think of it as the menu version). You can use the new setup to start with, it should look all white in the background or the old version which is beige. This is just the menu for how you select settings, display and posts. I brought it up because I just helped my cousin through it and she's never done it as well. She started in the new all white background interface (menu) and when I had her switch to the beige (old interface) she found the menus a lot easier to understand and navigate through. They also have different ways they set up the menu, so it can get really confusing if I or someone else is telling you to go to a certain tab to help and it's not there because your using a different interface. Feedburner is the program Blogger uses to send automatic emails to people who subscribe whenever you post. It also sends out the feeds for people who use the button. It's built into Blogger, so you don't really have to mess with it if everything works right. On your page that adds gadgets click add a gadget and add the gadgets you want. Follow by email is a popular one. That's the email subscription I was talking about. If you want to customize the look you go to templates and you'll want to customize to get it the way you want it. Their basic templates are pretty good to start with, but you can change the background picture in the customize blog (new interface) or designer template (old interface). Best thing to do is just explore and discover it on your own. Blogger is pretty user friendly, so it's more of a matter of spending time with it to understand. Okay, that makes sense. What if I want a custom header? Do I design that myself? I have Photoshop, so I could design it, but I don't know how to add pictures or anything. I guess I should get the basics going and then start learning the customization stuff, huh? Also how do I have photos down the side with links? I've seen that on people's blogs. Is that what you mean by gadgets? Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 You have to decide if you want a 2-column or a 3-column blog. Then where do you want your columns? I like mine the main in the middle and something on either side. If you google "free blogger templates" you'll have several sites to pick a template from. I like btemplates. These sites are time suckers because you just want to look at all of them. Or you can just go with a generic Blogger template. Or you an pay someone to create a template for you. Just google "blog designers." The things I have running down the sides bars of my blog are called widgets. You can go free widget hunting and spend days doing it. Just google "free blogger widgets." Alternately you can "borrow" widgets from other peoples blogs. Just click on their widgets and more than likely you'll be taken to the website which created the widgets and you can get your own. I put the widgets in using my dashboard then going to design and then "add a gadget." I find this website, Blogger tips and tricks, to be helpful. If you have a specific question I can try to help. If you run up on another blog and want to know how that blogger did a particular thing if you link it I'm sure one of us can tell you how it is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Okay, thanks ladies!! I've got my template picked out and a background. The thing I must have is a cute banner on top. I don't see anything I like on the Cutest Blog site, but it gave me some ideas. I found some cute pics online that I would like to use, but I'm not paying $30 and more to use a picture, so I'm looking for free stuff, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Here's what I have so far: http://simplystartling.blogspot.com/ Pretty boring, but I gotta start somewhere. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartosunshine Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I was thinking of setting up a blog as well, but I'm officially lost in this discussion. :001_huh: I think I'll go to the library & check out Blogging for Dummies. Nakia, good luck! ETA: I love the font & color of your blog. Keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 I was thinking of setting up a blog as well, but I'm officially lost in this discussion. :001_huh: I think I'll go to the library & check out Blogging for Dummies. Nakia, good luck! ETA: I love the font & color of your blog. Keep us posted! Thanks! It's just so darn boring. I gotta jazz it up A LOT! Good luck with yours. If I can do it, so can you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlinsmom Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I can help you out if you want. I have done bothe blogger and wordpress blogs. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 I can help you out if you want. I have done bothe blogger and wordpress blogs. :) You are wonderful! Can you help me create a cute header/banner? I posted a link above to what I have so far, which isn't much, lol. I know exactly what I want the header to look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlinsmom Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 You are wonderful! Can you help me create a cute header/banner? I posted a link above to what I have so far, which isn't much, lol. I know exactly what I want the header to look like. You bet! What do you want the header to look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 You bet! What do you want the header to look like? You are an angel!! I love owls, so I want the header to have an owl or owls. Either one or five (I have a family of 5). I found tons of cute clipart online, but whoa, it's expensive. Please tell me that's not my only option. I can send you links if you want. I like retro colors...like the turquoise and green I already have there, along with brown, pink, orange, etc. I want it to have the name of the blog and the Emily Dickinson quote on the header. Now, let me ask you this. Do you think it would be better to have a simple header and a busy background or a jazzed up header and simple background, like the one I have there now? I'm happy to pay you for your time. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlinsmom Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 :) Sending you a pm right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 I meant to say I like silly cartoony owls best for this kind of stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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