The Blog Doctor.

Twitter and Increase Traffic to Blog.

The micro blogging site Twitter.com is in the news with rumors of Google trying to take it over flying fast and furious! Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres have started twittering. It is being used by everyone from revolutionaries storming the Moldovian parliament and Egyptian bloggers to protest an unlawful imprisonment.

Click above picture to follow me on Twitter. Here is how to get started on Twitter and increase traffic to your blog.....................

Get Started on Twitter.

The first step is to open an account on Twitter. Go to Twitter.com and click Join. Fill out the form. For Username enter a name related to your blog. Keep it short as everyone will know you by it.

In the next step you can check if any of your contacts are already on Twitter and follow them automatically. You can skip this step and land up on your Twitter home page. The status box is on top from where you type in your 'tweets' to tell the world what you are doing. Below that are the updates showing latest tweets from people you are following. If you had clicked the image at the top you will get my tweets showing up. Notice that they contain links to my blog posts.

In the sidebar is your profile at top followed by statistics (Number of followers, How many you are following and Updates) and icons of your followers. Now customize your twitter by clicking Settings link at the top of the page. Use the Picture tab to upload a picture. In the Account tab enter your real name and blog address in the fields provided and save settings.

Start Tweeting.

Click the Home link at the top of the page. Type what you are doing in the text field. Only 140 characters are allowed so Keep it Short. Click Update to see your own tweet at top. People who follow you will see this tweet on their page instantly.

Put Follow Me on Your Blog

Now you can use your blog to get followers. Put the Follow Me badge on your blog. Viewers clicking on it will become your Followers and have your tweets delivered to them in real time. To install this image on your blog click the button below :

Clicking the above button will result in this popup window :

Enter your Twitter Username instead of 'YourID' in the box and then click Customize button. This will activate the 'Add Widget to my Blog' button. Click it to get the 'Add Page Element' window as shown below :

Select your blog from the drop down list and click the 'Add Widget' button. This will add the Follow Me on Twitter badge at top of this post to your blog sidebar. No further coding is required. Any viewer clicking on the image will be added as Follower to your tweets.

In future posts I will discuss how to show your tweets on your blog, how to twitter blog posts automatically and tips on how to use Twitter more effectively without spamming.

Shows All Posts Blogger Gadget Installer.

The Blogger Archive Gadget shows only the post titles of the latest month (in Hierarchy mode). The rest of the months and post titles are hidden behind small black arrows which have to be clicked to reveal them.

The Feed Gadget shows only the latest five posts if used along with your blog feed. Here is The "Shows All Posts Blogger Gadget Installer" which when added to your blog enables your blog readers to add/show ALL your blog posts in their blog.

This gadget can increase traffic to your blog and also after installing it on your blog you can with one click add all your post titles as a blog archive on your own blog.........

1. MODIFY FEED TO JAVASCRIPT CODE

Paste the code below in the place shown in Step2 after modifying it as follows :

Change 'MYBLOG' to the actual subdomain of your blogspot blog. That is if your blog address is http://example.blogspot.com put in 'example' in place of 'MYBLOG' in the code below :

<div style="text-align:left !important;">
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://itde.vccs.edu/rss2js/feed2js.php?src=http%3A%2F%2FMYBLOG.blogspot.com%2Ffeeds%2Fposts%2Fdefault%3Fstart-index%3D1%26max-results%3D999&chan=n&num=1000&desc=0&date=n&targ=y" type="text/javascript"></script>

<noscript>
<a href="http://itde.vccs.edu/rss2js/feed2js.php?src=http%3A%2F%2FMYBLOG.blogspot.com%2Ffeeds%2Fposts%2Fdefault%3Fstart-index%3D1%26max-results%3D999&chan=n&num=0&desc=0&date=n&targ=n&html=y">View RSS feed</a>
</noscript>
<a href="http://www.blogdoctor.com">Gadget by The Blogdoctor.</a>
</div>

This code converts your site feed (1000 posts) :

http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?start-index=1&max-results=999

into Javascript code at this site.

2. CONVERT ABOVE CODE TO ESCAPE HTML

The code generated in Step 2 is in HTML. It will work if you paste it directly in a HTML gadget in your blog. However we need to provide it to our readers in a gadget to place on their blog. To do this we need to convert HTML characters like '>' and '<'. You can do this the hard way by converting each character or the easy way by using sites which provide this service free. Copy the code generated in Step 2 and paste it in the box provided at the HTML escape site.

Click the Encode button. A fresh code text box will appear lower down. Copy the code in it.

3. CREATE GADGET INSTALLER

To add the gadget installer to your blog copy the code below and paste it in a HTML gadget in your blog AFTER :

a) Changing "MYBLOG.COM" to your actual blog name.

b) Copy code given in Step 2 above after the encoding process and paste where it says "PASTE CODE FROM STEP 2 HERE."

<form action="http://beta.blogger.com/add-widget" method="POST">

<input value="All Posts From MYBLOG.COM" name="widget.title" type="hidden"/>

<textarea style="display:none;" name="widget.content">

PASTE CODE FROM STEP 2 HERE.

</textarea>
<input
value http://www.blogdoctor.com="name=" infourl type="hidden"/>

<input
value = name="logoUrl" http://www.blogger.com/img/icon_logo32.gif type="hidden"/>
<div style="text-align:center;">
<input src="http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/vinayak06/add2blogger_lg-1.gif" name="image" type="image"/>
</div></input
value></input
value></form>
<div style="text-align:center;">
<p>Click above button to get ALL posts from this site on your blog</p>
<li><a href="http://www.blogdoctor.me/2008/12/shows-all-posts-blogger-gadget.html">Click here to Get Similar Gadget for Your Blog.</a></li>
</div>

Put the title of the HTML gadget as "Get ALL Posts from THIS BLOG."
Save the HTML gadget. It will look like this :

4. TEST GADGET INSTALLER

Lastly test the Gadget installer. Click on the "Add to Blogger" button and you will get the "Add Page Element" window. Select your blog and add and you will see a complete list of your blog posts in the sidebar (upto 1000 posts).

Enjoy!

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Increase Traffic with Web Slices for Blogger.

Uptil now you could subscribe to blogs and read them in your Feed Reader. With Web Slices viewers can subscribe to parts of your blog page in Internet Explorer 8. They will then see updates directly on the Favorites bar of IE8. See picture below :

Here is how to set it up in blogspot blogs.........

Login at Blogger.com.

Dashboard will open.

Under Title of your blog click the Manage : Layout link.

Page Elements tab will open.

Click Edit Html subtab of Layout tab.

Backup Template by clicking 'Download Full Template' link and save it to PC.

Click the 'Expand Widgets Template' checkbox at the top of the Template Code box.

The Template will expand to show widgets code.

Scroll down to the Blog Posts widget Code :

<b:includable id='post' var='post'>

<div class="hslice" id="1">

<div class='post hentry'>

<a expr:name='data:post.id'/>

<p class="entry-title">

<b:if cond='data:post.title'>

<h3 class='post-title entry-title'>

<b:if cond='data:post.link'>

<a expr:href='data:post.link'><data:post.title/></a>

<b:else/>

<b:if cond='data:post.url'>

<a expr:href='data:post.url'><data:post.title/></a>

<b:else/>

<data:post.title/>

</b:if>

</b:if>

</h3>

</b:if></p>

<div class='post-header-line-1'/>

<div class="entry-content">

<div class='post-body entry-content'>

<p><data:post.body/></p>

<div style='clear: both;'/> 

</div></div></div>

Copy and paste in the green code lines as shown above and save template. Load the blog in Internet Explorer 8. You will see the purple icon by hovering the mouse cursor over the webslice. See picture below :

Check it out by hovering your mouse cursor on the title of the first post of Tips for Bloggers.

On the toolbar you will see the purple WebSlice icon appearing in the Commandbar. See red circled icon in picture below :

Click the drop down arrow next to it and then click on the option to subscribe which appears below (denoted by arrow in above picture). It will open a dialog box as shown below :

Click add button to add the webslice to your IE8 browser.

The update will show in the Favorites bar of Internet Explorer 8 and can be seen immediately by clicking the drop down arrow next to it. See picture below

Thus you can see updates to your webslice without visiting the page/blog. If the page has been updated the webslice title in the Favorites bar will be in bold.

Setup OpenID Comments To Follow In Blogger.

Ever since Blogger changed it's comments system to prevent other bloggers from leaving their URL, discouraging the DOFOLLOW brigade, it was found impossible to share or pass on the Google Juice to encourage your commentators. Now that Blogger has rolled out the OpenID system it has become possible once more.........

Here are the steps to follow :

1. Register at https://www.myopenid.com/signup and get an OpenID in the format :

http://USER_NAME.myopenid.com

2. Login at Blogger.com and click on Layout link on Dashboard for your blog. Then click on Edit Html subtab of Template tab.

3. Copy the code below and paste it in the Template code box below <head> tag at the top of the template :

<link href='http://www.myopenid.com/server' rel='openid.server' />
<link href='http://USER_NAME.myopenid.com' rel='openid.delegate' />

Instead of USER_NAME put in the actual user name you registered at the OpenID site.
Save Template.

IMPORTANT : Do not use doublequotes or you may get an error message.

4. Test the comment by making a comment on a DOFOLLOW Blogger Blog. After making the comment choose the Identity "Sign in using any Open-ID". In the text field which opens below paste in your blog url. Then Publish the comment. I made a comment here. The first time you make a comment you will be required to set up your persona at the OpenID site.

5. Check by View---->Page Source. If you see the Page Source for the blog page (from the browser menu) you will see :

<dt class='comment-author' id='comment-8224629199091623054'>
            <a name='comment-8224629199091623054'></a>
         
              <a href='http://betabloggerfordummies.blogspot.com/' rel='follow'>Vin</a>
         
            said...

Enjoy!

Link To My Blog Google Gadget.

Add Your Blog To Facebook.

Hot Tips on Blogger Profiles.

Easily Make Google Gadgets without Coding!

Free Publicity for Blogs via Google Gadgets.

The Blogging Tips Google Gadget.

Here is a Google Gadget which provides a fresh tip on Blogging every time your web page is refreshed. You can install this on your page at Googlepages, on any blog or website, on your personalized iGoogle page and on your Google Desktop sidebar. The code for the gadget is in the left column and the gadget in the right column.

To install it in your iGoogle personalized page just click the +Google button at the bottom left hand corner of the gadget.

You can scroll down within the gadget to see the whole tip. To install the gadget in your blog paste the whole code in the right column into a Html/Javascript Page element in the sidebar. You can also install this gadget from here. Click on Embed this gadget link. To see a new tip just refresh the page. After creating your Google Gadget there are many places where you can place your gadget................

PUBLISHING GOOGLE GADGETS

You can publish your Google Gadget to the following places :

1. Your iGoogle page.

2. Your friends' iGoogle pages.

3. Google page Creator.

4. Google Desktop.

5. Blogs on any platform.

6. Any website.

7. Publishing to Content Directory. Visitors here can pick up your gadget code to add to their sites.

iGoogle Publishing

To add your gadget to your personalized google page go to the Google Gadget Editor and using File--->Open command load the gadget you have created. Then click on File---->Publish----->Publish to my iGoogle Page. Your iGoogle page opens with your gadget loaded.

To load other gadgets go to the iGoogle content directory. Choose your gadget and click on Add It Now button at bottom of each gadget to add it to iGoogle.

PUBLISHING GADGET TO SITES OR BLOGS

To add the gadget to any other site or blog or Googlepages from Google gadget Editor go to File----->Publish----->Add to a Webpage------->Google Creator Page opens. Here you can change the width and height of the gadget so that it fits in your sidebar. Then click the Get Code button and copy the code given in the box which opens. Paste the code in Edit Html tab of your Googlepages or in a Html Page Element of your Blogger Blog.

PUBLISHING GADGET TO GOOGLE DESKTOP

To publish your Google Gadget on your Google desktop first choose to display the sidebar and then at the top of the Sidebar, click Add. Type the URL for a gadget spec into the Search gadgets text field and then click Search gadgets. If the gadget is found, its title is displayed next to an Add button. Click Add.

PUBLISHING TO CONTENT DIRECTORY

To submit your gadget to the Google Content Directory go to File menu in your Google Gadget editor and click on Publish----->Publish to iGoogle directory which takes you to the iGoogle submit page with your gadget URL pre-filled in the form. You can use the submit form to submit your gadget to the iGoogle content directory. Your gadget won't be submitted unless you click Send.

You need to add your gadget to the directory before you can add it to your Google Desktop.

Increase Traffic | Create a Google Gadget.

Increase Page Rank | Viral Icons.

Here is another viral idea to increase your Page Rank. Viral link building is a technique to increase backlinks to your site at an exponential rate thus increasing your blog Page Rank. This in turn will increase traffic to your blog.........

This scheme has been introduced by Ilker Yoldas from The Thinking Blog. He uses the ALT tags inside image links to increase page relevance. The keywords placed inside image links in ALT tags increase the value of the link due to the weightage given to these tags by search engine spiders.

Ilker Yoldas says " Moreover, when optimizing a site/web page for Google, remember that this attribute is taken into great consideration by Googlebot when spidering and indexing your pages. Thus, the ALT tag of an hyperlinked image tag has the same importance of a text link."

———Copy and paste the VIRAL-ICONS and instructions below this line———

Instructions:

1.) Copy and paste the matrix of “Viral Icons” below courtesy of Ilker Yoldas from The Thinking Blog. TIP : Easy way to do this : When viewing this page in browser go to View----->Page Source (CTRL+U) in Firefox and View------>Source in Internet Explorer. This page source will open in a Notepad file. Just copy all between the lines "———Copy and paste the VIRAL-ICONS and instructions below/above this line———".
Then paste it in Edit Html tab of post editor when creating your post.

2)Make a favicon for your blog.

3.) Upload your non-animated favicon (GIF image of size 16x16 pixels) to any free hosting service, Googlepages or to your own server provided by your hosting service if you have one. Then copy down it's link : LINK OF YOUR FAVICON.

4.) Substitute the Host Icon and one of the “Viral Icons” in the matrix with your ALT text of choice and your blog’s URL. Maximum of 3 specific keywords for the ALT text are best for it to be effective.

Here is an example:

<a href="LINK OF YOUR BLOG"><img alt="YOUR KEYWORDS HERE" src="LINK OF YOUR FAVICON" /></a>

Replace the CAPS in the above code with actual values.

5.) When you get a ping back from someone that has your icon in one of their “Viral Icons”, practice good karma by copying his/her Host Icon’s code (automatically the associated ALT tag will also be copied) and paste it over one of your “Viral Icons” below.

6.) Invite your readers to do the same and soon this can grow virally.

Host Icon:

VIRAL-ICONS

Rules: No Porn Sites, Only 1 icon per person (i.e. don't hog the ViralIcons!), and please don't tamper with other people's ALT tags, URLs or favicons.

Important: Once I get a ping back from you (I promise to do the best I can), I will add your favicon and the associated code you designate as “Host Icon” here, replacing one of the “Viral Icons” from the matrix above. Feel free to drop a comment here with your blog URL, ALT tags and favicon URL (we don't mind if it is the same all over the blogosphere).

———Copy and paste the VIRAL-ICONS and instructions above this line———

Ilker Yoldas further adds : " Why do bloggers need a favicon? Having a favicon is yet another way to establish your identity and make it easier for people to remember your site among a pile of places. These icons are everywhere (bookmarks, tabs, URL) and are often used on other sites for blogrolls. The favicon is such a simple piece of promotion, you really should have no excuse for not implementing it straight away. Think about all the extra exposure you can get.