Where my Blogspot fashion bloggers at!? Can I get a woop woop?
I know there are still many of us out there who use Google's blogging platform, Blogger, for their sites (myself included). It's a very user-friendly and easily-customizable platform, even if it's not quite the juggernaut that WordPress has become for the fashion blogging community.
If you're just getting started with blogging or a die-hard fan of blogger, there are some essential “gadgets” you can employ on your site to make it as user-friendly, easy-to-navigate and customizable as possible. We can't hyperlink you to the gadgets themselves, you have to have a Blogger account to access them. But if/when you do, here are the simple directions to find them:
- To add a new gadget to your Blogger site, go to the dashboard, and find the “Layout” icon on the left menu list. Here you will see how your site is laid out.
- Depending on the template you're using, either on the left or right where your side column is, you will see the “add gadget” link.
- When you click on it, a window will pop up, displaying Blogger's gadgets. You can search Basic, Popular, Featured and More Gadgets to find them.
- Once you have added a gadget, you can drag and drop it to different parts of your layout.
So you don't waste your time searching for the best ones, or accidentally add the 2nd most popular gadget, Fish, to your site, I have rounded up the 10 best Blogger gadgets for your fashion blog.
1. HTML/JavaScript
This is the be-all-end-all of Blogger gadgets. Use this to create just about any kind of widget for your blog, whether it will be on the side, in the footer or wherever, this is the gadget to use to create customized social sharing buttons, widgets and input any tools that use HTML code or JavaScript to install.
2. Pages
We've mentioned before that pages are essential to the navigation and site use of your blog. In Blogger, you can create and manage them with a gadget. (Depending on how you like your site organized, you might want to drag your Pages Gadget under your header, to make your navigation easy.)
3. Search Box
This is pretty self-explanatory, but I think it's a very necessary tool for your blog. This is how readers and new visitors can find specific content on your site. Make it easier for them by using your labels on each post. You can customize the title of this gadget as well, for example, mine says, “Looking For Something Specific?”
4. Archive
This is another easy-but-essential gadget for your blog. This way your readers can have a chronological search tool to find older content. You can customize the title as well as the format, whether you want a heirarchy, flat list or drop-down menu, as well as the frequency.
5. Blog List or Link List
The blogroll! I love this gadget, and I update mine constantly. I try to keep a good mix of aspirational blogs as well as new discoveries and friends in my list of links. Use this tool to direct your followers to your favorite daily reads. You can customize this gadget to be titled whatever you like, or to have no title at all, and you can also include icons and links to most recent posts (but I think that looks too busy).
6. Page Header
To add your custom header to your site, use this gadget. Once you open it you can upload an image to use, and you may have to tinker with it to get it to be the exact right size, but it's essential to add some personality and flavor to your blog.
7. Popular Posts
I mentioned in another post that the “Popular Posts” gadget is a great way to keep readers on your site, especially new visitors. It's a way to promote your highly-trafficked posts, and give readers a snapshot of what kinds of content you produce and what resonates among your other readers.
8. Video Bar
This gadget isn't necessary for everyone, but if you're a video blogger, it's a must! You can customize it to house only your specific channel's videos, without having to leave the blog.
9. Text
Use this gadget to add a short note or a favorite quote, any plain-text content to the side of your site. You might use it to write a brief profile of yourself or a bio if your site is connected to your profession as well.
10. Followers
In the era of Twitter and Facebook, the followers gadget is not a true gauge of just how popular or highly-trafficked your blog is. Most people will follow you on their social networks and their readers and call it good. I like this gadget though because I like to have a visual of how my following is growing within the Blogger community.
This is such a helpful post 🙂 I just added the search and popular post gadgets!
http://lazyobsession.blogspot.com
yes! i am a die hard blogger fan, it is hands down the best way to begin in the blogging world.
Love these tips, and tempted to switch platforms. I love that blogger and tumblr allow for customization where wordpress seems to flounder/charge money for colored fonts and what seem like fundamental blogger rights. Great tips!
-Katy
That’s why I love Blogspot so much. I was really close to switching to WordPress until I realized all the extra costs that accompanied it and that I wasn’t quite willing to pay for yet.
Kashara:)
Such a great post for us blogger girls. Definitely adding the popular post gadget.
Brie x
I use most of these gadgets on my Blogger site. I mostly use the HTML/Javascript gadget to make them as customizable as possible, even for little things like adding ads to my sidebar. I have always used blogger, its so simple to use, and you can really customize your page if you have the right tools, knowledge, and time to do so!
x lauren
I basically use all of these with the exception of the video bar which I’m on my way to add to it now. I really love how easy blogger is to use, and almost always I only follow blogger blogs because I get to read them with ease when I’m on blogger.
I like blogspot too, and I don’t feel a need to change, although some people think it’s for novices. I don’t. One thing I would like, if any one knows, is how to link to a specific post typed on a page. When I do a new post it only goes to my main page. One the other pages it’s just one big typing area, with no way to separate my posts. I tried putting a new post on the main page with a link to the other page, but it won’t link to specific posts since they’re all in one big text field. Anyone know how to customize that?
Also, I just added a custom header last night, and I can’t believe what a difference it makes. My blog looks so much more professional and personal now! I should’ve done it months ago.
I started out on WordPress but was frustrated with the limited manipulation it allowed. Blogger is such a great platform! I’m able to have a unique design and not have to pay to be able to install it!
I basically use all of these, minus the Video gadget – that one can be finicky!
www.theurbanumbrella.com
I think that my Latest Pins gadget for Blogger is my favourite righ now 🙂
I already commented but I’m back to say the popular post gadget is now really working out for my blog!! thanks for this post 😀
http://lazyobsession.blogspot.com
Blogger has to be great if you see mature bloggers still using it years after they began, right? It’s definitely working for me and it’s so user-friendly! I love the HTML gadget!
Love this post! I’m using tumblr and blogger at the moment. I prefer blogger for my personal style blog as my readers can comment easier. It also is great for adding gadgets like mentioned above! However, I hate that the themes are all so similar. I wish they’d create better ones! http://afinefashionfrenzyblog.blogspot.com.au/
Thank you for all the useful info!
Do you know however how I can add subcategory tabs for my blogspot blog? It’s so easy to do in wordpress where I have my other blog (www.mobileriam.wordpress.com) that I find it frustrating not to be able to do it in bloggers :/
There was a time I wanted to switch because that meant I was taking my blogging to the next level. I soon realized what I really needed was a constant and interesting content. So I’m still on blogger and not leaving any day soon. I’m going to try the video gadget.
Blogger is simple and after all it’s free! I’ve recently changed the format and am a little disappointed at my options with blogger but I’m not ready to change yet.
I just started using the instagram gadget and love it! I post more pictures On instagram so I hope it gives my readers more.
I use tumblr but I’m really tempted to switch to blogger, it seems that most personal style bloggers use blogger. By the way, tumblr has most of these features too, although its a little harder and more complicated to add them in. Most of them can be done through the “edit HTML” page. I think video isn’t available on tumblr though.
I think it would be important to say that you can get custom themes for your blog through Blogger. You don’t have to stick with the ready-made themes they offer.
Just do a Google search for Blogger themes and you get loads. You get given a code that you copy and paste into the HTML edit part of the Blogger dashboard. Can make an otherwise ugly blog look lovely!
Great article for beginners getting to grips with Blogger.
These are all useful and awesome, but what if you blog on WordPress?
Zhenya
Even though it is not totally accurate, my favourite is the follow widget, because along with my Bloglovin’ followers figure, I use the two of them to set myself my years targets. I’m really happy today, as I met my target for the end of 2012 and it is still only November!
I actually have them all, well not the video one but thanks for sharing, definitely a very useful article especially for those just starting out:)
www.fashiondelights.net
i used all of them its really great . see my blog Http://javacourseblog.blogspot.com
I love this site. I having been collecting information for months on starting a blog. (I’m a planner and I’m indecisive
With blogger extending its support to recent posts and comments, the ease of adding widgets is so increased!
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100% Collectable site. i love and use this.
Now what else left….almost every tiny thing you have covered.i think popular posts and short bio of admin plays an important role in reader psychology and it benefited me also.
Thanks alot
but how to place them?
any idea in my site
I love blogger! It works great and it is super easy. I just added the “Follow me on Bloglovin” gadget and I hope it helps me getting more followers cause i keep getting more and more visitors but i have so little followers, i really dont know why…
100% Collectable site. i love and use this.
thanx to share ur review with us..
You are doing such a good job by this post , Because This will be use usefull and right to new blogger.
what a post thanks for the good article.
I have just opened my blog and will be posting soon. From widgets I have a search box, archive, and one image of what I am currently reading and currently watching.
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Nice Information
I use all of these! Absolute must for all fashion bloggers (:
http://kirstywinter.blogspot.com.es/
These are all useful and awesome, I use all of these!
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plz visit http://foreverpoints.blogspot.com
Very useful information! I just started mine on blogger and feel like such a noob without posts like these 😀 thanks!