Step 1: Install Google Blogger to your Google Account
a. Sign Into your Google Account
b. Click More>> under Try something new
c. Click the Blogger ICON
d. Enter your Password
e. click Create a Blog
Step 2: Name your Blog
a. Enter Blog Title (Will be seen in Google
b. Enter Blog Address (should be URL of Web Site if Setting up to support your Site)
c. Click Check Availability to make sure name is available.
d. Key “Verification Code” and click CONTINUE
Step 3: Choose the TIC TAC Template. Later on in the session, you can change it to a variety of other layouts. You may also decide to have your Webmaster customize your Blog to match your site.
Step 4: Click Start Blogging
There are 3 different AREAS you must make sure you setup for your blog to function properly. See Below.
• POSTINGS --- SETTINGS ---- LAYOUT
Step 5: Modify LAYOUT Configurations
This section will allow you to customize the way your template looks. If you click VIEW BLOG you’ll see how it currently looks. Each area on the blog is defined in this LAYOUT section. You can choose a different template at any time. Note that any posting content will stay intact, but just be displayed inside the new template layout. You may also add Google gadgets, upload a header image, change fonts and colors and set up the way your posts will display. We recommend that you stick with an existing template and basic plug-ins, unless you have a programmer help you customize this section.
Step 6: Modify SETTINGS Configurations
We will set up the following “Setting” tabs: Basic, Publishing, Formatting, Comments (all the other tabs may remain at default unless you are doing something “extra” with your blog.
• BASIC TAB
Title: What Google will index as
Description: Use information here that will give your users a good feel for your blog’s content. This will be displayed at the top of your blog unless you customize your header with an image instead of default information.
Add your blog to our listings? YES
Let search engines find your blog? YES
Show Quick Editing on your Blog? YES
Show Email Post links? YES
Adult Content? NO
Show Compose Mode for all your blogs? YES
Enable transliteration? Default
o Click SAVE SETTINGS
• PUBLISHING TAB
Note: You will need to go to your hosting company and ask them to set your Main URL CNAME to point to GHS.GOOGLE.COM BEFORE you do the following step. You can still setup your entire blog, without pointing the URL, but until you do it, your blog pages will not help build your web site presence in Google. Until you have the CNAME properly set, you will be viewing your blog at http://www.your-website-address.blogspot.com once the CNAME is properly set, your blog pages will now be counting as part of your domain, and your blog address will be http://blog.yourwebsite-address.com.
Tell your host: Set your CNAME for blog.your-website-address.com to point to ghs.google.com
a. Click Custom Domain link
b. Click Switch to Advanced Settings link
c: Enter the following blog.your-website-address.com (put your web address in after blog. and before .com)
d. Use a missing files host? NO
e. Key the word verification as displayed
o Click SAVE SETTINGS
• FORMATTING TAB
Show: Choose number of posts to default on your main blog screen.
Date Header Format: Choose format for posting date layout.
Archive Index: Default is ok
Timestamp Format: Choose Format
Time Zone: Choose Time Zone
Language: Default to English
Convert line breaks: Yes
Show Title Field: Yes
Show Link Fields: No (unless you plan to post pod casts)
Enable Float Alignment: Default is ok
Post Template: Works as a signature on every post. Keeps typing down when posting.
o Click SAVE SETTINGS
• COMMENTS TAB
Comments: Show / Hide (Choose)
Who Can Comment? Choose appropriately.
Comment Form Placement: Choose appropriately.
Comments Default for Posts: Choose Default New Posts Have Comments if you plan to accept comments, choose New Posts Do Not Have Comments if you don’t want anyone commenting to your posts.
Backlinks: Default to Hide unless you plan to monitor Backlinks.
Backlinks Default for Posts: New Posts Have Backlinks
Comment Time Stamp Format: Choose appropriately.
Comment Form Message: Unless you want to customize – leave blank.
Comment Moderation: We recommend watching your posts so say Always. If you want an email everytime you get a comment, you may key your e-mail address here. You will also see pending comments if there are any when you log into your blogger account.
Show word verification for comments? Default to Yes
Show profile images on comments? Default to No, unless you think your people commenting will have profile images loaded.
Comment Notification Email: This would allow you to add 10 people to also be emailed when a new comment was posted.
o Click SAVE SETTINGS
Step 7: Add a POSTING
This is where you may add in a post. It works like a simple editor. The title you put in the top field on the posting submit form will be attached to your overall blog title you set up in Step 2. You may add images, videos, links, etc to any post. Make sure if you are using the labels section as a plug in on your layout, then you’ll need to devise a list of “topics” IE: Labels, which are entered into the labels field so your guests may better sort your various posts. You may save in draft until ready to Publish, at which point, Google will post in its listings.
Finally, you can change posting dates, or disallow comments for a particular post simply by clicking on: post options.
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Remember, you can add Google calendars, maps, newsletter signups, forms, video, images, any Google Gadget, Trip Advisor and BedandBreakfast.com Review, Booking Reservation “Plug-Ins” Any gadget that you have on your site or any Gadget you can create, can become part of your Blog.
How to Choose a Theme?
- Topics you know
- Topics you love
- Topics your guests love
- Things you are passionate about
- Reasons Guests come to your Inn
Some Blog Topic Ideas
- Life and times at White Country Inn
- Gardening with Innkeeper Mary Smith
- Out and about with the guests at the Lion Inn
- Wine and Dine at Tom’s Country Inn
Web Sites for more “Blog Topic” Ideas
http://innkeepersresource.typepad.com/the_innkeepers_resource/2009/02/do-innkeeper-blogs-work.html
http://blogging.seocompany.ca/blogging/what-should-you-blog-about/
http://blogs.bnet.com/pr/?p=146
Steps to remove the Google Blogger Toolbar from the top line of your Blog
Step 1: Under Layout tab – click Edit HTML
Step 2: Scroll through till you find the COMMENT section in the code.
Step 3: Copy the text in the block below. Paste it after the comment section’s dotted line that ends with the ------*/ and before the /* Variable definition section. See example on the next page.
#navbar { height: 0px; visibility: hidden; display: none;}
Example:
-----------------------------------------------
Blogger Template Style
Name: Rounders 2
Designer: Douglas Bowman
URL: www.stopdesign.com
Date: 27 Feb 2004
Updated by: Blogger Team
----------------------------------------------- */
#navbar { height: 0px; visibility: hidden; display: none;}
/* Variable definitions
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