Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts

5 Ways That You Are Killing Your Blog


typing in keyboard
Image by Sarah Blocksidge from Pixabay

When you launch a blog, you want it to be successful and have thousands of people reading your content every day. Your wish is for people to share links to your blog posts on social media and even promote your blog from their websites and elsewhere.

Sadly, that isn't always the case for some bloggers, and they sometimes can't understand why that is so. You might not realize it, but some common signs signify when people are killing their blogs.

The World of Blogging

blog

Blogging had recreated my life after I went downhill. I lost my mother from cervical cancer, no job and penniless. I move out of a boarding house to live with my boyfriend, who's now my partner. At that time, he worked in an Internet shop and had given me a computer to use.

Starting A Blog
When I start a blog, I have zero knowledge about it. A friend had guided me into it. 

Bringing It All Together - How to Be More Organized as a Blogger

This year, there are expected to be almost 32 million people who consider themselves to be bloggers across the globe. Whether you’re writing about parenting, technology, marketing, or anything in between, there are always opportunities to grow your business and build a following when you know how to manage your blog the right way.

organized blogging

But, blogging is about more than just being a fantastic writer with a unique opinion. It’s even about more than understanding SEO and marketing practices or working with sponsors.

Keeping Yourself Safe When You Become a Blogger

Increasing numbers of people are becoming bloggers. Many are starting personal blogs for the sheer sake of showing their family and friends what they’re up to. Some are taking to professional blogging to make a career of sharing their ideas and thoughts with the wider world. Either way, your blog will generally be accessible to the wider public and you can quickly find yourself with a large following. Now, this is great. It can propel you to success! But it’s also important that you keep yourself safe when you become a blogger. When you become a public figure, you need to ensure that you’re not oversharing to avoid potential issues.

Baby Steps in Learning How To Blog

how to blog for the first time

If you decide to start blogging, the 2 most important "Must Haves" are an Internet and Computer or Laptop. As of now, I have read that there are some who use their cell phone. There are apps that can do that trick. I will not go further because I have no idea about it, yet.

The Broken Link Checker

broken link, 404 error
If you have noticed from previous months, I have only 1 to 3 posts. The reason is that I focused mostly, on cleaning my blog posts from broken links and errors like 404, 500, schema and others. This is an SEO thing. I am not an expert in this field because I depend mostly on what I had researched through Google. If I find a website that is easy to understand, then I pause to read it before applying it on my blog. Also, as much as possible, I looked for the nearest year it was published. Every year, there are a lot of updates and changes.

Since my blogging platform is Blogger or Blogspot, I'll be facing HTML codes. I made sure that the guide published is easy to understand with or without photos. I will do the editing, manually. I'm not sure if there's another way to do it. All I know it's manual when it comes to Blogger or Blogspot platform.

As I've said above, I clean my blog with the help of posts that I researched as well as the link. I'll be sharing those links and the errors I've encountered on my blog.

Lessons Learned: Blogging Mistakes

blogging, mistakes, lessons
In the past days, I've been busy pretending to be a wannabe web designer and digital artist! I've been researching and reading to enhance my knowledge about redesigning my own blog. Since I cannot hire them for real, I have to do it on my own.

How to Build Your Followers!

followers, building followers
Do you have a lot of followers? If so, congratulations! When you decide to get into paid blogging, a big opportunity awaits you. Some advertisers are looking for bloggers who has 4,000 or 5,000 followers in social networks. Woah! That's a lot, right? 

How I Create My Blog Title

These past days, I was trying to rack my brain for a new blog title. I feel that "Elisa Knows and Writes" isn't me. The blog title was created in a snap because of the SEO thing. Yes, I pass the number of characters in the blog title. But, I am not comfortable with it. It must be something else. Something about ME!! The blog represents about you as a blogger.

A friend Cindy who is an SEO Expert messaged me in Facebook and exchange comments on her post. She asked me if I am a home study. I was surprised then I remember my Facebook post of "Self studying is worth it". We had a little conversation that is an exchange of ideas. I took the opportunity and shoot her a question. If she can suggest a blog title for me. Her answer is "Go with your feelings!". Go with your feelings! I keep it playing on my mind. I tried to feel it with my heart. I keep understanding and thinking about it. What do I want? What are the things that I love to do? How do I feel? What are my feelings? Is it emotions? What is the best blog title that describes me? These are the questions that are lurking in my mind. Suddenly, I know the answer! Of all the places, I was in the shower when it happened. "For The Love of Learning"!



how to make a blog title
For the Love of Learning, is my new blog title!

This blog title speaks about me and what I am doing right now. Having a new domain is a challenge. I had zero idea on how to transfer the domain name to blogspot especially it's a little bit complex. Eventually, it took me two days to transfer and understand. I was challenged and I love it with feelings. Now, I keep on researching or googling the internet trying to learn different tips and tricks. It's all about blogging such as the SEO, traffic drive in search engines, webmaster tools and a bit of coding on the side.  Whatever I learned from my research, I applied it on my blog. Do it with passion!

As the days go by, I learned that there is no need to rush. Take things slowly. Loved whatever you learned and do. DO it with feelings! Do it with your heart.

Update:

I am fond of changing blog titles!

My Journey in The Blogosphere

Photo Credits: If you Give A Girl A Pen
This is always the thing that describes me: create an account and leave it behind. Oh no, not the messy things! I was referring to creating my first blog platform – Live Journal. It was created as a very personal diary. It is alive but not updated. I just leave it – stagnant. 2nd is the Multiply platform in which I have two accounts; One is a link to online resellers and suppliers while the second one is a personal diary. But then, I decided to delete the second and integrate some of the posts I’ve written there in blogger. So, I can focus only to one personal diary.

Writing in a different blogging platform is my only means to let go all my emotions and unload burdens. I did not think of it as a way to earn; I did not think of it that one day, it’ll help me with the tool in my life.


The new journey began in Manila for the second time: I face it alone and it was all negative, though. Job applications turned negative results, money was draining in my pockets and I end up washing clothes of my boarding housemates to put food right into my tummy. One online friend told me about family’s support because I was desperate to have a job. I didn’t respond but smile sourly. I wish, there was a family support, but there is NONE.


Help! Creating a Badge Exchange Page

Yay, I thought it was easy for me to create a page for a lot of badges that I want to steal. Yea, steal because I don’t intend to tell the owner that I took their badge. I am excited to put their badge in my site. A playful thing for me, err … you’re not going to sue me, are you?

I used Mclinky tool but it seems there are no addition of badges aside from Red. That is why I decided to steal and hide it in one of my pages.

And oh boy, it wasn’t easy as I thought. My techie knowledge is limited and I need another brainer’ for it. *Sigh. Is there someone who can lend a hand on how to do it for free? Thank you very much!

Do you want Exchange Badge with Me? Here’s How!

If you want to exchange link with me, please click this link or when you visit my site. Click the encircled word “Beautiful Badge”.You will find it in the header portion.

 badge


Click “Add Your link”. Then, fill the boxes with your url, name and email. Click Next!
Choose the photo of your site’s badge.
badge

And the easiest way is clicking the link here :D

That’s it! If you have problems, let me now. Thank you so much! :)

New Blog Name: A Walk Through My Notebook


I had changed my layout and now I am changing the title of my blog. I am not satisfied with the word as "DIARY". It could be a diary but I want something more to it.

I was searching for quotes on the internet to post in my header when I stumble with Denise Levertov (a British-American Poet) quotes from "A Walk Through A Notebook. I was thinking this is it! I wanted something that describes the ME personally.

As I search further, I found out that there's a blog URL that reads like this http://awalkthroughmynotebook.blogspot.com - I tried to check it out and found it does not exist, anymore. A gadget website had even posted a thumbnail of the blog but when I click it, it sends me to a seller of laptops and notebooks.

I am checking this because there might be someone else who uses the same blog title or even the url. And thank God, I found none of them. So, I am free to use it now. Well, my blog is not about poetry and can't even write one. If someone asked me why? My answer is like Denise wrote poetry in notebooks about the challenges of life. While I am writing it in a notebook about the challenges of my life. I blog what comes into my mind.

Her poem, "A Walk Through My Notebook", is like an inspiration because we all start writing in a paper and a notebook.

Coffee Desk: My New Blog Template

IT'S DONE!! Take a look!

Remember that I discussed the problems I encountered with this template? I found out that it was an old version. I don't know what link I've clicked that reverted me to the contributor Falcon Hive website. And I was so grateful because it was the new and updated version. You can download it here Coffee Desk v100.zip updated by Alvaris in December 2009. There's a guide you can read on the installation process from their website. But, I will post some of it, for you:

What To Do:
  1. Download the new version here zip
  2. Extract the file and saved it to your hard disk.
  3. After extracting, you will find a folder that says "IMAGE - UPLOAD FIRST". Yes, upload all the pictures in that folder, FIRST. If you have a photobucket account, upload it there. If not, you can create it here. The important thing is that it has an HTML version where you can copy and paste later, leave it open.
  4. Open another window and go to your blog Dashboard > Layout> Edit HTML,  first, click download full template, to back up or restore your old template.
  5. Next, still in the Edit HTML, browse and upload Coffee Desk_v100 XML document from the extracted files. Leave it open.
  6. Open the READ ME notepad in the extracted files folder for further instructions.
Problems Encountered:
(1) Undefined word shows instead of the Time/Date:
Here's what to do:
Here's what to do:
    1. Go to Blogspot DASHBOARD 
    2. Click SETTINGS tab. 
    3. In the SETTINGS tab, click FORMATTING. Then, go to the TIMESTAMP FORMAT then change the format as shown in this sample: Saturday, May 29, 2010.
    4. Click Save Settings.
    (2) Can not see the Menu Navigation that looks like a pinned note in the header.
           No worries, because if you did not edit your menu, then you can not see the "pinned note". Okay, to see it for yourself, you might try this out as temporary. (Only to see if the pinned note works Header portion)
        What to do:
          1. Go to Blogspot's Dashboard
          2. Click the Layout tab. Then, Page Elements. 
          3. In Add and Arrange Page Elements, you'll see Header then next is Menu. Click that menu Edit, pop up window will show, it's a Configure Link List. 
          4. In the Configure Link List, type a URL in the New Site URL box. The URL depends on you because this is only a test but if you want to type the website link you had in your mind, then do it, it is up to you.
          5. Then type the site name in the New Site Name Box and click Add Link.
          6. Click Save. 
          Refresh your blog, check if you see the "Pinned Note" in the Header and click it if it runs to the next page.
            I hope that helps if you want to use the Coffee Desk blog template. As of now, I am contented with the template, it speaks of the old me. A note, a pen, and coffee nearby! Chill!

              Coffee Desk Blog Template - BTemplate

              blog template, coffee desk
              Oh, how many times have I changed my template on this blog. Guess, it's three times already! :)  Well, I am always looking for changes to expand, to make it beautiful and simple. The name of this template is Coffee Desk. I found it in BTtemplate website. You will find hundreds  of templates for blog posts and WordPress from that website. And of course, it is free to download.

              I am fond of writing in  notebooks, journals and even in calendars. I still kept those notes. It's smelly and a little bit yellowish because of time. (Whispers) It's written in year 2004 that's why it looks rusty. :D   So, I guess, a notebook and a pen with extras like a coffee while writing! That suits fine, isn't!  

              I encountered problems on this template when i upload it, (1) all the widgets went into panic. I describe it as a "panicky widgets". It's like the widgets went  berserk, 2 widgets on top (header) posts on the footer and so on. I am glad I download first the (original) Full Template and saved it in my hard disk.  What I did, I restore it to original then copy the html of my widgets into a notepad and delete it from the lay-out. Then save. I  upload again the Coffee Desk html. No "panicky widgets this time because it was deleted. After uploading Coffee Desk html, I add the widgets html, one by one, I saved in one notepad file.
                                                                                                                                                                         Problem number  2 showed in every posts or articles. In every post there's a big and red word "UNDEFINED" for the time and date stamp. Whom I gonna call for help? Ghostbusters!! Oh no, not that one! It's Google website! And so, i typed on the google search box, " why undefined showed on my blog posts?". I was so glad I did because I found it! Here's the link , an answer, in case you will have the same problem. This man named spavel is an Official Top Contributor with a star. You will read it when you click that link over there. You can read his contributions but this one answer works for me.
              Your template says "Mr. Moto Rising (Ellington style)", but much of the code (including the undefined) is left over from the third-party template. The normal recommendation is to revert the widgets. That will put the date in the post footer and remove the "undefined". While reverting, make sure you click the right link!Below the template editor, click:        Revert widget templates to default               link to the LEFT of the Clear Edits button.
              And it works. The word UNDEFINED was gone and replaced by the exact date. But the dates font size is bigger. And look at this original from BTtemplate.  and the DEMO or even the photo above. Spot the difference? That's what I am going to fix next! See ya round!! :)