Blogger Tools

Okay, you've planned your blog on Blogger and you've started creating your site, but what are your options to help the reader have a wonderful blog experience?

Today, we'll concentrate on the Layout button and all the cool things it lets you do. To get there, go to your blog and log in. Then click the Customize link in the upper right corner. The Customize link takes you to the Layout tab for your blog.

You can use the Layout tab to arrange and modify your blog's building blocks. Each building block has an Edit link, which allows you to control the content in that block. Selected building blocks are shaded. If you click a shaded block and drag it, you move it. (You can't move the header and blog posts blocks.

To view a selection of the tools available, click the Add Gadget link. If you click the link near that top, you add gadgets to your side bar. If you click the link at the bottom of your page, you add the gadget to the bottom.

That's great, you may ask, but what's a gadget?

The best way to find out is to click the link. A window appears that displays and describes a list of gadgets. You can add a gadget to your blog by clicking the blue button with a plus sign, all the way to the right of the gadget description.

The About Me Gadget
The About Me gadget is a key when you begin your blog. This gadget tells the reader about you and it's displayed on every blog you start. You should make the content in this gadget fit whatever you're trying to do with the blog.

Adding a Picture to your About Me Gadget
To add a picture, click the Dashboard link at the top of the page, then click Edit Photo. To select a picture from your computer, click the From My Computer option, then select the file you want to upload. The file should ideally be in .jpg format and should be about the size of a drivers' license or passport file.

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Profile.

When you're done...
When you're done, click the link back to the Dashboard, then click the View Blog link (four links to the right of your New Post button).

Next time: Changing your blog's template.