Q-AAs promised, here is the Blogs By Heather Weekly Q&A. Every week to recap all the questions and answers as I feel many would benefit from the answers and appreciate the questions.

So here we go…

Questions Asked This Week:

  1. Blog sidebar has disappeared.
  2. Trouble inserting images from Picasa.

 

My sidebar has disapeared, what happened?

I would say 90+% of the time it is due to incorrect HTML code; either in a gadget newly added to your sidebar, formatting in your post, or in code copied from another source.  

What I normally recommend is that you set the most recent post back to draft mode, refresh, and then see if the blog is again "normal".  

  • If so, then you know there is something wrong with that post.  I normally tell customers to simply recreate the post instead of spending the same amount of time or more trying to find the problem. 
  • If not, then it could be a previous post or sometimes embedded video.  
  • If not, then it could also be something wrong with a newly added gadget? Did you recently add a badge or button from another site?  Try removing that newly added gadget and see if that fixes the problem.  If so, then contact the person and let them know you are experiencing a problem when using their code.
  • If all else fails and you're using Typepad, you can open a trouble ticket and let the Typepad experts find the HTML error/problem.

Trouble inserting images from Picasa web

Blogger has it quirks at times, and if you experience inserting images from Picasa Web album (Blogger's photo album/gallery application), then you can right-click on the image in your album and Copy Image Location or Copy Image Address (depending on what browser you're using).

Then when you click the Insert Image button in Blogger, using the updated editor. click on Image URL and right-click and choose Paste or do a CTRL + V (to paste).

 

CM Capture 12
Then continue inserting the image as you normally do.

Again, if you get stuck and need help you can find lots of free tutorials here on my blog, but I also setup a page for "Ask a Question", or you may email as well. I will continue posting the Blogs By Weekly Q&A.  

Also, both my books review these questions in great detail:

Beginning Google Blogger is an entire book on just Blogger, Google Blogger, and how to setup your blog:

  • from creating a new blog, 
  • choosing and modifying the design, 
  • adding content, posting, 
  • inserting images, 
  • adding all sorts of gadgets, integrating with Facebook & Twitter, setting up a store, mapping a domain, SEO tips and more!

Creative Blogging is an excellent resource for Blogger, TypePad and WordPress users with detailed instructions for all THREE blogging platforms; as well as commands and instructions for Windows and Mac users. I'm so excited about this accomplishment and all it brings new and experience bloggers: 

  • starting a new blog, thinking of a name, brainstorming about what to write about, good writing tips; 
  • following with blog layout and organization, working with images and video (from getting them from your camera/video recorder to your computer to your blog!);
  • to creating a blog, changing its design, setting up a custom domain, creating a blog store with PayPal buttons;
  • to socializing with Facebook and Twitter, as well as how to drive traffic to your blog and monitor visitors (visitor tracking);
  • and then finishing up with using HTML and CSS code in your blog, and where to find additional help.

Happy Blogging!

Heather Wright-Porto
www.BlogsByHeather.com 

 

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