Saturday, November 17, 2012

How the Heck Did You Do That?? Blogger Tips and Tricks #4


Blogger Tips and Tricks #4

1. How do I create a scrolling blogroll?
  • Go to add a gadget or html code for sidebar 
  • For blogger under add a gadget select html/java code
  • Paste the following code and add a title such as "Blogs I Follow" 
<center><div class="textwidget"><marquee direction="up" width="200" onmouseover="this.stop()" scrollamount="2" onmouseout="this.start()" height="200" align="left">
</marquee></div>
  • Now you can add buttons. 
  • Go to your fave blog.
  • Copy their button code and paste that code between red html code and the blue html code
You have a scrolling blogroll for your favorite blogs. You can add as many buttons as you like, but always keep the code between the red and blue html. 

Here is an example:

<center><div class="textwidget"><marquee direction="up" width="200" onmouseover="this.stop()" scrollamount="2" onmouseout="this.start()" height="200" align="left">

<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa411/kimbathecaffeinatedbookreviewer/vectorstock_715065-1button.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://rainydayramblings.typepad.com/"><img src="http://rainydayramblings.typepad.com/Images/button.jpg">
</a>
<center><a href="http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Melissa Eclectic Bookshelf" src="http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac339/Loriimagination/melissasbookshelf/testbutton2.jpg"/></a></center>

</marquee></div>

The mustard, purple and green colors are all button codes, and you simply copy and paste them under each other, being sure to keep them between the red and blue html code.



2. Five tips on how to grow your blog:
  • Visit other blogs and leave meaningful comments.
  • Start a twitter account -get to know bloggers and authors. Tweet your content. Be sure your twitter name and icon match your blog so they are easily recognizable
  • Start a facebook page for your blog. This is a perfect place to connect, share bookish news and control the content on your blog.
  • Post consistently. While you do not have to post everyday, a blog that sits inactive for weeks at a time, will be forgotten. 
  • Review things you are passionate about. Good reviews that show your personality and reflect books you like will attract like minded readers. 
3.  I was emailed the following question: 


 How do you post on a daily basis? 
                   
I am actually posting weeks in advance. For instance this post which will publish on November 17, is actually being written on October 10th. 

Ideally, the way to do this is to create blog posts for two to three weeks before you go live. However if you are like me, you dove in headfirst and asked questions later. So here are some tips to build a base:
  • Write up reviews for books you have already read. Lets say six to eight reviews. These can be books you read in the last five years, or make a post showcasing a series or author..be creative. 
  • Participate in at least one meme or create your own weekly post. Since we all cannot review seven books a week, try to have at least two days with memes such as Waiting on Wednesday or The Sunday Post. As an alternative create your own weekly post such as a bookish news post. 
  • Join a blog tour group. Ask bloggers you trust which tour groups they recommend. 
  • Map out at least two weeks worth of reviews, memes and tours
Now that you have a PLAN, your pre-written posts, memes and hopefully tour date you are ready to organize. Gather all of the books you have promised to review but have not read. Create a list based on release dates. 

Organization is the key!
Get a calendar or use an online one.  (I use Google calendar) 
  • Determine how many books you want to review and how many you can read each month. This is really important..do not overreach in your commitments or you will quickly burn out. Error on the low side. 
  • Determine how many scheduled memes you will be participating in each week. 
For me I can easily review 8 books a month.
I participate in two memes a week and once a month I post Blogger Tips and Tricks
Open your calendar for the Next three months:
  • Add all of your scheduled memes(for the entire 3 months) I know you haven't written them, but fill in those dates. I use red for planned and blue for completed and scheduled.
  • Schedule all of the book reviews you wrote from above for the next two to three weeks, add in any blog tours you have scheduled. 
  • Now beginning two - three weeks from today's date start adding book post dates. These are books you have not yet read for review. The number of books scheduled to post for review will be based on the number of books you decided you could read a month.  (For me I can do eight a month, so each week I schedule two review posts, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays.)
  • Now that your schedule is up, begin reading the books scheduled for two to three weeks from now. You should have ample time to read and review them. (If you aren't able to read your own books or feel locked into a reading schedule ..go back and adjust the number of books you can review in a month.)
  • Fill in empty slots with blog tours, books you've read, bookish news, cover reveals or another meme.
Scheduling Ahead for Book Reviews, Blog Tours, Guest Post etc:
Whenever you are asked to review a book or find yourself drooling on NetGalley, look at the book(s) release date and head to that calendar month. Have you accepted your max number of books for that month? Using this method will ensure you do not overbook, that you enjoy your blog and deliver a steady stream of content. 


Have a question? Want advice? Want to know how they did that? Email me


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36 Comments:

At July 17, 2013 at 9:08 PM , Anonymous Kate Tilton said...

I added this post to my resource list ;) katetilton.com/resources

 
At July 17, 2013 at 9:13 PM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

welcome:)

 
At July 17, 2013 at 9:13 PM , Anonymous Kate Tilton said...

I've been looking for this for forever! Thank you!

 
At July 17, 2013 at 9:57 PM , Anonymous Bea @ Bea's Book Nook said...

I'm the same way! It doesn't help that I work several jobs which cuts into both my reading time and my blog time, including my review writing time.

 
At July 17, 2013 at 10:06 PM , Anonymous karina said...

Kimberly, you are officially a wonder woman! The key to my daily blogging is disorganisation and insanity few hours before the post is due ;) I rarely have more than week in advance of posts ready. More like 2-3 days' cushion. Respect and admiration, sis! x

 
At July 18, 2013 at 12:11 AM , Anonymous julie tearjerky said...

oh my gods. I've been looking for this. Thanks for these tips, especially about the scrolling blogroll! You are a life-saver! Thanks! :)

 
At July 18, 2013 at 12:32 AM , Anonymous Michelle@ Book Briefs said...

I have always wanted to make a scrolling blog roll. Thanks for the html code! :) And the tips are great. I use google calendar but I am no where near getting posts up 2 or 3 weeks in advance. That is awesome! without my calendar though I would be lost.


I have a question. I know you don't have one on your blog, but I was wondering if you knew where I could find the coding for those horizontal marquees that some blogs have that scroll through their recent posts? I am looking for a new template that I can spruce up a bit for my blog. (I have been feeling like my current design is too cluttered) and because I post a lot, I like the idea of having something scroll through my recent posts without me having to update it.


No worries if you don't know. I have been googling but coming up empty.

 
At July 18, 2013 at 12:54 AM , Anonymous Sue said...

Thanks for the hint on the scrolling

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous Tami said...

I just did a post about the scrolling blogroll too! Great minds think alike!! xo

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

Sweet..we rock!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

I researched this and recommend getting a template with it. You can modify the one blogger offers..but it involves a lot of code changes and I haven't found one that is bug free. I am planning to add a new template very soon that has it, since I too love it. I will look for the template I am going to use and email you the link!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous Fran said...

Never ever have truer words been spoken my friend! That's exactly what I went through! Not scheduling ahead of time, posting on the fly, over accepting thinking I could read fast like I used to, etc.
I was not realistic about my time schedule and believe it or not my health. I am not the speed reader I used to be that needed 4-6 hours of sleep a night.
Trying to do too much too fast too. Thinking if I did EVERYTHING I would progress faster. Ugh. Silly girl I am!
When I begin to blog again, I am taking SLOOOOW. NO accepting review requests, blog tours, NADA. Just reviews of books I already read or have on hand, and participating in this awesome, fabulous, Sunday meme called "The Sunday Post" maybe you've heard of it? The blogger that hosts it is pretty awesome too ;) So I hear.
Only exception is Prey by Andrew Fukada (the hunt 2) & Unravel Me (Shatter Me 2)


Another awesome post. Thank you :)

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

Thanks Fran and may I suggest that while you are on your break that you write up reviews, so that when you come back you will have a few weeks buffer. I miss you and am so glad you commented. Believe me you are not alone..I hear way to many bloggers saying the same thing. Thanks for all the lovely comments cupcake..you made me smile <3 Oh um heck yes to Prey and Unravel Me!!!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

Ha..i looked again and found one today that requires no changes to template code, so I will share it next month..i also emailed it to you cupcake!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

It looks awesome and yes it really cleans things up!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous fran said...

I read about someone asking about the image sliders, I have a great one, but you have to manually update it.

It was easy for me to install, never glitched on me, was adjustable as far as size and what not goes, etc. Im on blogger too

Here's the link for you to scope it out:http://www.way2blogging.org/2012/05/how-to-add-jquery-nivo-slider-to-blogger-blog.html

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

you are a doll, I found one today that doesn't require changing code, so I will share that next month :)

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous Sam @ Realm of Fiction said...

You know, when I first started blogging, I had no idea I would actually have to keep a schedule. I started off posting spontaneously but now have things planned out til March! It's crazy. :D Very helpful tips as usual, Kimba! Thanks for sharing.

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

I am booked through March too..LOL It's nice though because life happens..my in-laws are coming for the holidays and my posts are done for the two weeks surrounding the holidays and I am done Nov and the first week of Dec.

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

It can be done, write up some reviews of books you read the year before you began, and slowly build up a buffer..

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

Mine looks exactly the same way!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous Heidi said...

Very helpful tips! Yes organization is key. I already have my calendar filled up through March! It is amazing how fast it fills up! It also helps to keep the intake in check.

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

Thanks Diana, I think people who post on the fly and over accept books for review tend to burn out and don't enjoy blogging. How can you build a community if you are stressed? So agree about the comments, I do the same thing you do. I also have to say a facebook and twitter account make a world of difference too.

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

you are very welcome!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:28 AM , Anonymous SharonS said...

Thanks! My HTML skills are so basic, I appreciate the tips :)

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

I do the exact same thing..that is how I found you cupcake!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

eep..i would be nervous, but I know a lot of bloggers do it.

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf said...

Awesome tips...especially about writing and scheduling posts in advance. I try to do this myself...though I'm usually only one week ahead...but it is a lifesaver as I barely have time to visit and comment on blogs during the work week...let alone write up posts!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

agreed, thanks Melissa

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know said...

I love these posts! Please...keep them coming! I especially love how you laid out getting ahead in planning your posts. That was really hard for me in the beginning because I just jumped right in too, and I ended up getting ahead by a fluke accident but it's saved my neck as far as being consistent and not stressing out about posting. Great tips!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

thanks Sandy, most people skate along until life happens..

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous Primrose said...

Thanks for such helpful tips. :)

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:33 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

welcome :0

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:34 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

thank you!

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:34 AM , Anonymous kimbacaffeinate said...

your welcome and I would go crazy without it :)

 
At July 18, 2013 at 1:34 AM , Anonymous Sharon - Obsession with Books said...

Another wonderful 'Tips and Tricks' post Kimba :)

I have been admiring your blogroll for quite some time so my task today is to create my own, thank-you.

Some great advice as well, I am not good at planning in advance but its such a great idea; I use Google calendar - I have been saved by the email reminders a few times now ;)

Thankyou so much for sharing x

 

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