Intermediate and Advanced Blogging

Now you've got a blog and want more. There's lots of help online but here are some more suggestions.

First, you'll find tons of videos at the following site. From creating a blog to transforming your personal blog into a web site check out MagicWithBlogs. A quick look there will help you find a visual guide to most anything you want to do with a blog.

A lot of people are interested in customizing the look and functions of their blogs. Here are some of my favorite places to go for that.

Software: (Step up from the built-in writer, and start blogging in style!)

• Windows Live Writer Works with MSN Live Spaces, Google Blogger, Wordpress, etc.
• Zemanta It delivers free images, automatic smart links, associated photos, related articles, and automatic tags. Integrates directly into Windows Live Writer and helps you dress up your posts quickly!
  
• Ecto For Mac use, it's feature rich at a low price, integrates into iPhoto and the rest of your Mac world.
  

Templates:

• Install Blogger Templates how-to Video
• Using Custom Templates how-to Video
• http://www.ourblogtemplates.com/ Beautiful with tabs
• Free BloggerBuster Templates
• 101 Excellent Blogger XML Templates
• 54 Inspiring and Original Blogger Designs Gallery of beautiful designs: be in awe!
• "Premium" Blogger Templates available from Theme Forest, for a small premium.
• http://bloggertemplates.itmag.org
• Final Sense Blogger Templates
• Get a free animated header for your blog
• How to hide the Blogger Nav-Bar (in case it messes up your design aesthetic)
• Admin Control Panel (after hiding the Nav-bar, this only appears when you, the Administrato,r logs in for management)

Widgets and Add-ons:

• How to create a table of contents for your blog
• Top 10 Blogger Customizations
• Add background music to your blog
• Use a "Tab View" Widget to streamline your content
• Create "Wordpress" style pages for your Blogger blog

Manage your blog:

• http://www.bloggingtips.com
• What is Atom/RSS?
• Top 12 keyboard shortcuts for bloggers
• Mobile blogging with Flickr
• Looking for copyright free images for your blog?
• Blogger Posts: Backup, Restore, and Even Import from Other Platforms!

Examples of top blogs: (Hint: It's the content that got them there!)

• Travelpod "Lets you chart your trips on a map, share unlimited photos and videos, and stay in touch while you travel."
• Seth Godin "Seth Godin's riffs on marketing, respect, and the ways ideas spread."
• MacRumors "Apple News and Rumors"
• AutoBlog
• How to Change the World "A practical blog for impractical people."
• Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide
• Engadget
• LifeHacker "Tips and downloads for getting things done"
• ArsTechnica "The art of technology"
• BoingBoing "A Directory of Wonderful Things"
• GoogleBlog "Insights from Googlers into our products, technology, and the Google culture."
• SlashFilm "Blogging the Reel World, movie news and reviews"
• DailyBlogTips "Improve your blog with Daily Blog Tips. A fast paced blog featuring articles on blog design, SEO, promotion, monetization and more."
• A List Apart "A List Apart, For People Who Make Websites, is one of the longest-running, most trusted, and most influential independent user experience and web design magazines."