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March 30, 2011

Blogging 101: Quick Tips on Titles, Google Love and Sidebar Links

I know I promised a post this week on Photography Tips but as you can see from my last post on our it’s been kinda crazy around our home.  We are in the midst of our DIY kitchen remodel which means my entire kitchen and eating area is now located in my great room…this includes an 8 foot  Ikea farm table!  Would anyone like to come buy it from me? I’ll give ya a great deal (shipping not included though.) grin.  


On top of the remodel, I have also had a persistent cold for over a week with a horrible hacking keep you up all night cough.  I finally relented and took the advise of one of our Facebook friends and bought some Vicks Vapor Rub.  It works people, it really works!  I was able to get two decent if not great nights sleep and am finally feeling slightly human again…oh and my dryer is making a horrible clanking sound, so we’ve been without a dryer for a few weeks because no one could seem to remember to call a repairman….so I am sitting here typing this waiting for him to show up.  Vicks Vapor Rub and the dryer repairman have become Heather’s two newest best friends!

So, today’s Blogging 101 post is going to be a two quick tips that I hope will help you.  These are tips that primarily apply to Blogger.  I was a Typepad girl before Vanessa and I combined blogs, so learning Blogger was an adjustment for me.  I’ve had lots of trial and error, so I hope I can pass on some of the tips I’ve learned to newer bloggers, or even those of you who are seasoned bloggers but just had never figured some of these little quirks out.  We’ll call this entry in the Blogging 101 Series: Quick Tips for New (and not so new) Bloggers



Blogging 101: Quick Tips for New (and not so new) Bloggers


Tip 1:  How to have a catchy title in Blogger and still receive google love!


Other blogging platforms allow you to create your own url using “keywords” which are what 
Google uses to find blog posts relevant to the keywords someone might type to search for a specific thing.  For example, if I want to learn how to put up beadboard.  I might use the keywords: how to beadboard OR putting up beadboard, OR beadboard kitchen, etc.  If I want someone to be able to find MY beadboard project so they can see the wonderful tutorial I created on beadboarding I would want my title to have the words: beadboard, than maybe how to, or project, or kitchen, or maybe a combination: beadboard, kitchen, project.


But maybe I want to make my actual title clever and catchy like: “How I Learned to Use Power Tools” or “Putting Up Beadboard Can Be a Great Date!”  Both of these are eye catching but goggle doesn’t care about witty and clever just keywords.  Here’s a trick to bypass blogger.

When you are writing your post, put a few key words in the title box. When I created this post I put in the key words:  Blogging 101, Blogger, Tips, Title, Google Then I wrote my post and saved it.  When I got ready to publish it I hit publish post and then quickly went into edit, changed my title to the one you see above and re-published.  You have to be quick if you don’t want your “keyword title” to show up in blog rolls.  You might want to make sure your “keywords” you use at least make sense in case they show up somewhere.  
So now you can see that my url for this post is: https://www.atthepicketfence.com/2011/03/blogging-101-tips-blogger-google-title.html
But the post title is: Blogging 101: Quick Tips on Titles, Google Love and Sidebar Links

This method allows you to create key words for your title, which helps with your blog ranking, but also to have an eye catching title which causes people to actually want to read your post.   Why is this important you ask?  Well, it may not be if you are not worried about anyone finding your blog through keyword searches.  BUT, say you’ve written this awesome post on how to put up beadboard, or how to paint your kitchen cabinets, or how to say…write a post with quick tips for new bloggers, you should want other people to find your wonderful post and learn from you.  That’s why we write “how to” posts.  The only way someone is going to stumble upon your great post is when they type in the keywords in a Google search, and your blog pops up near the top.  The only way it will show up on one of the first few pages of a Google search is if Google “sees” those key words somewhere in your blog near the top of your post but even more likely in your title. As far as I know for now this is the only option offered to us by Blogger for now, to create our own url.  Hopefully they will catch on soon and allow us to create our own post urls.
A little disclaimer:   Never  create a url or put in keywords in a title that is NOT related to the content in your post.  You will not only lose integrity with readers, but Google will “ding” you for it.  Every webpage or blog has a page ranking with Goggle…did you know that? Well they will lower your page ranking if you try and “trick” the system.  Just make your keywords relevant to your post and you’ll be fine.

Tip 2:  How to link pictures in your sidebar to categories or pages on your blog

I was talking (typing) with another blogger this past week who is launching an new blog design…she shall remain nameless until she launchs..;)  Anyway, I suggested she link or the technical term is “hyper-link” some photos in her sidebar to categories related to that picture.  For example, in our sidebar if you click on “At The Kid’s Table” it will take you to a page of all of our At The Kid’s Table posts.  Same for A Labor of The Heart.  We will (when I seem to find the time) also create the same thing for this Blogging 101 Series.  You can do this for any of your categories,”labels” or pages.  Let’s use our At The Kid’s Table label as an example.

First you will need to create a picture or graphic that will represent your category.  We have our Kid’s Table graphic that I used.  You will need to resize this to fit appropriately in your sidebar.  Our graphic and pictures are resized to: 150X150.  You can choose any size as long as it is not wider than your sidebar. Otherwise it will flow over your sidebar into your main column.  This is a sure sign of not knowing how to size your pictures correctly.  You can do all of this in Picasa.  If you don’t know Picasa is where all of your pictures are stored when you upload them to your blog.  You can find the link to your Picasa web album on your blog dashboard all the way at the bottom.  If you’ve never seen this…surprise!  Welcome to your free photo editing software…grin!

Once you have your picture sized correctly using some type of photo editing.  You will need to make sure you’ve uploaded it to Picasa.  Than you need to pull up that image so it is the only one showing.  

Next, you need to open up your blog and decide which page or label you want to connect to this image.  Every label you give a post has it’s own page.  Click on one of your labels and you’ll see how this works. This is why it’s important to not have a million labels.  But that’s for another post…;)

Here’s the label page for At The Kid’s Table: 
https://www.atthepicketfence.com/search/label/At%20the%20Kids%20Table  

This is the url that I want to associate with my At The Kid’s Table image in my sidebar.  Every time I create a new post and label it At The Kid’s Table it will be automatically added to this “label page”  

You should now have a window pulled up with your Picasa album opened to your image and a window open up to your label page with the label page url in your browser window.  Now, open up one other page…I know, I know but trust me this will be come a piece of cake once you get the steps down.  In this page you need to go to your Dashboard and than to Design/Add and Arrange Page Elements.  Select: Add a Gadget.  In the past, if you have placed pictures in your sidebar you have probably just selected: Add a Picture, but you can’t link the pictures when you do this.  Instead you are now going to select: HTML/Java Script.  And you are going to put this code in:

https://www.atthepicketfence.com/search/label/At%20the%20Kids%20Table“>https://lh5.ggpht.com/_iNH7eCND5Ws/TUmXr048GyI/AAAAAAAAASY/e-TgwYDc5BA/At-The-Kid%27s-Table-graphic.jpg“/>


Except, you are going to replace the first area in red with your label page url (if you look at mine you will see this is the same url as I showed you above for the At The Kid’s Table label page.)  And you are going to replace the second area in red with the url of the image you want to represent this category. The one you see above is the url of our image in Picasa…(in layman terms it’s the address where this image resides)

So how do you get these two urls? 
First copy the code above right out of this post. 
Paste it in the open gadget window that you opened up in Add/Arrange Page elements.  
Delete OUR label page url (make sure you do not delete the quotations marks only what is between them.)  
Than go to your label page you have open in a separate window.  Copy and paste the label page url between the set quotation marks.  
Next, delete out our image url (image urls almost always in in .jpg or .png) again making sure to not delete the quotation marks or any other coding.  
Now go over to Picasa and right click on your image.  Select “copy image url” and than locate your cursor between the the set of quotation marks and paste your image url. 

Last step:  Drag your new gadget where you want it in your sidebar.  You can also give this gadget a title or not depending on the look you want.  You’ll see ours do have titles.  Than before you save your new layout, preview it and make sure you like where it’s located.  Unfortunately you cannot test the link in Preview.  So you will have to Save the layout and than view your blog.  Make sure your link’s are working. If you mess the steps up for some reason.  Just delete the gadget and start over.  Also make sure you do not delete or cut out ANY other coding, except the remove our urls and repace them with yours.  If the link doesn’t work there is a good chance you deleted another part of the code on accident. 

You can create as many of these as you have labels, but I just having a few main categories.  You might want to have one that is all tutorials, or all recipes, etc.

Yikes!  Okay, I always get nervous writing out tutorials.  I hope these weren’t too confusing.  I will get on often throughout the day and check to see if you have any questions for me.  I’d love you to ask them in the comment section and I will answer them here so others can see the answers as well. BUT, if you get really confused feel free to email me and I’ll try and help you directly.  I hope these two little tips help enhance your blog in someway.  And, I promise next week the photography post will be up!  In the meantime as always….

Thanks for joining me at the fence!

17 Comments Filed Under: Blogging 101, Good Ideas

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Comments

  1. Judy says

    March 30, 2011 at 5:31 PM

    Great tutorial. I have a question – how do you add the category links you have at the top (ie home, about me, etc) – is it the same way as you described for the sidebar?

    Reply
  2. Debbie says

    March 30, 2011 at 8:59 PM

    I’m going to reread the second part four more times. I’m pretty sure that I will get it then. That’s not a commentary on YOU or the tutorial, of course. It’s about Doofus Debbie and her Dell.

    (I think that might be an upcoming blog post title… Hm. What keywords should I type in first?)

    LOVED that first tidbit, too. I even got that one on the first go round.

    OK… so have you addressed pages on the top of the blog yet? I want to do that, but I can’t remember if you have discussed them. I’ll go back and look.

    And btw, this sounds goofy but try putting the Vicks on your feet and wearing socks to bed. Don’t ask me why, but it works.

    Reply
  3. janette@ The2Seasons says

    March 30, 2011 at 10:36 PM

    We at http://www.the2seasons.com have been blogging since January and still are struggling to figure it all out. Right now my brain hurts.

    Reply
  4. Grace @ Sense and Simplicity says

    March 30, 2011 at 11:17 PM

    I’ve been blogging for over a year now and have helped many others with their blog, but I never understood about the keywords and how Google makes the post url. Thanks so much for the explanation and the little tip on how to change it. I do vacillate between titles that Google will be able to search easily (I’d figured that much out) and titles that are catchy, but now I can do both.

    Reply
  5. Cindy says

    March 30, 2011 at 6:00 PM

    Thanks sooo much! I’d love to hear the answer to Judy’s question about the top menu bar! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Leslie says

    March 31, 2011 at 1:40 AM

    AH! Thank you for explaining the key words and how to get those going and changing them QUICKLY! I do make some goofy post titles sometimes (on purpose) and I have often thought I wished there was a better way to get my key ideas out there–YAY!
    By the way, I read yesterday’s post, and forgot to comment!
    You kitchen is looking mighty spiffy!
    i am excited to see it done, as are you, I’m sure!
    HUGS and thanks for taking the time to type all this out–whew!
    I saved it so I can read it again.
    Love,
    ~me

    Reply
    • Noe says

      July 26, 2013 at 9:43 AM

      You are so inspiring and such a risk taker with those coorls! Wow! Reminds me of “happy”! And a bit Swedish looking, too!!!I read your comment on my blog after I posted a photo!!! Can I really ask??? (cringing and feeling really embarrassed!!) I don’t have a clue what I’m doing on this thing! I’ve already forgotten how to post a picture!! Hee hee!Did I mention that I home school my boys???~Kolein

      Reply
    • www.timaydelottproductions.com says

      February 18, 2014 at 2:53 AM

      Yo, good lookin out! Gonna make it work now.

      Reply
  7. NanaDiana says

    March 31, 2011 at 4:58 AM

    I am saving this because I don’t know how to do 1/4 of these things…sooo sadddd…xxoo Diana

    Reply
  8. Nancy's Notes says

    March 30, 2011 at 10:08 PM

    Great tips, I’ll be re-reading! Happy I found your blog is a round about way!

    Nancy

    Reply
  9. Sarah @ Modern Country Style says

    March 31, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    That’s a great tip about quickly changing the title. I like that one a LOT!!

    I love this series that your doing. It’s brilliant!

    Sarahx

    Reply
  10. Wendy says

    March 31, 2011 at 4:37 PM

    Thanks for the comment the other day on my blog! Also, thanks for posting this, I need all the help I can get!

    Reply
  11. michelle says

    March 31, 2011 at 4:40 PM

    You always have such great tips and I am so excited to see your kitchen! That farm table is gorgeous!!!

    Reply
  12. Rustic and White says

    April 1, 2011 at 1:19 AM

    I have just found your blog and am anxious to learn more. I am what you may call a part-time blogger. I am hopeful now that I have discovered your blog I will learn more:o)

    Thanks so much!
    Carrie

    Reply
  13. Simple Midwest Mom says

    April 2, 2011 at 5:31 AM

    Like an early somment, I also found your blog in a round about way and so glad I did. I’ve been away from blogging for sometime now and just geting back to it. So much has changed and updated since I first started in 2008. I am a little lost. I’ve tried checking out some sites that offer help but some are waaay over my head. Thx for spelling it out for a computer klutz like me!

    Reply
  14. Donata @ DK's Craft Cafe says

    February 5, 2012 at 6:45 AM

    This is so helpful, so kind and so generous.
    Thank you sooo much!

    Reply
  15. Misti says

    February 18, 2012 at 5:03 AM

    LOVE this series! It’s the first time any of it has made sense! THANK YOU!

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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