...use some of these hacks to jazz up your Blogger layout!
This post is SO totally inspired by Bloomin' Rouge's great posts on techniques to try on Blogger; read hers here and here if you've not seen 'em already.
Today I've assembled a few little tricks that I've been busting out on my layout, plus some sites that have been super, duper helpful on the subject...
Build A Test Blog Site
This isn't a trick I've heard many people mention, but my God is it one that I swear by. Any complex widgets or major design efforts are always tested out on my dummy blog, and it's made my life SO much easier. I even use it to see how blog posts will actually work/look beyond the Preview option (I hate that all Blogger preview options can't be clicked through... le sigh!) This has been an amazing help and if you've not got a test blog already, get on it now!
Make Your Own Pinterest Button
Pinterest has been responsible for the rise to fame for so many bloggers out there; adding a "Pin It" button can really help drive traffic to your blog. I'd considered option for the simple, standard Pinterest button widget that is offered by the site - but having spotted a few bloggers that had their own personalised buttons, I figured I'd make my own.
This tutorial is the one that I used to host my button, which I designed for free on PicMonkey. Frankly I've never felt like more of a design genius.
Customise Your "Older/Newer Posts"
This one is a two in one jobbie... I personally hate the look of the "Older/Newer Posts" options that feature at the bottom of Blogger templates, so I've found two ways to make them more bearable. The first option is to change it to numbered pages, which I think looks far more professional. I am using Style 4 on the post I've linked, and all I had to do was change the colours to suit me and BOOM, I was off.
I've also had a fiddle in my blog posts to make sure that "Older/Newer Posts" says the title of the blog post it's referring too, and I got the code for that here.
I hope you guys liked this post - do please let me know if you have any of your own stylish hacks for jazzing up Blogger layouts as I am obsessed with finding more!
Today I've assembled a few little tricks that I've been busting out on my layout, plus some sites that have been super, duper helpful on the subject...
Build A Test Blog Site
This isn't a trick I've heard many people mention, but my God is it one that I swear by. Any complex widgets or major design efforts are always tested out on my dummy blog, and it's made my life SO much easier. I even use it to see how blog posts will actually work/look beyond the Preview option (I hate that all Blogger preview options can't be clicked through... le sigh!) This has been an amazing help and if you've not got a test blog already, get on it now!
Make Your Own Pinterest Button
Pinterest has been responsible for the rise to fame for so many bloggers out there; adding a "Pin It" button can really help drive traffic to your blog. I'd considered option for the simple, standard Pinterest button widget that is offered by the site - but having spotted a few bloggers that had their own personalised buttons, I figured I'd make my own.
This tutorial is the one that I used to host my button, which I designed for free on PicMonkey. Frankly I've never felt like more of a design genius.
Customise Your "Older/Newer Posts"
This one is a two in one jobbie... I personally hate the look of the "Older/Newer Posts" options that feature at the bottom of Blogger templates, so I've found two ways to make them more bearable. The first option is to change it to numbered pages, which I think looks far more professional. I am using Style 4 on the post I've linked, and all I had to do was change the colours to suit me and BOOM, I was off.
I've also had a fiddle in my blog posts to make sure that "Older/Newer Posts" says the title of the blog post it's referring too, and I got the code for that here.
I hope you guys liked this post - do please let me know if you have any of your own stylish hacks for jazzing up Blogger layouts as I am obsessed with finding more!
