Sharing a Blogger Blog Gets Easier

The folks at Blogger are really stepping up to the plate and making Blogger blogs even easier and more user friendly. I know that Word Press blogs are all the rage, but honestly I have had a harder time understanding it and am reluctant to switch over. Anyway, I found out about a new feature Blogger came out with and I have been meaning to share it for weeks.

At the top of your Blogger blog, there is a navigation bar that "Search Blog, Flag Blog, Follow Blog and Share." "Share" is the new feature I am "sharing" with you today.

Okay, first, below is a screen print of BBD, with the "Share" button circled and an arrow pointing to it. I do this so that everyone can see plainly what the heck I am talking about.

(Click on image to make it larger)

If you click on that Share button, a little box will pop up and you can click on how you would like to share the blog you are visiting. The options are Twitter, Facebook and Google Reader. I like the Twitter option best, so that is what I am going to use for the tutorial. Below is a screen print of BBD and the Share box that pops up.

(Click on image to make it larger)

So, now I am going to go share this post on Twitter so you can see how it works. The screen print below shows a screen print of my Twitter page. I added the "Simple tutorial on how to use Blogger's "share" button at..." the rest was what popped up when I clicked on Twitter in the share box.

(Click on image to make it larger)

There are many times that I when I am blog hopping and I come across a really useful or funny post and I want to share it on Twitter. Before I used Bitly.com (LOVE that program and will share about it another time) but now I can just click on the Share option in the Blogger navigation bar and presto!

Hope this tutorial helps a few of you. Hey, maybe you can even "share" BBD on Twitter for me. That would be awesome! If you do, please @amandapadgett so I can see your tweet and share the love back for you too!

Now, I realize that it does squat for the WordPress users, and I promise I am going to try to figure out that platform so I can be of some use to you, I just have so little time for blogging lately that it will have to wait a while longer.

Tutorials Recently Added

In my continual effort to learn more about blogging and how to work with my own blog template, I am always in search for good, relevant tutorials. Here are some that I found (and added to the Tutorials page) over the last couple of weeks that I either used myself or thought would benefit those stopping by here.

• Dummies Guide to Blogging showed me to add space between pictures or text without using the spacebar (which is usually ineffective).

• Adori Graphics shared about the easy edit feature (I knew this one, and use it often). Also, she taught me how to removed the "posted by" line at the bottom of a post.

• Moxie Design Studios posted on the difference between tags and categories and how to make use of them both.

• I discovered a great place for video tutorials, for all those visual learners out there. Magic With Blogs shares how to do many different things, showing step by step via a video.

• Search for Blogging shows step-by-step how to create your own custom Twitter background.

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Would you like to enter to win a free custom blog design? Head over the the Giveaways page to see which designers are doing giveaways and where to enter.

Custom Twitter Design Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Today I am very excited to announce that I am hosting a giveaway for Delicious Designs by Trista, for custom Twitter design! If you are on Twitter (and you should be), why not make your home page scream you? Trista is a very talented designer who can match your Twitter design to your blog design or give it a whole different look.

I recently had Trista work on my Twitter page, and I was thrilled with the result. I have several blogs, and while you can only list one via Twitter, I was able to publicize all three with my custom page. Also, notice that she made mine to match the design of BBD.

Below are some examples of Trista's awesome work!





Long before Trista was designing Twitter pages, she was creating amazing custom design templates for both Blogger and Wordpress platforms. Here are just a couple of examples of her work. If you are in need of a blog makeover, she would love to work with you and will do an outstanding job.



Now, on to the giveaway. To enter, simply leave a comment here, telling me how you heard about the giveaway (Tip Junkie, Twitter, etc.).

You can earn additional entries by doing one or all of the following:

1. Follow me on Twitter (if you already do, leave comment saying that)
   
2. Tweet about the giveaway (ex. Custom Twitter design giveaway! Go to http://tinyurl.com/llx9h2 to enter)
   
3. Post about the giveaway on your blog
4. Go over to Trista's Twitter portfolio and come back and tell us which of her custom Twitter designs you like best.

You MUST leave a comment for each additional entry. If you leave a comment saying you have done all four, that is just one entry but you did the work for four.

The giveaway ends Wednesday, July 1st at 9:00 PM EST. The winner will be choose using Random.org.

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Not sure what the heck Twitter is or if you want to be on it? Read this post at Tip Junkie which explains Twitter very well, with awesome tips on how to make the most of it.

Custom Twitter Backgrounds

With so many bloggers joining the Twitter world, I thought I would write a post discussing Twitter backgrounds. If you have no idea what Twitter is, click here to be taken to my Twitter page and you will probably get the idea. It isn't complicated or too time consuming, but it is a good way to connect with other bloggers and to bring attention to posts, reviews or giveaways you have at your blog.

The standard backgrounds Twitter provides are perfectly lovely, however, if you would like to make yours a little more personal or add extra information to your home page then you need to either find a designer who offers custom Twitter designs or look into customizing it yourself. Either way is fine, and I wanted to share designers who can make something custom for you. Or, if you need something free, check out my post on free Twitter backgrounds.

Designers who can create a custom design for you:

• Adori Graphics
  
• Boutique Graphics
• Custom Blog Designs
  
• Delicious Designs by Trista
• Designed by Lara
• Designer Blogs
  
• Designs by Vhiel
• Graphically Designing
• My Pixel Creations
• Once Upon a Blog
  
• Restored 316 Designs
• Sweet Blog Design
• The Blog Cafe
  
• The Design Girl
• The Posh Box
  
• Twit Art
• Twit Design

Would you like to follow me on Twitter? If so, click here and click on "follow" below my picture. I am not quite the Twitter addict as many, but I do tweet many times during the day, and try to announce giveaways and helpful blog posts.

If you design Twitter pages, free or custom, let me know and I will add you to my lists.

Free Twitter Backgrounds

Twitter has some cute backgrounds available, but if you want something different here are places you can get free backgrounds.

• Adori Graphics
  
• Pretty Tweet
• Free Twitter Designer
• Split Decisionz
• The Posh Box
  
• Twitter Image
• Twitter Backgrounds
• Tweet Style
• Twitrounds
• Twitter Treats
• Twitter Patterns

Do you know another place that offers free Twitter backgrounds? Leave the address in a comment and I'll add them to this list. Thanks!

Twitter Buttons - A Big Variety

By TwitterButtons.com

If you are a blogger, whether serious or for fun, it benefits to join Twitter. It is a great way to network with other bloggers and to give announcements and links to new posts or giveaways. MomAdvice gave a great explanation of Twitter and how it benefits you to use it.

To make the most of Twitter, you should post a link to your Twitter page so that readers can follow you. There are several sites that offer free Twitter buttons. If they don't have a code for you to add, then you simply save the button as a picture and add to your site, including the hyperlink to your Twitter page (for example, mine is www.twitter.com/readingtofour).

I was going to hunt down and list out all the places you can get cute, free Twitter buttons, but Annie at BlogU already did. Simply click HERE to see her post with lots and lots of links for Twitter buttons.



Special Note: If you would like to follow me on Twitter, click on the Twitter bird at the top of this post or click here.