Gadgets for Blogger

G is for Gadgets for Blogger

Gadgets can be especially useful in blogs to attract more readers/subscribers, to point them to addition posts, and even to help you promote. But some nifty gadgets you may see on other blogs can’t be found here, like a grab button for your blog, book or website, a LinkWithin Widget, and a Facebook Activity Feed Box.

Grab Button:

A grab button is more or less a picture embedded with a link. A box below your button allows people to copy the code and add your button to their blog to promote you. If people click on the button, they will be brought to your blog, website, book page, or any other site you want to bring more traffic to.

Here is the code you will need: 

<div align="center"> <a href="YOUR BLOG URL HERE" target="_blank"><img alt="YOUR BLOG TITLE" src="YOUR IMAGE LINK HERE"/></a> </div> <div align="center"> <form><textarea rows="6" cols="20"><center><a href="YOUR BLOG URL HERE" target="_blank"><img alt="YOUR BLOG TITLE" src="YOUR IMAGE LINK HERE"/></a></center></textarea></form></div> 

How to fix the code:

1. Where it says YOUR BLOG URL HERE put your blog url, staying between the quotation marks.

2. Where it says YOUR BLOG TITLE put the title of your blog.

3. Where it says YOUR IMAGE LINK HERE put the DIRECT link to the picture you want to use beginning with http://

(I got mine by using Photobucket and clicking on the "Get link codes" tab.)

How to add the code:

1. Once you substitute in your info go to "Layout" on your blogger profile, click "add a Gadget", click "HTML/Javascript", and then paste in the code you created. 

2. To see if it worked, click "richtext" in the HTML gadget window. It should show you an image of your button with the grab box. 

If you want to change the size of the grab box, click "edit HTML", look for where it says "rows=6" and "cols=20" in the code. By lowering the numbers the grab box will shrink in size. You may have to fiddle with this. Keep clicking "richtext" to see the outcome.

4. When you're done, save it!

5. Then go to your blog to see it came through correctly, and you’re done! 

Mine is in the left sidebar. Snatch the code and add it to your blog. Then tell me if you have a button so I can add it to mine too. :)

You can also try this code generator site: My Cool Realm

LinkWithin Widget:

What is a LinkWithin widget? Take a peek below my post, just above my comment box. You will see a headline that says “You might also like:” and below it are four pictures with blog titles. That is a LinkWithin widget. It is a great tool to prompt readers to check out other posts they may find useful.

To get a LinkWithin Widget go here: http://www.linkwithin.com/learn

On this page, go to the purplish-blue box on the right. Fill in your email, blog link, platform (Blogger, Wordpress), select a width, check the box only if your blog had light text on a dark background like mind, and then click “Get Widget!” It’s been a while since I created mine, but I believe it gets added automatically to your blog. 

Facebook Activity Feed Box:

If you would like to add a Facebook Activity Feed Box (which shows your activity on FB and lets people like your page) use this code:

<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-like-box" data-href="YOUR FACEBOOK DIRECT LINK HERE" data-width="500" data-height="300" data-colorscheme="light" data-show-faces="false" data-border-color="black" data-stream="true" data-header="true"></div>

How to fix the code:

1.    Where it says YOUR FACEBOOK DIRECT LINK HERE, enter the exact link to your Facebook page beginning with http:// between the quotations marks.

2.    This code came directly from my blog because I couldn’t find the site I got it from, so I changed the color scheme to light. You can erase "light" and type "dark" between the quotation marks if your blog is dark like mine.

3.    I highlighted the width and height in case you want to modify it to fit your blog. These measurements match the box on my blog. 

How to add the code:

Go to "Layout" on your blogger profile, click "add a Gadget", click "HTML/Javascript", and then paste in the code you created. Save it, move the gadget wherever you want it to go, and view your blog.

I hope this helped you! 

A to Z Blogging Challenge:

A: Author Photo Tips

B: Boost Your Writing Brain Power

C: Children’s Books (How to Write)

D: Dangers Writers Face

E: Eating and Writing

F: Fairy Tales (How to Write)