Justice

      It's my pleasure to announce my final February guest here in the Kitchen, Rachel from Totally Ovar It. I'd say my final social media post but I just got a late request so...  Anyway, I've been wracking my brain trying to introduce her post, to do it justice, and I'm having a hard time.

     We all blog for different reasons, about different things. We put it out there and hope someone is reading. My own bit of the blogshere is not what I would call an overly personal one. Quite frankly, I am a very private person, not willing to put my heart out there and have it open to scrutiny. I'm constantly amazed by people who have the courage to do that.

     Reading people's accounts of abuse, illness, loss etc and how it affects them or how they have moved on is inspirational. The community has a vibrant and supportive network that spans the globe, shining a light into life's darker corners. You are not alone. There is hope. I understand.

     Unfortunately, not all of our online experiences are good ones. I already did my rant about an experience I had on a forum. Unpleasant but not a big deal. I've not had a really negative response to my blog or had to deal with haters. With any luck, I never will. Not all of us are so fortunate. Today, Rachel is sharing her encounter with the darker side of blogging.

The Underbelly of the Blogosphere

I find there is truly helpful information on becoming a successful blogger everywhere.

My biggest piece of advice: Don't piss off the Homecoming Queen of Twitter.

Sadly, I am extremely cynical. I am also not super interested in growing my "brand" or give a shit about what people think. I blog for me and if you read it, that kind of fascinates me as to why.

But I cared oh so much, one year ago

When my blog was novel and the bloggers I met loved me and I was in the Homecoming Queen's court.

And then I sent an email to said Queen because I was hurt by her actions towards me and everything turned.

The HQ decided I was no longer worthy of her attention and, in fact, decided I was no longer worthy to contact her either. I was blocked from her Twitter and Facebook accounts, with no explanation.

I desperately tried to reach out to her many, many times. To talk about why my feelings were so hurt by her actions. To do anything to re-establish our friendship. All to no avail. I am dead to her. 

Not only did she turn on me, she reported my Twitter account as harassing and got it shut down. She blocked my email address from her site and got a number of her followers (many of whom I was silly enough to think they were my friends) to "unfollow" me and block me from their Twitter and Facebook accounts.

All of this without even saying "Boo" to me.  I do not enjoy conflict, but I always want to resolve it. 

But I also thank her for this as it was the best thing she could have done for me.

She made me rethink why I blog. So much so that I quit blogging for over 4 months. And when I restarted I did it on my terms.

In fact, I'm glad she got my old handle 'totallyovarit' banned. Because that's NOT how I want to be known. I am so much more than my blog. I am a real person with literally life or death problems. Not someone who is interested in tweeting my day away.

She also showed me who she does not have influence over. Ironically they are people I met through her, yet they have stuck by me through everything I have gone through. They are my champions. And I love them as they are my family too.

I blog for me, plain and simple.

I blog because I am painfully honest about my past and want other abused women to know they are not alone.

I am not out there trying to grow my audience or get a book deal (yet).

I refuse to get caught up in the bullshit of "I'll comment on your blog if you comment on mine" and "I'll follow you if you follow me." No. I will comment when something resonates. It doesn't matter if I'm the first and only comment or the fiftieth one.

I wear my heart on my sleeve because I want anyone who reads my blog and thus decides to become my friend in this virtual world, to know exactly what s/he is in for.

I will never again be duped by the false friendship of another, more popular blogger. As I have first hand experience that while she is a talented writer, she is a shallow, mean, vindictive woman. For bloggers like her I have little patience.


http://www.totallyovarit.com/

     There are a couple of reasons why this particular post hits home. I was reading another blog and she was also dealing with negative responses. Her words " you can't take this safe place away from me" stayed with  me for days after.

     I think we forget sometimes, there is a real person behind each post. We are a step removed from actual person to person contact. Sometimes that is a great thing. We have time to think, process then respond. Other times we forget the power of a keystroke. We forget the person behind the post. Just like IRL feelings get hurt, actions have consequences, even those keystrokes.

     Thank you Rachel for sharing this. Yes, there may be haters out there, but they can only take away our voice if we let them. In trying to break us down, they only make us stronger. That's divine justice.

    

Our Lady of Listicles

     That's right, It's Friday again. Not just any Friday either, Friday the 24th of February which according to the schedule means another guest here in the Kitchen. Today, I'm pleased to announce, none other than the Lady of Listicles herself, Stasha from The good life.

     That's right, the woman who has single handedly changed how I feel about Mondays. She'll be telling us about hosting a link up. Sit back, grab a slice of pie and enjoy.

10 reasons hosting a link up is good for you:

1. You will be famous.

2. You will have people bringing their stories to you, neatly arranged on your blog for you to read and marvel.

3. You will kill at least 7 hours reading them and otherwise engaging with your guests.

4. You will meet many new bloggers with little effort on your part.

5. You will be famous.

6. You will have a commitment other then your marriage and dental appointment.

7. You will join an elite group of sevenhundrednintythreethousandfivehudredandtwelwe other link ups.

8. You will forever be known by your linky name. So try not to choose something sounding like testicles.

9. You will be asked to guest post.

10. You will be given pie in exchange for your guest post. As it is clearly evident, Monday Listicles is the best thing since sliced bread. Or Cherry Pie Paul is sending me.

     There you have it. In her own incomparable style, the benefits of  linking up. I can't tell you how much fun I've had playing along.

     On a slightly more serious note, if you are looking to increase your presence in the blogsphere, link ups and blog hops are a great way to introduce yourself. Find one (or two or three) and give it a try. It has provided me with the opportunity to meet many other bloggers that I would not necessarily have met otherwise. We may lead very different lives but it's funny how much we share.

     In the spirit of this post, I'm linking up with Jennifer over at Just Jennifer for TGIF, Get Your Happy On. It seems fitting, seeing it was at her urging, I first gave Monday Listicles a try. That's right Stasha, blame her, it's all her fault.

     
     Thanks again Stasha, you're welcome in my kitchen any time. Not only will there be pie, for you, I'll clean.

The #411 on Twitter

     Today is a whole new bunch of awesome here in the Kitchen. That's right, Jennifer from Just Jennifer is here sharing her insights on the Twitter. She has the distiction of having a double post here, kinda.

     Way back when I was trying to sort through all of the boosting my presense via social media on my own I ran across this, How to Whore and/or Pimp Your Blog. Read it, you'll understand the how and why I ended up a follower of Jennifer's and why I think she's just a whole bunch of awesome in so many different ways. Okay, enough sloppin' sugar, on to the post.

The #411 on Twitter

Once upon a time there was a girl who did not tweet. She knew of the land of Twitter, but she did not know of its wonders. She had visited once, long ago, but had very little recollection. Later, after she started blogging, she realized she hadn’t given it a chance. So the girl gathered her courage and made her way back. Back to the place she didn’t even know she had been missing.

Twitter. To tweet. It sounds like a very silly thing, doesn’t it? And I suppose it is. I mean, it’s random messages sent out to the webiverse in 140 characters or less, streaming by at a rather good clip.

But that’s the beauty of it. You have only 140 characters so you want to make the most of them. This makes tweeps (twitter peeps) choose their words wisely and well. Tweets are very often funny, witty and pack a punch. You find yourself wanting to jump on Twitter to find a convo to butt in to, to find something funny and make you laugh.

Once you’ve connected with some tweeps, they will be right there when you need cheering up. When you have a question, ask Twitter. Nine times out of 10, someone who knows the answer will see your tweet and reply, usually in under 5 minutes.  Also, Twitter has become an excellent breaking news source.

Twitter has huge benefits for bloggers. Sometimes I think it was invented just for us. You write a post and you hope some people will come and read it and leave comments, right? Tweet it. People see your new post in their timeline, click the link and there it is. They read. They comment. If they really liked it, they’ll RT (retweet) your post, and then more people will see and click, and so on. Also, I’ve come away from a twitter session with fun fodder to blog about more than once.

Twitter is the best social networking site for a reason. There are an infinite number of connections that can be made. The world is listening to twitter and your reach is limitless! I kid you not. T-Mobile, Food Network and The Ricki Lake Show, among others, are following me. What I think that says is that even little ole me has a voice and is perhaps influential in some way.

Let me say this clearly so there is no question. If you are a blogger who wants readers, to connect, to spread your wings, you need to be on twitter. It’s that simple.

Now, I’m not saying you have to spend all day, every day staring at your timeline, searching for tweeps to follow and wracking your brain to come up with clever things to tweet. But it’s great to have a twitter account and use it. That’s all I’m saying.

So this is what you do:

Go to www.twitter.com and set up an account. It’s OK (Paul), I promise it won’t hurt!

If you’re a blogger, you want your username (or “handle”) to be either your actual name, or some variation of your blog name. (My handle is JenAnnHall, which is almost my full name. I have my name set as “Just Jennifer“ for my blog.) If you decide later you don’t like your handle, it is changeable.

Upload a good picture for your avatar. Again, it can be your face, or maybe your blog button. However, I will say that a face makes you more personable.

For continuity, choose or upload a profile background that in some way matches your blog.

Do go through and pick and choose which kinds of notifications you want via email. You probably don’t want every @ mention, but you do want to be notified of Direct Messages (DM) or you might miss them.

Once you’re all set up, get a follow me button for your blog and start seeking out people you’d like to follow!

Using Twitter:

At first your timeline probably won’t move very fast, but as you choose to follow more and more people, it will.

If you start to miss more than you’d like, you can set up lists and group tweeps together. You can easily search for particular subjects being tweeted about, usually with a hashtag.

What is a hashtag? A #hashtag is a #subject or a #sidecomment or a phrase that connects a series of tweets, such as #wineparty or #Grammys.

When you want to talk directly to a particular tweep, you “mention” them with @ and their handle, such as @JenAnnHall, or simply reply to one of their tweets.

Twitter has an extensive help center to answer all your questions!

Dos & Don’ts:

DON’T just be a stalker. Twitter users like interaction!

DO respond to mentions and say thanks for RTs.

DON’T spam people via DM with information they didn’t ask for.

DO tweet more than just your post links. Let people get to know you better.

DON’T retweet everything you see.

DO be yourself and use common sense and good manners.

Alright, I think my job here is done. You should be completely ready to take the plunge into the Twitterverse!

Oh yeah, have FUN!

      I can't add anything to that. Really, I can't. I haven't taken the plunge yet despite her very comprehensive post. I just figured out how to make a badge show up inside a post not just on my side bar. There's only so much technical sh*t I can handle at a time.

     Jennifer, it has been a blast having you hang out @TheOssingtonKitchen. I can't thank you enough. (Still workin' on my handle LOL, I really will take the plunge, soon, I swear)

An Introvert's Guide to Blogging

     I'm honoured to welcome Sweaty from Do Sweat the Small Stuff into the Kitchen today. I love her blog/writing and am thrilled she consented to do a guest post for me. Without further ado, drum roll please, here's Sweaty.

An Introvert’s Guide to Blogging

by Sweaty of Do Sweat the Small Stuff

If you’re an introvert like me, using social media to enhance your blog can be more than a little daunting.  All of a sudden, it’s like high school again, and most likely you’d feel like the new kid who had transferred in the middle of a semester, complete with volcanic pimples and shiny braces.  

While I’m far from being a social media expert, I do know a few things from my days of being a blogger.  Below are the most basic, but essential tips that could help you fit in without having to reinvent yourself into someone you’re not.

1) Read, comment, and reply.

Blogging, first and foremost, is about sharing.  It’s a give-and-take thing.  If you want people to read your blog, then read others’.  Leave sincere and thoughtful comments that showed you have paid attention to what they’ve written.  Every one wants to feel validated; for bloggers, nothing could be more rewarding than a comment that acknowledges his or her post’s relevance.

The same goes to the comments left on your post.  Remember that those people have spent their precious time reading what you wrote instead of a million other things they could be doing at the time.  Show them that you appreciate what they’ve done by replying to each of their comments.

2) Set up a Twitter account and Facebook page for your blog.

Believe me, you need at least those two.  Why?  Because it’s the easiest way to communicate and advertise your blog to others.  Unless you’re a celebrity, chances are people don’t know you exist.  Twitter and Facebook provide a way to make yourself known.  And no, you don’t need to be tweeting or posting a new status every minute for these two forms of social media to be effective.  Remember, the most important thing is to make others aware of your existence.  At the very least, tweet your latest post at regular intervals throughout the day, and post it on your FB page right after you publish it.

3) When you find blogs you like, follow AND visit them regularly.  

What I mean by ‘follow’ is: follow them through Google Friend Connect (if available), subscribe to their RSS feed or via email, add their Twitter accounts, and ‘Like’ their FB pages.  

I personally use Google Reader to organize my subscriptions, and Hootsuite for all the tweets I follow.  Without these tools, it could be quite difficult to stay updated.

I really don’t recommend following just any blog for the sake of quantity.  You’d just end up crowding your inbox and Reader list, and soon enough, confuse and overwhelm yourself.

Next, visit the blogs you’ve followed on a regular basis.  It’s important to let them know that you are in it for the long run, not just a once-in-a lifetime occurrence.  Especially with established blogs with a high number of followers, you would need to visit them at least a few times if you want them to notice you.  There is no short-cut to building meaningful connections when it comes to friendship.  If you want loyal followers, then you must be loyal to them too.

.

4) Join Blog Hops or Writing Prompts linkys. 

Joining a Blog Hop is a good and easy way to make your blog presence known and for you to get to know other bloggers.  You just click on the links submitted by the other bloggers and you’d instantly be transported to his/her blog.  The same goes for you.

Writing Prompts are more specific, but I personally like them because they tend to be more selective.  You’re more likely to meet bloggers who have the same interests as you there than through Blog Hops.

5) Don’t bite more than you can chew/be yourself.

It’s normal to want tons of followers, to be popular and well-liked.  Just don’t expect it to happen overnight.  Besides, how you define success for your blog is relative.  I know many prided themselves on the number of their followers (me included--boy, was I obsessed with the numbers!).  However, if you’re in it for the long run, you’ll find that what matters most is the connection/friendship you build with others.  Believe me, the last thing you’d want is to have hundreds of followers and still feel ‘lonely’ at the end of the day.

You must be honest and reasonable with yourself when it comes to setting up goals for your blog.  Just because it works for some doesn’t mean it will work on everyone.  What’s right for me might not be right for you.  Don’t feel like you need to post x amount of times per week just because so and so does it.  

Take into consideration the life you have ‘outside’ of blogging, your work commitments, your relationships with your spouse/partner and children (if you have any), and your sanity.  Establish a schedule that you are comfortable with and can stick to in the long run.  I’ve seen many bloggers who over commit themselves in the beginning and ended up quitting because they got burnt out .  

There are an endless amount of resources on blogging out there that you can tap into.  I really encourage you to make full use of them.  By no means the five tips I highlighted above could encompass all there is to know about blogging, but they’ve served me well in the one year that I’ve been blogging.  Hopefully you’ll benefit from them too.

You can find Sweaty:

At her blog: Do Sweat the Small Stuff

Tweeting @dosweatthesmall

FB-ing at http://facebook.com/dosweat

And as a contributing writer at Just Be Enough

     I couldn't agree more. Thank you Sweaty for sharing your wisdom with us. As a small aside, #4, I can't tell you how much my readership has changed since I started doing Monday Listicles with Stasha and Rorybore's Coffee Chat on Tuesdays. Sweaty knows what she's talking about.

     Want to add your two cents? By all means, email me and have your say. Your post could be the next here in the Kitchen.

Link by Link

     Last week things got a little interrupted but I'm kinda back on track with my Social Media February. Today it's my pleasure to introduce the latest member of my family to hit the interweb, Wendy Hillier. I can use her real name because that's the name of her site.

     Wendy is a real estate agent extraordinaire. She also uses LinkedIn. When I was planning the social media thing I spoke to her, yes spoke over the phone, about why Linked In. What did it offer other formats didn't? Here is what she had to say.

Why Linkedin!

     Well, the younger generation (I’m not that old) uses all kinds of social media to stay in touch these days. Facebook is a big party where you have friends to talk to, show pictures to on a more social platform.  

       Linkedin is a great way to stay in touch with professionals in my field of business.  Mortgage lenders, home inspectors, tradesmen as well as other Realtors who are dealing with all kinds of issues that are part of buying and selling houses. They  are posting articles related to real estate.  I usually receive notification about the articles and can read more about it when I have time or can comment on the issue and learn more…kind of like an in classroom course if you will. 

     I am happy to say that I don’t spend a lot of time on Linkedin mainly because I still like the face to face way of doing business.  Everything in balance!

     Short and to the point. I had no idea LinkedIn was more of a professional networking service or that people regularly posted or pointed out articles related to their respective fields. Professional networking is a nightmare for me, anything to make it easier is a blessing.

     I gotta say the more I am hearing, reading about all of the different platforms I am intrigued. Everything is designed for a purpose. Having every one talk about them, likes dislikes, uses, gives me a better understanding of each rather than being lost in that overwhelming cloud "social media". Thanks Wendy.

     Be sure to stop by Wendy's new site and show her some love. If your looking for real estate, she's never too busy for your referrals. LOL

     Tomorrow, Sweaty from Do Sweat the Small Stuff will be sharing her perspective on getting all social so be sure to stop by for that.

     Want to have your say? Email me and you could be the next guest in my Kitchen. Although anything is welcome, I'm curious to hear what you have to say about Digg, StumbledUpon or Pinterest. Y'all come back now, y'hear.

Cuz I'm a Fan

     As promised, here another guest post. This one is from the lovely and talented Germaine over at Kiddothings. She's going to walk us through how to set up a Facebook fan page.

Thank you Paul for inviting me to guest post today. It's an honour to be here and it was a thrill to write something I have very little knowledge about. I only hope that your readers will at least learn something they shouldn't do from my post here about Social Media.

I have never been a sociable person. If you don't know me, I may seem aloof. Get to know me and I may talk more and let you in on a few secrets of mine....maybe. But I am never the bubbly, chatty kind. I'm a thinker and listener, more than I am a talker. I am happy having a few good friends than being popular with many. Aren't you glad you don't know me in person?

When I started my blog, I was contented just writing away, not really bothered with how I could gain more followers....until I got my first comment. That comment made me crave for more. It was addictive and I was hooked on getting word of my blog out into blogosphere. I signed up for Twitter to tweet my posts out. I also signed up for a Facebook account to share my blog with friends who might be interested in reading my mind.

Then, I decided to have a separate Facebook fan page because I saw other blogs having it and was intrigued. Having a fan page for my blog allows for anyone to keep updated with my posts while I keep my personal account well, personal. 

My tutor was Professor Google himself...

"What is Twitter"

"How to tweet"

"How to create a Facebook Fan Page for your blog"

"How to add a Facebook Like Box to your blog"

Twitter and FB were easy to manage with just a click of the 't' and 'f' at the end of each post to share. I was comfortable using them but I never explored how I could grow my following. Just look at my numbers and you'll get an idea of how much effort I've put in to gain followers.

Not long after, Klout decided to enter my life. If you tweet, you'll have a Klout score. I explored it for awhile and enjoyed giving my Twitter friends +K more than anything. I checked on it everytime someone gave me a +K and decided soon after, that I didn't need another number to define how I blog, or tweet in this case. So, I left it at that.

And now there is Google+ which I have yet to learn more about. I have 8 friends in there and I think they might be bored to their wit's end being in my circle. Oh and I am finally in Pinterest! What a wonderful place to get all inspired....and obsessed.

So you see, my social media life in Bloggyland, kind of turned out a little bit like my social life for real...only better. I have a group of good friends I'm comfortable blogsocialising with, just like how I have a few good friends in real life I love to get together with. I don't have a big following but I'm fine with that. I am happy to have found my little community of blogging friends who've made my blogging endeavours a joy and wish to keep them safe in my circle, until they find me too boring and leave, that is. I want to keep on blogging for the fun of it and have no intention of being a big-time famous blogger. 

I think it all boils down to what your objectives are in blogging. I have plans to do reviews and earn a little from my blog and I know I'd probably have to maintain my numbers in Twitter and FB in order to do that. Also, it's good to explore the options out there and find what works for you. Check out what your blogging friends are doing and seek advice from them.

I promised Paul a tutorial on how to set up an FB Fanpage. I don't know if it's the right way to do it but it's how I did it.

How to create a Facebook Fan Page for your blog

1. Go HERE and click on "Brand or Product".

2. Choose "website" as your category and type in the name of your blog.

3. Follow the Steps 1, 2, 3 after that and you're good to go.

How to add a Facebook Like Box to your Blogger Blog

1. Open the Facebook Fan Page that you created and copy the URL.

2. Then go HERE.

3. Paste your Facebook Fan Page URL where it is required.

4. Decide how you'd like your box to look like. Adjust the width etc.

5. Click on "Get Code" at the bottom.

6. You'll be given 3 codes. I can't remember why I picked the IFRAME code. Copy the code.

7. In Blogger, open the "Design" tab.

8. Click on "Add a Gadget"

9. Select "HTML/Javascript" and paste the IFRAME code you copied in Step 6.

10. Tadaa! Your very own Facebook Fan Page Like Box! Now go 'like' it yourself first.

Well, I guess that's about all the intelligence I have with regards to Social Media.

Thank you again Paul for having me over! :)

     You're welcome, it was my pleasure and I did learn something. I knew there was a way to separate my Facebook account from the blog, I just didn't know it was called a fan page. Sometimes it really is the little things that trip you up. If I could have those hours back I spent searching the for wrong thing on Facebook. LOL

     Want to get all social in the Kitchen? Drop me a line and you could be the next guest star sharing your wisdom, ranting, expounding on the virtues of... It's all good.

A Guest in the Kitchen

   Here is the first of what I hope will be many guest posts here for Social February month. A post on where to start, blog design tips from the one and only Rorybore at Time out for Mom. If you have followed along with her, you know how much time and effort has gone into her layout and design.

Blog Design 101    

So you have started a blog.   Great!   Welcome aboard.

Got Followers?   No? 

This might help you figure out why your little blog is lonely.

Many articles list 2 must haves for blogging success:

1.         establishing a reliable blogging routine/schedule; updating frequently;

2.        visiting and commenting on other  blogs

But right after that?    PERSONALIZE!!

When your first create your blog, it will prompt you to choose a layout and design.   With all the template, background, and layout options; this can be easier said than done.   You may be tempted to pick the first thing that catches your eye.  I’d say keep it simple at first, but then, if you want to woo the world, well: the world likes pretty and easy.    The simple fact is, a well- designed blog pleases and catches the eye.   Which means – they will come back.   

There’s no need for wads of cash.   No need to get highly technical.   However, do consider your content and target audience.   If you are a cooking blog, a background of horses running wildly over pastures – as lovely as that might be – not in keeping with your blog’s theme.   Install a Flickr or Picasa slideshow gadget in your sidebar for your favourite images.   If you are a highly technical blog, then you might consider keeping it simple since your audience is more interested in your content.  Not your recent holiday pics, or latest Tweets.    

Basic No-No’s?

Clutter :  messy, over-loaded, improperly sized sidebars, too much text, too many images, links, etc. , the focus is on the “extras”, and away from your valuable content.    Also makes your page load slower.   Clutter also means difficult to navigate.   Like your mother taught you; keep your room tidy.

Colours                :  The absolute worst offense:  white on black.    Goodbye blog, hello migraine.   Choose a colour palette that is easy on the eyes, and that highlights, not obscures your content.   If hot pink is your signature colour, save it for the accessories.    It all should blend.

Too Many Ads:   Yes, it would be nice to make some cash, but don’t go overboard.  A site that exclusively handles Product Review might be an exception, since people will be searching for the information.   Personally, I have never clicked on an Ad. 

Too Much Text:  Large, unbroken blocks of text are just plain difficult to read.   Readers will get tired of constantly scrolling.    Make use of the “jump break” feature, and/or consider adding images.  Also, consider having no more than 2-3 blog posts at a time on your homepage.   And please watch the fancy fonts:  if we cannot read it, what’s the point?

No Contact Information:  As intriguing as “Anonymous Blogger” sounds, you are far more likely to be successful if your audience makes a connection with you, and is able to contact you.   Thus, About Me and Contact Me pages are essential.   You do not have to use your real name, if security and privacy are issues, an alias is perfectly acceptable.  Your audience will be more likely to view you as a part of their community, and as an authoritative, trusted source.

Do-Do’s

If I had to pick the main ones that ensure a return visit, they would be:  overall design, navigation (is everything easy to find), subscription (are several options available with accessible icons), user-friendly comment system, and personality (the content). It’s frustrating discovering a blog you enjoy reading, but the design has you clicking away frequently, and then eventually, stop visiting.

 I have not spent a cent, yet, my blog does have many upgrades: “hacks” as they are referred to.     It has taken a lot of research, late nights, and the learning of a 3^rd language:  HTML/CSS.     Just as it has taken time finding my own voice regarding content; it has also taken time finding “the look” to complement that voice.   My first header was a picture of my sleeping baby (everyone say “ahhh”), and the second one was a banner with various clipart, which I made myself and Loved!   

Why a 3^rd change?  Despite the pride and love I felt, upon consideration, clip art did not seem in keeping with a 40 year old woman.  I worried it might appear “girlish”.  This might misrepresent me in terms of PR.  So I created a new one that now represents what I would truly do, given some time out.

I wanted to achieve the look of a professionally designed website, yet remain on the user-friendly Blogger platform.   Unfortunately, unless you choose a 3^rd party template design, Blogger does have some limitation in terms of design.    But if you are brave enough to dive into your Template and CSS styling codes (always maintain a “clean” backup file!!):  you can achieve all these things.  Personally, it has been much trial and error determining what works, and what doesn’t.    But fun too.

 If you like, you can click away briefly – do come back though!  - and view some of the changes I have made at my blog Time Out for Mom.   It’s okay….we’ll wait.    Here are the customizations you will see:

-           Navigation Bar above the Header with Images that link to my stand alone pages.  

-          Beneath header, a Featured Content Slider.   Go ahead and click an image

-          Before my Post Title, there is a feather image.  Post title text also customized.

-          Underneath my Post Title there is date, author, label and comment count image.   

-          Post- footer has also been stylized with a “Leave A Comment” image and Post Divider. 

-          Blog posts and all my widgets are in separate coloured boxes.  

-          Tabbed Menu widget for Labels, Archives, Blogroll – saves sidebar space

-          Fixed Back to top image bottom right corner

A lot more work than you thought?   I know, but you don’t want to be just another pretty face on the net.   You may want to be the next big thing in the Blogosphere, but the most important thing to keep in mind:   before they read it – they SEE it.   If you build it nice, they will come…… and they will return.

Some great (and often free) blog design/layout sites are:

The Cutest Blog on the Block

Shabby Blogs

Spice Up Your Blog

Some great add-ons, called Gadgets or Widgets can be found:

Mashable

Blogger Tips and Tricks

Some of the tricks I have used on my own blog:

Peek A Boo Blogger Nav Bar

Make Your Own Blog "Grab" Button

Featured Content Slider (not for the faint of heart – lots of coding!)

Blog Bulk:  amazing site for template customization (where I learned to put an image in front of my Post Title, a background image behind my sidebar titles, an image for comments and as line divider in post footer, and to house each blog post and each sidebar widget in separate and coloured boxes.)

     See how easy that was? Now you have the perfect platform to launch yourself into the blogshere and get all social. Rory is way braver than I, fearlessly re-working her entire site time and time again. That's why hers looks like it does and mine, well .... Thanks Rory for sharing all of you secrets and expertise.

     Tomorrow, another guest, Germaine from Kiddothings will walk us through setting up a Facebook fan page.

     Got something to say about social networking, by all means drop me a line and your post could be next.

Getting all Social

     Once upon a time..... okay, maybe it wasn't that long ago, being social meant your lucky shirt, or fave party frock, a group of friends, all in the same place and a night, a day, a weekend of fun. It didn't require a profile, a friend request or a tweet. Ahhh, good times. Life was so much simpler then.

     The WWW stepped in and changed all that. Then everyone HAD to have a cell phone. Now being social is media, networking. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn, Reddit, StumbledUpon, Digg, Pinterest, Klout, RSS feeds and I'm sure there is a host of them I missed. Let's not forget the rise of the blog, that's why we're here after all. Living in the information/wireless/digital age.

     I've got my blog. I've got my Facebook page. I'm LinkedIn. I'm Google+ed. I have boards to Pin to. I just figured out how to schedule posts for the blog. I rarely update my Facebook status and only recently figured out, No I can't or don't know how to set up a separate Facebook page for it. LinkedIn keeps emailing me alerts about people I don't know and Google + although promising, requires yet more time to learn how it all goes together. I won't even start about Pin-ing. It can get a little overwhelming.

     I don't tweet, I don't own a cel phone. When I grow up and learn to take care of my toys OR they invent one that is surgically attached to my head, then I'll get yet another one.  Until recently I thought Twitter was a cell phone app. I must have known differently at some point but with Paris, Demi and Ashton flogging it in it's infancy, I took a pass and ignored it. Up until now.

     Why the change of heart?

      I'm exploring the blogsphere more. I can't tell you the number of times I either can't comment on or figure out how to follow a particular bit of the interweb. Blogger spoiled me. Everything I thought I wanted all tied up in one convenient, easy to follow package. Then people started adding 3rd party bits (Damn you IntenseDebate and your comment system that hates me) or linking to other places of interest where Blogger just won't let me follow. I bookmark everything, it's easy. I don't actually know how to use a reader program to follow along with a feed. Sad but true. My days of feeling even vaguely competent in cyberspace are over.

     Blogger is retiring GoogleFriendConnect. WTF. It was so easy to use. How will I bask in all of that bloggy love now? Why do I care who's following or if they're following.

    Your reasons may be different from mine but there is a real advantage to getting the word of my blog out there as widely as possible. I do family research. The more people my blog reaches, the better the chances of connecting with other relatives who have more pieces of the puzzle. And of course there is the basking. Who doesn't need a little more love?

     Where to turn? Ever Googled social media? Yeah, a bazillion hits. I'm still working on getting the social media buttons on my blog let alone figuring out how they all work. Am I alone in my quiet despair? I hope not. My solution, other than hours of reading about and testing all the different options. Why I'm turning to you. That's right all of you out there.

     February is social media month here in the Kitchen. Whether you're savvy or so far behind you think you're first like me, I want to hear about it. Comments are great, guest posts are even better. Email me if you'd like to participate. Maybe we can turn my flat line into a learning curve.

     Are you social?