Blogs By Heather

Holiday Helper Help

2009-11-08T18:08:43-08:00

Every year Stampin' Up! demonstrator Debbie McNeill of CraftyPerson Production, along with many featured artists, put together this wonderful service for us, as Stampin' Up! demonstrators to share with our customers. It is 12 newsletters to be delivered 12 days before Christmas (one each day) and filled with beautiful, holiday fun-filled projects and ideas. Truly a great product and I look forward to it each year, as do my customers.

So, sign-up for this great holiday helper newsletter service,CraftyPerson Holiday Helper 2009 . And if you need help with delivering this wonderful service to your customers and use Constant Contact or MailChimp, I'd be more than happy to assist you.

Holiday Helper Help from Blogs By Heather

All I would need is your Constant Contact or MailChimp login information. I will then go into your account, create all 12 newsletters (using the HTML code Debbie McNeill provides you) and schedule them to be delivered (one each day for 12 days before Christmas). I can provide this service for only $15!

If you also need help putting the animated button on your blog's sidebar (which will link to your Constant Contact newsletter sign up form) to promote the Holiday Helper, as well as create a new Contact List in Constant Contact or MailChimp (so you will have a separate, new list to send the newsletter to), there is an additional $10 charge (and I would need your blog's login information as well).

Contact me for more information or use the PayPal button below to sign-up for my Holiday Helper Help program.

Happy Holidays!

Why My Blog Stats Do Not Match My Counter

2009-11-05T18:35:06-08:00

This has been a popular question lately, especially due to the "New Typepad" being released and being able to more easily and quickly view stats on your blog. So, the answer is that when the counte rwas put on your blog (using HTML code from your source, such as http://www.sitemeter.com/), you did not have the number of hits or visitors at that time and the counter started at 0.

So, to fix it, you can go into SiteMeter for example and from the Manager choose to Reset Counter. Enter the number to set it to, then you have to get the new HTML Code. Then copy and paste that code to your blog, replacing the existing SiteMeter code.

I'm sure there is a similar fix to other counters, or other counters, like SiteMeter, will let you set a starting count/number. So worse case, you can create a new counter and set the starting count to match the stats on your blog.

Best Wishes and Happy Blogging!

Domain Forwarding without the "www" Prefix in Blogger

2009-10-18T07:05:30-07:00

Here is my original tutorial on domain mapping with Go Daddy. Although if you need help with domain mapping and another registrant, just let me know.

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2009/02/domain-mapping-with-blogger-and-go-daddy.html

In short, basically you are modifying the CNAME record (www).

Name: www (for example)

Points To: ghs.google.com

Then once you complete the settings in Blogger (as explained in the above linked tutorial), and save changes, you can click on the check mark about forwarding http://handstampedbyheather.com to http://www.handstampedbyheather.com (for example).

So, now if you go to http://www.handstampedbyheahter.com or http://handstampedbyheather.com they both work and go to my Blogger account.

Happy Blogging!

Domain Forwarding without the "www" Prefix in Typepad

2009-10-18T06:57:02-07:00

Here is my original tutorial on domain mapping with Go Daddy. Although if you need help with domain mapping and another registrant, just let me know.

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/typepad-domain.html

In short, basically you are modifying the CNAME record (www).

Name: www (for example)

Points To: heatherporto.typepad.com (for example)

So, in addition to the above steps, while you are still in your Go Daddy (or other company you are using to register your domain name) account, add another CNAME record.

Name: blogsbyheather.com

Points To: heatherporto.typepad.com

So, like the original CNAME record you added where you pointed to your typepad blog, there you also point to your typepad blog but you do NOT have to do anything more on the Typepad side.

So, now if you go to http://www.blogsbyheather.com or http://blogsbyheather.com they both work and go to my typepad account.

Happy Blogging!

For SU Demos: Build-a-Bear and Big Shot Links Have CHANGED

2009-10-12T20:10:16-07:00

Last month I posted an image and HTML code for the new Stampin' Up! and Build-a-Bear partnership. However, this month Stampin' Up! changed the "link" on the SU website for the Build-a-Bear information is. I checked other links and the Big Shot also has a new link location. Gotta hate when that happens but it does unfortunately happen some months.

So here are the corrected links:

United States

BUILD-A-BEAR

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/Build-A-Bear_Workshop.asp" target=_blank>

<img src="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/Build-a-Bear.jpg"></a>

THE BIG SHOT
<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/big_shot_index.asp" target="_blank">
<img src="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/TheBigShot.jpg" border="0"></a>

Canadian (I think are still okay, but here is the code just in case)

BUILD-A-BEAR

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/enc/11417.asp" target=_blank>

<img src="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/Build-a-Bear.jpg"></a>

THE BIG SHOT <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/enc/14810.asp" target="_blank">
<img src="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/TheBigShot.jpg" border="0"></a>

Remember how to add these...

In Blogger, go to Layout from the Dashboard, then Page Elements, then add a Gadget. Choose HTML/JavaScript. Give it a Title. Then Copy and Paste the code in the large text box. Save Changes.
In Typepad, go to Typelists or go to Library then Typelists if using the New Typepad. Then click Create a New Typelist. Then choose Notes from the Type, give it a Name (such as Build-a-Bear), then click Create New Typelist button. On the next screen, leave the Label blank and copy and paste the HTML code in the Notes Area. Click Save. Then Publish. Then select your Weblog and Save Changes. Then click on Content to go to layout of your blog and to be able to move the new widget where you want it.
In WordPress, add a new Widget, choose Text Widget. Then from the right side where it was added, click on it to expand the window. Copy and Paste in the text. Then Save.

For those of you who are my Blog Maintenance customers, I will update your blogs when I am in the next (the 1st or 2nd of November). If you are interested in becoming a blog update customer, click here.

Happy blogging!

Changing to the New Typepad

2009-10-10T13:56:00-07:00

Like me, many of you many have logged into your Typepad account and see that it looks different. This is the New Typepad. So to familiarize you with the New Typepad layout, here are some quick tips:

The File Manager that was in the Control Panel tab is now under the Library dropdown menu at the top.
There is also no longer a green tab for Typelists or Photo Albums, these again are under the new Library dropdown menu.
Domain Mapping is now found under Account (a white text hyperlink at the top).
Once in your blog (by clicking it under Typepad Blogs area when you log in), you will see a few tabs, one of them being Posts. Pages are also under this tab.
Most importantly is probably the new Compose dropdown box next to each of your blogs listed under the Typepad Blogs area (when you first login). This drop down quickly allows you to navigate your blog - such as quickly jumping to Design, Posts, Pages or settings for example.
The View Site is now View Blog.

For more information on the New Typepad, click here. If you get stuck, don't hesitate to ask me where something is if you can't find it! Email me at heather@blogsbyheather.com

Happy blogging!

Typepad: How to "Hide" the Typelist Title or Heading

2009-10-06T07:38:58-07:00

In Blogger this is easily done when you create a new gadget, you can simply just leave the title blank. However, in Typepad, when you create a new Typelist and choose a "List Type" you have to give it a "Name". So, if you want it to appear blank or hidden, use this format:

The most important this is to start the name with .

Best Wishes,

Search Engine Optimization

2009-09-13T21:06:39-07:00

I've had a few customers request information on how to get themselves to rank hire on search engines, such as google. A fellow business associate, Dan Bower from Bower Web Solutions, is in the website development and design business and I am inserting an article from his latest newsletter about this topic and wanted to share it with you all.

Search Engine Optimization
Visitors can come to a website a number of different ways including:

Links from another site.

Typing your site in directly (perhaps because they have heard of you from traditional advertising).

Paid searches such as Google Adwords.

Organic (or free searches ) searches such as Google

In this economy, free searches have a big advantage! The technique of bringing more visitors to your website from a search engine is called Search Engine Optimization. Properly done, search engine optimization can be a very cost effective way to increase business.

If you've done some research into Search Engine Optimization, then we are sure you have come across a lot of conflicting information. There are a lot of myths about Search Engine Optimization. Some were true a few years ago, some will work for awhile but penalize you in the long run and some were never true. Some of these myths are spread by people who don't really know the truth and others are spread by SEO companies in an attempt to make search engine optimization confusing so that you hire an expensive search engine optimization organization! Regardless of where the myths come from, if you or the SEO Company you hire use common sense and do things the right way you can get good results.

Search Engine Myth's

·         Google Partnership: If you are ever approached by a company claiming to have a partnership with Google, run in the opposite direction. There is no such thing as a "preferred" relationship with Google and in fact on Google's website it even states: Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google.

·         Keyword Meta Tag: It used to be that the Keyword Meta Tag was given a lot of weight in the early days of Search Engine Optimization, but people abused it and now it does very little. You may still want to include your keywords here, but know that it will not do much and in fact most search engines won't even check it.

·         Content Length: There is no search engine rule stating that your content needs to be a specific number of words in order to get indexed. Rather, recommended length is more to assist the reader in understanding what you do than to aid the search engines.

·         Duplicate Content: Posting specific content like an article or blog entry on your site and then on another site will not get you penalized. In the search results, Google will recognize that the content is the same and only choose one of the pages to display, but it will not hurt your overall search engine ranking.

·         Avoid Flash: Any text that you place in Flash will not be readable by a search engine, but this doesn't mean you have to avoid flash altogether. You can still be very successful incorporating Flash into your site through rotating pictures or a header on the page. Just don't have an all Flash site or use a Flash intro page.

·         Pay-Per-Click: Some say that using Pay-Per-Click will help your organic listing while others say it will hurt. Both are false. Google has gone to great lengths to separate the two departments of organic and paid listings to a point where the two departments don't communicate or even sit at the same table for lunch. Search Engine companies who did not separate there parts of the company found their results questioned and their usage going down.

·         Doorway Pages: Many companies will sell this idea of increasing your ranking by creating hundreds of one page sites loaded with keywords that link to you from various domains. This is considered spamming the search engine and is not recommended and can, in fact, even lead to black listing of your site by major search engines. This is one technique often used by unscrupulous or 'black hat' SEO companies that 'guarantee' results. Though this can give you some quick results, in the long term getting caught and blacklisting for 'link farming' can keep your website from appearing anywhere. The flipside of link farms are legitimate links-which is why we at Bower Web Solutions contractually insist on a site credit. Suppliers, professional organizations and related companies can all help your search results drastically.

·         Update the Site Frequently: Updating your site often is a good idea if you have something new to say. Changing around a few words to make search engines think your changing things generally won't help your listing as search engines have gotten smarter. Regularly adding legitimate content like articles, press releases and blog entries will help though.

Happy blogging!

How to Add a Banner to Your Blog

2009-09-08T07:27:23-07:00

I just realized I never provided a tutorial for this! I have tutorials on how to add a background and navigational bar/links, but not the banner. So see the instructions below for Blogger and Typepad.

Blogger

Login and from the Dashboard go to Layout.
Click on Page Elements.
Under the Nav Bar area you will see a gadget where you can click Edit.
There you can upload an image for your banner (instead of title and description) by clicking the Browse button and choosing the image from your computer. You can also instead provide a website address if you have your image stored in Photobucket for example or other online image storage site.
Then click Save.
You're done.

Typepad

Login and from the Dashboard, go to your weblog.
Then click on Design.
Then click on Theme (for Theme Builder).
Under the Banner section (first section), click on Image radio button and then click Browse to upload an image from your computer.
Click Save.
You're done!

Here is the link about what size your banners should be:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2009/06/what-size-should-my-banner-be.html

Happy blogging!

For SU Demos: Build-a-Bear Button for your Blogs

2009-09-01T18:39:05-07:00

Although there is no current Stampin' Up! promotion associated with Build-a-Bear, it is a new product line so I wanted to create a button for us to add to our blogs to promote the new partnership!

Simply copy and paste the HTML code below into your blogs:

Blogger: Add a Gadget

Typepad: Create a new Typelist (NOTES typelist)

WordPress: Add a new Text Widget

UNITED STATES

CANADIAN

Remember, if you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator that I can update your blogs every month with the new specials - see my Blog Maintenance program! Or I can setup a new blog for you!

Happy Blogging!