Widgets for each individual Blog Post
Add some Widgets!
"Widgets" are available in many places. (Note that Google calls them "Gadgets".) Start to pay attention to sites you visit looking for the word "embed" or "widget" on the page. If it's there, it means that you can copy a small bit of code to display content within your blog posts. Many examples are provided below. Check them out, see what you like, and jazz up your blog posts. Feel free to delete your posts after experimenting with each of these features.
Need more help on Widgets? Watch the following videos:
What are Web Widgets? (1/5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRAmQ_m2asg
What are Web Widgets? (2/5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoeHy40qjEs
Note: You are not required to add widgets to your blog posts or your blog itself. That's a decision you make based on your own preferences for your blog.
Using "Block Quotes"
Since many of you are referencing text from other articles, "block quote" formatting looks very professional. It's available on the formatting toolbar within Blogger. When you click on the blockquote icon, it will give you the HTML code <blockquote></blockquote>. Put the quote between them (e.g. <blockquote>"This is a quote."</blockquote>. Be sure to put some text before and after the block quote so you can see how the will be formatted.
Include an Image
As they say "a picture speaks 1000 words". Find a relevant photo (or take one of your own) to include in your blog post. The 'image' icon is available on the formatting toolbar within Blogger.
Include a Video from YouTube
You can put a video right in your blog post using the "embed" code that is available from YouTube.
- Find the video you want to include in your post.
- Look to the right on YouTube and find the word "embed".
- Click "customize" to set some options for how the video will look on your blog.
- Copy all the "embed" code and paste it right into your blog post.
Widgets for your Blog as a Whole
Check out the "Built-in" Blogger Page Elements
- Go to blogger, click 'layout' and then 'add a gadget" to read about each of the available gadgets. New elements include followers (those who subscribe to your feed), an easier way to add a "subscribe" link and, a photo slideshow gadget.
Add "Subscribe by Email" Option (RSS to Email)
http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?AddBloggerWidget
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/publishers/fbemail
Add "Recent Comments" widget
Just fill in a the form to add a new page element to your sidebar
http://blogger-templates.blogspot.com/2007/03/recent-comments.html
Add a Slideshow from Picasa, Flickr, etc.
- Logon to your favorite photo website
- Choose the "album" you want on your blog
- Look for a button/link that says "EMBED"
- Copy the code
- Go to blogger, click 'layout', and add a new page element in your sidebar (html/javascript)
- Paste code in new page element
- Save & Preview
Add a "Search" box
Use Google's "draft" blogger site to add widgets that are not yet on the blogger site.
- Logon to http://draft.blogger.com/ (instead of http://www.blogger.com
- Go to blogger, click 'layout', and add the new "search" widget/gadget to your blog.
Like to Play Sudoku? Add Sudoku Widget
http://blogger-templates.blogspot.com/2007/04/sudoku-widget.html
Add Interactivity by creating a Poll with more functionality than the blogger poll element
Find Your Own Widgets