Sunday, January 04, 2009

The Followers Gadget on Blogger - Part 1 - How to Add The Followers Gadget to Your Blogspot

Blogger has all sorts of neat gadgets to make a blogspot more appealing. I've had lots of fun using them at Double M and at my group blogs.

This is the first of a three part series.

  1. Today I'll tell you how to add the Follower feature to your blog.

  2. Monday you'll learn How to Follow Someone's Blog.

  3. Tuesday you'll get the scoop on Why you should be a Follower. You may be as surprised by the benefits as I was.

So you've heard about and seen this cool feature called Following on other people's blogspots, but you're not sure how to add it to your own. It's not that hard. Here's what you do:

Part I - How to Add the Followers Gadget to Your Blogspot:

  1. Sign in to Blogger.com with your username and password, either from your own blog or just by typing the url at the very top of the screen;

  2. Find your blogspot on the dashboard. You may only have one, unless you're blog crazy like I am with many of them;

  3. Click the Layout button. The outline of your layout will come up;

  4. Click Add a Gadget;

  5. You'll get a popup screen with Gadgets listed. One of them is Followers;

  6. Click the plus sign by Followers;

  7. Keep the name Followers or you can call it something else. Click Save in the popup window;

  8. Blogger automatically puts the gadget at the top. If you wish the Followers feature at a different location on your blog, drag the box labelled Followers or whatever you've called it yourself to a new spot;

  9. Click Save again when you're through deciding where it goes. You can always change your mind again by dragging the Followers box somewhere else later and saving it.

  10. Click at the top of the layout where it says View Blog.

Now that you can view your blogspot, look in the spot chosen in the layout. It should say Followers (or whatever other name you gave it), plus it will say Be the First to Follow This Blog. After you've snared your first follower, it will say Follow This Blog instead.

You've done it! The Followers feature is now up and running on your blog. Here's hoping you have many followers.

Stay tuned tomorrow when I tell you how to become a follower, then on Tuesday when you learn the many advantages of why you should be a follower on other blogspots.

I'm curious. Have my instructions helped you to put the Followers gadget on your blogspot?

Or did you already have it? Please share.

10 comments:

  1. Great tip! I added the followers feature, Morgan. Want to be the first to follow me? :)

    www.nancyjparra.blogspot.com

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  2. I've had the "follower" thingy on my blog for some time now -along with the subscribe to reader too. Been having issues with the reader thing though since mid-july and can't get any assistance in fixing it through Blogger and their excellent help desk. (I'm being sarcastic there, in case you are wondering.)
    Anyway, the blogs I am following shows up on my reader and tells me then who has recently written a new post on his/her blog. A really neat thing, time saver, as it eliminates the need for me to go down the list of bloggers whose stuff I read and opening, closing their blog just to see if there is any new content. This "following" allows me to see right away if there is new content or not. It also eliminates the clutter to inboxes caused by people sending e-mails announcing they have just put up a new post too. (A particular pet peeve of mine, don't 'cha know?)
    Subscribing to Blogs I Am Following is a really easy thing to add to one's blog and most definitely is a great addition to have it there too!
    Good post!
    http://oldavonladysorders.blogspot.com

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  3. You know so much! I wondered how to get a great picture at the top of the blog like you did on Make Mine Mystery.

    Marilyn
    http://fictionforyou.com

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  4. I have the Followers Gadget on my blog, but if I didn't, your instructions were clear and would have helped. I'm waiting to see what you teach next.

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  5. I have the Follower feature and I Follow!

    Of course, I recently learned how to do this when I took the plunge and upgraded my blog... But I really wanted to do some new things with the look and desperately needed to organize the links on the side.

    I'll definitely watch for Tuesday's!

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  6. Dang it! I use Wordpress and it's not nearly as user friendly!

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  7. Not a gadget, but if you check my blog (http://vivianzabel.blogspot.com) you'll find an award.

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  8. I'm glad I'm getting people in a following mood!

    Anyway, Marilyn, I used the gadget feature to put up the photo at
    http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com
    Just edited the heading and inserted the photo which I'd taken from our car while on vacation on a scary looking day. Not hard to find a threatening day, since we didn't have much good weather that vacation.

    Morgan Mandel
    http://makeminemystery.blogspot.comhttp://www.morganmandel.com

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  9. Anonymous1:04 AM

    Great instructions, Morgan. I guess I'm one of the crazy ones with many blogs like you. I learn new things with each one. Already had the follower gadget up on my blog, but your instructions would have been helpful the first time I was trying to figure this stuff out!

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  10. Anonymous7:35 PM

    I added it after I read your posts.
    bill

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