Blogger Can be Cool! (Part 1)

Quite frankly, many times people treat Blogger like it is the c-list blogging option. It's like, you start blogging on Blogger, then you grow up and leave Blogger to self host. I always get this from clients. (I have nothing against self hosting, I just don't think it is necessary for everyone) I think the problem is that folks don't know that many of the things you see on self hosted blogs, can be achieved on Blogger. You just have to dig around for some smart person who has figured out how to do it.

A client came to me this week, and she didn't mind if I blogged through the process. Soooo, I'm going to just show you what kinds of things can be done (not all things have to be done, it's a matter of picking and choosing what is right for you).

The client is I Need a Martini Mom. Let me say first off, you don't have to have a pimped out site to have a great blog. Miss Thang gets bucco traffic to her site (she has over 700 followers, gee...I feel small time). That said, there are many things that can be done to make her look fabulous! Let's look at a screen shot...
I'll tell you right here and now, the first two things I would do right off the bat are...

1) I would host that bad boy on it's own domain. You will not loose your followers, and it won't affect your Feedburner numbers (Feedburner is not a worry unless you change hosting, in this instance, you are still hosting with Blogger). You will lose your Google Pagerank, which is a bummer:( I'd still drop the .blogspot.

2) I would hide that Blogger Navbar. I don't know why, but I have grown to hate that thing:P I think it's bulky and cheap looking. It is very easy to hide. Check here for simple details on how to do it.

Now then, the next thing I do is go away and design a look/graphic (I don't go to Istock, I draw something no one else will have). This project was easy peasy...I have been dying to do a hot mamma in a martini glass (so psyched for this to come my way!)
*Poof* Here's the graphic I drew. Don'cha LOVE our Martini Mom!?!

Now, I go to a test site, and put together the whole look for client approval. I will be posting that step in the next few days. (I gotta do it first)

I will tell you, if you are going to Blogher...I signed up for the Geek Lab Room of Your Own Series. Go vote if you would like to have some tips and tricks for pimping out your blog, as well as branding and coming up with an overall look (not just code stuff)...you have to search to the bottom of the page (mine is Blog Design) Let 'em know if you would attend in the comments (so far, I have no one...sad I know)

That being said, I think branding is the funnest (is that a word?) part of the whole thing. I LOVE coming up with looks for peoples blogs. It's so fun! I LOVE the graphic I came up with for Martini Mom, and whether you can draw or not, there are so many avenues for coming up with your own look....I am getting off my soapbox...now:)

I am going to go away and pimp the test site...then I'll post again to show you what else I came up with to complete this makeover...more later;)

17 comments

  1. I am so damn excited!! I'm nervous, of course, but I've been told I'm EASY.

    We'll see it that's true......xoxox

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  2. Umm so out of curiosity what is the fee to have your blog pimped? Like is there a Sleep Nazi Club discount?

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  3. LOVE that graphic - coolest martini ever!!! I can't wait to see what you do for her site!! Your points are great, too, and I totally agree about Blogger. It's gotten such a bad rap and I like it and find it totally suits me.

    *Still* getting comments on the great job you did on my blog :)

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  4. Thank you for posting this. I debate and debate about switching to wordpress or something, but the truth is that blogger is really easy, I have my own domain, and I like using it. I'm USED to it!

    Thanks for the 'how to' on how to remove the blogger bar - I'm gonna do that. I would love to have you design something for my blog, maybe when I have extra moolah.... someday.

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  5. you are one hell of a pimp, my friend.

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  6. I'll remove my nav bar tyvm, but I aready HAVE the coolest graphic on the net and refuse to pay a hosting fee, which I have alreay done on the other 4 domain names I had. I'm down to one and when it runs out, I'll get rid of it too!

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  7. Suzy...I'm not sure if I offended you with my post. I specifically said

    "not all things have to be done, it's a matter of picking and choosing what is right for you"

    If you are happy with your graphic and the .blogspot...great. I am only showing what things can be done, and what I am doing for this specific client. If you don't want to pay the hosting fee...to each their own. Glad you are happy with your graphic. Blog design is only a matter of ones specific taste...Nothing is right or wrong...just a matter of opinion.

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  8. If I'm not on Blogger, will you still like me?

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  9. I think I'm going to try to hide that Navigation Bar :)

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  10. Great post. I love these procedure themed posts you are doing lately. Way cool. I would love to see another one like the Where The Wild Kings Are one you did.
    I am going to look into removing the blogspot. Thanks for all the great tips.

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  11. As a newbie blogger I love your post. I need to read it a few more times - I am so NOT technical, but hope to follow your advice.

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  12. I am forever preaching that the only advantage Wordpress has over Blogger is improved comment control/better plug-ins for comments. Other than that? I haven't found a single thing I couldn't do in Blogger if I just looked around for a little help. Best part is that it is FREE. Me likey FREE.

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  13. I like blogger - I was going to switch to Wordpress - but after messing around with it - I decided to stick to blogger!

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  14. Here here! I am so glad you've said this...I've been doing my own series of "how to" technically thingies specifically for people who use Blogger who may not be A++ technical but who want to learn how to do a thing or two.

    Can't wait to see what you do to Vodka Mom's site!

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  15. These are helpful tips. I'm going to go vote for your braniac seminar. See you at Blogher! Oh, and that's a picture of my little family you've got frozen up on Vodka's screenshot ;)

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  16. You know you know how to get things going on in Blogger land! Everyone needs Nap Warden on the case! Blogland would be a lot hipper to look at... :-)

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  17. we need to talk. I don't want to move mine from typepad but G I need help

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