How To Create An Adsense Channel For Your Blog

Today, as a continuing part of my Blogger Tutorials for newbies, I want to look at Adsense channels and why they're vital to bloggers across the board. 

You've just started your new blog. You chose the best possible name for your site. Then diligently did your research on domain name availability to get the most suitable available title. You added all the highly recommended gadgets, then set out to write knock-out posts. You signed up for Google adsense and waited to start earning, but unfortunately only pennies dribbled in. How do you know which ad units are earning you cash and which ones are only taking up valuable advertising space on your site? This is where channels come in.

We all know by now that some ads perform better than others. Picture ones earn you more money, for example. In addition, the position of your ad either catches the attention of your readers, or goes unnoticed. Adsense allows you to personalise the appearance of each ad. You can choose your own size, look, font and the colour of literally every part of your ad box. 

My All-Time Best BookMarked Articles For Writers and Bloggers (Update)

I have placed all these essential and helpful articles in one blog post. I have personally found these pieces entirely useful in my blogging/writing career. They’re simple and easy-to-follow without many of the jargon-filled tutorials out there. Here’s hoping you find one to help you do just the thing you’ve been meaning to get done for a while.


My all-time best articles for writers and bloggers

How to Change The Font On Your Blog
From: The Cutest Blog on the Block

The Easy Way To Put 'Top Comments' Widget On Your Blog
From: Reach Beyond Limits

How To Insert A Custom Signature In 'Blogger' Posts 
From: Isabella Snow

How To Add A Retweet Button On Your Blog 
From: Rose DesRochers – World Outside my Window

5 Fun Blogger Gadgets For Your Blog

5 Top Blogger Gadgets for Your Blog seeks to highlight some very handy and useful gadget to use when you manage a number of blogs. At the same time, we can do with some fun in our lives. I've picked these 5 out of the thousands available, not because they have any particular usefulness,  but because they can add charm, beauty and imagination to your blog. You can easily access these gadgets by going to your blog's layout.
Click on 'add a gadget', then go through 'more gadgets' to find these and others like them available. If you're pressed for time, just use the 'link' I've provided after each of these below to get to your chosen page. Remember to use the panels provided to properly customise each gadget to suit your individual needs.

Fun Blogger gadgets for your blog

Event

This fun Blogger gadget helps you and your readers to keep abreast of special events happening in the near future. Have you written an e-Book recently? Do you have a book launch, a special blog tour, a contest? 'My events' is splendid as a temporary way to add social interaction to your blog. Link Or go to your Layout - Add a Gadget - Featured Gadgets (click on blue print at the top left hand corner of the 'add gadgets' page) - and My Event is the 5th one on the list.

Flikr Photostream

I have this gadget on my new Shakespeare scenes blog. It showcases your most recent pictures uploaded on flickr and adds interest to a new blog when you're still not too sure of what gadgets you want included. It adds colour, a bit of fun, and something extra for your new readers to look at while you build your blog. Link Or go to your Layout - Add a Gadget - Featured Gadgets - and Flickr Photostream is the 7th one on the list.

The Daily Puppy

This fun Blogger gadget may appeal to people who like dogs. Even if we don't, we have to keep in mind that sites which feature animals (especially the cute, baby variety) do pretty well when it comes to increasing their page views. This gadget displays a different picture of a cute puppy each day. This one can be customised for size and the number of puppies you show. Link Or go to your Layout - Add a Gadget - More Gadgets - and Daily Puppy is in the middle of the first page.

Twitter 'Follow Me' Buttons

Just go to the page, click on a number and 'update.' You'll be spoilt for choice with the number of interesting/funny/cute 'follow me' buttons on offer. link Or go to Layout - Add a Gadget - More Gadgets - and Twitter 'Follow Me' buttons are in the middle of the second page of gadgets.

Pictures of Baby exotic animals - fun Blogger gadget

A beautiful, large selection of exotic baby animals to soften the look of your blog. Of course you can choose the height of this gadget, but I suspect you would want it a medium size to properly showcase this lovely selection. Again, this is not a feature of any particular use. It just sits there looking pretty. I can do with some 'pretty', can't you? Link Or go to your Layout - Add a Gadget - More Gadgets - and Pictures of exotic baby animals' gadget is towards the bottom of page 3.

Stay tuned for more hand-picked blogger gadgets. If you liked these fun Blogger gadgets, you will also need to add, free gadgets to increase page views, or Blogger's most useful gadgets. Why not check out this page of a range of free gadgets for your blog to find the one that suits you. If you liked 5 Fun Blogger Gadgets for Your Blog, I would love it if you shared this post on your favourite networking sites. Thank you.

Vital Settings For Your Blogger Blog - The Newbie's Guide

This tutorial is aimed at brand new bloggers using Blogger templates. This edition is exclusively about what to include in your Settings if you want your new blog to set its best foot forward. Some things are vital additions to your blog if you want it found by others and/or listed by search engines. Other blogger tutorials are here.

Go to your Blogger dashboard and choose Setting. We'll work from the left to the right of your screen. 

Please don't forget to click on the orange button at the end of each page you change in order to save your settings.

Basic

Very simply put, the basic screen asks you for the name of your blog. This is not the url, it's the name you want your blog to be known as. 

Spend time writing a description of your blog next. This helps visitors to find your page while surfing but most importantly, it helps search engines to trawl your blog and 'decide' what it's about. You have 500 characters so make the best possible use of them.

Choose yes when asked if you want your blog to be included in the listings. Anyone can turn up on your blog simply by clicking on the 'next' button from their very own navbar. Not opting to include your blog in the listing results in no one knowing it exists.

- Choose yes to let search engines find your blog.