Its time for another answer edition of Q & A here on this ol’ blog.

Da Da D’ Daaaaaaa!

Today’s question comes from Kris of Vintage Window. She asks:

In Blogger, how do I get a sidebar on both sides of my blog entries?

Kris, that is something that I’ve done a lot of for clients who are moving to a three column format because their sidebar real estate is getting scarce. With more and more people doing affiliate advertising, there is need for more column space. However, for some reason, Blogger has yet to offer 3-column templates.

Its not hard to do but you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get dirty with code. You also need to temporarily become a Type-A, very, very detail oriented person for a few minutes.

So ready to start? Go grab your cup of coffee and throw a 30 minute Barney video in the DVD player (it’ll be more than enough time)…

(Please note: This guide is one of the many that are out there on the internet. But since this is a popular question, I decided to join the ranks of some pretty smart cookies. There are also full templates you can download…which you can find with a simple Google search. This guide tells you how to add a third column to the Minima Theme. Other guides are available for the other themes.)

1. Before you do any change in the code, its always a good idea to backup your template. To do so, go to Layout, then Edit HTML, then Download Full Template. This will download an XML file of your template to your hard drive.

2. Next, you’ll want to go to Pick a New Template and select the Minima Theme. (As I mentioned above, there are other guides around that tell you how to add a third column to other themes.) Save your template.

3. Go back to to Edit HTML and scroll down to the code, under Edit Template.

4. Scroll down about 1/3 of the way until you see this code:

#sidebar-wrapper {
width: 220px;
float: $endSide;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden;      /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

Copy this whole piece of code (above) and paste it right after itself.

Rename the copied code “#leftsidebar-wrapper“, because this new sidebar is going to be your left sidebar.

5. Now you need to adjust the width and float settings on some “wrappers”.  Scroll up a bit to the ‘#outer-wrapper’. A typical layout should look like this:

#outer-wrapper {
width: 900px;
margin:0 auto;
padding:10px;
text-align:$startSide;
font: $bodyfont;
}

#main-wrapper {
width: 450px;
margin-left: 25px;
float: left;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden;     /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

#sidebar-wrapper {
width: 200px;
float: right;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden;      /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

#leftsidebar-wrapper {
width: 200px;
float: left;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden;      /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

6. Scroll down to the almost very bottom of the code and find this:

<div id=’main-wrapper’>
<b:section class=’main’ id=’main’ showaddelement=’no’>
<b:widget id=’Blog1′ locked=’true’ title=’Blog Posts’ type=’Blog’/>
</b:section>
</div>

Now is where you decide if you want the main column in the middle or on the left. If you want the main column in the middle, paste the following piece of code above the ‘main-wrapper’ code:

<div id=”leftsidebar-wrapper”>
<b:section class=”sidebar” id=”leftsidebar” preferred=”yes”>
<b:widget id=”HTML2″ locked=”false” title=”Adding a 3rd Column in Blogger” type=”HTML”/>
</b:section>
</div>

If you want the main column on the left, paste that code below the ‘main-wrapper’ code.

7. Lastly, you need to reset the header and footer width since we changed the column widths. Near the top, scroll to this code:

#header-wrapper {
width:660px;
margin:0 auto 10px;
border:1px solid $bordercolor;
}

Now change the width to the same width you used in the ‘#outer-wrapper’, in this case, 900px.

#header-wrapper {
width:900px;
margin:0 auto 10px;
border:1px solid $bordercolor;
}

Scroll down near the bottom again to this code:

#footer {
width:660px;
clear:both;
margin:0 auto;
padding-top:15px;
line-height: 1.6em;
text-transform:uppercase;
letter-spacing:.1em;
text-align: center;
}

And change to:

#footer {
width:900px;
clear:both;
margin:0 auto;
padding-top:15px;
line-height: 1.6em;
text-transform:uppercase;
letter-spacing:.1em;
text-align: center;
}

8. Click Preview and Save Template if everything looks good.

(Note: If you get an error message when you try to preview your blog, change the following code from step 6 to read ‘HTML3′ or 4 or 5…you can’t have duplicated widget ids. If you already have HTML widgets in your current layout, you have to use a unique number):

<div id=”leftsidebar-wrapper”>
<b:section class=”sidebar” id=”leftsidebar” preferred=”yes”>
<b:widget id=“HTML3″ locked=”false” title=”Adding a 3rd Column in Blogger” type=”HTML”/>
</b:section>
</div>

Not that wasn’t so bad was it? You are now officially a geek.

Any questions?

Today I’m tackeling a question from Lissa. She asked:

How do you make target links in the header – an example of what I mean is http://eightcrazy.blogspot.com/

Well Lissa, in the world of web design, there seems to always be 1000 ways to do the same thing. One person will use one method, while another person will use another. There are design standards, but within that, there is some freedom and flexibility.

I think from looking at eightcrazy‘s source code (btw, you know you can peek at someone’s source code by right-clicking on the page and selecting “view page source”, don’t you? Its super handy.) that she did a lot of template customization (and btw again…Shannon of Eight Crazy is a super talented designer and all-around cool gal! Check ‘er out.).

She probably started with a basic Blogger template and went into “Layout” and “Edit HTML” and tweaked to her heart’s content. My other guess is that she did what’s called “slicing” on her header when she created it in Photoshop. She divided her header into four sections, using a very clever design. (sorry Shannon…I hope I’m not giving away all your secrets!). Within Photoshop, there is a “slice” tool that divides your design into smaller pieces and creates images from them. In her HTML code, she arranged her slices, wrapped them in anchor tags ( <a href=”yoururl.html”> ) and thus created a full header.

Eightcrazy is a great example of what you can do with a little creativity and coding. Blogger offers a good starting point for people who just want to set up a basic blog and start writing. But there are also a lot of customization capabilities built in if you dig around a little bit. Here are a few resources I use when working with Blogger:

http://tips-for-new-bloggers.blogspot.com/

http://www.bloggertipsandtricks.com/

http://bloggerfordummies.blogspot.com/

Hope that answers your question, Lissa. Thank you, Shannon for providing today’s visual aid!

Thanks to all who entered my Q & A Twitter design giveaway a few weeks ago. You all gave me some great material, and helped me learn what people really want to know when it comes to blogging.

The first question comes from Liz at Goddess In Progress (who has a fabulous blog about raising twins!). Liz asked:

What do you think are the pros and cons to using a photo hosting service like Flickr or Photobucket, versus just uploading them to your hosting provider, be it your own domain or something like Blogger?

Well Liz, that’s a great question and I had to do some Googling because my first thought would be to say there’s no difference. Let me share with you what I found out.

There are several good options for free photo hosting services. PhotoBucket, Flickr, Webshots, SnapFish and ShutterFly are just a few of the many options on the web today. There are several advantages to using a photo sharing service.

1. They’re free. This may be a mute point, because if you have a blog, you already have free hosting or paid hosting. However, if for some reason you had a limited amount of space and a lot of photos, it might be helpful to host them elsewhere.

2. Editing features. A lot of people don’t own the latest, costly, version of PhotoShop. One great feature of these services is the photo editing capabilities that come with them. You are able to make some simple changes to your photos after uploading…for free! You can crop, change contrast/brightness, etc. This is a great option for bloggers.

3. Extra exposure. If your photos are a big part of your blogging practices, its probably beneficial to have them on a photo sharing service that will increase your exposure and traffic. You can add tags to your photos and gain that much more visible for yourself and your blog.

4. Sharing. This is somewhat related to the above point, but its handy to have your photos already hosted on a sharing/hosting site so you can share them with family, order prints or design photo gifts. I’ve used SnapFish for years for this very reason.

Now, two Cons…that aren’t really cons. I initially was going to caution you about the fact that most services are open to anyone and your photos can be copied and used without your permission. But as any blogger knows, you take on this risk the minute you add your first photo to a post. The best bet for protecting yourself and your photos is to add a personal watermark. A great example of this is what Beth at I Should be Folding Laundry does with hers. She has a photography business and obviously doesn’t want her beautiful pictures used without her permission. She adds a tasteful watermark to her photos in a non-distracting way.

Lastly, one may think that there is risk of a photo hosting server going down and your photos not being available when needed. But again, its a mute point. Servers are servers and they all have the potential to go down at some point.

Liz, hope that somewhat answers your question…in a long winded sort of way!

So what are your thought on photo hosting services? Have a favorite? Something to add?

**Update: Winner of the Twitter background design is Kris!**

Today I’m kicking off another round of Q & A on this here blog of mine…but with a little twist.

Here’s the skinny: Ask any question related to the mechanics or technical aspects of blogging in the form of a comment. It can be anything from how to add a custom banner, uploading a photo, adding a WordPress plugin, domain names, hosting…whatever. I’ll be back in the following weeks to answer your questions to the best of my ability.

And the best part? Your comment will enter you to win a Twitter background design…like this one or this one, or even this one. If you aren’t on Twitter (say what??), we’ll come up with something (maybe a mommy/business card or blog badge?)

Please submit your entries before Wednesday, March 4th at midnight.

So…ask away.

Nicole Feliciano asked:

Did you come away with ideas that will REALISTICALLY and DRAMATICALLY increase readership?

My Answer:

Yes, definitely. But dramatically? That may be hard to measure. Though readership/stats are not an exact science, I know that the right people were on the job when it came to sharing great tips for increasing readership. Some of those tips were:

Use social media, like Twitter and Facebook, to your advantage. Build community, promote your blog and find new opportunities in that way.

Comment, comment, comment. Nothing builds community like commenting on others’ blogs. Being part of carnivals (my own tip) is a great way to increase your exposure and find some great blogs.

Respond to comments. As much as it is possible, especially in the beginning, respond to your commenters. Visit their blogs and make a point to say something about their blog. Find a way to connect, even if its something small.

Label your photos. In a very practical way, you can increase your Google search results by naming the images you use in your post something meaningful. Don’t just leave it as “img_20744″. Name it “BlissDom 09 tips and tricks to increase readership”. Google likes that…and so might you.

And finally, write good content. People will come back, and spread the word, if you offer something they like. This may be the hardest of all, in my opinion. But it makes the most sense, wouldn’t you agree?

Nicole also asked:

Can you compare it to Blogher?

My answer:

Gosh, that’s hard. It was different in so many way. Here’s my personal take (so don’t throw me under the bus!):

BlogHer was in San Fransisco…BlissDom in Nashville.

BlogHer had over 1,000 attendees…BlissDom had 250.

BlogHer appealed to a wider variety of bloggers (political, entertainment, etc.)…BlissDom seemed to appeal more to mommy, craft, tip bloggers.

BlogHer focused a lot on being free to express yourself however you wish because its your blog…BlissDom focused more on finding your niche and writing good, appealing content.

BlogHer didn’t emphasis social media *as much* as BlissDom did (and perhaps that was the difference that 8 months makes).

BlogHer did a good job (as much as I hated it) of making you meet new people with mixers, little games, etc….BlissDom left that up to the person, in a way.

The panels at BlogHer seemed to get off topic with so many questions from the attendees…BlissDom had success in staying on topic with good information while still taking questions from people.

Andrea McMann asked:

Have they released the time and venue for next year’s Blissdom? What’s your best tip (or best tips) for getting the most out of a blog conference experience?

My Answer:

Just this morning I got an email asking for my feedback on the conference. There was “talk” about having it twice a year, in October and February, most likely in Nashville. They also asked our opinion on if they were to increase the attendance, what a good cap would be. This year they kept the attendance at 250 people. That made it such a nice size…big enough that it was worthwhile but small enough that it was still somewhat intimate.

So…they may be opening it up to more people next year, and I’ll be it will go fast. You can sign up for the ’10 conference updates here. That way, you’ll be in the know for next year!

As for getting the most out of the experience, I would have to say to attend every session, ask questions, walk up to people you want to meet (something I need to be better at) and just be involved with what’s going on. Honestly, there were a few things I skipped out on because I was just plain tired and needed some down time. That’s probably one thing I would do differently for next year.

And last but not least, Mrs. Fussypants herself (um, hello????) asked:

What do we need to concentrate on for next year?

My answer:

{Gulp}

I think keeping the venue small, like this year, really lends itself to a better conference experience. As the popularity and “buzz” about BlissDom grows, I hope that the dedication to the intimate setting remains. And if you can come up with some fun, creative, non-dorky mixer games, that would be icing on the cake… (if they even exist).

She also asks:

What *one* thing stood out to make the weekend special for you

My answer:

It was obvious the amount of time and planning that went into the planning of this conference. The logistics, Hotel Preston (minus the possessed elevators…), was just right for the amount of people; the session topics and panelists were right on, the special guests were a definite plus, the sponsors and “swag” was over the top. Everything down to the smallest detail was obviously planned with the attendee in mind, and that made the experience as a whole very positive.

I hope this was helpful. If you want more, you can now download the transcripts from the sessions and the key note speech from Jen Lancaster! Check it out…

When I first started blogging I was O.Ver.Whelmed. There is just so much to learn, so many styles, so many choices to make. I’m still navigating my way around sometimes and don’t know that one can ever learn all there is to know about blogging because something new is always on the horizon.

Even with 15 years experience in the graphic and web design industry, there was still a learning curve that took place before I felt somewhat comfortable with it. And resources like ProBlogger, Blogging Basics 101 and my blogging mentor, Metropolitan Mama were a few of the many resources I went to to find the answers to my questions.

Therefore, one of the weekly features on this here new blog o’ mine will be a Q & A series every Thursday. And, yes, I fully realize I am posting this at 9:19 p.m. on the very first Thursday of the series. I’m a mom, ok? I have kids to nag chase nurture. And they will always come first.

So if you are new to blogging, or just have a burning question, please send them my way. Anytime. Not just on Thursdays. You can Twitter me too. I will pick one or two a week and feature them (and you) in a post and hopefully (*crossing fingers*) will be able to answer your question. And if I cant, I’ll make something up. Just kidding.

So ask away…anything goes (Well. you know…)