The World of Widgets

Introduction

Since "The Blog is the New Resume" (or at least it plays a role in your job search and your professional image), it's time to focus on adding widgets/gadgets to enhance your blog. You might also want to use this time to change your template and/or modify the layout, add a 2"x2" profile photo, and fill in professional details for future visitors.

Widgets for each individual Blog Post

"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"

As I have mentioned before, "block quote" formatting looks very professional and it is much easier to read. 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

Some of you have been using images every week but many of you have not. As they say "a picture speaks 1000 words". Write a short blog post based on our discussion today about online collaboration and the puzzles from last week. Now 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

  1. 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.feedburner.com/fb/a/publishers/fbemail
http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?AddBloggerWidget

Add a Slideshow from Picasa, Flickr, etc.

  1. Logon to your favorite photo website
  2. Choose the "album" you want on your blog
  3. Look for a button/link that says "EMBED"
  4. Copy the code
  5. Go to blogger, click 'layout', and add a new page element in your sidebar (html/javascript)
  6. Paste code in new page element
  7. Save & Preview

Add a "Search" box

Use Google's "draft" blogger site to add widgets that are not yet on the blogger site.

  1. Logon to http://draft.blogger.com/ (instead of http://www.blogger.com
  2. 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

http://www.polldaddy.com/

Find Your Own Widgets

WidgetBox
Google Gadgets

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