Add Google Plus Followers Gadget To Blogger!

One of the best perks of using Google is, it has products that seamlessly integrate with each other to provide an easy and comprehensive interface to users. For example, Google Drive can be used to attach files with emails quickly. You can +1 posts outside Google+, and share search results on Google Plus. You can even auto-publish your Blogger blog feed to your G+ profile. And that is by no means the end of it. In fact, Google just announced a brand new feature, the Google Plus Followers gadget for blogger blogs! This new Google Plus followers' gadget for blogspot blogs will provide another layer of integration between your Google Plus profile and your Blogger/Blogspot blog.

Why do paid links violate Google's guidelines while other ads don't?

Google is known for its non-tolerance for paid links to a site. Previously, sites tended to gain ranking on account of the paid links they had pointing to themselves. Bu Google has been working on its algorithm, and the Panda and Penguin updates have been all about cutting down on such spam activities. Now Google delivers a penalty to such a website that has paid back-links. But if you come to think about it, don't ads seem to do the same thing? For example, if you buy an ad slot on a website that points to your own site, then how is that different from links on other websites that you buy?

Why might GoogleBot get errors when trying to access my robots.txt file?.

A great thing about Google is, it gives webmasters all the help they need to get their websites into Google's index. There's a nice tool available in Google Webmaster Tools called 'Fetch as GoogleBot'. This tool, as we discussed in our SEO Tips for start-ups, can be a great help diagnosing errors and getting a website in Google's index faster. A robots.txt file is used for crawling efficiency, and preventing certain pages from being crawled etc. Sometimes though, GoogleBot might have difficulty fetching your robots.txt file. Here's a solution from Google to this problem.

Reposition Navigation Buttons in Blogger!

The navigation buttons or links that are displayed at the bottom of each comment section in BlogSpot blogs enable visitors to switch between new and old posts or move from one post page to another ordered by date and time. These buttons become less of use when number of comments increase too much. Normally readers do not even observe the navigation deep down and this results in loss of precious pageviews. I have always emphasized that value pageviews more than unique visitors because it is indeed pageviews that turns into revenue generating page impressions both for AdSense or any other Ad Network.  You might have seen the More, Next and Previous button showing inside the top black sticky bar on MBT homepage and post pages. It is really not possible to shift a Post data item to any other widget section in blogger. Doing such results in "Data variable not found in dictionary" error or similar.

What has having your own blog taught you about SEO?

If you have any interest in the web-development industry, you will find that there are countless entries on the internet about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - from so-and-so hot SEO tactics to the best SEO practices, and so on. There are also tonnes of blogs and websites like Search Engine Land, SEOmoz etc that provide SEO tools, guides, tips, and more. But can you learn all about SEO from these sources? For a person working in the SEO industry, or working as a SEO, is it necessary for him to have a blog or a website? Have you learned something about SEO that you wouldn't know if you haven't had your own blog?

Show each Author Picture In Post Titles Dynamically

Post Contributed by Hassam Ahmad Awan, a Gold Star MBT contributor and senior co-author. You can catch him always on his blog Bloggingehow

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Its a pleasure for me to share one of a Blogger tweak that we managed to implement on BloggingeHow.com recently that makes sure that every author's image is shown up beside their post titles, both on home and post pages. The dynamic tweak enables every individual authors in Blogger based blogs to get them selves showcased. Also as for readers, its a much satisfying thing to know the actual person behind the article. Its much easier to get your self related with the post. It will display author pics dynamically unlike the static way that Mohammad shared months ago which can be find here: Show Profile Avatars next to post titles.

Search For Adsense Ads by Image using Ad Review Center Tool

Have you ever considered grabbing more control over your AdSense ads through, say the AdSense Ad review center? The Ad review Center is a really powerful tool that lets you tweak the settings, and control ads that appear in your site's ad units. Following a set of changes and improvements from Google earlier this year, that gave this useful tool even more power and reliability, Google has now introduced another remarkable feature - image filtering. This new feature will let you find ads, and review them very easily and effectively, hence saving your time.

Why People Quit Blogging?

Blogging has become very popular, and has become a 'hot' way of earning money online. But while so many people make a fortune at blogging, a lot of others get discouraged, and quit blogging. The major reason for this is, some people just don't know how to avoid some pitfalls that accompany the field. There's a lot more to blogging than just writing and earning money in return. Take a look at the top 10 reasons people quit blogging, and learn to avoid those pitfalls.

Do you think 'Search Engine Optimization' should be renamed?

We often hear and use the term Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with regards to blogging / website designing, and getting content on Google. But what is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear this word? A lot of people picture link building and other such practices, which kind of limits their imagination and their field. But comparing its actual meaning to the way it is used today, do you think there's any difference between the two? And do you think the name is descriptive of the way it is used these days? Or should it be renamed appropriately? Here's Google's viewpoint on the matter.

How long does a Reconsideration request take to process?.

Google rolls out its algorithmic updates on a regular basis now. And it impacts a lot of websites positively, as well as negatively. Although the negative effect might be because of shady practices or spam action, it could also be a mistake, for which Google offers webmasters an option to file a reconsideration report. So if you think your website has been unduly penalized, or maybe if there's a misconception from Google's side, you can use this option. But some people have been submitting and submitting reconsideration requests, but don't hear anything about it for weeks, or even months. So how long does Google take to actually process a reconsideration request?

Move your blog from LiveJournal To Blogger

LiveJournal is a great free resource for people who want to keep a log or a diary of sorts of theirs online, or share their life experiences with their friends and family. It allows people to make posts, and then cross-post and share on their social media profiles. Hence, these journals have all the markings of a blog. But for people who started off with LiveJournal, but aren't satisfied with the limited options it has, Blogger is a great option for them. Blogger is so much more than what LiveJournal is. So if you're not satisfied with LiveJournal, you can just move your blog from LiveJournal over to Blogger and get much more functionality.

How will Google interpret links to URLs ending with a campaign tag?

Campaign tags, also known as URL parameters, are a way of telling apart different variables, such as a visitor's source, or affiliate id, or something similar. Hence, they are used for tracking purposes. These tags or parameters change the URL, even if they might point to the same content. For example www.example.com and www.example.com?ref=1234, both might point to the same webpage. So the important question is, how does Google treat such URLs? It is logical to think about them as two different URLs, since there's an added key-value pair. And some parameters even change the content on a webpage. So how does Google interpret such links that have a campaign tag? Does it consider them as the same page or not? And what are the SEO effects of inbound links?

Convert a Wordpress blog To Blogger in easy steps

Blogger is a very widely used publishing platform, mostly because its strength lies in its simplicity and ease of use. It is quite easy to use, and is recommended for beginner bloggers who are looking for a quick and easy way to create a presence for themselves online. For bloggers who have created a WordPress blog, but are at a loss to maintain or modify it, they have a great option in Blogger. They can easily migrate their WordPress blog to Blogger without any hitch. In this post, we will talk about how you can shift from WordPress to free Blogger.

How does Google consider site-wide backlinks?

Are site-wide backlinks good or bad for your website? People are often confused by the question, and most are under the impression that the more the backlinks to a website, the better, no matter whether they are from the same, or a different domain. And judging from a crawler's point of view, it seems logical, since crawlers crawl each link on a page, and then follow the link to the linked page, and a backlink is registered for that page if it's external. But is it worth back-linking to a site more than once? More importantly, does it have any pitfalls?

300 x 600 Largest Ad Size Now available in AdSense! - Boost CTR

We have previously discussed about the different screen size available out there, and how to optimize your website for better experience on smartphones and Tablets. Since the evolution of the internet and the advancement in display technology, the number of pixels has been increasing, from the small VGA display to the current ultra-HD 2048 x 1600 display. So webmasters have been trying forever to make use of the high resolutions and to return better value to the users. This calls for a redesigning of most major aspects of a site. Fortunately, Google AdSense team is here to help in the process. On popular demand, it has just announced a new ad size of 300 x 600 for webmasters who use AdSense. And that is the largest skyscraper ever that will surely boost your overall AdSense earning by increasing the click through rate (CTR) of all your pages.

Does Google take Action on Spammy Guest Blogging Activities?

By far, the most popular method of acquiring links among webmasters is guest blogging. People write for other websites in exchange for links to their own websites. This not only gives people a backlink, it also gives them a small increase in traffic, hence making it a favorite among bloggers. But sometimes, it seems a bit too easy, as anyone can pick up content from the internet and submit a guest post about it. And since the practice is widely used, a lot of spammy activity is bound to surface at one time or another. So what does Google do about it? Will it penalize websites for links acquired through guest blogging?

Google tips to Optimize a Website for Tablet and Smartphone users

Mobile devices such as Smartphones, and especially Tablets, are now fast becoming more and more popular, and although nowhere near replacing desktops, they do seem to be gaining up on browser statistics. Now, they have more than 10% of the share, with Tablets almost as much being used as smartphones. This makes optimizing websites for mobile devices all the more important. But tablet users now don't want you to return a mobile version of your website to them. They want the desktop experience. But although there are no official guidelines from Google on creating search engine and user friendly tablet-optimized site, there are a few tips you can apply to make your website work across multiple platforms.

Designing a Successful Facebook Offer for your Brand

Previously, we have talked about a new feature released by Facebook recently called Facebook Offers. This feature lets you promote your brand by offering people rewards for visiting your website or your brand's physical location. Simple creating an offer, however, is just a start. To make it work, you have to utilize the maximum potential of your audience by designing a successful offer, and keeping the basic Facebook marketing tips in mind. And since you're spending money on creating offers, you have to be extra careful, as a slight mistake might result in a loss for your business. Here, we'll discuss some tips for designing a successful Facebook Offer.

Should You Keep A Parked Domain Before Website Launch?

Are you thinking about launching a new website, or maybe a service or an online store? If yes, then chances are that you might want to take the initial phase of setting up a domain and website a bit more seriously than you'd ordinarily do. Ever opened a webpage, only to find that it is no where to be found on the internet? That's because there's nothing on that domain at present. Worse still is the parked domain page, advertising the hosting company, which makes you think you've finally landed onto an existing page, only to realize that it is no good either. So what sort impression do you want to give to people who know of your newly launched domain's existence, and would like to know more? Is parking the domain a sensible idea?

Google PageRank Update November 2012

So, Google PageRank has been updated again this week, just as expected. And so far, the update does not seem to be a major one - but then again, give it some time. The last update took place in August 2012, and the one before that on May 2012. So it's pretty obvious that Google is now rolling out these updates quarterly, i.e. after every three months. So the next update is expected in the first 10 days of February 2013. We congratulate everyone whose PR didn't drop. And for those whose did, there's a few things you can do which we will mention. And again, keep in mind that Google PR should not a priority for you - read on to see why.

Compose Emails Faster With Gmail's New Feature

Google is always constantly trying to expand its influence by introducing new features, while trying at the same time to improve upon those of its products that are popular. Hence we've seen a plethora of new tools and features being introduced across the Google-sphere in the recent past. And yesterday, we  were talking about this same thing that why Google cuts down on some of its products to give more space to its existing products. Today, we'll talk about a new feature recently introduced in Gmail, which allows you to compose emails much faster and easier.

Why Does Google Shut Down Products?

Google is one of the most successful internet company, and it's scope is so wide now that almost every internet user uses at least one product from Google. And Google continues to expand and create new products. But in the process, it has been pulling the plug on some products as well. Take iGoogle, for example. Or Google Video or Google Talk Chatback. There's a whole plethora of products that Google introduced, but now have been discontinued. But why does the internet giant cut off its products, even when people do seem to be using them?

How To Add Barcode and Redemption Code For Facebook Offers?

Yesterday, we talked about a latest marketing and advertising feature introduced by Facebook called Facebook Offers. Facebook Offers let you promote your brand or products by giving out rewards to people who visit your website or your brand's physical location (office, store etc). These rewards can be anything, from an ebook to a small gift hamper to an entry into a lucky draw for a larger prize. It is the next step in Facebook marketing, and you can be one of the first ones to make use of this feature. We have already talked about what Facebook Offers. Today, we'll talk about the different types of offers, and how to add Redeem codes or Barcodes for people to be able to redeem your offers.

Facebook Offers: How to Create an Offer for your Fan Page?

Facebook has just recently launched a new feature for brand pages: Page offers. Page offers are basically rewards for your audience or customers who can claim them by visiting your store or online website, and also share with their friends. Not only does this engage your current customers or audience on a new level, it also extends the reach of your service or brand. Offers require a budget to run, but could worth be the investment your brand has been in need of. So let's take a look at how you can create offers, and what you can do with them.

How To Turn Your Blog Posts Into A Video?

One of the greatest influence in the online word is the power of the written word. People, especially bloggers mostly make use of writing to convey their message to their readers. But have you ever thought of using images, or videos to do the same? Of course, a lot of people use videos and images on their blogs or websites. But how about presenting your awesome blog posts in the form of a video? Maybe not every follower of yours is following your lengthy blog posts that you share on social media, So why not try something new, and present your blog posts in a whole different way?

5 Things to Remember Before Disavowing Links

As we have previously discussed, Google recently launched a Disavow Links Tool. Using this tool, bloggers and webmasters can 'disavow', or disinherit some selected incoming links to their websites, so that Google won't consider those links when evaluating the website. The idea is to prevent spam-backlinking, that can bring down a website's ranking, because Google considers the quality of the backlinks to a website more than the quantity, and hence penalizes for bad or spam linking. So for any malicious websites trying to link to your site, their links can easily be disregarded. But before you go on disavowing every link that looks suspicious to you, there are a few things you should be mindful of first.

How to Cast your Vote in US elections With Google?

So the U.S presidential race is a full swing, and expectations are high as the election day arrives. Different people have different ways of keeping track of the race, and so do many websites which provide varying data on who has the most support. But every term (four years), more and more people are looking for reliable sources of information on the voting process and their ballots. Google has now made this incredibly easy, and searching for such information is no longer a hitch. It has launched a Voter Information Tool that will help voters stay updated about the elections.

How does Google Treat Websites with Sub-domains?

Making sub-domains on a domain has now become pretty popular, and many bloggers are now using sub-domains to create custom pages, such as contact and about pages. Although they look professional (and classy :P), they raise a concern. Usually, they are not part of a theme or template, and are custom designed. So some of the on-page SEO elements might be present. And Google Panda and Penguin is said to be domain-level penalty, with one low quality page effecting the whole site. So the popular question arises; how does Google view these sub-domains? And what is the difference, if any, between sub-directory structure and sub-domain structure?

Do Human "Quality Raters" Influence Which Sites are Impacted by Panda?

Okay. So this is an important question that many people have now started asking: Do Human "Quality Raters" Influence which sites are impacted by Panda? You might have heard of a manual penalty for a site, and in our post about removing backlinks to avoid penalty, we talked about when a website gets hit by an algorithm, and when a site gets manually penalized. This concept gives rise to a common question: if these 'quality raters' influence whether a website gets impacted by an algorithmic update, such as Panda or Penguin, then how is the consumers' reaction gauged? Meaning who is to say which site gets penalized and which doesn't?