Featured Posts Slider Widget for Blogger - [Automatic]

dynamic blogger sliderEver wondered how to display your most recent posts from a selected category inside a dynamic Image slider? Let's create a responsive featured content slider widget for BlogSpot blogs that may display recent posts from a specific label automatically. Without our Blogger JSON Feeds guide, building Blogspot widgets would not have been that easy!
UPDATE: We just released Random Posts Slider Widget and a Static Slider For Blogger!
Image Sliders for blogs play a vital role in showcasing your featured content whether it be a static list of featured images linked to your bog posts or a dynamic/automatic list of recent posts from a specific label or an automatic list of random posts. We are sharing with you all for the first time, all these three amazing blogger featured content sliders built using FlexSlider and Blogger JSON Feeds API. These blogspot widgets are rarely shared with all advanced functionality and we are pleased to develop them exclusively for blogger community. 
In the past we have developed and shared several static Content Sliders for Blogspot blogs but this time we will learn how to make that content load dynamically instead of manually creating the featured content list and then displaying it.
See our previous sliders by following these links:

What is a Featured Posts Slider Widget?

Featured posts slider widget for blogger blogs is a unique way to showcase your most favorite and exclusive articles on your homepage. It automatically displays your latest articles from a specific category inside animated slider, thus drawing your visitors attentions towards your note worthy content. 

Even news sites like Yahoo news and TV channels like Discovery displays their hottest content using a featured content slider on their homepage. This helps the website visitors to see most trending and most featured stories in a glance. Featured posts slider really helps to draw visitor attention to your old but exclusive articles, thus helping in increasing your page views. 

Wordpress sites use several plugins to showcase featured content on homepage but with the help of blogger JSON feed API & FlexSlider we were able to create the most advanced featured posts slider for blogger platform.

Features of Featured Posts Slider Widget

Featured posts slider is an advanced widget equipped with these features:
  1. Author Avatar - Unique!
  2. Displays recent posts dynamically inside Slider. - Unique!
  3. Displays recent posts from a specific category/label.
    1. Slider with two animations: Slide & Fade - Unique!
    2. Clickable Comments Count
    3. Custom Date Format
    4. Clickable Animated Featured Image Thumbnails
    5. Option to increase or decrease Image Resolution for quality- Unique!
    6. Support for Third-party Images and YouTube Video thumbnails - Unique!
    7. Title Length is adjustable

    Most Responsive Content Slider For Blogger Blogs!

    Blogger featured posts slider is built using FlexSlider and it therefore automatically adopts the width of the parent container. Multiple breakpoints are added to ensure the slider fits to device screen size just perfectly. See the screenshots below
    [ SMARTPHONES ]
    responsive blogger slider

    [ TABLETS / IPADS]
    responsive blogspot slider

    [ DESKTOP / LAPTOPS ]
    responsive blogspot content slider

    Add Featured Posts Slider To Blogger

    If you'd like to display the featured post slider on your homepage, please follow these instructions:
    1. Go To Blogger > Template
    2. Backup your template
    3. Click "Edit HTML"
    4. Just below <head> tag paste the following JS and CSS source links:
      <script src='http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1/jquery.min.js' type='text/javascript'></script>
      <link href='http://fortawesome.github.io/Font-Awesome/assets/font-awesome/css/font-awesome.css' rel='stylesheet'/>
      <link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'/>
      <link href='https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/flexslider/2.6.1/flexslider.min.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'/>
      <script src='https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/flexslider/2.6.1/jquery.flexslider.min.js' type='text/javascript'></script>
      Note: Do not add JQuery, FontAwesome, FlexSlider or Oswald source links to your template if you are already using them on your site.
    5. Next search ]]></b:skin> and just above/before it paste the following code:

      /*######### Blogger Slider By MyBloggerTricks #############*/
      .mbt-s{margin:0 5px;border:0;width:100%;overflow:hidden}
      .mbt-s .slides{list-style-type:none;margin:0 auto;padding:0}
      .mbt-s li{color:#fff;font-family:helvetica;font-size:12px;overflow:hidden;padding-top:10px}
      .mbt-s .flex-control-nav li{display:inline-block;margin:0 2px}
      .mbt-s .flex-control-nav a{text-indent:9999px;display:block;width:10px;cursor:pointer;height:10px;background-color:#000;border:1px solid #000;border-radius:0!important}
      .flex-direction-nav .flex-prev{left:-50px}
      .flex-direction-nav .flex-next{right:-50px;text-align:right}
      .mbt-s .flex-control-paging{display:none}
      .flex-direction-nav{position:relative;top:-250px}
      .mbt-s .flex-control-nav a.flex-active{background-color:#84db06;border:1px solid #90f128}
      .mbt-s .flex-div{margin:0 auto;display:block;padding:0!important;position:relative;height:370px}
      .mbt-s li a{color:#0080ff;text-decoration:none}
      .mbt-s i{color:#999;padding-right:5px}
      .mbt-s .iline{line-height:2em;margin:0;position:relative;top:-90px;background:#31363a;padding:3px 10px;display:inline-block}
      .mbt-s .icontent{line-height:1.5em;margin-top:5px}
      .mbt-s div span{margin:0 5px 0 0;display:inline-block;font-weight:400}
      .mbt-s .mbttitle{font-family:oswald;font-size:20px;color:#ff0;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;position:relative;top:-90px;background:#222;padding:15px 10px;display:block}
      .mbt-s .mbttitle:hover,.mbt-s .itotal a:hover{color:#fff;text-decoration:none}
      .mbt-s .iedit a{text-decoration:none;color:#999;cursor:pointer}
      .mbt-s .iedit:before,.mbt-s .iauthor:before,.mbt-s .itag:before,.mbt-s .icomments:before,.mbt-s .idate:before,.mbt-s .itotal span:before{font-family:fontAwesome;position:relative;padding-right:8px;color:#fff}
      .mbt-s .iauthorpic{width:17px!important;height:17px!important;border-radius:50%;float:none;display:inline-block!important;margin:0;padding-right:3px;position:relative;top:3px}
      .mbt-s .iFeatured{overflow:hidden;position:relative;margin:0;padding:0;width:100%}
      .mbt-s .iFeatured a{background:none;padding:0;display:block;border:0px solid #eee;margin:0 -1px}
      .mbt-s .iFeatured img{height:305px!important;-moz-transition:all .3s;-webkit-transition:all .3s;transition:all .3s;border-radius:0;margin:0;padding:0;opacity:.7}
      .mbt-s .iFeatured:hover img{opacity:1;-moz-transform:scale(1.4);-webkit-transform:scale(1.4);transform:scale(1.4)}
      .mbt-s .icomments a{color:#0080ff;font-family:arial;font-size:12px}
      .mbt-s .icomments a:hover{text-decoration:underline}
      .mbt-s .icomments:before{content:'\f086';padding:0 3px 0 7px;color:#fff}
      .mbt-s .idate{color:#fff;padding:3px 4px;font-family:arial;font-size:11px}
      .mbt-s .idate:before{content:'\f073';padding:0 5px;color:#fff}
    6. Make these changes
      • To change the black background color behind the title edit: #222
      • To change the yellow color of the slide title font edit: #ff0 and to change the white color of the title on mouse hover edit: #fff
      • To change the color of the comment link eidt: #0080ff
      • The color can be in rgb or #hexadecimal, both work. Use our  Color Code Generator.
    7. Save your template.
    8. Now go to Blogger > Layout
    9. Select "Add a Gadget"
    10. Choose "HTML/JavaScript" gadget
    11. Keep the title field empty and then paste the following code inside it:
      <script type="text/javascript">
      $(window).load(function() {
        $('.mbt-s').flexslider({
      animation: "slide",itemWidth: 600,itemMargin: 25,directionNav: true,touch: true,slideshowSpeed: 2500,pauseOnHover: true,animationSpeed: 700,});});</script>
      <div class="flexslider mbt-s">
      <ul class="slides">
      <script type="text/javascript">
      //################### Defaults
      var ListBlogLink = "http://mybloggertricks.com";
      var ListCount = 6;
      var ListLabel = "Events";
      var TitleCount = 66;
      var ImageSize = 600;
      //################### Function Start
      function mbtslide(json) {
      for (var i = 0; i < ListCount; i++)

      //################### Variables Declared
      var listing= ListImage = ListUrl = ListTitle = ListImage = ListContent = ListConten = ListAuthor = ListTag = ListDate = ListUpdate = ListComments = thumbUrl = TotalPosts = sk = AuthorPic= ListMonth = Y = D = M = m = YY = DD = MM = mm = TT =  "";
      //################### Category
      if (json.feed.entry[i].category != null)
      {
      for (var k = 0; k < json.feed.entry[i].category.length; k++) {
      ListTag += "<a href='"+ListBlogLink+"/search/label/"+json.feed.entry[i].category[k].term+"'>"+json.feed.entry[i].category[k].term+"</a>";
      if(k < json.feed.entry[i].category.length-1)
      { ListTag += " ";}
      }
      }
      //################### URL
      for (var j = 0; j < json.feed.entry[i].link.length; j++) {
            if (json.feed.entry[i].link[j].rel == 'alternate') {
              break;
            }
          }
      ListUrl= "'" + json.feed.entry[i].link[j].href + "'";
      //################### Info
      TotalPosts = json.feed.openSearch$totalResults.$t;
      if (json.feed.entry[i].title!= null)
      {
      ListTitle= json.feed.entry[i].title.$t.substr(0, TitleCount);
      }
      if (json.feed.entry[i].thr$total)
      {
      ListComments= "<a href='"+json.feed.entry[i].link[j].href+"#comment-form'>"+json.feed.entry[i].thr$total.$t+"</a>";
      }
      ListAuthor= json.feed.entry[i].author[0].name.$t.split(" ");
      ListAuthor=ListAuthor.slice(0, 1).join(" ");
      AuthorPic = json.feed.entry[i].author[0].gd$image.src;
      //################### Date Format
      ListMonth= ["Jan", "Feb", "Mar", "Apr", "May", "Jun", "Jul", "Aug", "Sep", "Oct", "Nov", "Dec"];
      ListDate= json.feed.entry[i].published.$t.substring(0,10);
                               Y = ListDate.substring(0, 4);
                              m = ListDate.substring(5, 7);
                               D = ListDate.substring(8, 10);
                               M = ListMonth[parseInt(m - 1)];                      
      ListUpdate= json.feed.entry[i].updated.$t.substring(0, 16);
                               YY = ListUpdate.substring(0, 4);
                              mm = ListUpdate.substring(5, 7);
                               DD = ListUpdate.substring(8, 10);
                               TT = ListUpdate.substring(11, 16);
                               MM = ListMonth[parseInt(mm - 1)];  
      //################### Thumbnail Check
      if (json.feed.entry[i].media$thumbnail)
      {
      thumbUrl = json.feed.entry[i].media$thumbnail.url;
      sk= thumbUrl.replace("/s72-c/","/s"+ImageSize+"/");
      ListImage= "'" + sk.replace("?imgmax=800","") + "'";
      }
      // YouTube scan
      else if (json.feed.entry[i].content.$t.match(/youtube\.com.*(\?v=|\/embed\/)(.{11})/) != null)
      {
          var youtube_id = json.feed.entry[i].content.$t.match(/youtube\.com.*(\?v=|\/embed\/)(.{11})/).pop();
         
          if (youtube_id.length == 11) {
              var ListImage = "'//img.youtube.com/vi/"+youtube_id+"/0.jpg'";
              }
      }
      else if (json.feed.entry[i].content.$t.match(/src=(.+?[\.jpg|\.gif|\.png]")/) != null)
      {
      // Support For 3rd Party Images
      ListImage =  json.feed.entry[i].content.$t.match(/src=(.+?[\.jpg|\.gif|\.png]")/)[1];
      }
      else
      {
      ListImage= "'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBaoO_i2u7kTRZvG6GBbHHO97n5RtxCjYQeBEoyXWIVKquEE5xXh4kgUGZnVBKy5yfkOYCTitIMnhUgO8zZHT7Oa0SN5EEVh5JgdI3KUj66cqgZ7EVuzPXOV_pewp5n0Ydrog0K1Rdfs/s200/Icon.png'";
      }
      //###################  Printing List
      var listing = "<li><div class='flex-div'><div class='iFeatured'><a  href="
      + ListUrl+
        "><img src="
      +ListImage+
      "/></a></div><div class='iline'><span class='iauthor'><img class='iauthorpic' src='"+AuthorPic+"'/>"
      +ListAuthor+
      "</span><span class='icomments'>"
      +ListComments +
      "</span> <span class='idate'>"
      + D +
      " "
      + M +
      "</span></div><a class='mbttitle' href="
      +ListUrl+
      "target='_blank'>"
      +ListTitle+
      "</a></div></li>";
      document.write(listing);
      } }
      <!-- #### Invoking the Callback Function #### -->
      document.write("<script src='"+ListBlogLink+"/feeds/posts/default/-/"+ListLabel+"?alt=json-in-script&callback=mbtslide'></"+"script>");
      </script>
      </ul></div>
      Changing the following control options will help you customize blogger sider:
      • animation: You can select two values here. "slide" or "fade"
      • slideshowSpeed: You can set the speed of the slideshow cycling, in milliseconds
      • animationSpeed: You can also set the speed of animations, in milliseconds
      • pauseOnHover: Pause the slideshow when hovering over slider, then resume when no longer hovering
      • If you don't want to use the title then delete the yellow highlighted code.
      • ListBlogLink : Insert your Blog URL here
      • ListCount : Decide how many posts do you wish to display.
      • ListLabel : Insert your blog label here. Remember that labels are case sensitive. Therefore type it exactly as it is shown in your browser address bar.
      • TitleCount : Choose how many characters to display in slide title.
      • ImageSize : You can control the resolution or aspect ratio of thumbnails by editing ImageSize = 600; where the value 600 means that you want your images to be within 600 x 600 pixels in dimension.
      • /-/"+ListLabel+" Delete this line if you wish to display latest posts of your blog without mentioning a label
    12. Click Save and you are all done!

    Need Help In Installing Automatic Featured Post Slider?

    I just hope you may find this cool slider widget useful and easy to apply. Let me know if you need any help during the installation process of this content slider. You are most welcomed to post your questions in the comment box below. In our next tutorial we will share how to create Random Posts Content Slider for blogger.
    Stay tuned and keep customizing your blog to take it to the next level! =)

    If you don't want to get yourself into Serious Technical Trouble while editing your Blog Template then just sit back and relax and let us do the Job for you at a fairly reasonable cost. Submit your order details by Clicking Here »

    8 comments

    PLEASE NOTE:
    We have Zero Tolerance to Spam. Chessy Comments and Comments with 'Links' will be deleted immediately upon our review.
    1. Its cool!

      Looks like a good widget for newbies at Blogger platform :)

      ReplyDelete
    2. Hello Mustafa,

      This is something that we can say unique! :)

      Just awesome MUSTAFA Bhai! :)

      Keep it up :)

      ReplyDelete
    3. How i give every label differenticon?

      ReplyDelete
    4. Thanks for sharing with your tips design..

      ReplyDelete
    5. am sorry. But, this tips not work to my site. Please help me Mr Mohammad?

      ReplyDelete
    6. Nice widget. I bumped into your blog today and to be sincere I am already liking it.

      The template on your blog looks unique from other blogger blog. Just like a WordPress theme.

      However I have a little tiny question I need to clarify.

      I have a blog at techviola and I am finding it difficult to add a title to it. Once I add a title from the setting option e.g Techviola | android, how to guides.
      It usually shows at my blog footer.

      Can you tell me the right way to fix this?

      ReplyDelete
    7. Thanks For Sharing This Trick,.
      please give me your permission to share this article on my blog

      ReplyDelete
    8. Its Worked And Its Unique but need A long time To load

      ReplyDelete