Blog Buddy...

What is a blog buddy you ask. Well, I have had so many emails asking me different questions about blogging, pictures, emails, blog buttons, how to follow a blog, etc...I thought I would start a feature on my blog called Blog Buddy. This ongoing section of my blog will give tips and helpful hints for you, your computer, your blog and blogging in general. I blog through Blogger, so most of the info will be about Blogger. This will be a "go to" feature for blogging help.

First, let me start by saying I am a self taught computer person and blogger. What ever I share with you is what I've learned along the way, from friends, family and most certainly from mistakes I've made in the past. I am definitely NOT an expert! LOL

So, I hope you can join me in yet another journey into blogging and by all means please add anything you'd like to share about your experience with blogging and computers in the comment section for all to read.

Here's the first TIP: did you know there is a box you can check that will allow all the comments from a post to be sent to your email. That way you don't have to go back to a blog post over and over to see what everyone has said after your comment. The little box you have to check is located under the big box you write your comment in. It says "Email follow-up comments to"... (and then your email address will be there.) How easy is that to read all the comments to a post that you are really interested in. They are all sent to you!

This button below will be in my side bar. If you ever need a helping hand in blogging, just click on the button and it will bring you to all the posts in this feature. It's your "helpful friend" in the blogging world.


My biggest hurdle for this feature is...Where to start. How do I organize everything and what should come first. Well, there is so much involved, I'm just jumping in feet first with no rhyme or reason. I'll try to use bullets instead of wordy paragraphs for easy reading...so wish me luck!!!

IN THE BEGINNING...the start up.
Whether you are going to write a blog or just reading your favorite blogs, starting a Blogger account will help keep track of blogs and allows for commenting on blogs and email exchanges with you and other bloggers.

• create a blog account on Blogger. Go go www.blogger.com to sign up. It's FREE !!
• you don't have to write a blog when you sign up
• a Blogger account allows you to have a Dashboard where you can keep track of all you favorite blogs. The dashboard will also link to Google reader.
• click the "FOLLOW" button on your favorite blog and the address of that blog automatically goes into your dashboard. It will post the most recent blog post for you , instead of going back to a blog to see if they have posted something new. You can also subscribe by RSS (really simple syndication) feeder.
• I also recommend starting a Gmail account. That's free too!! More on why in a minute.
• did you know Google owns Blogger and Gmail is a part of Google, so it's well connected.
• Picasa is also part of Google, so it's free when you sign up for Blogger. You can organize and edit the pictures you load to your blog through Picasa.
• Google reader is also on your dashboard. Under your Reading List, on the bottom right side is a button to click for Google reader. It shows all the blogs you are following in full with their pictures, instead of the one small picture in the Reading List.
• Getting back to opening a Gmail account...it will make your life easier. I started a Gmail account when I started my Blogger account. I wanted to keep my blogging emails separate from my home/personal email.
• when any one leaves a comment on my blog it goes right to my Gmail address. On that one email, I can click a link to the post they commented on, I can click on a link to the commenter's profile and their blog and I can reply back to them right from there...so easy. I will do a separate post just on Gmail alone in the future...there are so many features to talk about on Gmail

Well, I think I'll stop here for now....too much info all at once isn't good. This first post is just the basics in starting. It will help those who are afraid to take the first step. If you were thinking about starting a blog DO IT!!! It was the best thing I've ever done. It opened up a whole new world of friends and inspiration. You may think you don't have anything to share or write about, but believe me EVERYONE has something that will help someone else...so give it a try.

See you at the next Blog Buddy post,

~Karen~

ps...I have no affiliation with Blogger or Gmail or Google...just wanted to share some info