Rich Gifts Blog Design and Graphics for Christian Ministry

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How to Use PDF Documents on Blogger - Webs.com Option

In my previous post I introduced you to DropBox, a public resource for storing documents that you can link to from your blog. Today I want to show you another option, Webs.com. I told you about Webs.com in this article and how you can use it to grow your blog ministry without having to move your blog. One great way you can use Webs.com is to privately store your PDF and other documents for you to use as you like on your blog.

Webs.com is a free website. You can just follow the link to sign-up. The free website does have some limitations, it is free after all. :) I think it may take about a week before you have access to upload files. Not sure about that. I've been using mine for so long I don't remember.

On to the tutorial.

1. When you sign in to your webs.com account it will take you to your Dashboard.

2. On the left there will be a section labeled SITES I'VE CREATED (you can have multiple websites). Click on the VIEW CONTROL PANEL button under your site name.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

3. Click MANAGE PAGES & APPS.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

4. Click FILE MANAGER.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

5. In this section you can create folders to organize your files. You can upload images, documents, and media such as videos. Select the folder you want to store your documents in (or make a NEW FOLDER).

(Click Image to Enlarge)

6. Click SINGLE FILE UPLOADER. (You would need to upgrade your account to use the Multi File Uploader.)

7. Click BROWSE to locate the file you want to upload.

8. Click UPLOAD FILE.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

9. Now you can just click on the file and it will open your PDF in a new tab.

10. Copy the URL (website address) and link it into your blog post or sidebar. Where ever you want your visitors to access it.

If you don't want to wait a week to upload your pdf files, you can gain immediate access by upgrading your webs.com account. Upgrades begin at only $3.75 a month.

What I love about using webs.com is that my files are stored on my own private site and I have access to them anytime I want.

I don't have to install a 3rd party software on my computer and nothing in remotely accessing my computer.

Also, as I've mentioned before, using webs.com provides opportunity to expand my ministry beyond just a blog.

Blog Designs and Graphics for Christian Ministry

All content on this site is copyright protected. Using or obtaining the graphics on this site in any way other than specified on this site is a violation of the copyright. Please respect my work.© 2008-2011, Edie Moore

How to Use PDF Documents on Blogger - DropBox Option

Sometimes you might want to share a PDF document on your blog such as an excerpt from your book, or a marketing brochure with details on your upcoming speaking engagement. Documents like PDF files need to be uploaded to a storage area on the internet in order to be displayed on your blog. Blogger doesn’t offer storage space for documents so today I’m going to provide you with two options for using PDF documents on your blog.

If you like online Tools and Apps then you might like DropBox.

DropBox is just that, a free online application for storing PDF documents. You download their software, install it on your computer, and it automatically uploads your specified documents to the DropBox website where it is stored. Then DropBox provides you with a link to the file that you place on your blog or in your post and when your visitors click on the link they view your document.

Some things to consider: (this is not a comprehensive review of all the features)

I have read the terms of DropBox services and I have to say that they do appear to be a company of integrity. They honor intellectual property rights (copyright) and state that they protect your intellectual property rights to the fullest extent within their means. Integrity is always a plus in my book.

DropBox is a public document storage host. This means that they have control (not you) over how and where your documents are stored, saved, backed-up, protected, and deleted. If you delete your files they might not actually be deleted from DropBox storage, at least for a while.

When you install the software on your computer it links the DropBox website to your computer and it stays linked. There is a button to unlink but I discovered when I did unlink, a window opens everytime I start my computer prompting me to sign-in or register. Both of these hit a nerve with me. I don't like outside sources linked to my computer and when I turn off a piece of software on my computer I want it to stay off until I decide I want to turn it on again.

If you stay linked then DropBox uses your computer's bandwidth. You can limit the bandwidth it uses but there are trade-offs. Reducing bandwidth could cause files to upload or download slower. Increasing bandwidth could cause your computer to run slower.

DropBox does have a limit on free storage space available for your documents. In many cases it is likely to be enough but if you upload large files you might need to upgrade to increase your storage space. Upgrades start at $9.99 a month.

In my next article we'll look at another option.

Growing Your Ministry / Blog

You've been blogging for a while, things are going well and now you feel it's time to grow your ministry. Your simple blog isn't quite enough but moving could cost you more than is in your budget, or you might lose your subscribers in the transition. There is another option.

Instead of going through the time, expense, (and worry) of moving your blog, just add another dimension. Webs.com offers free websites where you can add apps, store documents & files like pdf documents, start a forum, and setup a store.

So how can this add dimension to my blog?
I'm glad you asked. :) In webs.com menu bar you can add an external link directly to your blog, and on your blog you add navigation to specific pages on your website. Let's say you want to add a store to your blog. You would setup a STORE menu on your blog that links to your store that is hosted on webs.com. Then from the menu bar on webs.com there would be a BLOG link to bring your visitor back. Sound confusing? I'm in the process of setting mine up now. Click this STORE link. Then click the DESIGNS link in the menu bar at the top of the page to get back. The links can be setup to open in a new tab or just go straight to the page from the same tab.

To pull it all together you will want to give both sites the same or similar designs as I have done with mine. (Yes, this is something I offer as part of my services.)

Since webs.com is free you can use as few or as many of their options to enhance your blog and open up a whole new world of growth potential. They also offer upgrades with more options starting at under $4.00 per month.

Next I will show you how you can use webs.com to store your pdf documents for use on your blog.

How to Download and Install Desktop Wallpapers

Click on the Desktop Wallpaper image of your choice for the full size.

For Windows Users:

Once the image has fully loaded...
Right-click on the image above. A drop-down menu will appear.
Select Set As Wallpaper if that is an option and the image should appear as your desktop wallpaper.
If it is not an option select Save Image As and save the image to a folder. (Remember where you saved it.)
Right-click on your desktop and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
Select the Desktop tab.
Click on the Browse button and locate the folder where you saved the image.
Double-click the image to select it.
Click the OK button and you're finished!

For Mac O/S 8.0 Users:

Once the image has fully loaded...
Move your curser on the image above and hold the mouse button until pop-up menu appears
Choose Save Image As to save your selected image to your hard drive. (Make note of where on your hard drive the image is saved)
Open the control panel and click on Desktop Pictures.
Click Remove Picture and then click Select Picture to choose your newly saved image.
Load the new wallpaper from where you saved it on your hard drive.
Choose Position Automatically.

Mac O/S 9.x:

Once the image has fully loaded...
Hold the mouse button until the pop-up menu appears.
Choose Download Image to Disk to save your selected image to your hard drive. (Make a note of where on your hard drive the image is saved.)
Open the Appearance control panel and select the Desktop tab at the top.
Click Remove Picture.
Locate the new image on your hard drive and drag it into the preview pane on the left.
Choose Position Automatically.
Finally, click on Set Desktop.

Those Anonymous Spamming Commenters

Here are a few tips to help curb the spammer commenter. They are trying to promote themselves, their websites, or their products so they leave comments like the ones below.

美麗 said...

有人兩眼一舌，是為了觀察倍於說話的緣故。 .......................
In this case all of the dots and boxes would be links to different websites.

Or they leave a comment like "Beautiful Design. Best Blog Designs" .

One option is not to allow anonymous users. Go to Settings and click on the Comments section. Scroll down until you see this option and select your preference. Remember that some legitimate comments are sometimes left by anonymous users so this may not be the best option for your blog.
Who Can Comment?
Anyone - includes Anonymous Users
Registered Users - includes OpenID
Users with Google Accounts
Only members of this blog

Turn on your comment moderation. This is also found in the Comments section of your Settings. I try to leave comment moderation off in consideration of my commenting guests. When the spammers become abundant then I will turn it on for a period of time. This will cause them to give up on my blog and go elsewhere.
Comment moderation

Always
Only on posts older than days
Never

Delete comments left by the spamming commenter. Do not just ignore them. When you leave the comment with the links in place, you are helping to promote those spammers by increasing their search engine page rank so they will return to your blog and leave more spam. To delete the comment just click on the little trash can icon under the comment then select Delete Forever. That will completely remove the comment and all links.

Update Your Blog Thumbnail Image in Networked Blogs

You have a new Blog Design that matches your ministry purpose and your personality, but your Networked Blogs thumbnail image is your old blog design. Here is how to update it in Networked Blogs.

   1. Go to Networked Blogs.
   2. Click on the ADD YOUR BLOG button at the bottom of the page.
   3. Login to your facebook account.
   4. In the upper left corner underneath the Networked Blogs logo, click on Profile. (NOT your facebook profile)
   5. In the section that says Blogs I Write, click on your blog title.
   6. On the right side underneath your blog image, click on the Refresh Thumbnail link.
   7. When you refresh the page it should show your current layout. It may take a few minutes to update.

That's it!

Four Ways To Improve Your Page Load Time

When you go to a blog or website and it takes more than a few seconds to load what do you do? Most people move on to another blog. Here are some ways to improve your blog page load time.

1. Too many special effects like falling snow and animated graphics. Try not to load up on special effects. If you do use these placing them in the right sidebar and closer to the bottom of the page will help your page load faster.

2. Scrolling images. In an effort to clean up your sidebar you may have decided to put all your friends buttons in a scrolling widget. These can actually decrease your page load time if you have a lot of buttons. It will help to put these in your right sidebar and closer to the bottom of the page. A better solution is to put all your buttons on a page of their own with a navigation link to the page.

3. Interactive widgets are one of the biggest culprits for decreasing your page load time. By interactive I'm referring to widgets that have to retrieve information from another site in order to function properly on yours. Music players, clocks, and calendars are all examples of this type of widget. If you don't need it then consider removing it. If you must have these try to use as few as possible and don't place them at the top of your blog page. The footer or at the bottom of your right sidebar is the best place to help your page load faster.

4. Pages with less information load faster so setting your home page to display three posts or less will help improve page load time. You can set this up in the Formatting section of your Settings in blogger.

Use Labels to Increase Your Search Engine Page Rank

Did you know that using the Labels field box below your post editor will help increase your search engine page rank and potentially draw more people to your blog? That's right. The labels don't have to be visible on the outside of your blog. Search bots will find the labels and apply them as keywords in your page ranking. Be sure to use labels that are appropriate to your post content.

Increase Your Search Engine Page Rank - Using Description

One way you can increase your page rank in Google, Yahoo, and other search engines is to use your blog description wisely. Your blog description is actually used as a meta-tag for search engines to find your blog. It is the perfect place to enter keywords that someone might use in a search to find your blog even when it is not physically visible on your blog. Search engines look under the hood too.

For instance... If you are an author and speaker for Pro-life ministry you might consider keywords like "Christian Speaker, Author, Writer, Pro-Life Advocate, Abortion, Women's Ministry". You would then write your blog description using as many keywords that pertain to your ministry as you can.

Keep it real, honest, and logical, and don't over use keywords. It doesn't help and can actually hinder your efforts.

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Archive

How to Use PDF Documents on Blogger - Webs.com Option

How to Use PDF Documents on Blogger - DropBox Option

Growing Your Ministry / Blog

How to Download and Install Desktop Wallpapers

Those Anonymous Spamming Commenters

Update Your Blog Thumbnail Image in Networked Blogs

Four Ways To Improve Your Page Load Time

Use Labels to Increase Your Search Engine Page Rank

Increase Your Search Engine Page Rank - Using Description

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