Blogger's Guide to Online Marketing - Darren's New ebook with 100% Money Back Guarantee!

Last night, I received an email from Darren Rowse regarding his new eBook launch about "Blogger's Guide to Online Marketing". He's been a great inspiration to me, as far as my blogging career is concerned. I have a copy of his first eBook. I enjoyed every bit of it - very useful to me and other budding bloggers. To be frank, the other releases did not impress me as much as the first one did. However, the recent one does. So, I'll soon get my hands on it. May be, you should try it as well...

WHAT'S NEW? WILL IT BE JUST ANOTHER EBOOK?

Darren has come up with a clear list of 31 chapters of his new eBook which provides a practical solution to convert your blog into a money making machine. Though I've not yet read the eBook, from the reviews I read, I feel this eBook would serve as a step-by-step guide for successful online marketing. Do you feel that's not enough for $49.99? Your pretty right! May be Darren felt the same too! 

To make your pennies worth, he provides an addition resource library that contains more than 20 documents, templates, worksheets and other examples to make you work on what you read. He provides you the resources that you need to work with. Ideally speaking, a spoon fed kit to create your own successful online business empire:) To get a detailed insight about the new eBook and the other features offered by Darren, just hit the following link - More About The Blogger's Guide to Online Marketing Kit. 

WRAPPING UP...

Well, as mentioned in the title of this article, the new eBook has a 100% money back guarantee offer - at the end of 60 days. Well, this clearly explains the amount of confidence on his material. So, you have nothing to lose. Just grab a copy of the new release either by clicking on the banner above or using the following link - Blogger's Guide to Online Marketing

The above discounted price is valid only till 23rd September, 2011. So, please grab your copies before he closes the (50% discount) offer.

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Animated Bubble Buttons Using CSS3 On Blogger

I'm sure my last tutorial about "Text with Moving Backgrounds" was quite complex. It would have been very difficult for the newbies to get hold of. So, I thought I should come up with a simple, yet stunning design tutorial that even the newbies can enjoy about. Well, that idea drove to me to present you this tutorial about "Animated Bubble Buttons Using CSS3". Take a look at the demo below.

LIVE DEMO LIVE DEMO LIVE DEMO

Hit any of the buttons above to check the other styles as well. I think, I need not explain more about the effect that you'll be able to achieve on completing this tutorial. It's pretty clear from the demo button / link above. I wish to let you know that these effects are visible only on browsers that support CSS3. However, we've incorporated a fall back color with the bubble effect for browsers that do not support CSS3 thereby, preventing your design from causing various layout issues.

Enough of stories I guess! So, let me start with the tutorial. I'll split the tutorial into 2 parts - HTML and CSS. The HTML involved behind these buttons are very simple. You need to add a corresponding class (based on the size and the color of button) to the anchor tag. Just use the following tags anywhere in your template - anywhere between your body tags.

HTML FOR LARGE SIZED BUTTONS (USE ANYONE BASED ON COLOR)

<a class="button big blue" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button big green" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button big orange" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button big gray" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>

HTML FOR MEDIUM SIZED BUTTONS (USE ANYONE BASED ON COLOR)

<a class="button blue medium" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button green medium" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button orange medium" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button gray medium" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>

HTML FOR SMALL SIZED BUTTONS (USE ANYONE BASED ON COLOR)

<a class="button small blue" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button small green" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button small orange" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>
<a class="button small gray" href="LINK">LINKNAME</a>

Note: Replace LINK with the link you wish to point to. Similarly, LINKNAME with the name/title of your link.

The CSS involved behind these buttons are pretty complex. I don't want to explain in detail about the same and confuse you - especially, if you are a newbie. So, just download this file -  CSS FOR ANIMATED BUBBLE BUTTONS, and paste the code present in it just above/before skin in your blogger template and save your template. That's it!

Well, if your a CSS geek, then you may tweak the CSS mentioned in the text doc above to add further effects. The content mentioned in the text document involves the CSS for all types of buttons - be it any size or color. If you are one, who is obsessed with reducing the load time of your site (like me), then define the CSS only for those buttons you intend to use. For further assistance or suggestions about this article, leave a comment below.
Design Inspiration - Tutorialzine.

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Text With Moving Background On Blogger

Inspired from the tutorial written by "GayaDesign" about text with moving background, I wanted to write an article so that, users on blogger/blogspot can enjoy the same effect. The article will guide you to create a text mask using PhotoShop and use the same to realize the final effect with some CSS and Jquery. I suggest you to take a look at the live demo by using the link below.

TEXT WITH MOVING BACKGROUND ON BLOGGER - LIVE DEMO

Cool... Isn't it? Well, let's get this installed on our blogs as well. I've split the tutorial in 4 parts - Photoshop, HTML, CSS and Jquery. The article is quite big. So, without wasting time, let me dive into the first phase of the tutorial straight away.

USING PHOTOSHOP TO CREATE THE MASK

1. Open a new file with the following dimensions: 600x100px (width - 600px and height - 100px). Now, pour some color using the paint brush tool. You may add some gradient shades, like I did, if you wish to make it more appealing.
2. Now, create a new layer using the icon that appears on the layers panel. I suggest you to take a look at the screen shot shown below. Now, hit the "Text/Horizontal Type Tool" and type the text of your choice on the canvas.

3. Just move to the layer's panel and select the newly created text layer by holding "CTRL" key on your keyboard. You'll notice the text layer alone being selected. Just go to "Select > Inverse" using the menu-bar at the top or simply hold the keys "Shift+Ctrl+I" to select the inverse layer. You should probably have a selection similar to the one shown below.

4. Now, simply select the other layer (Layer 1) in the layers panel and hit the icon that says "Add Mask Layer". Just refer to the following screen shot to better understand about the same.

5. Next, hide the text layer - remove the eye icon from the layers panel. Refer to the screen shot below.

6. Now, you should be able to see your masked text image as shown below. Save this image in PNG format. and upload the same to your picasa album or any image hosting site. I've saved it using Mask. So, when I refer to Mask.png anywhere in the article, it refers to this mask image.

Note: The mask which you've just created using PhotoShop (Mask.png) will be used in the HTML part. It is not necessary that you maintain the image dimensions as mentioned in step 1. However, when you vary the image dimensions, you should make the corresponding changes in the CSS part as well.

HTML

1. Navigate to "Design>>Edit HTML" and make a backup of your template by clicking on the "Download full template" link at the top of the page. Once the back up is over, search for the following piece of code.

<b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>

2. Paste the following piece of code just above the line mentioned in step 1.

<div class='scrollBg'>
<a href='http://www.newbloggingtipz.com/'><img src='Mask.png'/></a>
</div>

3. Replace "Mask.png" in the above code with the URL of the uploaded image Mask.png as mentioned earlier in the tutorial and save your template. Similarly, replace the URL pointing to my website  in the anchor tag with the one of your choice.

Note: You can add the HTML codes anywhere in your template - not necessary that you add it above the line mentioned in step 1.

CSS

1. Search for the following code in your template.

]]></b:skin>

2. Paste the following piece of code just above the line mentioned in step 1.

.scrollBg {
background-image: url(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZkujcrvGd90/TlPy4OQYwiI/AAAAAAAABgA/sAN8xE_katY/s800/love-pattern-new.png);
background-color: #000000;
width: 600px;
height: 100px;
}
.scrollBg img {
display: block;
border:2px #000 solid;
}

3. Save your template. 

Note: You may change the background image by changing the URL highlighted in green - try to maintain the image dimension as mentioned in the CSS to avoid confusions.

JAVASCRIPT/JQUERY

1. Search for the following code in your template.

</head>

2. Paste the following piece of code present in this text document - SCRIPT FOR TEXT WITH MOVING BACKGROUND, just above the line mentioned in step 1.
Note: You may omit the first line the script mentioned above provided you have the latest jquery file running on your blog.

3. That's it! Save your template and your done!

If you are a person obsessed with page speed of your blog but you like this widget, then ping me via gtalk and I'll help you out. I'll just tell you to define the JavaScript internally than fetching it from Google Sites where I hosted it. That's it:)

The above effect was tested to work perfectly fine on all the major browsers that include, but not limited to, FF, IE, Chrome, Safari and Opera. If you need further assistance in applying this effect anywhere on your blog, then leave a comment below and get it clarified. Do share your opinions about the article/effect via comments.

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Tips To Reduce Your Blog Bounce Rate

Every blog that exists on the blogosphere, has some motive behind it. Some bloggers may want to share their ideas with the world, some just want a medium to write, and few write on a mission to help others with their own experience. However, there's one thing common between the blogs i.e. to attract as many as visitors to the blog.

To increase the number of followers who come and read what you have written. One should keep track of the blog’s visitors which gives you an idea of how many people are visiting your blog per day or in a month. This will also give you an insight on the traffic which is bouncing off i.e. the bounce rate of the blog.

For that, we need to know what exactly this Bounce Rate means? Everyday some new visitors come to the blog, some come through search engines and some come through links or references. However some or most of the visitors leave your blog as they land on it. They leave your blog by simply closing it down or by hitting the back button.

What can be the reasons for it?

1. The content is not relevant to the search term that brought them to your blog.


2. The information provided on the site is not that useful.


3. The site is not appealing enough to grab the attention of the visitor.


4. The load time of the site is very slow.

HOW TO TRACK THE BOUNCE RATE

One can track the blog’s bounce rate by signing up for Google Analytics. They will provide you with the tracking code which you need to add to all the blog pages. This will provide you with all the tracking data in your analytics account dashboard.

The formula used for calculating Bounce Rate is

Bounce Rate = Total single page view visits / Total number of visits.

So, what do you do to reduce the bounce rate i.e. the number of people leaving the blog. Try some tips and tricks to make your blog more practical and useful to the visitors. Improve the blog quality to persuade people to spend time on your blog. Each and every single visitor is important and valuable for your blog and your blogging business. Mentioned below are few tips, which might be useful to make your blog effective and valuable for your visitors.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Keep your blog post content simple and use apt and clear titles for them. Provide the information in most simple way. Support it with auxiliary images. If the visitor gets what they want in first glance, then there is less chance of them bouncing out.

MAKE YOUR BLOG USER FRIENDLY

Make the navigation system of your blog simple. The design should be easy and user friendly so that users can find what they want in two to three clicks. This will make it easier for the visitors to get what they are searching for; that is all they really want, so chances are they will come back the next time too.

FOCUS ON YOUR BLOG USP

Highlight your popular post which can help you to target those repeat visitors as well as target the new ones. Try to focus on the topics which have exhibited a good response in the past.

ANALYZE THE DATA

Analyze the Google analytics data of your blog, study the behavior of the visitors i.e. know which page they are visiting the most. Study which page has the highest bounce rate. On analyzing the data, you'll probably be able to understand which keyword has brought the maximum visitors to your blog.

GIVE MORE THAN WHAT THEY ASK FOR

Provide complete information about the topic that you are discussing in your article. If you don’t offer an option for your readers to look for more, they will most probably leave your site.

USE PROPER CATEGORIES FOR YOUR BLOG POST

Using categories in your blog, gives your visitor a sort of menu to your blog. It becomes easy for them to choose the category they most desire and probably read articles that are of their interest than just hopping around your blog for no use.

USE HIGHEST QUALITY CONTENT

Content is what makes a blog good or bad. There is nothing more important than quality content in a blog which makes a visitor interested in your blog. Always come up with creative ideas to share with your readers. Be unique and useful. Don’t try to be just “different” in your niche. Make your niche by providing quality content.

SPEED UP YOUR BLOG

Keep the technical stuff up to date. Use the latest technology in your blog. Everyone is busy in their life, so no one has the time to wait for the blog to load. Keep the loading time some where between 5 to 10 seconds at the max. Your page should load in fractions of seconds. Make sure your blog code is clean and clutter free. I recommend you to read the following articles to speed up your blog - Speed Up Your Blog : Tips And Tools.

So, use these tips to improve your blog’s bounce rate. If you have something to add to the list, then share it via comment. You might be interested to read the following articles as well - How To Reduce Your Blog's Bounce Rate?

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Add An Animated Tabbed Widget To Blogger

Well, we've seen so many blogs come up with tabbed widgets for blogger. What if we add some simple animations to such widgets using Jquery. Will it not make the widget and blog, more attractive and unique? I feel it should. So, in this article, I'll teach you about adding one such animated widget with ease on blogger. Take a look at the demo using the link below and we'll get started.

ANIMATED TABBED WIDGET FOR BLOGGER - LIVE DEMO

Pretty interesting, isn't it? Well, let's dive into the tutorial straight away. I'll split the article into three parts - HTML, CSS and JavaScript so that you can rather take a break as and when you need, than working out the complete tutorial at a stretch. Well, so follow these steps to get the animated tab working on your blog.

CSS
1. Navigate to "Design>>Edit HTML" and make a backup of your template by clicking on the "Download full template" link at the top of the page. Once the back up is over, search for the following piece of code.

]]></b:skin>

2. Paste the following piece of code just above the line mentioned in step 1. Save your template.

.tabbed_content {
background-color: #000000;
width: 620px;
}
.tabs {
height: 62px;
position: relative;
}
.tabs .moving_bg {
padding: 15px;
background-color:#7F822A;
background-image:url(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-T7SeJr4flqU/TlIxAq8lLgI/AAAAAAAABf0/DdEWFuDVGfM/s800/arrow_down_green.gif);
position: absolute;
width: 125px;
z-index: 190;
left: 0;
padding: 25px 15px;
background-position: bottom left;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
}
.tabs .tab_item {
display: block;
float: left;
padding: 15px;
width: 125px;
color: #ffffff;
text-align: center;
z-index: 200;
position: relative;
cursor: pointer;
}
.tabbed_content .slide_content {
overflow: hidden;
background-color: #000000;
padding: 10px 0 10px 20px;
position: relative;
width: 600px;
}
.tabslider {
width: 5000px;
}
.tabslider ul {
float: left;
width: 560px;
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
margin-right: 40px;
list-style-type:none;
}
.tabslider ul a {
color: #ffffff;
text-decoration: none;
}
.tabslider ul a:hover {
color: #aaaaaa;
}
.tabslider ul li {
padding-bottom: 7px;
}

Possible customizations include changing the list-style for the elements, background color, text color and the spacings. Please note that, I've used an image for the arrow mark. So, if you change the background color, ensure that the image showing arrow mark is also changed to match with that of the background.

HTML
1. Search for the following piece of code in your template.

<b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>

2. Paste the following block of code just above the line mentioned in step 1.

<div class='tabbed_content'>
<div class='tabs'>
<div class='moving_bg' style='left: 155px;'/>
<span class='tab_item'>TAB TITLE</span>
<span class='tab_item'>TAB TITLE</span>
<span class='tab_item'>TAB TITLE</span>
<span class='tab_item'>TAB TITLE</span>
</div>               
<div class='slide_content'>                       
<div class='tabslider' style='margin-left: -600px;'>
<ul>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>LINK NAME</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<br style='clear: both;'/>
</div>
</div>

3. Replace # at every instance with the links you wish to point to. Similarly, replace LINK NAME  at every instance with the name of your links - probably post titles. Don't forget to replace TAB TITLE with the your title for the tabs. Save your template temporarily before we add the final jquery magic.
You can add the HTML codes anywhere in your template - not necessary that you add it above the line mentioned in step 1. But, when you place them elsewhere, you need to adjust the width of the widget correspondingly in the CSS part to fit your layout.

JAVASCRIPT/JQUERY
1. Search for the following piece of code in your template.

</head>

2. Paste the following piece of code in the text document - SCRIPT FOR ANIMATED TABBED WIDGET, just above the line mentioned in step 1.
Note: You need not include the first line in the script mentioned above (the one in the text document), provided you already have the latest jquery file running on your blog.
3. Save your template and check out the animated tab running on your blog.

I've tested the above widget to work fine on all the major browsers which include, but not limited to, IE, FF, Chrome, Opera and Safari. If you need assistance in adding the same, then leave a comment below and get it clarified. Do share your opinions about the article via comments.

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Google Sitelinks Updated - An Improved Version

Google has constantly been rolling out some prominent changes via updates on PR, Google+ Games, Authorship Markups, etc... Today, I noticed one such update which is about, the way in which the sitelinks show up on Google search. If you wonder what sitelinks are, they are basically links from your blog that appear below your domain name which Google feels useful to the reader - usually appears when a person searches for your domain name.

Earlier, Google used to display eight sitelinks - just links. But, now it's completely different. The recent update shows 12 sitelinks with a small snippet about your articles - not a snippet, probably the first phrase from your article. You may check out the screen shot below to better understand about the way in which the new sitelinks are displayed - sitelinks generated for "newbloggingtipz" on 19th August.

Since sitelinks are auto generated by Google with their special algorithms specifically written for the same, no one can actually tell you about getting sitelinks for your blog. However, I recommend you to read the following article which might probably fetch you one - How To Get Google Sitelinks For Your Blog? I also recommend you to install breadcrumbs for better results - Add Breadcrumb Navigation To Blogger.

Now, what if your unhappy with a link that appears below your domain name and you wish to remove the same. Very Simple! Login to your "Webmaster Tools" account and navigate to "Site Configuration>>Sitelinks" from your dashboard. Now, paste the URL you wish to remove and hit the "Demote" tab. That's it! Your done. 

You'll not see that link from the next day - takes time to process your request. As such, you can demote upto 100 URLs and they are effective only for 90 days which means they might pop up again after a period of 90 days. So, you need to demote them every 90 days. You can read more about this topic here - Sitelinks.

Let me know if you made use of the demote/deletion tool to display better links to your readers? And do share your knowledge about Sitelinks with us via comments...

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The Hazards and Rewards of Hiring a SEO Firm

Optimizing your blog or website for search engine results can be an impossible task if you don't know where to begin. Days, weeks, months, and eventually years go by as no new unique visitors view your page because your site isn't search-able, and your melancholy only increases with your feelings of helplessness.

But, for those bloggers or online business entrepreneurs who don't have the time or confidence to research and execute search engine optimization (SEO) measures: there is hope! Many users opt to hire optimizers to increase the visibility of their sites so they themselves don't have to wrangle with that challenge. 

There are, however, a few guidelines you should follow if you are considering hiring a SEO firm, to protect the quality of your site and its reputation, even for experienced bloggers.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

When searching for a SEO firm, investigate it's potential thoroughly, and avoid ones that make outrageous claims about guaranteeing a top ranking for your website, or others that offer their services to you unsolicited. As a useful and beneficial as an honest, credible SEO can be to your site, a dishonest or belligerent firm can hurt your website's image, and even remove your site from a search engine's index.

Do everything you can to examine a firm's practices, especially concerning what exactly you are paying them for. Some SEO firms prey on uninformed clients and have various misleading and outright devious ways to fool you into hiring them. Try to uncover:

• Shadow domains — affiliated websites created by SEO firms that redirect traffic from your website to theirs. Owning the rights to the site, the SEO may choose to sell the shadow domain to another website owner, effectively using your money to help advertise someone else's site.


• Doorway pages with links to other clients. Practices such as ranking guarantees, address bar keyword sales, and placing links to your page in the advertising rather than the search results section of a page.

ASK QUESTIONS

Never be satisfied with the information an SEO representative gives you. Delve deeper into the firm and don't commit until you are absolutely certain that it can deliver the results it claims to. Try to obtain the following information from any prospective SEO firm you are considering:

• A list of clients the firm has worked with in the past, and a few samples of their work.


• The extent of the firm's experience in your industry and area.


• Whether the firm provides any additional services outside of SEO, such as strategies or consultations.


• The level of communication you can expect from the firm while working together.

KNOW THE PROS AND CONS

So far, this has been a primarily cautionary guide to SEOs; there are many benefits, though, to hire a SEO expert that match the risks, if not outweigh them. A good SEO can train website owners how to continue to optimize their site's search results, assist in developing site content and managing development campaigns, offer critiques and expert opinions that can help improve the structure of your site, and much more.

The key is to find a quality SEO firm that is dedicated to improving your site, not to siphoning money from you. Once you find the right firm, your site views could increase immensely, and faster than you can click your mouse.

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Collapsible Message Panels On Blogger

When I was browsing a design blog called "impressivewebs", I found a header that could collapse itself. Impressed by the effect, I sat down to work out the logic and it was pretty simple to achieve it on blogger. In this article, I'll illustrate the collapsible effect with simple message panels while you may apply the same logic to your header or post area or to any widget of your choice.

COLLAPSIBLE MESSAGE PANELS ON BLOGGER - LIVE DEMO

So, take a look at the live demo by hitting the link above. I guess you liked it... Interested to add this on your blog, as well? Then, follow the steps below.
1. Navigate to "Design>>Edit HTML" and make a backup of your template by clicking on the "Download full template" link at the top of the page. Once the back up is over, search for the following piece of code.

]]></b:skin>

2. Just paste the following piece of code above the line mentioned at step 1.

.message_list {
    list-style: none;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    width: 383px;
}
.message_list li {
    padding: 0;
    margin: 0;
    background: url(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rFKQUJCuaBU/TkdtUFeNzGI/AAAAAAAABec/bn_KIzqh03c/s800/message-bar.png) no-repeat;
}
.message_head {
    padding: 5px 10px;
    cursor: pointer;
    position: relative;
}
.message_head .timestamp {
    color: #666666;
    font-size: 95%;
    position: absolute;
    right: 10px;
    top: 5px;
}
.message_head cite {
    font-size: 100%;
    font-weight: bold;
    font-style: normal;
}
.message_body {
    padding: 5px 10px 15px;
}
.collapse_buttons {
    text-align: right;
    border-top: solid 1px #e4e4e4;
    padding: 5px 0;
    width: 383px;
}
.collapse_buttons a {
    margin-left: 15px;
    float: right;
}
.show_all_message {
    background: url(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SYzKGAtmZa8/TkdtUMVjh4I/AAAAAAAABeY/VXlnQnXlEQ4/s800/tall-down-arrow.png) no-repeat right center;
    padding-right: 12px;
}
.show_recent_only {
    display: none;
    background: url(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--99zjaBlqYY/TkdtURvdWRI/AAAAAAAABeg/Z8Yismgt5YY/s800/tall-up-arrow.png) no-repeat right center;
    padding-right: 12px;
}
.collpase_all_message {
    background: url(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_mvlatWt3m4/TkdtUCz8LII/AAAAAAAABeU/mctqJi0fkbs/s800/collapse-all.png) no-repeat right center;
    padding-right: 12px;
    color: #666666;
}

Note: I've used an image for the title part of the image. You may replace the same with gradient colors using CSS. Refer the following article to do the same - Cross-Browser Gradient Effect Using CSS.
3. Next, search for the following piece of code.

</head>

4. Paste the following piece of code just above the line mentioned in step 3. Save your template.

<script src='http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.6.2/jquery.min.js' type='text/javascript'/>
<script type='text/javascript'>
$(document).ready(function(){
    //hide message_body after the first one
    $(&quot;.message_list .message_body:gt(0)&quot;).hide();
    //hide message li after the 5th
    $(&quot;.message_list li:gt(4)&quot;).hide();   
    //toggle message_body
    $(&quot;.message_head&quot;).click(function(){
        $(this).next(&quot;.message_body&quot;).slideToggle(500)
        return false;
    });
    //collapse all messages
    $(&quot;.collpase_all_message&quot;).click(function(){
        $(&quot;.message_body&quot;).slideUp(500)
        return false;
    });
    //show all messages
    $(&quot;.show_all_message&quot;).click(function(){
        $(this).hide()
        $(&quot;.show_recent_only&quot;).show()
        $(&quot;.message_list li:gt(4)&quot;).slideDown()
        return false;
    });
    //show recent messages only
    $(&quot;.show_recent_only&quot;).click(function(){
        $(this).hide()
        $(&quot;.show_all_message&quot;).show()
        $(&quot;.message_list li:gt(4)&quot;).slideUp()
        return false;
    });
});
</script>

Note: Do not include the first line in the script mentioned above if you've already added the latest jquery file on your blog.
5. Now, paste the following piece of code in the document - HTML FOR COLLAPSIBLE EFFECT, anywhere inbetween your <body> and </body> tags - probably within the post editor (or) below <div class='main-wrapper'> (or) <div class='columns fauxcolumns'>.
6. That's it! Save your template or publish the article and view the same to enjoy the effect.

HTML CUSTOMIZATION - FOR CODE MENTIONED IN STEP 5
If you wish to generate the time for your messages (displayed at the top right) by default, then change the text that appears in between  <span class="timestamp"> and  </span> tags. Similarly, you can change the text from "NAME" and "CLIENT" with your names and clients respectively. I've added my name and a small message in the first few div tags for reference. Check the same (code mentioned in text document at step 5) for your reference.

I've tested the above effect on all the major browsers which includes, but not limited to, IE, FF, Chrome, Safari and Opera. Let me know if you find some bugs with the above coding. If you need assistance in extending this effect to other elements on your blog, then leave a comment below and I'll help you out when I'm free:) Do share your opinions about the article via comments!

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Review on Techinline - Remote Desktop Software

Wondering why I posted an article something that is way off target (not related to blogging)? Definitely not! I wanted to share my experience with software called “Techinline” which made my job very simple in dealing my client’s bug. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to find solutions to solve issues that pop up on installing the templates or widgets with my clients.

I’ll illustrate the same with a small example that I personally experienced. Few days before, I designed a widget for my friend and installed the same on his blog. When I started to explain how it works, it seemed to be Greek and Latin for him. So, I told him “you’ll never understand unless you sit next to me and view what I do”. He said “Why not possible! We can! Just try the technique of operating a PC with remote desktop software and he recommended me to use Techinline”. 

Well, I just loved the way it worked - very simple and easy to use (Please note that I’m not a techie guy). To get them working, I just had to install a Firefox add-on along with setup software to start my tutorial on his PC (pretty small in size). That’s it! Above all, I could do all this for free... However, the free sessions will be available only for 15 days – later expires...

To be frank, just because I’m operating with one or two clients at present, I’ve not yet purchased this software. I’ll definitely consider buying one if I get more clients because, being a webmaster and web designer, I feel comfortable in operating my client’s desktop (showing them how to do) rather than writing pages to explain a simple tutorial. Moreover, your clients need not buy the software. They can opt for the free session while you (posses the software) can solve the issues faster hoping that the issues solve within 15 days.

I’m not sure how many such types of software are available around the web but, I felt this one definitely needs a review on my blog. So, I’ll just list out some of the features that they offer – two way desktop sharing,  remote reboot and reconnect, browser based solution, multi monitor support, firewall/proxy transfer, auto scroll and auto scale, file transfer and instant chat. You may check out this page - Features, for a complete list of the features they offer in detail.

“To summarize, I recommend the above software for webmasters and wed designers to enhance their design services by providing unique and better customer experience.”

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Shutter Effect Image Slider/Gallery On Blogger

I've been constantly trying to pull out unique articles for blogs run on blogger. I'm sure you would have noticed the same provided you are a constant follower of my blog. So, we've yet another interesting article based on jQuery, called the "Shutter Effect for the Images On Blogger", inspired from tutorialzine. Just take a look at the live demo of the effect by hitting the link below and we'll get started...

SHUTTER EFFECT ON BLOGGER - LIVE DEMO

Interesting effect... Isn't it? I would suggest the above effect for blogs based on photography. While, webmasters and web designers can use the above effect to showcase their portfolios. I'm sure there are lots more places wherein you can use the above effect. So, I'm open to your suggestions... Well, let's get started with the tutorial.

JAVASCRIPT/JQUERY

1. Navigate to "Design>>Edit HTML" and click on the "Download full template" link at the top of the page. Once the back up is over, search for the following code in your template.

</head>

2. Paste the code present in the following text document - Jquery For Shutter Effect, just above the line mentioned in step 1.

3. That's it! Save your template temporarily.

HTML

1. Look out for any one of the following codes in your template.

<div id='content-wrapper'>
(or)
<div class='columns fauxcolumns'>
(or)
<div id='main-wrapper'>

2. Paste the following code just below the code, you searched for, in step 3.

<div id='container' style='position: relative;'>
<ul>
<li style='display: none;'>
<img height='450' src='IMAGE URL' width='600'/>
</li>
<li style='display: none;'>
<img height='450' src='IMAGE URL' width='600'/>
</li>
<li style='display: list-item;'>
<img height='450' src='IMAGE URL' width='600'/>
</li>
<li style='display: list-item;'>
<img height='450' src='IMAGE URL' width='600'/>
</li>
</ul>
<div class='shutterAnimationHolder' style='width: 600px; height: 450px; display: none;'>
<div class='film' style='height: 15000px; width: 1000px; margin-left: -500px; top: -300px;'>
<canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/><canvas height='1000' width='1000'/>
</div>
</div>
</div>

(Note: It is not necessary that you place the above code below those lines mentioned in step 3. You can place them anywhere in your template. If you end up with some layout issues or bugs, then leave a comment below.)

3. Replace "IMAGE URL" with the URL of your images - image dimensions shall be 600x450px. Save your template again.

4. If you wish to change the width and height of the images (600x450px), then you need to change the codes highlighted in blue mentioned at step 2.

CSS

1. Search for the following code in your template. 

]]></b:skin>

2. Add the following piece of code just above the line mentioned in step 1.

#container{
    width:600px;
    height:450px;
    margin:0 auto;
    border:5px solid #fff;
    overflow:hidden;
    -moz-box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
    -webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
    box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
    margin-bottom:5px;
}

#container ul{
    list-style:none;
    margin-top:0px;
}
.shutterAnimationHolder .film canvas{
    display: block;
    margin: 0 auto;
}
.shutterAnimationHolder .film{
    position:absolute;
    left:50%;
    top:0;
}
.shutterAnimationHolder{
    position:absolute;
    overflow:hidden;
    top:0;
    left:0;
    z-index:1000;
}

3. Save your template and we're done. 

Just in case you customized the image or in other words, followed the step 4 in HTML part, then change the codes highlighted in green mentioned at step 2. If not, just neglect this step and check out the stunning effect on your blog.

The above effect was tested to work perfectly fine on all the major browsers that include, not limited to, FF, Chrome, Opera and Safari. If you find the HTML part difficult to customize, then you may refer to the following text document for the coding that I used on the demo blog - Reference for Shutter Effect. Share your opinions via comments!

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Cool Image Hover Effect On Blogger - Popout Details

I recently came across a cool image hover effect on a WordPress blog which made me to work out the codes for achieving a similar effect on blogger. The idea behind this effect is to display a short snippet/detail about the image on hover using only CSS. Many had already seen the demo on my test blog while those who did not, just take a look at the live demo by visiting the link below.

POPOUT DETAILS EFFECT ON BLOGGER - LIVE DEMO

Cool... Isn't it? Just follow the instructions given below to get a similar effect on your blog as well. Just create a back up in case something goes wrong. To do so, navigate to "Design>>Edit HTML" and click on the "Download full template" link at the top of the page. That's it!

1. Once the back up is over, paste the following piece of code anywhere between the 'body' tags on your template - probably below <div id='content-wrapper'> (or) <div class='columns fauxcolumns'>.

<ul class="columns">
 <li>
  <a href="#"><img src="IMAGE URL" /></a>
    <div class="info">
      <h2>TITLE</h2>
      <p>DESCRIPTION</p>
    </div>
 </li>
</ul>

2. Replace '#' with the link you wish to point to and 'IMAGE URL' with the URL of your image, probably with the following dimensions - 220x200px. Similarly, replace 'TITLE' and "DESCRIPTION' with the title and description you wish to have on hover, respectively. Repeat the codes within 'ul' tags for adding multiple images.
You may download the reference code, which I used on the demo site, here - Reference.
3. Let's style the above HTML with some CSS. To do so, search for the following code on your template.

]]></b:skin>

4. Paste the following piece of code just above the line mentioned in step 3.

ul.columns {
width: 480px;
list-style: none;
padding:0px;
margin-left:10px;
}
ul.columns li {
width: 220px;
float: left; display: inline;
margin-top:15px;
margin-left:7px;
margin-right:7px;
margin-bottom:7px; padding: 0;
position: relative;
}
ul.columns li:hover {z-index: 99;}
ul.columns li img {
position: relative;
filter: alpha(opacity=30);
opacity: 0.3;
-ms-filter:"progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Alpha(Opacity=30)";
}
ul.columns li:hover img{
z-index: 999;
filter: alpha(opacity=100);
opacity: 1;
-ms-filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Alpha(Opacity=100)";
}
ul.columns li .info {
position: absolute;
left: -10px; top: -10px;
padding: 210px 10px 20px;
width: 220px;
display: none;
background: #fff;
font-size: 1.2em;
-webkit-border-radius: 3px;
-moz-border-radius: 3px;
border-radius: 3px;
font-family:Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif;
text-align:justify;
}
ul.columns li:hover .info {display: block;}
ul.columns li h2 {
font-size: 1.2em;
font-weight: normal;
text-transform: uppercase;
margin: 0; padding: 10px 0;
font-family:Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif;
}
ul.columns li p {padding: 0; margin: 0; font-size: 0.9em;}

5. You need not modify anything the codes above except for the margin positions to best fit your blog. That's it! Save your template and take a look at the cool effect on your blog.

The above effect worked successfully on the major browsers which includes, but not limited to, IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Safari. So, give them a shot on your blog and let us know whether you enjoyed this cool effect via comments! See you soon with another interesting tutorial. You may check out the other image hover effect here - Shadow Effect.

Inspiration for the above article - Sohtanaka.

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Link Proz – Your One Stop Solution for SEO

Yesterday night, I sat down before my pc to look out for SEO solutions. I googled a bit and I could find this excellent site called 'LinkProz.com'. I just browsed their website to check out the services they offer. Surprisingly, I found that they offer possibly all kinds of solution starting from simple SEO consultation to a complete website/template design.

Why choose LinkProz.com? Pretty simple! They provide all that you need as a webmaster – be an amateur or a professional. You get all the stuffs you need at one place. I like the sleek but simple design and the phrase which says “There isn’t a job we can’t handle or a keyword we can’t nail”. You can very well understand the level of confidence that they have on their solutions. Their testimonials speak well than what I do.

Moreover, you get immediate feedback for the queries you post via their contact form – better client support. This is very important as far as clients are concerned. I hit their contact form regarding a quick SEO consultation for my very own blog www.newbloggingtip.com. I received a reply in not more than 8 hours with a small snippet about where I go wrong as far as SEO is concerned – neither I nor you can expect a complete SEO solution for a free quote:)

I would like to enlist few features about the services that offer.

1. Link Building: This is rather aimed at people who wish to improve their Google PageRank. They do guarantee genuine links from sites related to your niche than just links from spam comments/sites.


2. SEO Consultation & SEO Site Analysis: SEO consultants from Link Proz basically concentrate more on keywords to generate better revenue from your blog. However, you'll get to know about your strength and weakness when you prefer a SEO site analysis for your website.


3. Keyword Research: As mentioned earlier, a complete analysis about the common keywords for your domain shall be listed and they'll start working on what you prefer and achieve. I guess they do guarantee an increase in your PR.


4. Web Design: Ah! You know what they'll offer here. Simple and sleek web designs to enhance your blog. I'm sure they'll design your thoughts into reality because I see good testimonials & portfolio up there.


5. Optimized Content Creation: By choosing this option, you'll simply hire an author who'll generate quality content for your blog/web site. I'm not sure how many would choose this. Anyway, I just listed the options available. 

To read about the complete list of services, in detail, visit this page - Link Proz Services.

Well, I just wanted to share this site for those who need assistance with SEO. To be frank, I'm not an expertise when it comes to SEO. So, you may refer to experts @ Link Proz for better guidance. The pricing shall be the only factor which one should consider as far as this site is concerned but their service is highly appreciated. Anyway, share your opinions about Link Proz via comments!

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Changing Backgrounds Dynamically On Blogger Using Jquery

I've been quite busy over the past few weeks with my clients and articles on SML. Today, I found sometime to work out a simple trick based on Jquery - Changing Backgrounds Dynamically. Well, I hope you read the article about "Adaptable View On Blogger" wherein, I mentioned we can tweak the design of our blog dynamically. We'll be using the same concept in this article as well...

I don't want to take too much of your time. So, I'll just explain the basics about the working of the script. The script will add or remove classes to the body element based on what list item the user clicks on. That's it. So, take a look at the demo of this simple effect by visting the link below and we'll get started...

CHANGING BG COLOR DYNAMICALLY - LIVE DEMO

1. Navigate to "Design>>Edit HTML" and make a backup of your template by clicking on the "Download full template" link at the top of the page. Once the back up is over, search for the following piece of code.

]]></b:skin>

2. Paste the following piece of code just above the line mentioned step 1.

.bg1 { background: url(BG IMAGE URL) repeat-x; background-color: #6c0000; }
.bg2 { background: url(BG IMAGE URL) repeat-x; background-color: #5A2A00; }
.bg3 { background: url(BG IMAGE URL) repeat-x; background-color: #00345B; }

3. Next, search for the following piece of code.

</head>

4. Paste the following piece of code just above the line mentioned in step 3. Save your template.

<script src='http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.6.2/jquery.min.js' type='text/javascript'/>
<script type='text/javascript'>
$(document).ready(function(){

        $(&quot;li.one&quot;).click( function(){ $
        (&quot;body&quot;).removeClass(&#39;bg2 , bg3&#39;).addClass(&quot;bg1&quot;);
    });

    $(&quot;li.two&quot;).click( function(){ $
        (&quot;body&quot;).removeClass(&quot;bg1 , bg3&quot;).addClass(&quot;bg2&quot;);
    });

    $(&quot;li.three&quot;).click( function(){ $
        (&quot;body&quot;).removeClass(&quot;bg1 , bg2&quot;).addClass(&quot;bg3&quot;);
    });

});
</script>

Note: You need not paste the first line (highlighted in orange) in the above coding if you already have the jquery file running on your blog.

5. Now, insert the following tags anywhere in your template - may be within the post editor or on  the sidebar or below the content wrapper.

<ul>
<li class="one"><a href="#">Red</a></li>
<li class="two"><a href="#">Brown</a></li>
<li class="three"><a href="#">Blue</a></li>
</ul>

6. That's it! Save your template or publish the post. 

Just hit the text of your choice - Red or Brown or Blue and enjoy the changing environment on your blog. You may change from the default colors (Red, Brown, Blue) to the ones you like, by just altering the color codes (highlighted in blue) mentioned in step 2. In fact, you can alter between your background images. To do so, just replace "BG IMAGE URL" with the URL of your background image.

I hope, I kept the logic as well as the post simple. The above code was tested to work fine on all major browsers including, but not limited to, IE, FF, Opera, Chrome and Safari. If you find any difficulties in installing the above effect, then leave a comment or ping me on gtalk. I'll help you out! Do share your opinions about the article via comments:)

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Photo Rules for Beginner Bloggers

Every blogger should know that besides having unique blog content and articles, images play an extremely important role in ensuring that that your readership levels remain high. After all, you can post the most interesting thing known to man but unless it's "aesthetically pleasing", your readers may never pay any attention to it. 

Thus, you should always aim to include photos or graphics in your posts whenever possible. But you can't just simply attach any photo you download from a search engine. They have to be legal to use, otherwise you can find yourself face-to-face with a major law suit or worse. So what photos are ok to use? To find out, proceed with the article further...

ROYALTY-FREE IMAGES

Before anything else is said, it's important that you automatically assume every image you come in contact with is copyrighted. It can be confusing, especially if the image doesn't specifically say it's copyrighted, but it doesn't necessarily have to say anything at all for you to still get slapped with a law suit. Moreover, simply putting a link back to the owner's page or original source will not help defend you in court. One of the easiest ways to avoid any problems, however, is to only use royalty-free photos.

Some of the images cost a small fee to download and use. But there are tons of sources to find free legal-to-use photos as well. For example sites like Flickr, stock.xchng and depositphotos are some of the popular choices. While some sites may require you to sign-up (for free) to gain access to both their collections of paid and free images, it's important that you still comply with the user's common creative licenses. This will specifically state how the owner wants you to attribute the photo and under what terms it can be used.

PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTOS/FAIR USE IMAGES

Popular blog posts tend to consist of written product reviews. That being said, it's perfectly fine to use images of CD covers, book covers and movie posters to give your article some extra sparkle as long as the images have been floating around the internet for quite some time and already seen by the majority of public. In short, you may not post the images if they were "leaked" to you.

You may also use public domain photos. Typically images that fall under this category include the following: photographs and pieces of art work created before 1923, photos created/taken by the U.S. government, photos that have an expired copyright, and photos that are used on educational sites like Wikipedia.

SCREEN SHOT IMAGES

Lastly, screen shots that you take of a particular web site, video game, or software in order to show visual assistance in "how-to" blog posts are also perfectly acceptable to use as long as you give proper credit (meaning the name of the web site with a hyperlink) and you do not jeopardize the product/service in any way. Basically, this means that you are not taking a screen shot of a particular element that would discourage your audience from buying the product or service. For example, don't take a snap shot of the most climatic scene of a newly released book—no one will want to buy it if they know how it ends.

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