Build a Better Blog
My Articles and Vlogs on Blogging
Additional Blogging Resources
| The Secrets to Successful Fashion Blogging — A fabulous series by blogger Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly. | ||
 Photo via Pretty Shiny Sparkly |
The Secrets to Successful Fashion Blogging Everything you wanted to know about blogging but were afraid to ask…
Secrets to Successful Fashion Blogging, Part Two |
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| Other Articles and Resources | ||
Social Media and Blog Promotion
| Connections/Communities | Social Media/Promotion | |
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Moving from Blogger to WordPress
People have a lot of anxiety about moving their blogs from Blogger to a more superior platform, WordPress. Don’t worry! The following links make it so easy. Just remember that thousands have made this move, and of the people I know, not one has regretted it.
| Moving from Blogger to WordPress.org (self-hosted) | Moving from Blogger to WordPress.com (free hosting) | |
| Doing your recon: | Doing your recon: | |
| Blogger-to-WordPress.org tutorials by Beautifully Invisible: | Blogger-to-WordPress.com tutorials: | |
Now that you’ve moved to WordPress.org:
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Now that you’ve moved to WordPress.com: |
Themes and Blog Design
| Themes | Blog Design | |
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My Hardware
| Technology | Device/Apps | |
| PC/Laptop | Apple Macbook Pro 15 | |
| Digital SLR + lens | Canon 60D + Canon 50mm f1.4 lens Canon EOS Rebel Xsi (12.2 mpx) + Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens |
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| Smartphone | Apple iPhone 4s | |
| Recommended iPhone apps |
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| Tablet | Apple iPad 2,16GB, Wi-Fi | |
| Tablet/iPad apps related to blogging |
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| Video recorder(s) | iPhone 4s, iPad 2, Canon 60D |
Software
| Function | Application | |
| Browser | Safari, Chrome | |
| Blog platform/application | WordPress.org | |
| Blog template | Thesis by DIY Themes | |
| Blog/WordPress plugins |
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| Domain registration and hosting | Bluehost | |
| Photo editing | ||
| Questions | Formspring | |
| Reader | Bloglovin’ | |
| RSS | Feedburner | |
| Screen capture | PicPick | |
| Stats and analytics | ||
| Video hosting | You Tube |
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
@AnikaByAnika
October 19, 2010
this is absolutely amazing, thank you so much for doing all this! You must have been working at this for hours! Really appreaciate it, and will really take my time reading this to see where to take my blog next. Well done Vahni!
@gritandglamour
October 19, 2010
Thank you Anika! It was a bit of work, but well worth it!
@122 W. Manheim Street Apt. 8
October 19, 2010
This is amazing and extremely useful! Great work and thanks for all the hard work and research that went into this V!
@gritandglamour
October 19, 2010
Thank you Fajr! I appreciate that!
@katy_rose1
October 19, 2010
V – Wow! I feel like I have my reading for the next month completely planned out with this. A little discouraging to see there is so much more I still need to learn. But hey! It’s all here for the taking. Thanks for make this so user friendly!
- Katy
@gritandglamour
October 19, 2010
No problem…thanks Katy!
@MJ_Beauty
October 21, 2010
Hey Girl, I tried the code you sent me but it still isn’t showing up on my sidebar. Am I missing something?
@gritandglamour
October 23, 2010
MJ, I’m not sure…maybe just copy the image and upload to your image gallery, then link to me? I’m a newbie at this!
@MJ_Beauty
October 25, 2010
That sounds like a good idea! I’m gonna try it! Thanks V!
Thanks for this! Great tips and advice
@gritandglamour
October 23, 2010
No worries…thanks for your comment, Sarah!
@JTwisdom
October 30, 2010
V
Thanks for the advice I am a newbie at this WordPress stuff. Right now I am trying to add the Friend Friday button to my blog.
@gritandglamour
October 31, 2010
Thanks JT, and you are welcome! Hope this helps you!
Thank you for doing all this it’s been so helpful! x
@gritandglamour
November 20, 2010
Thank you Purdey…glad to hear that!
The topic Build a Better Blog is absolutely new for me, but it´s very interesting. I have to read more about this topic and make me my own opinion. Thanks, Katy Wein
@gritandglamour
December 2, 2010
Thanks for your comment Katy…hope this page helps you learn more!
@laurenNjordan
December 27, 2010
V, Your blog has to be my favorite.
1. perfect grammar
2. helpful tips
3. and topics worth discussing
ps, I love your theme. I’m not sure how to install it but I am going to keep reading to try and make my blog better.
thank you for such helpful advice for a newbie like me! Happy holidays!
@gritandglamour
December 27, 2010
Thank you Lauren! I appreciate your kind comment!
The theme is the uber-popular Thesis WordPress Theme from DIYthemes. It’s not free, but it’s fantastic! It can only be used on a self-hosted blog (through WordPress.org, for example).
@starcrossedsmil
January 7, 2011
Hi V,
Thank you so much for all of these awesome tips and tutorials! I have been reading over your articles for the past few days and compiling a list of all the ways I can improve my blog this year. I have a question for you- on this page you mention that you use Google Analytics for your stats and I am a signed up for an account, but I don’t understand it one bit and am not sure how I can use it to keep posting the content that people like/are interested in. Could you maybe explain the basics that you need to know when using this tool? Thanks so much for your time and help!
@gritandglamour
January 9, 2011
Nnenna, so glad this page is helpful for you!
I agree that Google Analytics isn’t the easiest to decipher. Katy of Modly Chic actually wrote a post on this you might find helpful: http://modlychic.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-read-your-google-analytics.html.
You may also find the Google Analytics Help page useful: http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/?hl=en_US
For tracking blog traffic, my go-to counter is actualy Stat Counter: http://statcounter.com
It is important to have a Google Analytics account because it seems to be the standard reference in the industry, but for your own daily, high-level tracking, you will probably like Stat Counter better.
Thanks for your comment, and good luck!
@starcrossedsmil
January 10, 2011
Thanks V, I’m off to go check out these articles right now!
@TheStyleFile
January 14, 2011
V, you already know that I think you are a genius! But I just thought I’d let you know this page is incredible and I constantly refer to it whenever I have issues or questions!
Thanks darlin’.
XXXO
M
Marissa’s latest post: INTRODUCING- The Bloggerista Book Club
@gritandglamour
January 14, 2011
And thank YOU, darlin’. So good to know that so many people find this page helpful. I’ve had so many struggles with the technological aspects of running a blog that I feel compelled to share when I find a solution!
@beccabellle
March 4, 2011
V you are a goddess – I’ve been looking high and low for a listing of thesis fonts – and the link was sitting right here the whole time. I came to scoop up your resources so I can switch Free Honey over to Wordpress and I end up finding something else I’ve been searching for for weeks!! <3
Becca’s latest post: Menswear Inspiration
@gritandglamour
March 4, 2011
Superb, Becca! Thanks for your sweet comment!
Isn’t it nice when we discover those little shortcuts?
Just found this and what great information you have here and I’m sure it took you sometime to get together. This is very helpful and I’m also loving your blog btw and I have added you to my blogroll as well. Such inspiration
Tyesha’s latest post: American Express- Membership Rewards Program
@gritandglamour
June 1, 2011
Thank you so much, doll!
@www.twitter.com/silkfordinner
May 12, 2011
Hello, wonderful and so very helpful ! I was looking to make a decision to switch to WP and your information made it clear to me ! thank you so much ! I’m definately a follower and keep on doing that “shameless”promotion. I think it’s charming the way you do. xoxo Silk
Silk’s latest post: Mademoiselle Economist
@gritandglamour
June 1, 2011
Hi Silk…so glad you found some helpful info. Thanks much for your comment and support!
@Metsyc
June 15, 2011
You are a blogging powerhouse. Thank you for doing all this work!
Metsy’s latest post: Do you have Social Media Klout
@gritandglamour
June 17, 2011
Hey sweets, no worries!
I found this so helpful, thanks!
@gritandglamour
October 14, 2011
Super, Miss B!
@gritandglamour
October 14, 2011
Fantastic! Thanks for your comment!
@katha_strophal
October 25, 2011
This has been soooo incredibly helpful!
Thank you for sharing all of these great tips, I really love the way you write.
Katha Strophe’s latest post: Top 5 scarves
@gritandglamour
October 25, 2011
Thank you, and you’re so welcome!
This is God-sent
Very much appreciated.. and very enjoyable to read..
Keep up the good work..
Have a nice day
xoxo Nusa
You have so much info here for blogging. I don’t have a blog yet. I am thinking about creating one when I return home from deployment, because I am wanting to make some new crafts and learn how to make jewelry. Anyways, I was actually considering Blogger just because I use Google and have a Google+ account. I see you have clearly spelled out how to move a Blogger Blog to Wordpress.org, but my question is if I were to sign up for a free wordpress.com Blog could I upgrade and keep everything I had created on the wordpress.com and have it transferred or moved to the wordpress.org Blog? I know I have much more reading before I attempt a Blog. It’ll start out as a Hobby of course.
@selwaluke
April 5, 2013
Hey Vahni – I still revisit your blog from time to time… especially if I’m at work and there’s nothing to do, which is rare, but it happens…
I’ve been doing some research on the Thesis Wordpress Theme, because I’m thinking about switching to it for my 2 blogs. Can you get the basic theme and use it on 2 websites? Also, what do you think of Thesis 2.0? Are you still using the old Thesis or have you upgraded. I’ve heard a lot of people in the blogging community express disappointment at the lack of documentation when it came out, but it appears to have gotten better. I’ve been going back and forth between Thesis and Genesis, and Thesis just seems to have the best design options, so I’ll probably go with it. But wondered what your thoughts/experiences were with 2.0.
Your blog still looks great, as always! I sent your laser hair removal post to my sister – she’s getting hers done too – and she said after reading it, she ordered some numbing cream… Ha!
@gritandglamour
April 8, 2013
Hi Selwa~
I have NOT upgraded to Thesis 2.0, and won’t. The disappointment you read about is justified…you shouldn’t have to rebuild your blog for an upgrade of a product you already use. I’m not sure if going into with a blog from scratch would be as painful; maybe not. I do think to be able to used Thesis on multiple sites, you need the more expensive package. Thesis can be quirky, but it’s still the best in my opinion. Last year I bought four other blog templates, hoping I could get exactly what I wanted, and they still didn’t deliver, and lacked the functionality and support you get with Thesis.
I have heard very good things about Genesis as well, from people who have used both. You’d probably be fine with either one.
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