{TIP: How to make your blog's hyperlinks open in a new window}

As I am making my rounds to other bloggers, I frequently come across several posts with hyperlinks. When clicking on them, I leave the actual blog post and have to use the ← Back button in my browser, for getting back again. That could mean too much trouble and a visitor does not return.  So how to avoid loosing your visitors? Let me show you how in Blogger, you easily can create how to open a link in a new window...

Building in a hyperlink, you do by highlighting the word, and than clicking on 'Link' = marked in yellow.

See the yellow marking 'Open this link in a new window'? That is where and how you need to mark!

Than click OK

You also can change any existing link by clicking 'Change' = yellow marked.

Than again you proceed by marking 'Open this link in a new window' and click OK.

The top one is a regular link

The bottom one is a link that opens in a new window

Below I show you the difference in HTML

If checked in HTML, the difference between the Normal Link and the Link that opens in New Window is: target="_blank"

Hope this was helpful!

{184 Countries Visited and Info about Google+ Custom URL}

Wow, on Halloween I had Country 184 visiting. A Big Welcome to the Aland Islands! I also would like to share some Google+ data with you and how to create your own Google+ Custom URL.

October 31, Aland Islands visited. 

Any guess where that is? 

In the Baltic Sea near Sweden and Finland and the language spoken is Swedish.

Today I did check my Google Analytics and found an interesting surprise that I want to show you.

Both, my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics and my Mariette's Back to Basics.blogspot.com do have a Google Analytics number. This is important so you can track what you are doing. That's what I like to show you with the following screenshot... 

Traffic to my blog is being generated by:

1. google.com

2. blogger.com and 

3. plus.url.google.com or Google+ that is.

Are you using google+ already? 

For the four months that I have been using it, I am impressed so far by its ranking 3.

To those that not yet know how this works, I will show you my Google+ URL: 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/100490423051043047646/about That's it, a long string of numbers...
If you scroll down, you will also find my favorite blogs listed there.

BUT after I read Getting Started with Google+ Custom URLs ←click it
I did change and now it looks neat like this: google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder

If you copy and paste that into your browser, it will take you straight to my google+  but it will be real easy to remember by anyone if not at hand.

If you like to get one yourself, go to the above link and follow the instructions; easy peasy!

Try it out, it works as shown in my Google Analytics of today, ranking 3rd in a short period of time.

{Fix Your Facebook News Feed}

Maybe you have noticed that your favorite Pages or Interests on Facebook have disappeared from your News Feed. Okay, there is a simple trick for solving that. All the check points I have marked yellow so you can easily follow along.

Click on Home

Click on MORE

Click on Add Interests...

After new page opens; click on Create List

Now click on each thumbnail image, you will see check-mark.

Notice the two in the right corner, bottom row I not yet clicked.

Click on Next...

Put e.g. My List and check Only Me (whatever YOU choose) and hit Done

My List is now created and you must click on it in order to see it.

That takes care of the News Feed again!

You can always go back and repeat for new Pages etc. 

Hope this was helpful.

{How to SHARE POSTS on GOOGLE+ without spamming}

Just would like to show you how to SHARE POSTS on GOOGLE+ without spamming your circles. You can avoid having emails sent to each person; every time you post. Of course Google does not show you how to, but there is a way around. 

Automatically it shows FRIENDS. But if you click on the X behind Friends, that window will close. I've used a yellow marker to guide you...

Instead click WITHIN this box and a drop down window will show. AHA! Click where the yellow marker is.

This is how it looks like...

Now click on PUBLIC

DONE!

All you need to do is click Share...

This way you reach more people and you are not spamming anyone within your circle.

Are you using GOOGLE+ a lot? 

Blogger's New Interface works with it and so far I like it.

{HOW TO: COMMENTS + REPLY SETTINGS}

After some three years of blogging I still come across several bloggers that don't use a comment reply for receiving an email when someone has commented. Or for receiving emails from other bloggers for further interaction. So let's go over these COMMENTS + REPLY SETTINGS.

When hovering with the mouse over a blogger's name in a comment email sent out by Blogger, you may find the following: CTRL + click to follow link: mailto:noreply-comment@blogger.com

This means it is a DEAD END! Emails cannot be received; they will come back to you as being not deliverable. This is not a good thing for bloggers.

So first I will show you how to solve this problem.

Go to Design and click Settings. Select Mobile and email.

Put your email address in the box where I marked with yellow. 

Another tip for using Email posts to is helpful for times when you accidentally delete your post or something goes wrong. If you email it to yourself, you still got the entire blog post ready for posting again instead of re-writing it entirely. 

Good habit is for exporting your blog from time to time and saving it on your PC. See link below post with updated info.

In order to receive email notification of a reply email to your comments, you first must do the above step of COMMENT NOTIFICATION EMAIL.

You have seen this type of Comments where you can reply to any other blogger or reply to any question, whatsoever.

To do this you have to change a few settings which I show you below in 2 steps:

1) Go to Design

Click Settings 

Click Other

From the Drop down in Allow Blog Feed: select Full

2) Go to Settings

click Posts and comments

From the Comment Location drop down window select Embedded.

YOU ARE ALL DONE!

All you need to do when leaving a comment in the comment box, in order to receive an email about a reply, click on Subsribe by email as circled red below my comment box.

In order to receive email updates when someone comments on your blog post, you must first set your COMMENT NOTIFICATION EMAIL, shown at the very top in first how to.

This Subsribe by email is NOT to subscribe to the blog itself! Only to this very post for receiving follow up comments! 

SIMPLE but very functional.

Far better than having to go back to the other blogger's post for finding out if there was a reply.

Try it out yourself.

Related link:

{HOW TO EXPORT YOUR BLOG - TO SAVE IT!} newly updated, showing also the New Blogger Interface settings

{10 Ultra-Specific Blogs with PR 4}

For almost three years now I've been reading and following several blogs. Today I would like to mention here 10 Ultra-Specific Blogs with a PR of 4. That is: Page Rank of 4 out of 10. We all strive to write good content that will be read by many. Even more important is to pass on some worthwhile information to others; unique and original content. There are however way too many that take the word copyright or plagiarism too liberal. They gather content and photos left and right, than proceed by posting this on their own blogs as being theirs. Often not even mentioning the original source. Both, my husband and I have been contributing quite a lot for books and magazines, so we are very familiar with that. Still there remains some pride into managing your own photos, and your own wording, both genuinely produced by your hands. Showing and sharing your own ideas and projects, often using them as a tutor for others; that is high value! So today I am delighted to share with you 10 of those Ultra-Specific Blogs. Certainly there will be more out there but I only have limited time for reading and visiting some of them. Please, if you know of any other Ultra-Specific Blog(s) with a PR of 4 or higher, let me know!

Google.com with a 9 PageRank

*Valentina from Les Cotrions in Italy showing always fresh original content with great photos and ideas. She is very talented and works with an art foundation and has a passion for  home décor.

*Doris from Hold my Hand with her lovely and insightful stories as a social worker and book author.

*Jo Anne Coletti from Vintage Rose Collection a lovely artist that creates life-like roses and her content is 100% Jo Anne.

*Theresa from The Run *A* Round Ranch Report with exceptional insights through her photos and humorous text.

*Lene from THE ESSENCE OF THE GOOD LIFE with her extraordinary photos and insightful text. A treasure on cultural knowledge.

*Carolyn from Aiken House & Gardens with her showcase of garden blooms and romantic tea settings.

*Leeann from Fabulously French with always great photos of her Brocante and Decoration finds.

*Sarah from Haute Design believes in kindness, compassion and respect and presents great added informative text, supplementing professional photos by others, with appropriate credit given.

*Chris Cox from Easy & Elegant Life an excellent male perspective on Fashion and Style.

Sorry, had to remove one of the 10...

Above listing of my limited selection of 10 Ultra-Specific Blogs with PR 4, is by no means sequentially, neither alphabetically nor by ranking.

They all 10 are just my true role models, in trying to achieve such PR one day myself.

The last update on PR was 03 May 2012, so you will have rather accurate info if you check it now.

Of course I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts. We all are often wondering how we are doing with our blog posts. This gives at least some analysis and of course it will never be totally accurate. Wishing you a lovely week and a great start into official summer season in a couple of days. That also means that our days will start shortening pretty soon...

{TIP: How to enter Blog from Google Account on Comments Page}

Some readers did not find the entrance to my blog from my Google Account identity on their comment page. Let me show you how quick and easy it is:

This is my comment identity, since I've joined http://plus.google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder all my accounts are now merged. This is very convenient and also VERY easy for you to get to my blog.

Since I joined all my accounts under Google+ this is how I choose my identity when I comment on your blogs.

This is how my comment looks like.

By clicking on my name, highlighted, you get to my Google Account... and land on the Posts page, see below↓

Now you click to the right of Posts, on About and you land here, see below... ↓

Most important: scroll down see (highlighted) where it shows Contributor to (Blogspot... where you click on and voilà! see the yellow marked line below.

FAST - CONVENIENT AND ALL IN ONE!

My Email is listed there as well.

I can only highly recommend using Google+ like this as well. 

Any questions are welcome!

{Pearls of Wisdom}

Wow, what a feeling for having all the followers back on Blogger with the Google Friend Connect Gadget. Also the Recent Comments on the Sidebar show up again. Coming back from vacation it is never fun to find Blogger problems on top of all the other chores that are waiting for you. BUT, thanks to some Pearls of Wisdom from sweet blogger friend Rebecca from A Gathering Place (click IS YOUR FOLLOWER GADGET MISSING? - IF SO... DO THIS), I at least got the Google Friend Connect Gadget back on. THANKS sweet Rebecca; I owe you! 

Scan from my saved card: CHANEL Accessoires 1996  Photographie Karl Lagerfeld
Lovely PEARLS!

Another problem I already had before I went on vacation to Curaçao was that I no longer could add or delete any blogs I follow, on my Sidebar. So I did copy all the URLs and deleted the 'broken' gadget and replaced it with a new one. Hope it will be possible now to add new URLs, or delete...

Blogger has robbed all of us from quite some precious time at one point or another.

But today I'm looking again at my followers...

The weather is great, after coming home from the tropics this is a treat! At 7:00 PM still 23°C or 73°F. 

Curaçao had daily 29°C or 84°F and 25°C or 77°F at night...

March 8, I had country # 155; Bhutan from Countries Visited

This gadget has been working fine since July 10, 2011.

~~♥♥~~

Wishing you a great weekend!

{The Truth about GFC - Google Friend Connect}

There have been quite some rumors going around about GFC. So let's clarify this and showing the truth about Google Friend Connect. On March 1, 2012 Google Friend Connect will retire for all NON BLOGGER sites!  

Check here for the complete story. 

• There is no need for panick.  Even though there are some fear mongers who spread rumors, trying to influence you to actions not needed.

• Don't Worry; Be Happy!

• All those that have not yet taken the Word Verification off their blog, I urge to do so. 
• When trying to comment on some blogs I still ran into those aggravating spy messages that I had to squint my eyes for in order to decode them. PLEASE take them off, or else I might no longer stop by for commenting... Check my tutorial about how to take it off: {Word Verification is Time WASTE!} 

Have a Great Day!

{Word Verification is Time WASTE!}

Blogger has changed for the worse its Comments Word Verification with now a two word/symbol check. It is illegible and you are forced to try it twice or trice before you FINALLY can place your comment. As Theresa from The Run *A* Round Ranch Report put it: "My eyes don't decode spy messages!"  SORRY but none of us has that luxury of time. So once more I want to ask you to follow my earlier TIP on how to handle your Comments Setting. Will show you below. 

Yeah, try again. What an Invasion into my precious time...
Can you make out the other word's beginning?

How can I possibly make THOSE characters?
I'm not a robot and neither an idiot for doing this kind of games!

• By the way, I now have the setting for comments on Registered Users and that avoids almost all spam!

• Show word verification: No
• Comment Moderation: For posts older than 3 days to be safe.

Theresa's post about WORD VERIFICATION WOES! is excellent and very clear; see below.

Related articles

WORD VERIFICATION WOES! (The Run *A* Round Ranch Report.blogspot.com) 

{TIPS on Linking Back to Other Bloggers}

As I've done lots of blog reading and visiting, I also did notice certain things that are done different and how that will impact your number of visitors and comments left on each blog post. All of us strife for some frequent readers and look forward to comments. Those comments do give us an indication as to what readers like and they often can teach us a lot about their views and experiences.

BUT, first we must make it easy and swift for visitors to do so. Therefore, let's go over some points here and I will use snapshots from my own settings as an example. Visual things help more than just 'words', that's what Pieter and I have learned all through our career when conducting seminars for others. Captivate the attention and than show something new and different. That keeps everyone happy and the exchange of knowledge can begin. In Canada, one of our favorite work areas, they called the seminars that we gave: 'Technology Transfer Seminars'. I liked that. So by giving away something, we also gain a lot ourselves. Never be shy to ask and to share! We ALL learn till our last breath and I hope, you enjoy learning as much as I do. Okay, now back to Comment Settings and I will explain this as we go.

By setting Who Can Comment to Anyone is VERY important. That's the ONLY way you will be able to build those Back Links. You should think about back links as exchanging business cards. You leave one at the place where you just visited.

Oh, and Comment Form Placement should be Pop-up window! Why? Because if otherwise, it will take a lot of time till ALL the gadgets on the sidebar, including music etc. etc. RELOAD again. With all respect, I DO love your blogs but I even more so would love to find time for visiting more other blogs. That applies to each one of us; time is the limit!

So with these two settings you already can solve 2 problems.

Well, due to the spam creeping in I had to change long ago from 'Anyone' and I choose Registered User. Also for avoiding the spam I changed to Comment Moderation!

It also helps if you put your name in the Comment Form Message, as a courtesy to others so they can address you. You can put in any personal message for your readers. Remember: This IS your business card, your immediate contact with your readers.

Here we got some Very Important settings!

Comment moderation. It is best if you put there: Only on posts older than 14 days. WHY?

You know that those spammers are often a kind of 'robots' and they search for older posts, so this way you can weed them out!

Show word verification for comments? NO! Since this is for warding off those spam robots, you ALREADY took care of that by marking posts older than 14 days... Word verification is only to check if it is a HUMAN and not a robot!

It is THE MOST TIME CONSUMING THING we run into while visiting bloggers and leaving comments. Remember, we ALSO want to visit other bloggers! So it is best to mark this with NO. You will see that your comment number will actually go up drastically after changing this. Often comments get lost anyway if word verification is required. That happened to me quite some times and often we just abandon such a post and move on... Sweet Bea from Modern Country Lady gave me this valuable tip a while back, so I'm more than glad to pass it on to others.

This is it! Leaving your comment with your Name/URL. That is like dropping off your business card with a direct Link Back to YOUR Blog!

If you continue to leave your comments, using your Google Account, that will ONLY lead to your PROFILE - NOT to your BLOG.

You want to land a new visitor onto your blog and not the profile! That also will save another click too, that means time... for visiting more other blogs.

This is how it looks when building that Back Link.

That URL will land your readers right ONTO your blog.

This is just an example of how it looks like on Johanna's blog: Silber+Rosen. No picture of me, but a direct link back to my blog. If you only leave a picture, that is the same as returning home from a business meeting with your own business card still in your hand... Click on Johanna's blog above and see for yourself. You can come right back here again, by clicking on Mariette's Back to Basics, as that is my Link Back.

That Link is also handy for giving a reply to someone's comment. It doesn't do anything for you to post a reply comment on your own blog. That's like stuffing your mailbox with your own business cards. That leads to no LINK... It is also rather tedious for having to go back to all blogs where you left a previous comment... So that will in most cases not happen.

Enough for today. Hope you can put some of this to use, provided that you all are willing to give up your picture on the comment page. I'd rather have my readers look at my picture ON my blog-post!

Wish you all a lovely week and lots of readers!