7 Things That Should be on Every Home Page

Before getting to the list, I must say that this is just my view.  And as you all know I am only in my second year of blogging and am still very much learning.

So here is my list:

1.   A contact page where your email address can be easily located – or put it directly into your sidebar.  Lots of people prefer to comment via email (avoids all the ghastly captcha stuff for one thing).  I have posted about this here. 

2.   A search box – people will often want to search for topics/recipes etc that interest them.  Make sure the search box is towards the top of your page.  Go to this post for more on this.

3.   A list of popular posts (including thumbnails) – I use the most popular for the month rather than all time.  Here is a post I did on this.  

4.   Big clear follow me options.  My current fave is Bloglovin but I also have a GFC widget and email etc.

5.   Short blog list of blogs you like – don't let it default to being a list of every blog you follow – that will slow the loading of your page and clutter your home page up.  I select a small number of book and food blogs to feature each week.  (There is no quid pro quo for this – I just like to share blogs I enjoy with my readers) Go here to see more about this.

6.   Restrict the number of posts that will show up on your home page to 6 or less.  Again your blog will load more quickly.

7.  If you are in to Pinterest (and most of us are), put a link to some of your important boards into your sidebar.

Other people will add that you have to have a good detailed About Me page – I don't happen to agree – but it is entirely a matter of personal taste.  I want the substance of the blog to speak for itself and for my readers to get to know the way I think that way.

Finally, although this is not about your home page – I can't help myself.  Please kill the captcha/word verification/prove you are not a robot stuff.  Nothing will put your readers off from commenting more.  If you are on Blogger and want to know how to kill it, go to this post.     

Another article link for you ...

Here's an article called Top 5 Comment Tips for Bloggers from Diana Rambles.  It's a goodie.

You can kill the spam too!

You know how I don't like the word verification stuff - and so don't have it turned on, on my blogs.  But on my main blog, Carole's Chatter, I was getting quite a lot of spam comments.  I think this is because some of my posts have been submitted to StumbleUpon and Reddit and this seems to attract lots of page views - and spam.

Finally I figured out how to kill the spam - without having to use word verification.  All I did was go into my dashboard in Blogger and click Settings.  Then click Posts and Comments. You will find a question "Who can comment?".  I changed from anyone to Registered User - and that doesn't let anonymous comments through.  Don't forget to click on the orange Save Settings button towards the top right or else nothing will change.

I was a bit worried that some legit comments would be stopped - so I changed my little spiel about comments to ask anyone who had trouble to email me - but all the normal comments seem to be coming through just fine.  I'll probably remove that part of the comment stuff soon.

So if the thing stopping you killing the "prove you are not a robot" thing is the spam - I think this might solve your problem.  And it really is in your blog's best interests to change to no word verification - it does put so many people off from commenting on your blog.

Good luck.

Dealing with those blurry Captcha's!

Do you have trouble typing in those pesky "prove you are not a robot" things?  I especially have trouble with the blurry number photo part.

I have posted about how to kill the word verification stuff on your blog here.

One thing that I have found helpful is to enlarge the image - the easy way to do this is just to hit Control +.  You can do it a number of times and each time the page will zoom in until you can see it.

When you have finished you just hit Control - and it will zoom out again.

Another reader has also suggested that if the words are particularly difficult to read that rather than trying to enter them, just hit the little circular refresh button until an easier one pops up. I have found this to save quite a bit of time.

And don't bother doing capital letters etc because the captchas aren't case sensitive!

I do apologise for wittering on about word verification so much - but really!  Having just commented on 60 blogs who linked up to Food on Friday, I am renewed in my campaign to try to eradicate it.

Just do it!

A plea to all of you - please turn off the word verification. My eyes are going crossed trying to type in those blurry numbers and letters!  And it is in your own best interests - I know lots of people just don't bother to comment if you have word verification on.

This is how you get rid of word verification stuff on Blogger.

Just go to your dashboard and click Settings.  And then from the drop down menu that appears Posts and Comments.

Scroll down to the question "Show word verification?" and click no.

That will sort it. But you do have to click the orange save settings button at the top right.

PS  If you think I have been wittering on about this before - you are so right!  If only Blogger would change the default option!

So far, so good, I think I've killed the spam!

You know how I don't like the word verification stuff - and so don't have it turned on, on my blogs.  But on my main blog, Carole's Chatter, I have been getting quite a lot of spam comments.  I think this is because some of my posts have been submitted to StumbleUpon and Reddit and this seems to attract lots of page views - and spam.

Finally I figured out how to kill the spam - without having to use word verification.  All I did was go into my dashboard in Blogger and click Settings.  Then click Posts and Comments. You will find a question "Who can comment?".  I changed from anyone to Registered User - and that doesn't let anonymous comments through.  Don't forget to click on the orange Save Settings button towards the top right or else nothing will change.

I was a bit worried that some legit comments would be stopped - so I changed my little spiel about comments to ask anyone who had trouble to email me - but all the normal comments seem to be coming through just fine.

So if the thing stopping you killing the "prove you are not a robot" thing is the spam - I think this might solve your problem.  And it really is in your blog's best interests to change to no word verification - it does put so many people off from commenting on your blog.

Good luck.

How to kill the "prove you are not a robot stuff" on Blogger!

For anyone that would like to make it easier for readers to comment on your blog.  This is how you get rid of word verification stuff on Blogger.

You need to go to the old Blogger interface - on your dashboard look up to top right, click the little wheel and it will give you the old interface as an option. Click that. You will see a big blue button - don't click that - click the one 3 along to the right - settings.

Then click the comments tab - scroll down to the question "Show word verification for comments?" and click no.

That will sort it. But you do have to click the yellow save settings button at the bottom.

To go back to the new interface just click the blue " try the updated blogger interface" at the top next to your email address.
PS  I hope this is helpful.  Feel free to copy and use the picture.