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Use WordPress Blogroll For Site Navigation

As WordPress grows more popular and more people are using it for more than just blogging more and more are using WordPress to run entire websites. This WordPress guide will show how to setup decent site navigation on the sidebar.

You could use the Pages widget that will show all the WordPress pages created in one big long list, this would be acceptable if you use WordPress for mostly blogging and don’t create very many pages. However if you converted an existing site to WordPress and want to copy your old HTML pages and make them new WordPress pages this option give very little flexibility. Your list of pages will grow long and you can’t separate them into different sidebar widgets.

blogroll1.jpgA more flexible option is using the Blogroll as site navigation and not showing the Pages sidebar widget at all. The Blogroll is a list of links you create and categorize that can show on the sidebar. There is limitation with this option too: While all the Blogroll links will show in their designated category, they will all show in one location on the sidebar. Again this may be acceptable to you if you have a few pages or links and don’t mind them all showing in one place. As show on the left the two sidebar items are all in the Blogroll but in two different Blogroll categories; Links and WPP PIPS Sites. These show as two different items but can’t be separated. Another possible issue with this option is the specific theme you are using may not separate the items as nicely as the example shows. But you will not know until you try it. If you want to use this option the sidebar widget to use will be called either Blogroll or Links depending on your theme.

So lets create a list of links; first go to Blogroll in the WordPress dashboard, and then click the Categories submenu. The default category in here is called Blogroll, I usually edit it and rename it Links, you can call it anything you want by clicking Edit on the right. Give some thought of the different categories you want to place the links into. Now create a new category by clicking Add New, while still in the Categories submenu. Make the name and slug the same and click Add Category. Next click Add Link in the upper dark blue submenu and add the name and address, then on the right make sure the correct category is checked, and only one category is checked! Under the category you can choose to open the link in a new window by ticking the Blank button for the Target. Finish by clicking Add Link.

So what if you want up to 9 different Blogroll or links categories and want to show the widgets in various different areas of the sidebar? You use a plugin of course! Single Bookmark Category List “This widget is especially useful when you want to spread out the display of your bookmarks into two or more separate sidebars”. Note the plugin author is calling them Bookmarks, while in the WordPress dashboard these links are called Blogroll. Installation of the plugin is typical, just place it in your wp-content/plugins folder and activate in the Plugins menu in the dashboard. If I recently installed your blog you may already have the plugin so check before you upload it again.

To use the Single Bookmark Category plugin after it is activated go to Presentation, Widgets. First remove the Blogroll or Links widget if it is in a sidebar by dragging it out of the sidebar and back to the lower Available Widgets area and click Save Changes. Next scroll down and click the drop down box next to the Single Bookmark Category Widgets. Choose the number of these you need and click Save. You should now have that many Bookmark From Category widgets in the Available Widgets area. Simply drag a Bookmark From Category widget into the area of the sidebar where you want it, click the little blue box to open it, (if you don’t see the open widget scroll up or down) and choose the Blogroll category you want to be displayed. Click the X to close the widget and then finally Save Changes.

You can now have more control over the Blogroll or links displayed on your WordPress sidebar using this simple but powerful plugin. This shows, once again, the simple flexibility WordPress provides.

If your WordPress pages are growing to large and cluttering up your sites top navigation or Pages sidebar widget check out this post: Choose WordPress Pages Displayed In Navigation Bar

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Filed In: WordPress Guide by Jeff
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Choose WordPress Pages Displayed In Navigation Bar

If your blog has a navigation bar in or near the header and you create a lot of pages on your WordPress blog chances are it is getting somewhat cluttered. You can control what pages are displayed by including the ones you want or excluding a certain few. Here is a short to help you clean things up.

Warning before editing any theme files make a backup so you can fix any mistakes!

The first thing to decide is if you are going to include certain pages or exclude certain pages. Each page has an ID number associated with it. To find the page’s ID numbers in the dashboard click Manage, Pages and look for the ID number of the page. Next open your header.php file and look for this code:

<?php wp_list_pages(’depth=1&title_li=’); ?>

That bit of code is going to display all the pages you create. To exclude certain pages use the below code in its place and add the page ID numbers comma separated. The example below is excluding page ID 6 and 4.

<?php wp_list_pages(’title_li=&depth=1&exclude=6,4′); ?>

To include only certain pages you can try this next bit of code:

<?php wp_list_pages(’title_li=&depth=1&include=6,4′); ?>

There are many more parameters to list pages, learn more about WordPress page navigation here: WP List Pages

You can also ‘hard code’ any URL in the WordPress navigation bar as this previous post explains: Specify WordPress Navigation Page Links

Filed In: WordPress by Jeff
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Configure FeedBurner and WordPress RSS Widget

flamocon_190h.gifThe instructions on the FeedBurner site show all of the steps involved in downloading and setting up the FeedBurner FeedSmith . There is one other step involved that isn’t mentioned that you may want to add to your WordPress blog. This will cover that other step.

First off if I installed your blog you should have the plugin installed and activated already. If I asked for your FeedBurner account then all of this is likely done for you as well. If not you will still need to sign up at FeedBurner.com and ‘Burn’ your feed. For that I have instructions with video on my other blog here: Setup FeedBurner On Your WordPress Blog .

After adding your new URL to the proper areas of your WordPress blog the other place to add it is in an RSS sidebar widget. Click Presentation, Widgets and drag an RSS widget, usually RSS 1, from the lower available area into the sidebar. Click the little blue box on the widget to open it, place your FeedBurner URL in, name it and choose how many items (posts) you want to display. Close the widget, and click Save Changes.

Don’t be afraid to check out all the different feed options over at FeedBurner, especially the email subscriptions. For that click the Publicize tab and look on the left side for them. Make sure to activate it after you grab the code!

Filed In: WordPress Guide by Jeff
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Tagging A WordPress Post Mutiple Tagging Plugins

The recent integration of tagging in WordPress has rendered one of my favorite tagging plugins obsolete. That and the lack luster default tagging WordPress offers I have yet to upgrade this site and many of my other WordPress blogs. Ultimate Tag Warrior was and is still my tagging plugin of choice on the WordPress blogs that I run, because I haven’t upgraded them yet. This gives you three different tagging options, you can choose to use one or all of them together.

After testing several WordPress tagging plugins I have found not one but three tagging plugins that work well together on WordPress Version 2.3.x. Having three tagging plugins may seem like overkill but hey the more the merrier right? If you don’t want to use all three then I will list them here in the order I recommend you try.

Before I jump in though I will try to clear up a bit of confusion. There are actually two different plugins with the same name called Simple Tags. From what I understand they are authored by two different people and one is completely different than the other. One is a simple one file plugin that adds Technorati tags in your post where ever you want them. The other is a full blown tag management plugin that enhances the built in functionality of WordPress.

Warning if you still use Ultimate Tag Warrior you really don’t need this plugin and should deactivate it before using trying to activate Simple Tags.

Up first is the most powerful Simple Tags plugin. After installing it like a normal plugin installation, it can be used right away with little configuration. You will have a Simple Tags sub menu under the main options menu. Clicking that will show all the options for the plugin and here your head can spin. But not to worry the plugin is ready to work right after activation with the exception of theme integration.

To use Simple Tags just look at the bottom of the write post box and you should now have two new options available to you. One is the red Display click tags option and below that is a tags suggestion Suggested tags from box.

tags.jpg

Clicking Display click tags will show a list of your tags to insert into the tags area, (if you have used tags in the past). You can also find more tags in the lower Suggested tags from area. Pulling suggested tags from your blog, Yahoo or the ‘Net’.

Theme integration is bit more tricky if you want a list of your tags to show below the post. For that you will need to place a bit of code into your theme, either in the single.php for single posts and or the index.php for the main blog page. There are many variable to use to show what you want after your posts but the most common is just a list of tags and that can be accomplished by placing this code into your theme:

<?php st_the_tags(); ?>

The area to place this varies for each theme but should be under the post comments area or above it if you wish.

tags1.jpg

For a complete list of options and instructions visit the Simple Tags plugin homepage.

Next up is a bit easier plugin to use and configure thats called Tagalize It. This plugin uses embedded tags right within the post. Using tags for self tagging that interlinks your blog to other posts with the same tags. And also tagging Technorati and IceRocket, two of the more popular blog directories online.

After activating Tagalize It there is one thing to configure depending on your blogs installation directory. The plugin is designed to be used on blogs in the /blog directory of a website. So if your blog is installed in the root or in a differently named directory you need to point the plugin to the correct directory.

To make the plugin work correctly you need to match the plugins configuration to your blogs directory. To check the proper configuration click Plugins, Plugin Editor, Scroll down and look for the Tagalize It plugin on the right. Change this code to match your blogs installed directory:

If your blog is in the blog directory, www.yoursite.com/blog, then it should look like this:

function tagazlie_it_tagger($tag, $swaptext, $intext) {
$self_loc = ‘/blog/tag/’;
$dir_loc = ‘/blog/search/’;$cat_loc = ‘/blog/category/’;

If your WordPress blog is installed in a directory other than blog then it should match the directory something like this:

function tagazlie_it_tagger($tag, $swaptext, $intext) {$self_loc = ‘/Your Directory/tag/’;
$dir_loc = ‘/Your Directory/search/’;
$cat_loc = ‘/Your Directory/category/’;

Finally if your blog is your main site and installed in the root directory then it needs to be like this:

function tagazlie_it_tagger($tag, $swaptext, $intext) {$self_loc = ‘/tag/’;
$dir_loc = ‘/search/’;
$cat_loc = ‘/category/’;

Using Tagalize It is very easy but it is an extra step when writing posts. Tagging keywords or phrases within the body of the posts actually makes them live links to either other posts tagged the same on your blog or to Technorati and IceRocket. You can tag the keywords in either the visual or code editor.

Tagging with Tagalize It is simply placing brackets before and after the word or phrase you want to tag. For self tagging I suggest to tag only the words or phrases that match one of the categories the post is in. For the Technorati and Ice Rocket tags you can use any terms you want but they should be related to the content of the post. This link -> is a self tagged tag, then this -> is a Technorati tag and finally this -> is an IceRocket tag. Below are examples of Tagalize It tags in this order Self tags, Technorati and IceRocket:

tags3.jpg

Finally we get to the last of the list which is the other Simple Tags plugin. This plugin is very simple to use to add Technorati tags within the post content area. You can add one tag or a comma separated list as shown below:

tags4.jpg

These are three good , you can use one two or all three together. I have tested them on Version 2.3.3 all together without a problem. However your blog may differ depending on other plugins installed. So be careful. At the time of this post I am still using WordPress 2.2 with UTW and Tagalize it. No Simple Tags for me yet! But now that I took the time to write this you did to read it, WordPress 2.5 is due out any time time now!

Filed In: WordPress Guide by Jeff
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Adding AdSense Code Into A WordPress Theme

Adding or embedding AdSense ads or any type of script or code into a is pretty easy once you understand where to place it. In order to do that you first need to know what some of the code in your means. This will show you what some of the themes code means and where you can embed scripts like AdSense, HTML code or even images.

In order to edit your theme from within the your themes files must writable. Do do that you need to change the permissions, or CHMOD of the themes files to at least 666 or 777. You could also work on them in the hosting accounts file manager or on your computer and FTP upload the changes files. I prefer to edit the theme from the dashboard.

Before you get started you should copy any file you are attempting to edit and save it in a text file on your computer. If anything goes wrong you can simply paste the unedited version back to undo any damage. You have been warned!

Starting from the top of the WordPress blogs main page, just above the post you can place your AdSense script like shown on this blog, a graphic, banner ad, both AdSense and a banner like shown on my other Work At Home Business Blog, or anything else for that matter. Keep in mind that Google will usually only show three AdSense blocks per page, so if you place AdSense into your WordPress theme and also in your posts and then in the sidebar, usually only the top three blocks will show. The remainder will be open space.

The place to add your code is in the main index template (index.php) and if desired can also be placed in the single post (single.php), page template (page.php), archives and if your theme has one the 404 template. Open one of the files and place your code just above the content which is code that looks like this:

Your Code Here

<?php if (have_posts()) : //Are there any posts? ?>

Other places to place the code are:

Below the post above or below the comments would be:

<?php if ( comments_open() ) : //if comments are allowed ?>

You can experiment with many different places, just be sure to backup any file you are attempting to edit, and that the AdSense code or banner fits in the area and that all HTML or script tags are properly closed. It would also be wise to view your changes in different browsers and different size windows to make sure it looks right.

For AdSense within a post I use and recommend the AdSense Deluxe plugin, check out the guide for it here: How To Use The WordPress Plugin AdSense-Deluxe.

Filed In: WordPress Guide by Jeff
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Maximize WordPress Authority Black Book 2.0

The book that generated so much buzz in the blogging community in 2007 has been updated for 2008. This free ebook has shown thousands of bloggers how to create authority WordPress blogs and generate free traffic using all the tools abbook.jpgthat only WordPress provides.

Jack Humphrey at the Friday Traffic Report released the original ‘Black Book’ back in 2007 and it was the main reason for the launch of this site, to provide guides and services to bloggers to make the most out their blogs using some of the plugins and tactics explained in the Authority Black Book. Updated for 2008 Jack has done it again and for the price of an email address you can grab yourself a copy.

    Here are some of the highlights.

and Social Marketing
Creating an authority web presence. What it is and how to attain it!
Still Think Web 2.0 Is A Fad?
What is Authority?

Blogging
WordPress
WordPress Resources – CRITICAL!
WordPress Support Areas
WordPress Plugins You Must Have
Blog Content Development Tactics
Content Partnerships
Linkbaiting and Social Power Linking
Social Buzz Starts Here!
Trackbacks

RSS Feed Marketing
Submitting Your Feeds To Blog Directories and RSS Engines
Getting RSS Subscribers
Bookmarking Basics
Top bookmarking sites
Social News Sites

And much more….


I haven’t gone through the whole thing yet but did study the original ‘Black Book’ throughly and I am sure Jack will once again come through with yet another excellent resource for all bloggers especially us WordPress bloggers. The list of recommended plugins is excellent, but I have found some alternatives that are either easier to use or in my opinion better. But that is not the real reason I like the “black Book’. It is the traffic generation, social marketing, web authority presence that makes it a “must read”.

I am in no way affiliated with, nor do I get any compensation for endorsing this great free resource, grab yourself a copy here: Authority Black Book

If you want your WordPress blog optimized based on some of the options discussed in the Authority Black Book check out these resources:
WordPress Optimization Service
WordPress Installation Service

Filed In: web 2.0 by Jeff
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