Blog Sites - Which service to use?

kd2 · January 2, 2010

I currently use blogspot, but I'm wondering what other people use and how you like it? Ease of use, ability to post larger pics, professional look are all important to me.

I've also heard of wordpress and I just heard about typepad which is a paid service. (I'm not opposed to paying for a good service, but I need to be convinced it's worth it.)

Comments and feedback about any of the blog services is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Photog4Christ · January 2, 2010

WordPress!

Installing WordPress on your own server (if you have one) is better because then you can have more control over your blog. Also, if you install it on your own server, then you can use http://www.mydomain.com/blog vs. http://blog.wordpress.com

My blog:

http://thenealdeal.info/wordpress2/

But you can also use:

http://nealjacob.com/blog

or

http://blog.nealjacob.com

denisegoldberg · January 2, 2010

I use blogger, and I've matched the look of my blog to my smugmug site.

See the thread HOW TO match your blog to your smug site (blogger-specific) for information on how to match the two sites. There are a list of links to matched smugmug/blogger sites in the first post of that thread. And there is no charge.

You can also use your own domain, so you could easily set your blog as http://blog.kathleendavenport.com.

--- Denise

Mox · January 2, 2010

I'm using wordpress. I'll second the part about more flexibility when hosting on your own domain. For instance, if wordpress hosts you, they don't support Flash, so no cool slideshows or smugmug badges. It's free, though, if you stick to their 70+ included styles. Eventually I'd like to make it match my site, as Denise suggests, but you have to pay to make CSS changes.

...I just looked - it's only $15/year to be customizable.

Photog4Christ · January 2, 2010

You also have control over themes, plugins, etc...

You can install your own themes, make modifications to the themes, install plugins, etc... when using your own site.

The theme used on my blog is a professional theme not available for those that don't use WordPress on their own server.

I'm also using a theme and plugin here that wouldn't be available if I didn't use my own server.

Hikin' Mike · January 2, 2010

I customized my Wordpress blog to match my website and I also have it on my server.

run_kmc · January 2, 2010

I host my own wordpress blog, which is my site.

BradfordBenn · January 3, 2010

I also go with WordPress on my own domain (server) I am still working on getting the SmugMug and the Blog to look more complimentary. However the Blog theme I am using has gotten sophisticated enough that I took down my "static pages" that I was writing in Dreamweaver and am using the blog as my entire site.

~Jan~ · January 4, 2010

Definitely wordpress. If you can have it on your domain name, it's even better, as blogs are amazingly good at helping SEO. Mine is www.janscottphotography.com/blog and the theme I have installed is a free one called Tofurious.

W.W. Webster · January 5, 2010

SmugMug?

r9jackson · January 5, 2010

Using Blogger
I'm using a custom domain on Blogger. I have customized the heck out of it using a lot of the suggestions from Denise Goldberg (see post above). She knows what she is talking about.

adamcoupe · January 5, 2010

Hi
I'm not sure there's much to choose now between Blogger, Wordpress etc, my only recommendation would be to try and build your blog into your website so that you create more crawlable/rankable content.

Good luck

Adam
www.adamcoupe.com/portfolio
www.adamcoupe.com/blog

denisegoldberg · January 5, 2010

adamcoupe wrote:

...my only recommendation would be to try and build your blog into your website so that you create more crawlable/rankable content.

I believe that having other sites reference your site gives you good results.

Having a blog on a separate site that pulls photos from your site and provides inbound links (with a combo <a href= and <img src= statment, with alt="keyword tag" attached to the <img statement) to your site is a good thing.

--- Denise

ColoradoSkier · January 6, 2010

Photog4Christ wrote:

WordPress!

Installing WordPress on your own server (if you have one) is better because then you can have more control over your blog. Also, if you install it on your own server, then you can use http://www.mydomain.com/blog vs. http://blog.wordpress.com

My blog:

http://thenealdeal.info/wordpress2/

But you can also use:

http://nealjacob.com/blog

or

http://blog.nealjacob.com

Best advise so far. I have been blogging via WordPress for over a year and get a ton of traffic, mostly from my DIY project stuff. However, that keeps Google coming back to see what I have, and I index well for the categories I want to. Now I need to clean things up better to get the customers to the parts they need, separate from the info for other shooters.

kd2 · January 10, 2010

Thanks everyone for all the great info and suggestions!

I checked out WordPress since that seemed to be the front-runner favorite. But what I couldn't seem to be able to do with WordPress was get it to customize the way I wanted using the templates provided. (I wanted a 2-column format, a centered header, the ability to post bigger pics, and the ability to change the background to black so it would match my website.)

So I went back to my Blogger templates (since my original blog was set up using Blogger) and--DUUUUHHH--I realized there was one which looked like it would meet my needs and allow me to customize the way I wanted. After playing around with it, I pretty much got it to do exactly what I was hoping to do. See what you think:

Here's my blog: http://kathleendavenport.blogspot.com/ (Yes, I'm planning to change the URL to my custom domain. Just gotta figure out how.)
Here's my website: http://www.kathleendavenport.com/

I still need to change the blog url so I can use my custom domain. I'm sure that info has been posted and I'll look for it, but if anyone has a step-by-step on how to do that, I'd appreciate the info (Denise--that's probably in the info you provided and I'll go look--thanks in advance!).

And one more question. Is there a way to track stats for a blog? Or install a counter so I can track hits?

Again, thanks for all the info. I've gotten a lot of great info from this board and I'll try to return the favor whenever possible!

denisegoldberg · January 10, 2010

kd2 wrote:

I still need to change the blog url so I can use my custom domain. I'm sure that info has been posted and I'll look for it, but if anyone has a step-by-step on how to do that, I'd appreciate the info (Denise--that's probably in the info you provided and I'll go look--thanks in advance!).

And one more question. Is there a way to track stats for a blog? Or install a counter so I can track hits?

Instructions on setting up a domain name for your blog are in blogger's help, at http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55373.

I have Google Analytics installed on my blog as well as on my smug site.

--- Denise

DEPM20 · January 10, 2010

Slideshow?
Do you mind sharing how you were able to add the slideshow... what you are talking about is what I spent all day looking at... I want a clean look where I can post bigger pics and a slideshow for clients after their session... I have looked into a template design form "Pro Photo" or "Show it" .. but just am not sure.. I have tried Denise's tricks... but I have failed more than a couple of times.... thanks for sharing your info!

http://dpm.smugmug.com

kd2 wrote:

Thanks everyone for all the great info and suggestions!

I checked out WordPress since that seemed to be the front-runner favorite. But what I couldn't seem to be able to do with WordPress was get it to customize the way I wanted using the templates provided. (I wanted a 2-column format, a centered header, the ability to post bigger pics, and the ability to change the background to black so it would match my website.)

So I went back to my Blogger templates (since my original blog was set up using Blogger) and--DUUUUHHH--I realized there was one which looked like it would meet my needs and allow me to customize the way I wanted. After playing around with it, I pretty much got it to do exactly what I was hoping to do. See what you think:

Here's my blog: http://kathleendavenport.blogspot.com/ (Yes, I'm planning to change the URL to my custom domain. Just gotta figure out how.)
Here's my website: http://www.kathleendavenport.com/

I still need to change the blog url so I can use my custom domain. I'm sure that info has been posted and I'll look for it, but if anyone has a step-by-step on how to do that, I'd appreciate the info (Denise--that's probably in the info you provided and I'll go look--thanks in advance!).

And one more question. Is there a way to track stats for a blog? Or install a counter so I can track hits?

Again, thanks for all the info. I've gotten a lot of great info from this board and I'll try to return the favor whenever possible!

kd2 · January 11, 2010

DEPM20 wrote:

Do you mind sharing how you were able to add the slideshow... what you are talking about is what I spent all day looking at... I want a clean look where I can post bigger pics and a slideshow for clients after their session... I have looked into a template design form "Pro Photo" or "Show it" .. but just am not sure.. I have tried Denise's tricks... but I have failed more than a couple of times.... thanks for sharing your info!

http://dpm.smugmug.com

I created the slideshow using Animoto. (http://animoto.com/). Once it was created, Animoto provides the embed code and I copied it and put it in the blog post (just like I'm adding text) and "VOILA". Very easy! I'm a huge fan of Animoto.

DEPM20 · January 11, 2010

Animoto!
Thank you so much! I will give it a try! If I could figure that out... I would stick with Blogger cause it is free!... I will get right on that today!

Thanks again

http://dpm.smugmug.com

kd2 wrote:

I created the slideshow using Animoto. (http://animoto.com/). Once it was created, Animoto provides the embed code and I copied it and put it in the blog post (just like I'm adding text) and "VOILA". Very easy! I'm a huge fan of Animoto.

denisegoldberg · January 11, 2010

DEPM20 wrote:

Do you mind sharing how you were able to add the slideshow...

The smug slideshow can be easily added to your blog.

Go to the gallery you want to use in the slideshow. While logged in to smug, click Share... Show off. Configure the slideshow as desired. Then click Copy Embed code. Copy that code into your blog (or wherever you want the slideshow).

--- Denise

kd2 · January 11, 2010

denisegoldberg wrote:

The smug slideshow can be easily added to your blog.

Go to the gallery you want to use in the slideshow. While logged in to smug, click Share... Show off. Configure the slideshow as desired. Then click Copy Embed code. Copy that code into your blog (or wherever you want the slideshow).

--- Denise

Very cool! I didn't know about that feature on smug, that's awesome.

I tested it out on my blog and one thing I noticed--if you have hidden pics in a gallery, they are no longer hidden when shown on the new location. Otherwise, a very neat feature!

kd2 · January 11, 2010

And here's what the Smug slideshow looks like embedded in a blog in case anyone wants to see. Very neat! Thank you so much for sharing that info!! This is a blog I did for a women's group:

http://wownetworkhawaii.blogspot.com/

DEPM20 · January 12, 2010

That sounds great too.... I knew there had to be alternative solutions.. I just do not know and understand the language of computers to work around to get the result that I desire!! Thanks to people like you to help those of us who struggle in the world of computers!!

Thanks again!

http://dpm.smugmug.com

denisegoldberg wrote:

The smug slideshow can be easily added to your blog.

Go to the gallery you want to use in the slideshow. While logged in to smug, click Share... Show off. Configure the slideshow as desired. Then click Copy Embed code. Copy that code into your blog (or wherever you want the slideshow).

--- Denise

DEPM20 · January 12, 2010

Bigger Slideshow?
Can the slideshow be bigger? . . I want things bigger on my blog.... Thanks

http://dpm.smugmug.com

kd2 wrote:

And here's what the Smug slideshow looks like embedded in a blog in case anyone wants to see. Very neat! Thank you so much for sharing that info!! This is a blog I did for a women's group:

http://wownetworkhawaii.blogspot.com/

denisegoldberg · January 12, 2010

DEPM20 wrote:

Can the slideshow be bigger? . . I want things bigger on my blog....

If you're talking about the smugmug slideshow, fill in the values that you want for width and height in the slideshow configuration.

From your gallery, click Share... Show Off...
On the slideshow tab, click Configure Options
Change the width and height
Click Copy Embed Code.

--- Denise

kd2 · January 12, 2010

DEPM20 wrote:

Can the slideshow be bigger? . . I want things bigger on my blog.... Thanks

http://dpm.smugmug.com

Yes, it can be bigger. I love the fact it can be re-sized. I made it smaller so it would fit the column on the left. But I did play around and had a larger version in the middle under the header. And you can also place it in the blog text itself.

Again, neat feature from smugmug.

And yes, the slideshow from animoto can also be larger. There are 3 pre-set sizes. The one on my blog showing the vintage-style portraits is the mid-size.

DEPM20 · January 13, 2010

Great info!
You guys are great! Thanks for giving me the info.. I will let you know how it turns out! Thanks again... This is a great place to be!!

http://dpm.smugmug.com

kd2 wrote:

Yes, it can be bigger. I love the fact it can be re-sized. I made it smaller so it would fit the column on the left. But I did play around and had a larger version in the middle under the header. And you can also place it in the blog text itself.

Again, neat feature from smugmug.

And yes, the slideshow from animoto can also be larger. There are 3 pre-set sizes. The one on my blog showing the vintage-style portraits is the mid-size.

DEPM20 · January 17, 2010

Help with Slideshow
Can you look at my blog and help me with my slideshow.. how do I make my pictures not get cut off... I just don't know what I am doing.. but I am trying... thanks
http://dpm.smugmug.com

denisegoldberg wrote:

If you're talking about the smugmug slideshow, fill in the values that you want for width and height in the slideshow configuration.

From your gallery, click Share... Show Off...
On the slideshow tab, click Configure Options
Change the width and height
Click Copy Embed Code.

--- Denise

kd2 · January 17, 2010

DEPM20 wrote:

Can you look at my blog and help me with my slideshow.. how do I make my pictures not get cut off... I just don't know what I am doing.. but I am trying... thanks
http://dpm.smugmug.com

They don't look cut off to me. It looks fine!

moose135 · January 17, 2010

kd2 wrote:

I tested it out on my blog and one thing I noticed--if you have hidden pics in a gallery, they are no longer hidden when shown on the new location. Otherwise, a very neat feature!

Have you tried logging out of your SM site, then checking the blog?

kd2 · January 18, 2010

moose135 wrote:

Have you tried logging out of your SM site, then checking the blog?

Ta daaah!!! That did it! I tried it on a test blog that I have set up to play around with different features, and sure enough, that worked.

Thanks!