When done with any working session, ensure that you sign out.  This ensures that someone else cannot gain access to the administration panel using your login.

Closing your browser window is not enough.  If you remain logged into your Google account, through GMail for example and open a new www.blogger.com page, you will not be asked to login in again.  Be sure that you Sign out of all instances of your Google accounts to ensure that no one can gain access to your blog / website dashboard.

Lesson 10: How to Logout

Time to remove some of those unnecessary Blogger gadgets that were added when you first created your club blog.  There are two gadgets that have no value to a club website:

• Followers gadget will display a list of people who are registered as following your blog.  If the individuals profile contains a photo, Followers will display a thumbnail of the person's photo.
• Contributors gadget shows a list of your blog registered authors and provides a link to their Blogger profiles.

1. From your club blog dashboard, select the "Design" tab and choose "Page Elements".
   
   
   
   
   Select the "Edit" link for the "Followers" gadget.
   
   
   
   
   Click the "Remove" button and follow the steps to remove this gadget.
   
   
2. Select the "Edit" link for the "Contributors" gadget.
   
   
   
   
   Click the "Remove" button and follow the steps to remove this gadget.
   
   
3. Click the "Preview" button and view the changes.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Lesson 9: Remove Unnecessary Gadgets

As part of your website content preparation, you created a banner graphic.  Here are the steps to add that banner graphic.

1. From your club blog dashboard, select the "Design" tab and choose "Page Elements".
   
   
   
   
   
2. In the Page Elements page, click the "Edit" for the Header block.
   
   
   
   
   
3. In the Header details window, choose to add a graphic, browse and select a banner graphic file.
   
   
   
   
   The file you select will be displayed.  Ensure that "Instead of title and description" is selected and click "Save".
   
   
4. Click the "Preview" button and ensure that the banner graphic looks correct.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Close the preview window and choose to "Save" the change.

Notice that there are two features called "Followers" and "Contributors" that appear in the blog.  While these gadgets are standard for most blogs, they are of little benefit to a club website.  Your nest task is to remove unnecessary Blogger gadgets.

Lesson 8: Add a Banner Graphic

For many years, bloggers have been able to apply customized website templates to make their blogs look more like websites.  For the most part, bloggers needed a high degree of understanding of XML based templates, or had to hire a an experienced Blogger professional to implement a template for them.

In 2010, Blogger introduced Template Designer.  It is a web-based template management console that permits a blog admin to select a template and adjust the look and feel to further customize it.

To use Template Designer:

1. From your club's blog dashboard, select the "Design" tab and choose "Template Designer".
   
   
   
   
   
2. This will open the Template Designer management console which comprises many detail pages that are available by selecting the appropriate menu choice in the left column menu.
   
   
   
   
   There are six major templates to choose from, each template has a subset of optional themes that you can select.  In our example, we selected the Simple template and used the first theme.
   
   
   
   
   Once you make a selection, you can choose "View Blog" from the options in the top right corner.  This will open a preview page so you can see what the change would like. 
   
   Important Note:  Ensure that you click "Apply to Blog" before you move to another detail page in Template Designer.  If you make a change and do not apply it, the change will be lost when you move to a new detail page.
   
   Other options include "Back to Blogger" which takes you back to the club's blog dashboard, "View Blog" which lets you preview a change that you have applied, and "Help".
   
   One of the best advantages of using Template Designer is that you can switch between different templates and themes and not lose any content and gadget placement in your website / blog.
   
   
3. Now that a template and theme are selected, click on the "Background" menu to configure the background settings.
   
   
   
   
   For the "Simple" template, Template Designer assigns a plain colour background, each that applies to an overall colour theme.  You can choose to use a background image by clicking on the down arrow head to the right of the background image.
   
   
   
   
   Background images if selected will appear below the website (around the outside boundary).  Images are stored in categories, e.g. Abstract.  Selecting a different category will display a different collection of images.  If you click an image, the effect can be seen in the preview image below the Template Designer window. 
   
   Although background images can enhance the look of the site, it may make the site sluggish to respond in web browsers on older Windows XP computers.  If you do not want to select an image, click the "Cancel" button.
   
   
4. Now that you have configured all the Background settings, you can modify the layout settings.  Click on the "Layout" menu and choose "Body Layout".
   
   
   
   
   You have several different layouts to choose from.  The dark gray blocks indicate column layouts where you will be able to add Blogger gadgets.  If you select a different layout pattern, you can see the effect it has on column placement for gadgets.
   
   
   
   
   For this guide, the single right-hand column layout was selected.  Make sure that you click "Apply to Blog" before moving to the next detail page.
   
   
5. Select "Footer Layout" and choose the desired layout. 
   
   
   
   
   You have several different layouts to choose from.  The dark gray blocks indicate column layouts where you will be able to add Blogger gadgets.  If you select a different layout pattern, you can see the effect it has on column placement for gadgets.
   
   
   
   
   For this guide, the three-hand column layout was selected.  Make sure that you click "Apply to Blog" before moving to the next detail page.
   
   
6. Select "Adjust Width" and you can set the widths of the entire page, and the column width.
   
   
   
   
   For this guide, we left the settings at the default as they originally appeared.  Make sure that you click "Apply to Blog" before moving to the next detail page.
   
   
7. Select "Advanced" from the menu.  You can use "Advanced" settings to change the various "look and feel" settings in the template.  Select what you want to adjust and make the desired changes.
   
   
   
   
   For this guide, all settings were left at the default settings for the template.
   
   
8. Now that you have finished, click on "View Blog" to preview your club blog.
   
   
   
   
   

You are now finished with Template Designer. Your next task is to replace the blog title and description with a banner graphic.

Lesson 7: Use "Template Designer"

Successful websites must be dynamic, containing regularly changing news type content.  One of the things that helps to engage website visitors is enabling the ability to leave comments. 

A website is different from a blog ... content is more carefully controlled including allowing comments.  Blogger comment settings allow you to customize the control features for the blog post comments.

1. Under the "Settings" tab, select "Comments".
   
   
   
   
   For "Comments:, ensure that "Show" is selected, otherwise the comment feature will be totally disabled.
   
   If you want to let the general public interact with your website, ensure that "Anyone" is selected for "Who can comment?".
   
   Comment forms are normally embedded below the blog post, but select the option that best suits your website strategy.
   
   Set "Comments Defaults for Posts"  for "New Posts Have Comments".  This will enable the comment form as soon as an blog post is published.
   
2. Scroll down and select to "Hide" backlinks.  Allowing backlinks will enable links to appear that will lure your  visitors away from your website.
   
   
   
   
   You can choose to add a comment form message, such as a warning that you reserve the right to monitor, modify or remove inappropriate comments.
   
   
3. Scroll down and ensure that comment moderation is set to "Always" and specify an email address to be notified by all comments added by non-registered members.  This will ensure that the content control remains a top priority.
   
   
   
   
   Ensure that "Show word verification for comments?" is set to "Yes".  This ensures that all comments require completion of a CAPTCHA form to prevent automated spamming bots from adding useless comments.
   
   
4. Ensure that you save the settings before moving to another page.

Lesson 6: Adjust the Blog Comment Settings

Format settings are concerned with how attributes of blog posts are formatted.  There are a couple of changes that should be made to optimize the look of your Welcome page.

1. Under the "Settings" tab, select "Formatting".
   
   
   
   
   Set the "Show at most" setting to between "3" and "5" posts.  The more posts that are displayed, the longer your welcome page will become.  You will need to strike a balance between look of the welcome page against ensuring that posts remain visible for a period of time that is long enough to allow most regular visitors to read blog posts.
   
   Ensure that you set the "Time Zone" to the correct value.
   
   
2. Make any other formatting changes that you think are appropriate.
   
   
3. Ensure that you save the settings.

Lesson 5: Adjust the Blog Formatting Settings

Letting internet search engines index your club blog / website while it is under construction is not a good practise for the following reasons:

• Most index engines create a thumbnail sketch of the home page when it is first indexed.  If your site is under construction, then the site thumbnail will not be appropriate.
• Inappropriate information may be indexed which will distort the results whenever anyone usings a search engine to try and find you.

You now want to modify some basic settings to help control how your blog will be indexed by internet search engines.

1. Under the "Settings" tab, select "Basic" to enter the basic settings page.
   
   
2. Ensure that the "Title" and "Description" are accurate and the spelling is correct.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Scroll down and make changes to prevent internet search engines from finding the blog.
   
   
   
   
   Ensure that both "Add your blog to our listings" and "Let search engines find your blog" are set to "No".  You will reverse this setting when you are ready to make the website public to the internet.
   
   
4. Scroll down and make changes to quick editing and email post links.
   
   
   
   
   Ensure that "Show quick editing on your blog" is set to no.  This will prevent small editing tags from being visible to authors when they sign in to Blogger and view your blog.  Ensure that "Show email post links" is set to yes.  This will allow readers of blog posts to email a post to another person.
   
   
5. Scroll down and ensure that the "Adult Content" control is set to "No". 
   
   
   
   
   Any other changes on this page are optional.
    
6. Ensure that you click the "Save Settings" button before switching to another settings page.

Lesson 4: Adjust the Blog Settings

When a blog first gets created, it is assumed that the authors will immediately start to post content that they will want indexed by internet search engines.  Since you are developing a club website, you will want to close the website from public internet access and ensure that it does not appear on internet search engines until it has been approved by your club executive.

In addition, you will want to specify a few users that will have admin, author and read permissions to the club blog / website while it is under construction.

Here are the steps to "lock down" your club blog:

1. In the club blog dashboard, select the "Settings" tab and the "Permissions" link.
   
   
   
   
   
2. In the "Permissions" page, for "Blog Readers" you want to change who can view the blog.
   
   
   
   
   Select the "Only blog authors" option.
   
   
   
   
   Click "Allow Authors Only".  This effectively closes your club blog from public access.  Only those approved authors who logon to Blogger can gain access to the blog.
   
   
3. The next step is to add additional authors.  For "Blog Authors", invite one or more people to become blog authors.
   
   
   
   
   After the individuals are invited, the list of authors will change to show individuals who have been invited.
   
   
   
   
   Individuals who are invited will receive an email.
   
   
   
   
   People must accept the invitation before they get listed as an author.
   
   
   
   
   Once an individual accepts the invitation, they will be listed as an author.
   
   
   
   
   

Additional changes will be made to "Permissions" when you are ready to enable the site for review by selected club members.

Lesson 3: Lock Down Your Club Blog

Now that you have a club Blogger account, you can create a club Blogger blog.  Before you start, make sure that you have decided on a name for your club website/blog and the website link you would like to use.  In this example, I will create a blog using the default free blogspot.com domain.

Here are the steps to create a club blog:

1. From your Blogger club account dashboard, click on "Create Your Blog Now".
   
   
   
   
   
2. In the "Name Your Blog" page, provide a name for your blog and the desired name for your website link, for example http://edmontondinneroptimists.blogspot.com.
   
   
   
   
   Make sure that you click the "Check Availability" link and confirm that the blog address is available.  Click the "Continue" arrow.
   
   
3. In the "Choose Template" page, you need to select a starter template.  I usually select the "Simple" template.  You can change the template and modify template settings later.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Your blog site is now created.  Click the "Start Blogging" arrow to open your new blog dashboard.
   
   
   
   
   

Your admin account dashboard will appear and display the administration panels to manage your blog.  Only the account that created the blog and accounts assigned admin rights can access all the options in the admin dashboard.

Your most important task after creating a club blog is to lock it down so that it is not visible on the internet and is not being indexed in the various search engines.

Lesson 2: Create a Club Blog