Account Recovery And Account Security Is One Issue

We see the frustration, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue, almost daily.

My blog has disappeared from my dashboard, and my subscribers are getting spam! How do I get my blog returned to me?

and

I got a new computer, and now I can't access my blog. Who can I call at Google, to get this fixed??

These are two blog owners who have the same problem, but do not understand the connection.

Blogger used to provide personalised account / blog recovery - but providing one service too often would lead to a need for the other.

It's not possible to verify blog ownership, using one-on-one contact.

It's simply not possible to provide account recovery, on a one to one basis, using ad hoc authentication techniques. Technology - including the ability to create forged identification, and to use the power of the web to crack accounts, makes it too easy for a hacker / blog thief to operate - and too difficult for Blogger Support to manage.

Blogger has to provide account recovery, consistently - and that means blog owners can only use automated tools. This is "due diligence" policy - and it's good business practice.

If the blog cannot be used, it awaits your return - with proper authentication.

If a blog is currently unowned ("dormant", under your former account), it is probably because Blogger won't accept ad hoc authentication. If they were more permissive, it's possible that a hacker would have made persuasive claims, and brute forced their way into your account, and into your blog.

Not only would it not be your blog (it would be now owned by another person), but you would watch it being filled with spam - and possibly publishing spam to your Followers Reading Lists.

And unfortunately, if the blog is currently owned by another person, unless the other person uses the blog for illegal activity, it's likely that the blog will remain owned by the other person.

If email / phone assistance were provided, blog theft would increase.

Blogger agents cannot provide email or phone contact, because were they to provide direct, one on one contact, there would surely be more people later suggesting

I'm a bit worried about this rather public forum!

and

Strange posts have been appearing on my blog!!

Account recovery, and account security, are simply two sides of the same coin. You cannot be permissive with one - and not need to increase the other.

Optimize Post Content, And Encourage Readers

Along with consistently using Jump Break, properly sizing and wording of important post sections can make the blog pages neater, and easier to read.

You see my opening paragraph, above. Sizing and wording of important post sections, such as the opening paragraph, helps make the main page layout more consistent - and gives a slightly more professional look to the blog.

And, a cleaner and more consistent page layout, to complement a carefully structured blog, encourages readers to read more of the blog.

The section of the post, before the jump break, helps indicate what the post is about.

The title and opening paragraph should be consistent in length - but the complete pre jump break section can be varied, depending upon post complexity.

There are 5 key sections, which help encourage people to read your post - when you use Jump Break.

1. The post title.
2. The first paragraph of the post.
3. The section ahead of the jump break.
4. The first paragraph after the jump break.
5. The post Search Description.

The post title.

The title is found in every index page or post index - so make it descriptive, yet short. It's the most important of the 5 sections.

Optimize Post Content, And Encourage Readers

The title needs to be short enough, to fit into a SERP entry, properly - but long enough to describe to the potential reader, what the post is about.

I shoot for 40 to 50 characters, per post title, in this blog - since the size of the post title font, and the width of the posts column - makes for 50 characters (give or take a few), in one title line. I've found that a one line title makes a well sized "latest post" section, on the Home page - and puts the "Read more" link just above the bottom of the screen.

Note that using a 50 character title line is based on a 100% zoom level - which may be more or less effective, for any given blog.

Having the "Read more" link visible, without scrolling, encourages the reader to click thru to read the latest post, when on the home page.

The first paragraph of the post.

When the potential reader scans an index page, looking for a post to read, the first paragraph falls just after the title, for each post entry.

Along with consistently using Jump Break, properly sizing and wording of important post sections can make the blog pages neater, and easier to read.

The first paragraph is not displayed in any index gadgets - but it's a key section on any index page. After the title, it is the most important section of the post.

I try to make mine one or two sentences - and no more than 2 or 3 lines. Note that line length is affected by font size ("zoom" level), which is a personal choice of each individual reader. Your choice of Title, First Paragraph, Pre Jump Break and others won't produce a definitive screen space for every reader.

The section ahead of the jump break.

This section should be sized, proportional to the post as a whole. If a small post, you'll want to make it a couple sentences - if a large post, 2 or 3 paragraphs. With Jump Break - unlike many other "Read More" features, you can size the pre Jump Break section so it breaks on complete paragraphs.

Along with consistently using Jump Break, properly sizing and wording of important post sections can make the blog pages neater, and easier to read.

You see my opening paragraph, above. Sizing and wording of important post sections, such as the opening paragraph, helps make the main page layout more consistent - and gives a slightly more professional look to the blog.

And, a cleaner and more consistent page layout, to complement a carefully structured blog, encourages readers to read more of the blog.

Along with a one line title, a properly sized pre jump break section makes the "Read more" link fall just above the bottom of the screen. And this section, like the post title and the first paragraph, provides detail to the reader - and describes the post subject.

This post, as initially published, in main page view.

This post, as seen recently, in main page view.



I generally install the Jump Break code while I am finishing the post, to allow for post length changes.

The first paragraph after the jump break.

This paragraph - like the opening post paragraph - should be short. It's what the reader sees first, after clicking "Read more" from an index page.

The section of the post, before the jump break, helps indicate what the post is about.

This, too, I try for 1 or 2 sentences - and 2 to 3 lines, maximum.

The post Search Description.

Along with the title and URL, the post search description is part of some SERP entries. It complements the blog search description.

This I keep at 130 to 150 characters - and I spend a fair amount of time revising, before and after the post is published.

Properly sized post sections make the posts easier to read, and encourage reader activity. Learn how to do this, easily.

Don't use meta keywords, which will hurt search reputation.


The Google SERP Snippet Optimization Tool.

SERP snippet optimization is a useful process, which teaches you the proper length and wording for the title, URL, and search description. I used it heavily for 2 or 3 weeks, when learning about optimisation - and use it occasionally, even now.

Making the title, URL, and search description fields long enough (so they describe, properly) - yet stay within limits (so they don't get truncated by the SERP assembly process) makes for a cleaner looking SERP entry.

This is a very useful tool, to show you how to size the title, URL, and search description.



Use the snippet optimization tool yourself, and see the results.

The end result.

While older sections are not as well organised or written, a consistent post structure helps make the more recent portions of this blog cleaner - and encourages casual reader activity, from main page view.

And, along with properly chosen index and search accessories, it may be easier to hunt for answers. And that is what most tech blogs should be about.

You Get What You Pay For

Free "Domains" may be worth exactly what you pay.

A "free domains" registrar won't be a charity - nor are registrars, in general, non profit organisations. There will be differences - between a "free domain" - and a properly purchased domain, from a full service, reliable registrar. Features cost money - and even "free domains" have to be paid for.

Google "free domains for blogs", and see what you get. What they offer may not be what you need, for Blogger custom domain publishing.

There are various features, that you may not get, with a "free domain".

• Legal ownership of a top level domain.
• DNS hosting for a top level domain.
• Properly designed and maintained server infrastructure.
• Customer support staff, to help you the new "owner".

Legal ownership of a top level domain.

The earliest versions of the "free domains" services, ".co.cc", and later ".co.vu", were blatant fraud. Later "free domains" would register a top level domain - but in the name of the domain "registrar".

With a normal top level domain, you, the customer, "own" the domain in question - for the period of the paid registration. With a "free domain" you will have no registration - just use of a subdomain / domain, under the limited conditions granted by the registrar.

If you are going to go to the trouble of publishing a Blogger blog to a non BlogSpot URL, you need a genuine top level domain. A subdomain will not provide the same results.

DNS hosting for a top level domain.

Some "free domain" hosts provide name registration, for an actual top level domain. In this case, you, the new owner, must setup the DNS hosting.

If you have not, to date, setup DNS hosting, beware - it's not an ideal project for someone who has not setup a custom domain previously. Nor is it as simple as purchasing a domain from a reliable registrar, and getting assistance from "Customer Support".

You can possibly use ClouDNS (also free) for a domain host - if the "free domain" works with ClouDNS.

Properly designed and maintained server infrastructure.

The best full service registrars maintain a world wide network of domain servers. This makes it likely that one server - which hosts your domain DNS - will be close to your readers. "Free domains" registrars may not provide this infrastructure.

If you know anything about IntoDNS and similar DNS checking services, you may run an IntoDNS evaluation of your domain. What you see, in a comparative evaluation of a "free domain" may not be pleasant.

This feature may or may not be important to you, immediately. If relevant, you will probably figure this out, over time.

Customer support staff, to help you the new "owner".

Live, one on one domain support, if provided by a "free domains" registrar, will be part of their "premium service" package. "Premium service" is not going to be free.

If you're able to setup the DNS addressing correctly - and if the registrar sets up the domain correctly - you may not need this. But of you do need it, and have to suffer without it, you will regret your choice. Only time will tell.

If you know what you're doing, you can probably make a "free" domain work.

For someone who has setup a custom domain already - or an experienced DNS technician - a "free domain" might be fun to setup, and to use. The concept is valid - if you are choosy.

If you are a first time blog owner, who simply wants a non BlogSpot URL for your shiny blog, plan to pay for the domain. Don't start, on the cheap - and expect to get a working domain, without a lot of effort - and substantial technical background.

Don't Use Draft Mode Post Editor, For Long Periods

Too many blog owners continue to trust their efforts to Page / Post Editor, over long periods of time, without backup.

We see the agony, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue, too often.

How do I get my post back? I have been working on it for months. I accidentally cleared the screen - and seconds later, the empty post was saved by post editor! Help meeee!!

This blog owner is now in for some bad news.

Until you publish a page or post, the content in the unpublished page / post will be in your computer, and in the Blogger servers.

If the content in the Blogger servers is destroyed or lost, your computer becomes the only holder of the content. Retrieving unpublished content, from browser cache, will not be not a simple process.

You cannot retrieve unpublished content, from local cache, consistently.

You may find some tutorials, which will give vague hints about local content retrieval. Frequently, ability to retrieve unpublished content will depend upon browser, operating system, and network / security accessories on the computer.

Unpublished content will never be retrievable, similar to recovery of a deleted page / post. The best way to avoid disastrous loss of unpublished content will always be to avoid developing a page or post over long periods of time, without publishing.

Think about consequences of accidental content loss, when un published.

When you are working on a page or post - and repeatedly saving it, before closing the edit session or re starting the browser, think.

Think.

Think about how much trouble you were to have, if what you were working on should mysteriously vanish.

Be extra careful, when editing two draft posts, at the same time.

A known problem, which has been reported occasionally, involves people who edit two or more posts, simultaneously, as draft. Sometimes, the content from one post ends up in the other - with the content from that post being lost.

It's a rare - but not imaginary - problem. Unfortunately, it has not been reported enough to diagnose.

The longer you take to edit a post, the more chance that you will need to edit a second post, simultaneously - and the greater chance that the content from one post will replace the other. Just be very careful, when you edit in draft.

Consider developing content, as a periodically published static page.

If your thoughts cause you to pause even slightly, consider initially publishing, and viewing, the content as a page. One of the advantages of publishing pages is that access to a static page, even published, has to be intentionally provided. A static page, even when published,

• Appears in no archives / label menu.
• Appears in no feed gadget or Reading List.
• Appears not on the Home or Main page display.

What you publish, in a static page, will be visible to nobody but you - generally from the dashboard Pages page. A published static page will be more accurate than viewing an unpublished page or post in Editor Preview mode. And once published, you will not be subject to the malfeasance of AutoSave - and the constant threat of saving an accidentally cleared page / post editor session.

That said, and I once again will point out, Blogger is not a CMS. If you intentionally save - or publish - a page or post with content missing, that content is still gone. There is no possibility of retrieving multiple revisions of a page or post.

Alternately, develop your page / post using Google Docs.

If the later limitation is important to you, consider developing your page / post using a Google Docs file. If you must develop a page / post over long periods of time, save important revisions to Google Docs / Drive - or simply develop the content using Google Docs.

Just think about what you're doing. Please.

However you want to do it, stop blindly editing unpublished content, over long periods of time.

Please.

Think.

Don't Be The Registrar, With Your First Custom Domain

Every domain, to be visible to the world - has to be visible to the root name servers.

Your registrar adds your domain to their servers - then sets up a series of linkages, between the root name servers, and their own name servers. Your job, as the domain purchaser, is to connect the registrar name servers, and the Google servers.

Setting up a custom domain, for a Blogger blog, is an exciting project. You learn new concepts and skills.

Setting up a domain, from scratch, is not something to try, without experience.

If you are not an experienced DNS technician, setting up a domain, including adding it to the registrar name servers, is not a good initial project. When you are just learning about Blogger blogs and custom domain publishing, you need to concentrate on the connections between the registrar, and Google.

Let your registrar deal with the root name servers - and with setting up your domain, on their servers. Purchase your domain, including DNS hosting, from a reliable, full service registrar.

Providing your own DNS hosting can be done - but can it be done, reliably?

When you purchase only name registration, you have to act as your own DNS host. If you have a spare computer, that you can make into a name server, you can host the DNS - but is this really something that you want to do, right now?

The best full service registrars operate a worldwide network of name servers - with one hopefully located close to your readers. Can you do that, using one spare computer, in your bedroom?

You may be able to use ClouDNS (also free) for a domain host - if your registrar will work with ClouDNS.

For your first custom domain, avoid "your own DNS" and "free domains".

Neither "bring your own DNS" nor "free domain registration" are good solutions, for novice Blogger blog owners, who just want a reliable, non BlogSpot URL.

"Bring your own DNS" is a good advanced project - once you understand how custom domains work. And "free domain registration" is not a good solution, for custom domain publishing.

Budget your expenses, properly.

If you want a reliable custom domain, plan to pay for the privilege. The equipment and services, provided by a full service registrar, are not imaginary.

Don't cut corners, when setting up your first custom domain. Purchase a properly registered and setup domain, add the necessary DNS addresses, then get back to work on your blog.

Some Blog Owners Should Accept A Content Warning

Not all blog owners are willing to accept their blog being accessed behind a reader applied Content Warning.

We see occasional signs of lack of understanding, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

Why is my blog blocked, by Google? It is a legitimate blog, with a serious subject!!

This blog owner considers the needs of his blog above the general Blogger reader population.

For best results, the desire to display, without the warning, needs to be accompanied by a willingness to remove content, when necessary. Right now, the readers have spoken.

Sometimes, blog owners will get advice, that they don't want to accept, about unacceptable content.

Blogger Support simply refers us to the Blogger Content Policy.

Knowing that the blog has already been declared unacceptable for public visibility, Blogger Support will simply quote Blogger Content policy.

If your blog contains adult content, please mark it as 'adult' in your Blogger settings. We may also mark blogs with adult content where the owners have not. All blogs marked as 'adult' will be placed behind an 'adult content' warning interstitial.

The interstitial is there, for everybody's protection.

"Some readers of this blog have contacted Google because they believe this blog's content is objectionable."


The Content Warning is a good compromise, when content can't be removed.

When a blog is in clear violation of content policy, selective removal of unnecessary content should be better than putting it behind a Content Warning - but some owners refuse to accept content removal suggestions, and demand that the blog be reviewed, as is.

If your blog is unfairly blocked, you are entitled to politely request review. It is to your advantage to remove all controversial content, before doing this - and diligently try to get the blog successfully reviewed.

The people advising you would like to see you satisfied - and the people advising you have pretty good judgement, as to what blog content may prevent you from being satisfied.

Consider what content is necessary, to the subject of the blog.

If you have a serious blog, consider carefully the value of "cheesecake" - content designed to titillate, but which distracts from the serious issues raised in the blog. In many cases, this will be why the blog is behind a Content Warning.

If you must include unnecessary content, accept the Content Warning.

If you feel obliged to include cheesecake, plan to leave the blog behind the warning. Select the voluntary warning, even.

Just don't abuse Blogger, for wanting to keep their service readable by everybody - including people who may not appreciate unnecessary accessories and decorations.

Alternately, make a second blog, with the controversial content.

You can always make a second blog - and only advertise the second blog where you know it will be appreciated. Then, make a cluster with both blogs.

Or, you can make a blog within a blog - maybe even with the controversial content behind your own Content Warning.

You Will Not Get Advance Warning Of Classification

We see frequent evidence of confusion, about abuse classification etiquette, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

My blog was deleted, as spam - but I received no notice or warning! How could Blogger do such a thing?

This indignation may be provided, in the hopes that Blogger would relent.

Sorry, here's your blog!

But such reaction is seldom seen - and when seen, is not a result of attitude, but of content.

You don't get advance notice, so you can play the evaluation process.

• You don't get to export the problem content.
• You don't get to remove the problem content.

You don't get advance notice, so you can export the problem content.

You don't get to export the problem content - then start a new blog, or export to WordPress. Blogger will not play 3 Card Monte with you.

You don't build content and reputation, based upon efforts of millions of blog owners who play by the rules - then setup a new Blogger blog, or a WordPress blog, when you are caught.

You don't get advance notice, so you can remove the problem content.

You don't get to remove the problem content - then have the domain whitelisted, because it contains no problem material. Blogger does not whitelist blogs.

If your blog is repeatedly classified, restored, then classified again, you figure out what feature or technique is a problem. Then you remove the problem feature - or cease using the problem technique - while the blog is restored.

Blogs that cross the line are classified, and locked.

If your blog crosses the line, it will be classified, and locked. This is how abuse classification works. You may get email notification - but that is sent, on a best effort basis.

This is the only notice, that will be seen by many blog owners.



If you want the blog recovered, after it is classified, you politely request review - then wait, patiently. Or, you can start over - but if you start over, clean up your act.

For best results, avoid marginally abusive practices.

If you do not appreciate this policy, you learn to publish politely, and improve proactively. Respect the efforts made, by other Blogger blog owners - and don't help make Blogger into a reputed haven for abusive activity.

Millions of Blogger blog owners have no problems with abuse classification, because they don't publish abusive content, or use abusive techniques, to gain readers and traffic. And avoid semi dodgy practices, which tend to blur the boundaries, and cause incidental spurious classifications. You can do the same.

Be part of the solution - not of the problem. Now, work on your blog - and accept your limitations.

The Chrome Browser Lacks A Newsfeed Reader

We see occasional evidence of confusion, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue, about reading newsfeed content.

I click on the link at the bottom of the page, and I get a screen full of gibberish.

When we check the problem report, and verify browser involved, it will almost always be for users of the Chrome browser.

If you click on the "Posts (Atom)" link, at the bottom of the blog Home / main page, you should link to a page full of posts newsfeed content.

Browsers, by default, read only HTML content.

Your browser, by design, reads HTML content. Newsfeeds provide your blog content, as XML.

Some browsers translate XML to HTML.

Firefox and Internet Explorer contain a newsfeed reader - and will translate XML into HTML, automatically. Chrome, however, does not contain a newsfeed reader - unless you install an extension, on your browser.

If you click on "Posts (Atom)" when using Chrome, you get a page full of XML - your screen full of what can be likened to gibberish. To read XML with Chrome, you (and your readers) have to install an add-on accessory.

I installed the RSS Subscription Extension (by Google), on my Chrome browser. You may try that product (by Google) - or any other RSS Extension (by another provider), as you wish - in your Chrome browser.

The link is there - on most blogs.

The Home / Main page has a link to "Posts (Atom)", and the blog posts newsfeed. This page may have a link to "Post Comments (Atom)", and the comments newsfeed, for this individual post. The latter, for any given post, may be empty.

Most blogs have this link - and some people use it. If you use it with Chrome, you get a screen full of "gibberish".

This blog will link you to the FeedBurner redirected feed - and no gibberish.



To make your readers happy, redirect the blog feed to FeedBurner.

As an alternative, you can setup a FeedBurner feed, for the blog - and redirect the blog feed to your FeedBurner feed, with "BrowserFriendly" activated. This will take care of everybody, reading your blog (and clicking on the link) - and using a FeedBurner feed provides other possibilities.

Blogger Followers / Google Friend Connect ReWrite

Blogger is rewriting the Followers gadget, and removing some lesser used features.

One of the features seeing some change is Followers Authentication and Profiles. Long ago, I wrote about Community Accounts, and later about Community Profiles - both features letting you (or someone Following you) provide a blog to Follow and / or Follow other blogs.

At the time, Following (aka Google Friend Connect) was part of a complex network of different Followers services - with some Google users, and others non Google users. The ability to use non Google services, to Follow Blogger blogs, made a Blogger blog accessible to more people.

Unfortunately, using non Google services to authenticate (Accounts) and to describe (Profiles) made Following more complicated than it might be otherwise.

During the past weekend, Blogger started the process of simplifying Following. This involves removing non Google accounts and profiles from Following.

As part of this plan, starting the week of January 11, we’ll remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. At the same time, we’ll remove non-Google Account profiles so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

The rewrite will simplify the login options - and the login process.

Right now, potential Followers see a lot of choices that mean very little to them. Who cares about AIM, Netlog, or OpenID?



The rewrite will provide a login more like Google "One account" - and make logging in, to Following, easier for all of us.

The Followers count is an immediate concern, for some of us.

Right now, I am trying to reconcile the discrepancy between January 11 (when Blogger Engineering claims we will start to see a decrease in the blog Follower count), and December 18 - 20 (when we actually did see a decrease).

The decrease, which started late Friday December 18, was not insignificant. This blog went from 5,343 to 5,104 Followers, in less than 24 hours.

December 18.

December 19.


If you compare the icons, you'll see that I may have actually "gained" 3 Followers - while going from 5,343 to 5,104. Presumably my own lost 242 Followers had non Google accounts - and are now unable to access this blog, using Followers.

There are half a dozen topics, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue - where some wait, in vain.

I really hope Blogger can bring back our numbers.

I don't think that your numbers are coming back - and I just hope that we don't lose more. Just do not be confused about the scope of the coming changes.

Diagnose FaceBook Gadget Problems

Adding a FaceBook developed gadget is - or should be - just like adding any HTML / JavaScript gadget.

Sometime, though, adding a FaceBook gadget just does not produce hoped for results. We see the problem reports in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

The gadget is blank!

or

The gadget does not update anything!

The problems will typically involve gadget code - and the FaceBook Debugger wizard is unlikely to provide any help.

FaceBook supplied gadgets, when provided by FaceBook Developers from their website, are probably almost as reliable as Blogger supplied gadgets, installed using "Add a Gadget" - Basics.

Even so, adding a FaceBook Developers provided gadget is subject to known gadget problems - and some problems, unique to FaceBook gadgets.

• Adding a third party gadget, not provided by FaceBook Developers.
• Editing an HTML gadget, in "Rich Text" mode.
• Using the "Add your own" code, instead of the "HTML / JavaScript" gadget.
• Lacking the Facebook SDK for JavaScript.

Adding a third party gadget, not provided by FaceBook Developers.

Only add official FaceBook Developers gadgets, from the official FaceBook Developers website. Some known hackers have been distributing FaceBook branded gadgets, from their websites.

Using a FaceBook branded gadget, not provided by FaceBook Developers, will not be good for your blog, in the long run.

Editing an HTML gadget, in "Rich Text" mode.

If you add HTML / JavaScript code to a standard gadget, and you edit the gadget in "Rich Text" mode, the gadget will not work. Perversely, Blogger gadgets edited in "Rich Text" mode will display the caption "Edit Html".

If you edit an HTML / JavaScript gadget, with "Edit Html" displayed, you will be in "Rich Text" mode - and your HTML / JavaScript code will be interpreted as rich text. The gadget will not work.

When you edit HTML / JavaScript code, such as FaceBook gadget code, always do so with "Rich Text" displayed as a caption.

Using the "Add your own" code, instead of the "HTML / JavaScript" gadget.

When you add an "HTML / JavaScript" gadget, you must select "HTML / JavaScript" from the "Basics" menu, as found in the "Add a Gadget" wizard. The "Add your own" menu tab provides a shell for adding XML coded gadgets.

Almost everybody who reads these instructions will need to use the "HTML / JavaScript" gadget in "Basics". The few of you who do not will know when to use "Add your own", and when to use "Basics".

Lacking the Facebook SDK for JavaScript.

FaceBook gadgets need the FaceBook SDK for JavaScript. Blogger blogs with standard templates will have the SDK already - as most Blogger blogs routinely contain one or more FaceBook buttons.

The "Share Buttons" toolbar, for instance, contains a FaceBook Share button.

Some Blogger blogs - like some third party templates - may not routinely load the FaceBook SDK. If a genuine FaceBook Developers gadget, added using "Add a Gadget" - Basics, edited in HTML mode, does not work, it may need the SDK loaded. This is not difficult to do.

The SDK code can be added into an existing Blogger HTML gadget - or you may use a separate gadget. If you are adding a single FaceBook gadget - as in this exercise - simply add the SDK code in front of the FaceBook gadget code.

You might have:

        <!-- Your like button code -->
 <div class="fb-like" 
  data-href="http://www.your-domain.com/your-page.html" 
  data-layout="standard" 
  data-action="like" 
  data-show-faces="true">
 </div>

Add the SDK code:

     <!-- Load Facebook SDK for JavaScript -->
 <div id="fb-root"></div>
 <script>(function(d, s, id) {
   var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
   if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
   js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
   js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1";
   fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
 }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>

 <!-- Your like button code -->
 <div class="fb-like" 
  data-href="http://www.your-domain.com/your-page.html" 
  data-layout="standard" 
  data-action="like" 
  data-show-faces="true">
 </div>

And that will be that.

The bottom line is simple.

If you are adding a FaceBook gadget, simply add a standard "HTML / JavaScript" gadget, with the necessary FaceBook code. It is not necessary to use the Template Editor - nor will you need XML escape code, enveloping the HTML / JavaScript code.

Keep it simple, get it working - and get back to work, in your blog.

Account / Blog Recovery, And Anonymous Ownership

We see occasional evidence still of confusion about blog ownership, and dashboard access, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

I can find my blogs on my profile page, and by Googling them - but I can't update them, post in them or access them in any way - even though the system says I'm logged in.

This blog owner is logged in to the wrong account - but has no way to recover, because the blog is offline.

If you had a blog, you don't have it now, and it's not online, then it was deleted - by Blogger, or by someone else.

Blogs are commonly deleted or locked, by Blogger, for three reasons.

There are three common causes, if deleted by Blogger. Each require owner action - not only a Blogger solution.

1. The account was deleted because of repeated TOS violation.
2. The account was locked because hacking activity was detected.
3. The blog was deleted for spam / TOS violation.

In either case, if the blog is not visible on the dashboard, and no notice is seen, the owner is not using the account that owns / owned the blog. This is a result of anonymous or obscured blog ownership.

The blog owner must take the first step, in recovering a deleted blog.

It's up to the owner, to figure out what account that owns the blog, and to login to that account. The owner must either initiate account recovery (for hacking activity detected), or initiate blog recovery (for a deleted blog, whatever the cause).

Whether this involves an inadvertently created additional account, when accepting blog membership, or logging into Blogger - or an intentionally created additional account, for anonymity - only the owner can resolve this problem. This is the price of anonymous blog ownership - protection promised to us, by Blogger.

Blogger allows - and supports - anonymous ownership.

Blogger allows us to publish blogs anonymously, and under any account that we wish. They can't tell us what account we have forgotten - because successful anonymity protects us against identification.

If the blog was online, the "Forgot your username or password?" wizard would be a useful resource. Without use of "Forgot?" - which does not work with deleted or private blogs - the owner must login blindly, to recover the blog.

In this case, ones friends may be the best resource. Sometimes, an online cache may provide a clue - but online cache is not always available.

Only the blog owner can resolve an anonymity problem.

Some blog owners regard anonymity protection as a Blogger design problem - and wait for Blogger to fix their problem. This is not a design problem - and only the owner can resolve this problem. This is not a result of flakey account / blog recovery.

A New Blog Feature - Featured Posts

Last week, Blogger Engineering announced their latest feature, "Featured Post".

Whether you’d like to re-share that delicious holiday recipe from a few years back, spotlight a can’t-miss promotion you’re running, or just revive something quirky from the archives, the Featured Post gadget is a simple way to show off the content that matters most.

This is a quick and easy way to highlight a specific post in your blog, that will be enjoyable or useful for your readers. I hope to use mine to provide useful advice, as "Read, and Learn" - once the Followers gadget has been updated, and is fully operational.

The Featured Post gadget is not at all difficult, to add to the blog.

It's right there, at the top of the main "Add a Gadget" list.

Start with "Add a Gadget".


You have options to show the post title, and the first image in the post. And, you can change the gadget title.

Choose a post from a post list. It's similar to the dashboard Posts page, with label search ability.

And I changed the gadget title, to "Read, and Learn".


Right now, it is "Dear Followers Of This Blog ...".

With my "Read, and Learn" gadget positioned above the posts, I hit "Save arrangement", refreshed my home page, and there it is.


One interesting detail, that we should note. The feature is a "Featured Post" - and it appears above individual post pages, and above archive, label, main index pages (look up, and see for yourself), and static pages. Look at the bottom of my Topics index, for instance.

The title is "Featured Post". You can have one gadget per blog - and each gadget will feature one post. This focuses attention on one post. Note that you cannot do "Featured Page" - static pages are not supported.

Note also that you can select the "Featured Post" using a posts list - either all blog posts (with "All Labels" selected), or posts bearing a specific label (with a specific label selected).

I think that some ability to choose teaser content would be a useful addition to the gadget. Since we're going to manually choose a featured post, manually editing the teaser would not be too onerous an addition. Other than that, what's not to like?

The Followers / Friend Connect Gadget Works, Again

In a separate project, I was updating this blog - and in previewing my changes, I observed the familiar demur

We're sorry.

This gadget is configured incorrectly. ...

In the sidebar, underneath "Follow Me".

That sight made me wonder if the Followers gadget, when viewed in the live blog, would again work properly - when recently, I had begun wondering if the gadget would ever work, again. And, when I investigated, I found my musings were correct.


The Blogger Followers (Google Friend Connect) gadget, titled here "Follow Me", is once again operational.

A not unacceptable tradeoff.


Clicking on the "breakout" icon, at the top right of the gadget, in the sidebar to the right, shows a long ago seen result.

It's been a while since this was a familiar sight, on this blog!

Surfing through my most recent new Follower, I found another blog with the Followers gadget in the sidebar.


And, I Followed that blog.

And I now see myself, in their community.

And I can click on my icon, and see my Followers profile.


Now, I await confirmation from any of my faithful readers. Hoping that I am not the last user of the Blogger Followers gadget, I await your comments - and maybe somebody surfing through this gadget.

Just don't be looking for it to display, in Preview mode. If that is a necessary tradeoff, I consider it righteous.

Don't Make Your Blog Victim Of Alias Blocking Malware

Country specific domains were launched by Blogger almost 3 years ago.

Even this month, we see people with doubts about their benefits.

Is using a script, to prevent blogger country redirection, a violation of Blogger or Google TOS?

And the proposed script is the same one that is being used by spammers, to abuse the Blogger service.

Domain redirection blocking is not a TOS violation.

Blocking domain specific redirection subjects your blog to malware classification.

It does, however, make your blog vulnerable to malware classification - and it does impede the reputation of country specific domains, in general.

Country specific domains have a righteous purpose, for Blogger blogs. Your use of a redirection block will not help the effort by Google, to make Blogger blogs acceptable in every country, worldwide.

Fortunately, the redirection blocking script has to be installed, intentionally. It won't be installed without effort by you.

When your blog is classified, you won't get any sympathy.

When your blog is deleted or locked, and you report in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue

Blogger just deleted my blog!

When we find your redirection block, you won't get any sympathy.

It interferes with other redirections.

When you publish your blog to a custom domain, you get a DNS based redirection, from the BlogSpot URL to the domain URL. This is how the BlogSpot URL remains operational, forever - and provides access to your blog, transparently.

Some browsers will block the BlogSpot to domain redirection, following your scripted redirection, as

Too many redirections!

This is a browser security feature, to protect your readers, from malicious websites. In this case, it prevents your readers from seeing your blog.

Like many DNS issues, you may never see this error - but some of your readers will. You will simply see your visitor statistics not increasing correctly, after otherwise successful migration to the domain.

It's not worth the trouble. Really.

And your blog won't benefit, from being locked. The long term effects really won't be worth the trouble you get.

Many Blogger Email Delivery Problems Are Reported

We have a number of problem reports, from various blog owners and readers, about email from Blogger, posted daily in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

Some email, from different Blogger features and services, simply is not being delivered. The normal advice given is for the person reporting the problem to look in the "Bulk" / "Spam" folders, in the email client.

Not all non delivered email is dropped into "Bulk" / "Spam". Some email is simply "bounced" - ie, returned to the sender. Since most Blogger email is sent from a "no-reply" email address (ie, "no-reply@blogger.com"), bounced email vanishes - and nothing is done to analyse its non delivery.

It's possible that we are seeing reports about several different problems, combined.

• Unfortunate reputation of Blogger, as a spam host.
• Improperly setup email filtering.
• Over zealous spam filters.
• Righteously motivated (but still wrong) spoof filters.
• Some unknown server based email delivery problem.

Unfortunate reputation of Blogger, as a spam host.

It's unfortunate - but many Internet services have, from time to time, treated Blogger as a spam hosting service. Though wrong - especially considering several recent improvements - some services may intentionally filter email from Blogger, as a spam host.

Improperly setup email filtering.

Some email clients may be setup by individuals, with filters which place different email in different folders. Not all computer owners have sufficient tech skills, to setup email filters - but people sometimes do things that don't make sense.

Over zealous spam filters.

Some Internet services, and cloud based email filters, may be just wrong. Unfortunately, some companies use email filtering appliances which get updates from aggregated client decisions, similar to Google+ Community Comment moderation. These filters, too, are wrong - but they will have this effect.

Righteously motivated (but still wrong) spoof filters.

Some spoof filters may see email, supposedly from "Blogger", or a blog owner - but originating from "google.com" servers, and this looks like spoofed email. This is a problem which Blogger Engineering needs to address.

Some unknown server based email delivery problem.

Blogger and Google systems do break down, from time to time. It's possible that Blogger Engineering may find some unsuspected server problem, which accounts for many of these problems.

The problem reports mention different Blogger services.

Email non delivery is being reported, for various types of email (Question #2, below).

1. Account / blog recovery email, from "Forgot?" and other recovery processes.
2. BlogSend post published notification.
3. Comment moderation / notification / follow-up / update.
4. FeedBurner feed distribution.
5. Private / Team blog membership invitations.
6. Other email types, not yet discovered.

The individuals, reporting a problem, will vary.

The person awaiting the email, that never arrives, may be:

1. The blog owner.
2. A would be reader.
3. A team blog member.

The details needed are complex.

If you know about non delivery of important email, that should be coming from a Blogger service, please provide details about yourself, the blog involved, and the non delivered email, as replies in the Problem Rollup topic.

1. What is the URL of the blog (BlogSpot and domain URLs are useful)?
2. What type of email (see the list, above) is not being delivered?
3. Are you the blog owner, a would be reader, or a team member?
4. Are you the person waiting for the email - or is that another person?
5. What is the email domain, used by the people who are missing email (ie, "gmail.com", "harvard.edu", "yahoo.com")?
6. What is the email domain, that you use (ie, "gmail.com", "harvard.edu", "yahoo.com")?
7. When did you first experience non delivery (or when was non delivery reported, to you)?
8. Do you have any email notifications, that you can share?
9. Have you reported the problem, to a technician who manages the email delivery system that may be involved?
10. (If posts are involved) Do the posts, with problems, contain Blogger hosted photos ("Insert image") - or are the posts all text?

Question #10, above, is an intriguing detail. One blog owner claims to have discovered that email, which contains photos hosted on specific Blogger servers, to cause his personal email delivery problems.

My favourite diagnosis, in the above assortment, would be the "spoof" filtering issue. If this interests you, you may wish to read about DKIM / DMARC / SPF email filters.

Since it's possible that not all non delivered email is caused by spoof filters, the questions above are complex, and redundant. If this looks like a typical USA IRS / governmental questionnaire, I apologise. Identifying these problems, so the Blogger Engineers can start a real investigation, may take some effort.

We are asking for details, in a forum Problem Rollup topic.

We have a Problem Rollup topic, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue, where we are requesting details, as phrased above, about the problems. If you have details to contribute, solution to one of the problems may result from your contribution.

Please help Blogger Engineering to help you - and make your responses polite, relevant, and responsive. If this problem is to be identified, and you are affected, resolution depends upon you.

There is a possibly related problem, with Google Groups email.

(Update 3/11): We have reports of a problem with Google Groups email distribution, which may be one cause of this problem.

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http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2014/09/confusion-from-email-spam-detection.html

Windows Live Writer Becomes Open Live Writer

Last week, Blogger turned off their workaround from June 2015, that was allowing Windows Live Writer, and other third party editors and auxiliary Blogger services, to access Blogger.

All week, we saw various reports of problems, reminiscent of the problems that we saw in June 2015, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue. Yesterday, Blogger Engineering provided a status announcement.

We would like to let all users of Windows Live Writer know that Microsoft has made the application open source and it’s now a different application called Open Live Writer (you will need to download it here).

A few months ago, the Windows Live Writer and Blogger integration stopped working for a few days due to improvements in Google’s authentication systems. We agreed to keep the old authentication systems for a few more months but starting December 11th, they will be retired and Windows Live Writer will stop working.

The Open Live Writer team is now working on making OLW use ClientLogin aka OAuth 2.0, to access Blogger.

Windows Live Writer is now Open Live Writer - and the OLW team is now making OLW able to access Blogger.

The final version of WLW will never use the upgraded Blogger client login.
Scott Hanselman notes, in his blog,

Soon, Google and Blogger will finally shut down this older authentication system. Blogger will use the more modern OAuth 2 and Open Live Writer will be updated to support OAuth 2. Windows Live Writer will never support this new OAuth 2 authentication system, so if you use Blogger, you'll need to use Open Live Writer.

We will now have to wait until OLW uses the upgraded Blogger client login.
Blogger having shut down OAuth 1.0 last week, Windows Live Writer is now out of service for direct use with Blogger. Blog owners who wish to use Live Writer will now have to wait, until OLW is upgraded to support Blogger Login.

OLW is a pretty complex project - and it has a number of open issues, which we can observe. Issue 63 is Blogger login.

If you try using OLW, and it does not work, check the open issues log. You'll probably find your problem - and maybe a solution - in there.

Some blog owners may try a workaround which uses WLW and email.
There is a possible workaround, to use WLW to compose post content, and then use email to actually send content to Blogger. Other than that possibility, we'll all have to be patient.

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(Update 12/16 17:00): We're told that OLW has been updated for Blogger, and is now available for download, at http://openlivewriter.org/

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Traffic Exchanges Are Another Type Of Spam

We've been exploring bogus redirection of reader traffic, for a few years.

Similar to dubious awards and web rings, we have "traffic exchanges". Traffic exchanges are similar to "affiliate marketing", where readers of one blog are randomly shuffled to another blog, then to another - all the while, lighting up ads on each blog.

The companies who pay for the ads, featured on the blogs in the traffic exchanges, want to pay for readers who are interested in the contents of the blogs.

Advertising dollars reward blog owners for hosting ads.

The ad companies target the blogs, based on content - and their advertising dollars reward the blog owners for hosting the ads. They do not want to pay for random hordes of readers, wandering from blog to blog, without even looking at the ads.

Google wants Blogger blogs that are capable of hosting ads - whether or not the blog owners actually choose to host ads. Google does not want Blogger to be a haven for spammers.

Righteous blog traffic comes from search engines - and from righteous content.

The owners of blogs who depend upon traffic exchanges to get traffic, do not understand that righteous Blogger blogs do not use dodgy "awards", traffic exchanges, or web rings - they use content, indexed by the search engines. The readers who follow the search engine indexed content are the ones who look at the ads, and buy the merchandise.

Search engine traffic is the only valid traffic exchange. Random traffic exchanges are another hall of mirrors - and represent fraudulent misuse of advertising dollars.

Work on your blog, and add content - not traffic exchanges.

Work on your blog - and add informative, interesting, and unique content. That's how you get indexed, that's how you get traffic - and that's how you justify the ad dollars.

And beware the phony "excellent Blog Award" badges.

A Blog, Not On Your Dashboard, Has Various Causes

We see many complaints, worded in various ways, about "missing" blogs, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

My blog is not on my dashboard!

or

I logged in this morning, and I see

Create your blog now
You are not an author on any blogs yet ...

Help!

There are many reasons for these reports - and not all may be what they seem.

The causes of "missing" blogs vary widely, from blogs deleted by Blogger (or the owner) to blogs owned under another account (the claimant or a third party). Chances for recovery may vary, similarly.

A blog, when it is missing from your dashboard, may be deleted - it may be misplaced - or it may be stolen. In some cases, you may see the blog, on the dashboard - but not have options to do much of anything.

• The blog is owned by another account, which you may control.
• The blog was moved from your account, to another account.
• The blog was deleted from your dashboard.
• The blog is on the dashboard, but with no useful options.

How many blog owners have never seen this bit of bad news?

If the Blogger account is locked, you may see this when you try to access the blog, using the URL.


The blog is owned by another account, which you may control.

You may have created an additional account, which you are now using - and overlooking the correct account, which owned or owns the blog.

Recovery will consist of identifying the owning account, then by recovering control of the blog, using "Forgot?". It will help, to know how to identify the current Blogger account, and / or the current Google+ account - and possibly, how to determine access level.

If the blog is locked, because of detected hacking activity, you will have to login with the right Blogger account - while using a blind login.

The blog was moved from your account, to another account.

Your Blogger account may have been compromised, and your blogs moved to an account which somebody else controls.

Here, chances for recovery are not good - as Blogger is legally unable to help you, with a stolen blog. If you voluntarily gave control to a friend, you have some chance of recovery - depending upon how good the friendship may be.

The blog was deleted from your dashboard.

Blogs may be deleted from your dashboard for many reasons - either by you (accidentally, or on purpose) - or by Blogger, for any of several reasons.

If you deleted the blog - and if you act promptly, you may be able to restore the blog - if you have access to the correct Blogger account.

If Blogger deleted the blog for abuse, you will have to appeal the deletion. If Blogger locked the blog, because of hacking, you may have to wait, while the account and blogs are examined.

The blog is on the dashboard, but with no useful options.

In some cases, the blog may be listed on the dashboard - but have a very limited menu. The blog may be owned by an account which you own (but do not recognise) - or by another person.

Recovery will depend upon your ability to identify the owner - and your relationship with the owner (who may be you, or a different person).

Confusion is normal, when recovering a blog.

One of the problems with "missing" blogs is that the symptoms are easily confused. Some missing blogs require careful forensic examination, to simply determine the situation - then more analysis, to determine a solution. Not all blog owners are patient enough to endure the examination and analysis process.

All of these possibilities may explain one more reason for some blog owners considering the account / blog recovery process to be flakey.

Don't Force Your Readers To Use SSL

Some blog owners are very anxious to have their blogs accessible, using SSL protocol.

We see the occasional impassioned query, in Blogger Help Forum: Learn More About Blogger.

I added JavaScript code in my blog, to redirect from HTTP to HTTPS, since I want my users to view the blog in HTTPS.

I am concerned about indexing and Webmaster Tools. How do I move from HTTP to HTTPS? I would like my posts to be indexed, using HTTPS.

To make HTTPS / SSL work in Blogger blogs, Blogger Engineering changed all of the internal BlogSpot links from "http://" to "//".

Blogger links are now protocol relative.

The protocol relative URL ("//") lets Blogger code work for either "HTTP" or "HTTPS", depending upon how the reader is viewing each blog (such as yours). The canonical URL, for a blog offering SSL connectivity, will still use "HTTP" protocol - which gives each reader the choice - to use HTTP or HTTPS.

Many blogs published to "blogspot.com" will have content and links which reference other blogs, Internet services, and web sites that do not use SSL. When your readers surf your blog using SSL, links in your blog to "HTTP" content will subject them to "Mixed Content" alerts.

Your readers will be happier, given the choice to use HTTP or HTTPS.

With your blog offering SSL connectivity, your readers will have the choice to use "HTTPS" access (and ignore the "Mixed Content" alerts), or to use normal "HTTP" access. If you force everybody to use "HTTPS" - using unsupported custom code - you will be giving your readers only two choices.

1. Avoid your blog, and surf as they need.
2. View your blog, be forced into "HTTPS" mode, and be subject to "Mixed Content" alerts.

Many readers will choose Door #1.

Your readers may see "Mixed Content" alerts, after surfing to your blog.

Your readers deserve the choice whether to surf in SSL Mode or not. Depending upon where they surf, after leaving your blog, they could be faced with a lot of "Mixed Content" alerts. If your blog forces them into SSL mode, and they have to deal with "Mixed Content" alerts after leaving your blog, they will learn to avoid your blog.

Some readers may not be able to use HTTPS, period.

All networks do not support SSL. SSL uses more resources - and must be configured, on some servers. My favourite diagnostic proxy, Rex Swain's HTTP Viewer, only supports HTTP connectivity.

Rex Swain HTTP Viewer - and some other proxy servers - do not support HTTPS.



Keep the advantages of SSL in perspective. SSL does not substitute for a properly designed layered security strategy - on your readers computers, or yours.

Give your readers the choice. Leave the Blogger code as protocol relative - instead of forcing SSL.

If you want the blog indexed using "HTTPS", setup an entry in Search Console, for the "HTTPS" alias.

Large Blogs, Search Engine Indexing, And Stats Logs

We see an occasional question about search indexing, and visitor activity, in Blogger Help Forum: Learn More About Blogger.

How do I find out what search queries are used, to bring my new readers, to my blog?

This owner is thinking about how to get more traffic - the right way.

You can use the Stats - Traffic sources dashboard page, and examine the top 10 Search Keywords, used to find your blog. Depending upon how large and popular your blog is - and what browser your readers use - you may or may not find out as much as you would think, however.

The Stats log for this blog shows 10 of the most popular posts, as the 10 most popular search terms.

"Traffic sources", for today.

No search terms are visible - just post URLs?


This used to make me somewhat depressed, as I had the idea that this blog has no search relevance, except with people who already know about the blog. In other words, I was apparently getting no traffic from search hit lists.

In reality, I was simply seeing more repeat traffic, than new traffic. And, since the blog has more than 10 popular older posts, that is what populates the "Traffic sources" - "Search Keywords" display.

Browsers which use one window for address and search will confuse you.

If your readers use a browser that combines the "address window" and the "search window" functions, as Chrome does, you may find that people pasting or typing blog addresses, into the browser, cause search engines to confuse that activity with search traffic. Since your better known posts will be read more than the newer posts, those posts may be the ones which show up in the Stats logs.

Recently, Blogger broke search engine indexing, for many blogs.

A couple weeks ago, Blogger changed their feed / sitemap infrastructure, and broke search engine indexing of large blogs (blogs with more than 500 posts). For several days, this blog had less than half of the posts being indexed.

Going by the suggestion that the search hits were from people who already knew about the blog (as reasoned above) - and with search hit list activity normally producing insignificant traffic - broken search indexing would have made no difference to the traffic levels, for this blog.

This blog saw a 50% traffic reduction, even with no presumed search relevance.

Oddly enough, traffic to this blog dropped by about 50% - and has recovered only in the past week or so, as indexing returned. This shows me that search engine indexing is important - it just may not be as visible, for large blogs, using Stats. If your blog has over 500 posts, and has lots of popular older posts, you may experience similar confusion.

Use a second or third visitor log, for better understanding of search traffic.

Considering all that, you may wish to consider using one or more alternate visitor logs. Some third party visitor logs - or maybe Google Analytics or Search Console - may show you more search details.