Before I get to some of the specific questions, here’s a step-by-step for installing anything into your post footer– once you install anything, it will automatically come up in all of your post unless you go back and delete it.
- Anything you want to install other than text needs to be in HTML form.
- Go to your DASHBOARD –> SETTINGS –> FORMATTING –> POST TEMPLATE
- If you’re wanting to add something to the bottom of the post, type in first, and then paste your HTML code after. This way, you have a couple of lines of space to start your post when you go to write a new one.
- Save!
I’d do it differently if I were doing it all over again!
Here are a couple of different ways I’ve thought of…
- Visit the different blogs you regularly link up to (and I’d limit this to only the blogs that require you to have their button in your post– most of them don’t!) and save the image of their button to your desktop.
- Once you have all the images saved, open up a new collage in Picmonkey (Yes! They offer collage now!)
- Select “ducks in a row” (or another layout if you see one you like better), and upload the button images. Arrange the images in the collage.
- Save to desktop and resize to be small enough to fit in your post (this sample one is 600px).
- Create an image URL, and map it to the appropriate blogs using Image-Maps. (click links for tutorials on doing both of those).
- Grab the code from Image-Maps and scroll up to installation.
METHOD #2: Use Inlinkz (easiest to do, easiest to edit)
- Create an account with inlinkz.com. You get one free image collection with inlinkz, so you don’t need to pay for the subscription if this is the only reason you’re signing up with them. (If you’re planning on hosting link parties, you’ll need a subscription!)
- Create a collection (I won’t be going over how to use Inlinkz in this tutorial, but it’s easy to figure out). Keep the images small, but add enough columns to stretch the width of your post (you don’t want 5 rows of link party buttons going down your post!). For example: I know that 5 columns of 125px images fits nicely in the width of my post. So, if I were doing this, I’d estimate making my collections images about 50px and 12 columns across. You can play around with it some, since you can always go back and edit the collection.
- Add all of the party links/buttons and then close the collection (otherwise PEOPLE WILL ADD THEIR OWN LINKS!).
- Grab the code for this collection and scroll up to installation.
- Save the blog buttons images to your desktop and resize all of them to be a uniform, small size. Create an image URL for each one.
- Create an image link for each one by using this code:IMAGE URL” border=”0″ />
- Copy and paste each code, side by side into the post template box (scroll up to installation).
*When I first started asking other bloggers how they were able to do this, Vanessa from Nifty Thrify Things said that she simply copy and pasted the button codes into her post and was able to adjust the size and arrangement of them in her HTML code. I wasn’t able to do that, but just know– there may be an even easier way out there!
2. How Do I Install “Permanent” Social Media Buttons At the Bottom of My Post?
If you’re wanting to add Social Media Buttons meaning: a Sharebar which would allow other people to share your post to on their social media accounts…
- I recommend using addthis.com. I can’t say I think their sharing gadget looks the best or has all my favorite options– but they’re pretty good, pretty easy to install, and– most importantly– I haven’t experienced any major technological glitches using this one.
- Sharethis.com has a prettier format that I would really prefer to use (and they have a pin it button!), but I experienced some serious malfunctions with this gadget a couple of weeks after installation. I installed it on several of my design clients’ blogs as well– about half of them had the same problems I did, half of them had no problems. So it seems to be about a 50/50 chance!
- Sexy Bookmarks is another great looking and functional one, but (to be totally honest here) I haven’t been able to successfully install it yet. If you figure it out– let me know!
All of these share bars are gadgets, so you won’t need to install them into the post template.
If you’re wanting to install YOUR OWN social media icons (that link to your profile/pages), simply follow the instructions in this tutorial for creating your own social media icons, and install that code into your post template.
3. Other Ways to Utilize the Bottom of Your Posts:
- Install your profile picture and a brief bio
- Include links to your most popular posts
- Download the Linkwithin gadget to direct people to related posts
- Direct people to you “Party Page” with links to all the parties your participate in
- Direct people to other features on your blog (for example, I try to direct people to my Ziplist Recipe Box)
Remember, you can use Picmonkey and an Image URL to create pretty much any graphic you want! Have fun making your posts pretty!
Great ideas Ashton! I know my footer/bottom of my post is always kind of forgotten…messy. But now you’ve got me thinking…
Great post, and super fabulous blog…it’s my first time here!
Jessica @ Mom 4 Real
Great post and perfect timing – I’m in a blogathon this weekend to plan to work things just like this.
Thanks for sharing
Great tips. Thanks!
Great tips for us new bloggers! Thanks for the post!
Great tips. Love to have you link this up to Titus 2 Tuesday on Cornerstone Confessions. Hopping over from What’s So Simple.
Kathy
Thanks for the tips! I had been wondering how to get links to other posts added to the bottom of my post. Very Helpful!
I’ve been thinking about this so thanks for the info!
Lina
So helpful, thank you, thank you! I’ll be working on this soon! I’ve even bookmarked this page for future reference. Thanks!
You always share the best ideas-thank you so much! You really are so sweet!
My weekly Say G’day Saturday party has started and I would be thrilled if you could join in and link up this really informative post!
Best wishes for a lovely Sunday.
Natasha in Oz
Love this post! Thanks for linking up, I am pinning this idea right now!
Thanks for sharing! ….I am a “newer” blogger and still learing the tricks of the trade.
Jennifer
http://decoratedchaos.blogspot.com
Thanks for the great tips!
Thank you. i alwasy wondered how people did links within. I just installed the widget. Thank you so much!
Julie @ Naptime Review.
Hosting Mom’s Monday Mingle. Love for you to link up.
http://www.thenaptimereview.com
I love InLinkz! Such a great resource =)
This is wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing!
I have to try some of your tips!
This will be so helpful to me, I’m sure I’ll be back to vist often! Thanks!!
Great tips for a newbie like me!
Stopped by from Six Sisters’ Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Link Party – Wk 50
Would love for you to stop by my new blog and offer any suggestions/feedback. I’m learning as I go and loving every minute of it
Thanks!
Katherine @ http://simplysweetsunday.blogspot.com
These are some fantastic ideas! Thanks for posting on this topic.
BTW, I found your blog through the Skip to My Lou Link Up.
Such a helpful post with great tips for spiffing up my little blog! It can feel so overwhelming when you don’t know all the ins and outs of code and design, but this post was a big help. Thanks!
Ashton, so glad I found this following Dorothy (CrazyforCrust) to her Pinterest blogging board. Question, is the Linkwithin widget just for wordpress or will it work on blogger blogs? I love how it works and would love to have it on my blog.
Ashton, have I told you lately that I love you? Just installed Linked Within on my blog and love, did you hear me say love, I love it!!!! Thanks for all the great tips!
Ashton,
This is the best advice! I just made my link party page awesome looking by using Inlinkz. Thanks so much for sharing this info. I would love to share this with my readers.
Thanks again,
Michelle
Thank you!
Now that this is months later, Shareaholic has a WP plugin so you can easily install Sexy Bookmarks
Cristina recently posted..Linkin’ Up Thursdays #2: Leftovers!
Ok, so first of all, you totally ROCK. I just stumbled on your site when looking for a tut on post dividers. found it, know how to do it now THANK YOU . Then I started browsing and digging and I found SOOOOO much stuff that I can use. I can not wait to have the time to dive into all of this. I have one blog almost to the point that I like it again and a second that I can use all these tuts and tips for YAY !!!! Ps. I love the font for this comment box, but I am not going to lie it is hard for me personally to read so if I have typos I apologize hahaaa!
Thank you for being SOO useful and writing such valued content. Oh ya and the super yummy looking pictures on the right sidebar totally make my visit that much better. My new fav blog yay! TYTYTY
Yay!! Thanks for stopping by!!!
Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing.
Dianne Aarnink recently posted..Simple Things Sunday
Thanks masses for your tips.
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry recently posted..Top Recipe Showcase March 2013
I wish I would have discovered all these helpful DIY blog design posts earlier! I’ve had specific things that I’ve wanted to change on my blog and your posts have answered them all! As a beginner blogger I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks so much for the great posts–keep it up!
Carrie from Carrie This Home recently posted..Decorating With Pictures