Everything Typepad

New Domain Name? Check Your Links!

Congratulations! You just set up Domain Mapping and your new blog is loading with your new custom name! While your permalinks, category links, and archive links may be working with the new domain - some links still need to be manually updated to reflect the new blog URL.

Mapped to blog or entire site?

How you set up Domain Mapping at Account > Domain Mapping will determine how your new blog URLs will appear. 

If you mapped your domain name to the entire site, your blog URL will also include the folder name of your blog (ie: www.example.com/blog_name/).  If you mapped your domain name to a specific blog, the folder name is not included.

Navigation Bar

The links in your Navigation Bar will still have your original Typepad domain (example.typepad.com) links saved.  You can update these links by going to Design > Content > Navigation Bar, and click the pencil icon to edit your Nav Bar links.

Blog Footer 

Also located at Design > Content, the Blog Footer module includes a link to your blog by default.  

Typelists

If you previously set up any Typelists for your blog that includes links to the original blog URL, go to Library > Typelist, and update any links saved with the old links.

Blockquotes: Help Quotes Standout

Quotes are a great way to support your idea with information straight from the source. Our editor has a featured called Blockquote. This allows you to offset text in your blog post so it stands out. This can be used to use highlight a quote from someone or important information. 

After you type the text highlight it and click on Blockquote.

If you have any one of our Design Lab themes, the text twill be indented and highlighted by a bar. Below is what it will look like.

"The Blockquote feature is a fun feature to use!" - Typepad Team

Depending on the theme your blog has the Blockquote will look different, but it will always be indented. Below are some examples. 

Gourmet (Responsive)

Snap (Responsive)

Dapper

The Rich Text editor has many great features to enhance your blog. What is your favorite feature on the editor? What would be a fun feature to add? 

Ring in the New Year with a new standalone layout for your blog!

2020 is not only the start of a new year, but a new decade, and we heartily believe in fresh starts and fresher looks. We've been hard at work building a new Magazine-inspired layout for the Typepad community to enjoy and use with their blogs. Keep reading for more information and to see a snapshot of our new Featured Cards layout, now available to Beta users.

The Look

We've heard from users that a Magazine-inspired look for their blog would be a welcomed addition to Typepad. In response, we wanted to provide a content-driven layout that focused on the ability to beautifully display text and photos in a way that was clean, organized, and–okay, we admit it–a little showy. Unlike previously released themes and layouts, this new option allows you to easily change the look of your blog as you update your content, using a feature you already utilize!

Let us present to you... Featured Cards.

 

The Front Page

Do you run a shop, a podcast, have an event coming up, or a new piece of art you want to showcase? Insert a clear photo of at least 1000px wide, an excerpt-worthy first paragraph as a call-to-action, and check the "Feature This Post" box on the compose screen. With no true banner in the Featured Cards layout, you will be using the Feature This Post tool to promote your latest content that you don't want your readers to miss. You can see an example of this in our screenshot above. 

Next, you'll notice two cards below the Featured Post. Those are the two most recent posts published to your blog. The positioning isolates those two posts so that they stand apart from the rest of your content and readers will focus on them as their eyes scan the page. The remaining content will be displayed per usual, in chronological order by default, and we highly recommend turning on the Featured Image option for post excerpts at Settings > Posts for a clean, image-focused display.

Another feature of this layout is that you can highlight any module by placing it to be the first item in the sidebar. In our example above, we use a Notes Typelist to display text we want readers to focus on. Only the first module in the sidebar will be auto-highlighted by way of a light gray background and padding, so if there's something in the sidebar you want to feature, place it at the top at Design > Content. All remaining modules will display as seen in the example above.

Deeper into the Blog

The front page serves as a showcase, whereas the individual posts, pages, and archives within the blog are solely about the content. You won't see the Featured Post or cards at the top of those pages. Your readers will be taken directly to the content they want to see and read, as shown in the screenshot below.

What is new, however, is how the layout handles pagination. Links to your posts immediately before and after the post your readers are visiting are now displayed as cards as well. If there is an image in the post, a thumbnail version of it will appear below the post content.

We're very proud of the Typepad community and we hope this new layout helps get that across to all of you. As we said earlier, this is currently in Beta but we'll be releasing it to all users after a period of testing. If you can't wait, then we recommend becoming a Beta member now, then browsing to Design > Choose a Theme, and select the Beta option! Just remember that the layout being a Beta feature means it's not 100% yet but, with your help, we can get it there and out to the rest of the community sooner rather than later. 

2020 is not only the start of a new year, but a new decade, and we heartily believe in fresh starts and fresher looks. We've been hard at work building a new Magazine-inspired layout for the Typepad community to enjoy and use with their blogs. Keep reading for more information and to see a snapshot of our new Featured Cards layout, now available to Beta users.

The Look

We've heard from users that a Magazine-inspired look for their blog would be a welcomed addition to Typepad. In response, we wanted to provide a content-driven layout that focused on the ability to beautifully display text and photos in a way that was clean, organized, and–okay, we admit it–a little showy. Unlike previously released themes and layouts, this new option allows you to easily change the look of your blog as you update your content, using a feature you already utilize!

Let us present to you... Featured Cards.

 

The Front Page

Do you run a shop, a podcast, have an event coming up, or a new piece of art you want to showcase? Insert a clear photo of at least 1000px wide, an excerpt-worthy first paragraph as a call-to-action, and check the "Feature This Post" box on the compose screen. With no true banner in the Featured Cards layout, you will be using the Feature This Post tool to promote your latest content that you don't want your readers to miss. You can see an example of this in our screenshot above. 

Next, you'll notice two cards below the Featured Post. Those are the two most recent posts published to your blog. The positioning isolates those two posts so that they stand apart from the rest of your content and readers will focus on them as their eyes scan the page. The remaining content will be displayed per usual, in chronological order by default, and we highly recommend turning on the Featured Image option for post excerpts at Settings > Posts for a clean, image-focused display.

Another feature of this layout is that you can highlight any module by placing it to be the first item in the sidebar. In our example above, we use a Notes Typelist to display text we want readers to focus on. Only the first module in the sidebar will be auto-highlighted by way of a light gray background and padding, so if there's something in the sidebar you want to feature, place it at the top at Design > Content. All remaining modules will display as seen in the example above.

Deeper into the Blog

The front page serves as a showcase, whereas the individual posts, pages, and archives within the blog are solely about the content. You won't see the Featured Post or cards at the top of those pages. Your readers will be taken directly to the content they want to see and read, as shown in the screenshot below.

What is new, however, is how the layout handles pagination. Links to your posts immediately before and after the post your readers are visiting are now displayed as cards as well. If there is an image in the post, a thumbnail version of it will appear below the post content.

We're very proud of the Typepad community and we hope this new layout helps get that across to all of you. As we said earlier, this is currently in Beta but we'll be releasing it to all users after a period of testing. If you can't wait, then we recommend becoming a Beta member now, then browsing to Design > Choose a Theme, and select the Beta option! Just remember that the layout being a Beta feature means it's not 100% yet but, with your help, we can get it there and out to the rest of the community sooner rather than later. 

Top 10 Everything Typepad Posts from 2019

A lot happens in a year! At Typepad, we have been updating with new features and providing tutorials about how to  improve your blog. All this information can be easy to miss if you are busy with your blog. Here's a recap with the top 10 blog posts from 2019 (Thank you Google Analytics). 

Add Custom Google Search To Your Blog

Everyone knows that Google is the top search engine globally. Why not incorporate their search to cater to your blog specifically? You can add a Custom Search from Google to your sidebar in a couple of easy steps through your Google account. Read More...

Publish Twitter Posts On Your Blog With The Help Of IFTTT

IFTTT is a great platform that allows different apps, web services, and devices to communicate with each other. These are called Applets and you can set as many applets as you like. Here we will show you how you can automatically publish a blog post from a tweet. Read More...

Typepad 101: Design Your Blog

The look of your blog is really important - it is the very first impression a visitor gets when checking out your blog for the first time. Today's Typepad 101 is about what's available to create a design for your blog. Read More...

New Design Lab Features for the New Year!

New features are always fun to play with to see how it fits into your blog design. We added two new features, creating a custom banner and highlighting what tab readers are on. Read More...

Tips For Creating An About Me Page - Share More Than A Bio; Tell Your Story!

Does your blog include an "About Me" page? Each Typepad account comes with one About Me Page which automatically pulls information from the account owner's Profile settings. Make sure your About me page leaves your reader feeling like they know more about you and your story. Read More...

Blog Smarter with Master Templates

Everyone has heard the saying "Work smarter, not harder." At Typepad, we are here to give you tips and tricks to make sure your blog is a success! Today we are going over how to create a Master Template for sharing recipes. Read More...

Make Printing Your Blog Post Simple With Print Friendly

Do your readers want to print out your posts for use later (like a recipe)? Make it easy for them by adding a print option from Print Friendly. They optimize your blog post for Print and PDF formats, readers can save money and the environment by printing only what they need. Print Friendly removes ads and other non-essential content to allow only the blog posts to be printed. Read More...

Typepad Loves Authors!

Did you know that Typepad is home for many writers and authors? If you have written a book, your blog is a great way to promote it! Today we want to share with you how a few Typepad bloggers promote their books on their blog. Read More...

Typepad 101: Buy Your Own Domain Name

One of the first things you may have noticed when you created your account was the URL created for your blog looks something like example.typepad.com. Many bloggers are ok with their blog link looking this way, but if you want to customize your blog name and make it easier to remember for your readers, you can do that by buying your own domain name through Typepad. Read More..

6 Tips For Creating The Best Domain

After creating your blog, you will start thinking about where your readers are going to find you, that is your domain. Make a domain that is memorable for your readers. While we make it easy to purchase your domain, it may not be easy to think of a unique domain for your blog. We are here to help! Here are 6 tips to help you create the best domain for your blog. Read More...

As we say good-bye to 2019 we think about all the amazing Everything Typepad posts that we shared with our bloggers to help them create the best blogs ever. We've got some exciting new features planned for Typepad in 2020. Make sure you are following Everything Typepad on Facebook, Twitter, and our RSS Feed. You will want to be the first to know about all our exciting new features in 2020. 

Customize Your Welcome Message

The welcome message is a Typepad feature that allows you to welcome readers to your blog. When readers come to your blog, a popover or embedded box will showcase a welcome message.

To add a welcome message to your blog, click on the Blogs tab, then the name of the blog. Click on Settings, Basic. Scroll down to the Welcome Message. 

The text box allows you to include HTML code. You can add code to the text box to include a link in your message. 

To add a link to your welcome message add and customize the following code in the welcome message text box. 

<a href="http://www.urlhere.com">Text you want readers to click on</a> 

Replace http://www.urlhere.com with the URL you want readers to go to. Then replace the text with the text you want readers to click on. 

For example, if you want to link to your about page the message text box will look like this: 

And the Popover message will look like this. 

You can also stylize the link so it further stands out. 

To underline the text, add <u> before the link code and </u> after it. 

<u><a href="http://www.urlhere.com">Text you want readers to click on</a></u>

The code will look like this in the text box:

It will look like this in the welcome message: 

To bold the text you will add <b> before the link and </b> after it. Your code will look like this: 

<b><a href="http://www.urlhere.com">Text you want readers to click on</a></b>

The code will look like this in the text box:

It will look like this in the welcome message: 

To add italics to your test, add <i> before the link and </i> after it. Your code will look like this: 

<i><a href="http://www.urlhere.com">Text you want readers to click on</a></i>

The code will look like this in the text box:

It will look like this in the welcome message: 

The welcome message can be used to say hello to your readers and guide them to learn more about you and your blog. 

Fall Design Service Sale

 

Have you taken a look at your blog lately? Does it need updating, but you're not sure how to get started? Or don't have the time? Typepad is here to help! For the month of September we are offering some amazing deals for our design services. Typepad Design Services include Tune-Up service, Custom Design service, and Banner Creation service for an additional fee. We will work with you to create an amazing blog design that is everything you could wish for.

 

When we receive a request to update a blog design, we always recommend the Design Lab theme to get started and build your design around this theme. The Design Lab themes are mobile friendly and responsive. We create a test blog in your account so we can tweak your new design and make it just right.

 

We are excited to offer you this special Fall Sale on our Tune Up, Custom Design Services and Banner Creation! This sale is good until Sept 30th, 2019.  After our free consultation, we will charge the credit card or PayPal account on file.

Tune Up Service

• Blog Evaluation and Custom Report
• Implementation of Changes
• Wrap Up

 

Originally $349

Now $279

Read about our Tune Up Service

 

Follow the link and complete the form on the right. Add the secret code: 25TuneUp after your last name so our designer knows to give you the discount.

 

Here are some examples of blogs that went through our Tune Up service:

 

 

Custom Design

• Free quote before you start
• Design Creation
• Banner Design
• Design Implementation

Originally $200 an hour

Now $150 an hour

Read more about our Custom Design Service

 

Follow the link and complete the form on the right. Add the secret code: 25Custom in the Custom Design Request box so our designer knows to give you a discount.

 

Here are some examples of blogs that went through our Custom Design service:

 

Banner Creation

Your blog's logo and banner is one of the first things readers see when they come to your blog. Let us help make it stand out. We can create professional blog banners using your logo or other design within reason. 

 

Originally $300

Now: $150

Extra: If you purchase a discounted Tune Up or Custom Design service, we will drop the Banner Creation service to $75. 

 

If you only want the Banner Creation service, create a ticket in your account asking for the discounted service and someone from our design team will work with you. If you want to include it with the Tune Up or Custom Design just let our designer know during the free consultation. 

 

When was the last time you updated your blog design? Are you using a Responsive theme for your blog? Now is the time to update your blog and save some money! Reach out to us today. 

Publish Twitter Posts On Your Blog With The Help Of IFTTT

IFTTT is a great platform that allows different apps, web services, and devices to communicate with each other. These are called Applets and you can set as many applets as you like.

All blog posts don't need to be 1000 words long. Sometimes 280 characters are all you need. IFTTT allows you to create an applet so Twitter can communicate with Typepad and publish a post when you use a specific hashtag.  Easily share your Twitter posts to your blog readers. 

Create a IFTTT Account

From IFTTT.com you will need to create an account. Click on Sign Up to create an account. You can use Google, Facebook, or Email. Once you create your account, you can create an applet. 

Get Your Secret Typepad Email

In Typepad, click on the Blogs tab, then click on the name of the blog. Click on the Settings tab, then Post By Email. Copy the Secret Address and save it somewhere safe so you can use it to create your Applet. 

Create an IFTTT Applet

Click on the down arrow next to your account name, then on New Applet. Select +this then select Twitter.

Select "New tweet by you with hashtag". This will set a trigger to publish any Twitter post that uses a specific hashtag on your blog.

Enter your hashtag and Create Trigger. Enter a hashtag that you don't use often. Whenever you use this hashtag, it will trigger this Applet and post to your blog. 

Now you want to click on That, then select Gmail. From Gmail, click on Send An Email.

Next to Email Address you will enter your secret Typepad email address. This email address is used to publish posts to your blog from your email.

The subject will be your blog post title. We recommend using something that can be used multiple times (like Twitter Musings from @ (UserName)).

The body of your post will by default include: the Tweet, link to your Twitter account, and links to show it was created by IFTTTT. 

You can add to what is published as well by adding more the body of the email. After you have customized the body, select Create Action.

Now you can review the applet and click Finish. 

Now that you created one Applet, explore IFTTT.com and see what others useful Applets you can create. 

New Services On Other Accounts

We have been busy at Typepad reviewing social media services that help bloggers get their message out to the world. Using our Other Accounts tab, you can add your personal link to these sites on your Typepad blog. Here is our new list of Other Accounts you can add! Take a moment and review everything. You may find a new platform to showcase your blog. 

500px

A leading network for photographers to discover and share incredible photos, gain global exposure, and get paid for their work and skills.

Audible

Audible allows you to download and listen to a wide selection of audio books. Find something that educates, entertains or inspires your mind. Review your favorite books and share them with your readers. 

Bandcamp

Bandcamp is a publishing platform for musicians. Sell your music or support the artists by directly purchasing their creations.

Codepen

CodePen is a social development environment. It allows you to write code in the browser, and see the results of it as you build.

DeviantArt

DeviantArt is the largest online social network for artists and art enthusiasts. They believe that art is for everyone, and they are creating the cultural context for how it is created, discovered, and shared.

Dribbble

Dribbble is a community of designers sharing screenshots of their work, process, and projects. It is the leading destination to find and showcase the creative work of the worlds best design professionals.

eBay

eBay connects buyers and sellers from around the world. Explore to find the perfect unique gift or see who will love the products you create every day.

Etsy

Etsy is a market for handmade goods, vintage items, and supplies for making. The community is made up of independent creative businesses from around the globe.

Facebook and Facebook Page

Connect with friends, family, and your readers. Almost everyone is on Facebook and use it to stay in touch with those that are important to them. Facebook Page is for your business/blog to connect with your readers with updates that are important to them. 

Flickr

Flickr will display your photos for all your friends and family to see. Create amazing albums to easily share.

Foursquare

Foursquare helps you discover new places with recommendations from the community. Find a better experience, anywhere in the world.

GitHub

GitHub is the best place to share code. With all the collaborative features of GitHub, it has never been easier for individuals and teams to write faster, better code.

Goodreads

Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. Share with your readers the books you love or the books you are looking forward to reading.

Instagram

Instagram is a platform that brings you closer to the people and things you love. Share with your readers your everyday life and what motivates you.

Last.fm

Last.fm allows you to create a profile, track what you listen to, and explore other cool music that is out there. Share with your readers your taste in music.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network. Show off your professional knowledge with other industry leaders.

Patreon

Patreon is a membership platform that easily allows artists and creators to build relationships with subscribers and provide exclusive experiences for their "patrons". Make it easy for your readers to support you and all the work you do.

Pinterest

Pinterest is where you discover ideas. Share your ideas with your readers and discover new ones today!

Playstation

Playstation is for the gamer in all of us. Share your game with readers, learn about new games, and see what your fellow gamer friends are talking about. 

Ravelry

Ravelry is a great resource and community for yarn and fiber enthusiasts. Get inspired by others' work and keep track of your stash, tools, and projects.

Reddit

Reddit, the front page of the internet. Discover thousands of communities, endless conversations, and human connections.

Snapchat

Snapchat is a quick and easy way to connect with your readers with live stories. Give your readers a behind the scenes look of creating your blog or products.

Soundcloud

Soundcloud is a music and podcast streaming platform that lets you listen to millions of songs from around the world, or upload your own.

Spotify

With Spotify, it’s easy to find the right music for every moment. Create and share music collections for your readers. Create a radio station of all your favorite music.

Stream

Stream is a space in which a variety of content creators can share their passions with the world through video streaming. Connect and interact with live audiences in real time.

Tumblr

Tumblr is your free space to share your interest and connect with others. Add your content and start a conversation.

Twitch

Twitch is a global community who come together to create their own unique entertainment. Share your gaming knowledge and experience with your readers.

Twitter

Be involved in the conversation with Twitter. Share your content and watch it influence the world.

Vimeo

Vimeo is all about videos. Share your videos with your readers or discover new ones.

Yelp

Yelp is your connection to find local businesses. Share your Yelp reviews and help others find amazing local businesses.

YouTube

YouTube gives everyone a voice and shares it with the world. Build your community and share your story.

Other

If you don't see a service you are on, the "Other" option allows you to add the profile URL and makes it easy for your readers to follow you. 

We challenge you to review all these services and try a new one out today. You may find an audience you never knew existed. 

New Design Lab Features for the New Year!

The new year is somehow already upon us, so we wanted to celebrate with two new feature additions to the responsive Design Lab!

The first feature is for subscribers that want to custom code their own banner while using one of these designs. This gives you the freedom to really customize your blog.

To add your own banner to your responsive Design Lab, go to Design > Banner, and you'll see the new option to "Code your own banner" in the bottom right.

Using this option, you can really personalize your banner area. For instance, A Small Orange, used this feature to code their own banner to include a search box:

This feature is currently for Beta Team members only, so make sure to go to the Account link in the top green bar of your Dashboard, and check the "Join the Typepad Beta Team" box to become a member of our Beta Team and give it a try!

Next up is the ability to highlight which page your readers are on in the Navigation Bar via Custom CSS when using the responsive Design Lab.

This requires the use of Custom CSS, so you will need to have our Unlimited plan or higher to make use of this feature. To do this, go to Design > Custom CSS and add the following CSS:

.currentnav {font-weight: bold !important; background-color: rgba(182,182,182,0.3)!important; border-radius: 20px !important; }

Once this has been added, any link in the Navigation Bar will have Custom CSS applied to it to make it stand out while a visitor is on that page.  You can see an example below with the Archives link in the Navigation Bar:

The CSS can also be edited to change the color, font, and more.

We hope you like these new additions to the responsive Design Lab!  As always, the Typepad Support team is here to help if you need assistance!

Top 10 Everything Typepad Posts Published in 2018

With 2019 quickly getting closer, we thought we would take a look at some of our more popular posts from 2018. There are some amazing gems here. Take a moment and review. Add these features to your blog in 2019 (or before 2018 ends)!

 

Rolling Out Of Beta: Sidebar Carousel

If you're not familiar with the Sidebar Carousel, it places a slideshow of the images from one category of posts to your blog's sidebar. These pictures will then rotate, based on the various settings you can choose.

Back To Basics: Integrating Social Media With Your Blog

With the popularity of social networks like Twitter and Facebook these days, integrating social media with your blog is a necessary strategy for helping readers find your content where they are. 

Can I Make My Blog Not Look Like A Blog? 

Did you know that your blog with Typepad does not have to look like a blog? If you have a business and you want to keep your blog but expand your web presence, you can build a website around your blog.

Rolling Out Of Beta: Post Carousel

The Post Carousel adds a slideshow of the latest posts to the top of your blog. Photos from the most recent posts will rotate through the carousel. It's a great way to catch your reader's eye as they visit your blog.

Blogger Beware - What You Need To Know About Using Images On Your Blog

Images are a great way to draw attention to your blog post and give it some pizzazz! Sometimes we may want to use an image that we may not have in our personal photo folder. It’s so easy to do a Google search and just grab one that’s appealing from the results right? Wrong! Allow us to help you avoid any potential issues using unauthorized images.

Help! My Domain Name Does Not Work Without the WWW!

Do you still type "www" when you visit a website? Or do you just type "example.com?" Why is that www even necessary? Learn more about your domain and how to forward your non-www domain to your www domain. 

Design Lab: Posts and Sidebar

Our Design Lab allows you to customize your theme to fit your blog branding. Customize the font, color and size of your text in your blog posts and sidebar.

Amazing Tools To Aid In Blogging

There are many tools in a blogger's arsenal that help make blogging easy and fun. Learn about Pocket, Canva, Hootsuite and much more.

Design Lab: Navigation Bar

Your blog should be easy to navigate. There is nothing worse than getting lost trying to find information. Great blogs make it easy for readers to find information no matter how they came to the blog. Our Design Lab is here to make it easy to customize your navigation bar so readers can easily find the correct information.

We hope you had an great 2018 with us! In the comments tell us the feature you loved using this year or the feature you are going to add to your blog.