Recent Posts widget for Blogger

Thursday, September 20, 2007

If you have regular visitors, they are more interested in your recent updates since their last visit. By providing a list of recent posts, you are making their stay at your blog pleasant. Blogger do not have a standard widget for you to include easily into your blog.

Don’t worry. There is a small work-around that would help you to install the recent posts widget on to your blog. The trick is to use the “Feed” page element provided by Blogger. You just have to get a feed from your own blog. If it’s still fuzzy to you, the following step-by-step should make things clear.

  1. Log in to your Blogger account
  2. On the dashboard, click on the “Settings” link


  3. Blogger Dashboard
  4. On the Settings tab, click on the “Site Feed” tab


  5. Site Feed Tab
  6. Check the field "Allow Blog Feed". Please select either "Full" or "Short" in the drop-down menu. You have to ensure that "None"” is not selected

  7. Click "Save Settings" button at the bottom of the page


  8. Save Settings Button
  9. Now, click on the "Template" tab. This will take you to the “Page Elements” tab


  10. Template Tab
  11. Click on the "Add a Page Element" link at the section where you want to include the list of recent posts. You can include it in the sidebar or just below the post


  12. Add Page Element Link
  13. In the Page Elements pop-up window, scroll down to find the page element "Feed"


  14. Add Feed Element Button
  15. Click the "Add to Blog" button

  16. Type the feed URL of your own blog. In the example below, I have typed my feedburner feed for my blog. You can also use the Blogger’s default feed URL http://yourblogname.blogspot.com/feeds/post/default. Replace the yourblogname accordingly for your blog.


  17. Feed URL
  18. Click on "Continue"

  19. In the window that pops up, you can configure your feed. Type in a suitable name for your page element, like Recent Posts or Latest Posts


  20. Configure Feed
  21. Select the number of posts to be displayed. Blogger allows only a maximum of 5 items to be displayed
  22. You can choose to display the date of posting and the author name if you want. You will see a preview of your feed in the box
  23. Click on "Save Changes"

You have added the list of recent posts. More importantly, you have taken another important step to make the navigation of your blog easier for your readers.

17 comments:

Anonymous October 14, 2007 at 4:17 AM  

Hi, great guide! Unfortunately, I dont have "add page element" button, probably due to modified template. Do you by any chance know a way around that, i.e. implementing directly into template?
Cheers

Tobias

Manick October 14, 2007 at 8:19 AM  

Hi TB,

Can you clarify whether you are using the Classic Template for Blogger? If you can tell me whether you are using the Classic template or the latest Layout template, I can help you. Thanks.

The Chatty Housewife January 19, 2008 at 12:47 PM  

This worked great for me! Thank you so much. There are a lot of others ways described on the net that are so much harder.

Manick January 20, 2008 at 5:07 PM  

Hi,

Thanks for your comments. I am happy to know that it worked well for you.

bored_product_guy February 1, 2008 at 12:05 AM  

hi, i followed your steps but unfortunately my recent posts list isn't updating. i tried clearing my browser cache, and even used rss instead of the default atom feed, but it doesn't work. any help?
sincerely,
t.

Manick February 1, 2008 at 7:39 AM  

Hi Tashfeen,

I just visited your blog and noted that the recent posts list is fine. I am not sure what problem you are facing. Or has it been resolved already?

Please let me know if you still have problems. I will try my best to help. Thanks.

Chris March 27, 2008 at 8:38 AM  

Hi,

in general this is working just fine, however, when I post a new comment the feed does not automatically get updated. Any idea?

Cheers,

Chris

Manick March 27, 2008 at 11:34 PM  

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your comments. I think you are referring to a new post and not new comments.

Yes, you will not immediately see the widget getting updated once you publish a post. This is not an error. You also need not do anything. Just leave it.

The feed gets updated only at a certain frequency. I am not sure what is the frequency. Once the feed is updated, then your widget will also update the contents. Thanks.

Admin October 21, 2009 at 7:57 AM  

thats great post

jc September 2, 2010 at 9:45 AM  

thank u

anand September 16, 2010 at 10:15 AM  

how to increase the number of posts more than 5

Credit Guy March 10, 2011 at 11:27 PM  

Nice tip friend thanks. Is this worked with new blogger templates

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