12.27.2005
Adding Sidebar Content with TypeLists
Posted by Technical Support in Tips and Tricks
This post is the third in a series that introduces some great TypePad features and offers tips on finding help with TypePad in general.
Melissa on Adding Sidebar Content with TypeLists.
Q: What can you tell us about yourself?
Not much, due to the restrictions of the Witness Protection Program. (Kidding!) My name is Melissa, I live in Detroit and I've been blogging since June 2002. My main blog is powered by Movable Type and available here: anything but ordinary. I also have a TypePad blog and a LiveJournal. :D
Q: What tip will you be talking about today and why did you pick this?
I picked TypeLists, with a focus on Notes TypeLists. They're so versatile. The possibilities are seemingly endless. You can add stats services, webrings, buttons, badges, tickers, doodads, widgets, and a bunch more things I don't have room to list!
One of the items I've enjoyed listing on my blog in the past is my friends' birthdays. With a Notes TypeList, you can include a countdown to the next birthday, and list other birthdays below.
Q: What are TypeLists and how can I use them?
TypeLists can be used to add many different things to your site, to make it more individual, useful and even bring in revenue for you.
People TypeLists can contain a list of your favorite blogs, your friends' blogs, bloggers with similar interests or all of the above.
The nice thing about People TypeLists is that they automatically pull the Site Name in for you, whicht saves you time and avoids typos. (Not that any of us make thos. ;) )
Do you enjoy having the People TypeList, but prefer to call your pal John over at "Deeply Philosophical" something more appropriate? Use a Link TypeList instead, to properly label him "Stinky." (He should really wash those gym socks.)
To add a list of your favorite books, or your must-have music, use a Reading or Music TypeList. Be sure to enter your Amazon Associates ID into your Profile, to get credit when people purchase through your site!
Do you want to list an item, but it's not a book or CD? Enter the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) in the ISBN section of a Reading TypeList to automatically list it in your sidebar with a link and a thumbnail. This is very handy if you want to create a Movies TypeList, Video Games TypeList or maybe a TypeList for your favorite Make-Up products.
For example, the Amazon URL for Star Wars Episode III looks like this:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005JLXH/
The ASIN is B00005JLXH. (You can double-check the ASIN by searching Amazon for "B00005JLXH.") At the top of a Reading TypeList New Item window, it has "Enter an ISBN to quickly add a new book.". Paste in B00005JLXH, to add the Star Wars Episode III DVD.
The most flexible TypeList though, in my opinion, is the Notes TypeList. With it, there is virtually no limit to the items you can display in your sidebar. (See also: Displaying Custom Content.) A Notes TypeList allows you to enter plain text or code right into the sidebar of your site.
Here are a couple of the nifty items I've either listed in my sidebar in the past or have come across lately and thought were interesting:
- Adding Google Search to your site
An easy way for your readers to search your site.- Brainy Quote, Brainy Dictionary, and Brainy History
Lots of fun items to add. Click through for more info.- Flickr has their badge creator here.
It's a nice way to showcase your off-site photos. :)- imood.com
Tell the world how you're feeling.- LibraryThing
Catalog your books online.- Lilypie
You can set up a ticker to count down your baby's due date or count down the days to your child's birthday.- RingSurf
Webrings galore!- SiteMeter
A nice stats service, with both free and paid versions.- Weather Pixie
A graphical weather girl (or boy) for your city!
Once you've created an account with the service you're interested in and received the HTML for your button/badge/etc, create a new Notes TypeList, add it to your blog, then Add a New TypeList Item, and paste the service's HTML code into the Note section, Save, and Presto! You're done. :D
Caution: While this is so easy it can be addictive, you'll probably want to stay under five items or so, otherwise it can seriously slow down your page's loading time.
