How I moved my Blogger Blog to WordPress!

As promised, I am letting you all know how I moved from Blogger to WordPress, and what I did to make the move as painless as possible! So without further adieu…

Moving from Blogger to WordPress: A Step by Step Guide

 (These instructions assume you have your own domain already. If you don’t own a domain name you can purchase one when you purchase hosting. You can also skip step 4.)

Step 1: Purchase hosting.

I purchased hosting from SiteGround for my new WordPress blog. Although you can purchase hosting at whichever host provider you prefer. I chose SiteGround because I already have an account with them, and they have been good to me! Plus they have a one-click WordPress installation. No uploading files through your FTP Manager, no creating document roots, no complicated instructions at all. I just had to click install, change a few simple settings and it was done for me! How convenient is that?! You can view Siteground’s installation tutorial here to see just how easy it is! I would also recommend GoDaddy as well. I have previously used GoDaddy’s hosting service and didn’t find it too terribly difficult to navigate.

Step 2: Install WordPress.

Once you have secured hosting, I recommend installing WordPress on your site at this point. Don’t worry this WILL NOT effect your current blog. It will still be visible on Blogger until you redirect your domain to your new blog. (I recommend doing this now because once the redirect is processed your WordPress site will be seen by visitors versus a landing page from the host provider.)

Step 3: Export your Blogger content.

From your Blogger Dashboard, click “Settings” >> Click “Other” >> Click “Export Blog” >> Click “Download Blog“

Again, don’t worry this WILL NOT delete your blog or your content. It simply downloads all your content (posts, comments and pages) into a file for safe keeping should something go wrong while importing to WordPress.

Step 4: Redirect your domain.

You need to update your “Nameservers” for your domain in order to redirect your domain to your new WordPress site. I purchased my domain through Blogger so I will give instructions here on how to update your “Nameservers” if you purchased your domain through Blogger.

You will need to access the cPanel for your domain, to do that you need to go to:

http://google.com/a/cpanel/yourdomain.com

Changing “yourdomain.com” to your own domain. You will be directed to log into Google Apps. If you do not have an administrator account set up, it usually defaults to bloggeradmin@yourdomain.com. If for some reason you cannot log in, follow the steps to recovery your log in information, which will be sent to the email address used when you purchased your domain.

Now that you are logged in, click the “Domain Settings” Tab >> Click “Domain Names” >> Click “Advanced DNS Settings“

Here you will be given your log in information to change your DNS Settings. Domains purchased through Blogger are usually through GoDaddy or Enom.

Click “Sign in to DNS console“, and use the information provided to log in so you can update your “Nameservers”. I am not sure how the Enom console is set up, but for GoDaddy you need to click “Set Nameservers“.

You will need the Nameservers for your hosting provider. Usually this information can be found in the sidebar of your hosting account’s cPanel. Nameservers will vary from host provider to host provider, but the SiteGround Nameservers look like this:

NS1.SITEGROUND205.COM
NS2.SITEGROUND205.COM

Make sure you select “I have specific nameservers for my domain.” You just need to delete the Nameservers that currently exist, and replace them with the Nameservers for your host provider, then click “OK“. Congrats! Your nameservers have been updated. Propagation can take anywhere from 2 hours to 48 hours, while usually NOT that long, just be patient for the redirect to process.

Step 5: Import your content.

Once the redirect is processed and you can see your new WordPress site when visiting your URL, you are ready to import your content! There are TWO ways to do this, and I will give you the instructions for both. They are equally simple but either way has it’s “cons“.

→ Use the Blogger Importer. You can use the Blogger Importer by clicking “Tools” on your WordPress Admin Sidebar >> Click “Import” >> Click “Blogger“. Note: If you use the Blogger Importer you will need to be logged into the Google Account in which you manage your Blogger blog.

You will be asked to install the Blogger Importer plugin before proceeding. So go ahead and install the plugin and then return to the Import section.

Once you run the Blogger Importer, you will be prompted to grant WordPress access to your Google Account. You will need to grant access so the Importer can import your content. After granting access you will be redirected to a page listing your blog, the number of posts and the number of comments to be imported. Click “Import“. If you manage more than one Blogger blog under your Google Account, make sure you import the correct one!

Depending on how much content you have, will depend on the length of time it takes to import.

CONS OF USING THE BLOGGER IMPORTER:

#The Blogger Importer does not handle Blogger Static Pages. So if you have Static Pages on your Blogger blog, you will need to manually create them again, in WordPress. This could be as easy as copying and pasting from your Blogger Pages to your new WordPress Pages.

#The Blogger Importer removes the formatting for ALL of your posts, making your nice, neat paragraphs one big paragraph.

PROS OF USING THE BLOGGER IMPORTER:

#Quick and easy.

# All of your Blogger labels are uploaded automatically as Categories.

→ Convert your Blogger file into a compatible WordPress file.

Trust me it is A LOT easier than it sounds… There’s an App for that! You can use this Blogger to WordPress Conversion Utility, and all you need to do is upload your Blogger file that you obtained in Step 3, and the Conversion Utility will convert and download a WordPress compatible file for you!

Then you would use the WordPress Importer (instead of the Blogger Importer) to upload your new file to WordPress.

CONS OF CONVERTING YOUR FILE AND USING THE WORDPRESS IMPORTER:

#Your Blogger labels do not upload  as Categories and all posts are left “Uncategorized”.

#The WordPress Importer deletes formatting on SOME of your posts, versus the Blogger Importer, which removes formatting on ALL your posts.

PROS OF USING THE WORDPRESS IMPORTER:

#Quick and easy.

#Converting your file, and uploading keeps your pages in tact. So it will import your Blogger static pages!

So as you can see both options are simple, but the real decision is: do you want to create all new static pages for your site, OR do you want to re-categorize all your posts? I am a stickler for formatting, I like nice clean breaks, justified text and organized paragraphs, so I chose the latter. I thought it would be easier to re-categorize all my posts versus re-formatting them all! (I did have to re-format some but not all, and I am sure there are some that I missed, but I will get to it eventually!) I used a Bulk Category Creator, to create categories for all the labels I had over at Blogger. I just copied all of my labels and pasted them in the plugin, and voila! I used the Quick Edit feature on each post from the “All Posts” screen to re-add the posts’ categories. It was a lot of work, but better than having to re-format all my posts!

CONGRATS you are done with your move from Blogger to WordPress! Here are some other things to consider:

→ Design. You can peruse the internet for free WordPress themes, or you can purchase premium themes like Genesis Framework and Child Themes from StudioPress, or The Thesis Theme from DIY Themes. If you aren’t savvy with coding or just can’t seem to find a theme you like, you can hire a professional like me to create custom design for you!

→ Feeds. You will need to update your feeds such as your RSS feed, your email subscription feed, Networked Blogs, etc. After all, you will want all of your loyal followers and readers to come with you! …and those GFC Followers, they won’t miss too much, you will still appear in their Google Reader (if you already had a domain – if you had a blogspot domain, I am not sure, but I don’t think you will. {sad face}

→ Sidebar. Unfortunately, you don’t get to “bring” your Blogger sidebar with you to your new WordPress blog, so you will want to add all of your sidebar goodies from your Blogger blog to your new WordPress blog.

I think that’s all folks! My perfectly imperfect Blogger to WordPress Step by Step Guide. I hope you enjoyed and that this assists you in completing your own Blogger to WordPress Migration!

Cheers!

Don’t forget to share the love! ↓

Tips for Maintaining Your Laptop!

Now a days, many people are using laptops for their school work, business or leisure. However, laptops can lose their efficiency if not well-maintained. The following are some tips which will help enhance your laptop usage.

1. Watch out for dust

To ensure your laptop remains effective for a long time, you need to protect it from dust. An accumulation of dust in your laptop could block the ventilation areas and result in overheating. It is therefore very important to keep your laptop from being exposed to dust.

2. Keep it cool

Besides dust, it is also very important to protect your laptop from excessive heat. A laptop used in a cool, dry area will work more effectively and faster than if it was exposed to heat. To protect your laptop from overheating, avoid using it on your lap, bed or cushion since this will block the vents underneath which help in cooling. The best solution for this is to use a lap tray as a base for your laptop. Alternatively, you can invest in any of the laptop coolers which are sold in most computer stores.

3. Install a firewall and antivirus software

If you don’t use any antivirus, your laptop remains vulnerable to being infected by a virus. Make sure you use proper antivirus software to protect your laptop and keep it effective for longer. You should also install a firewall so as to restrict access to your laptop. A firewall will alert you anytime an external entity tries to access your laptop. You will then have the option of either blocking or allowing access. In addition, you need to be cautious about using external hard disks and flash disks with your laptop.

4. Eliminate unused programs

At times, you might have some programs in your laptop that you don’t really need. It is advisable to uninstall them so as to create more space in your hard drive. This will enable you to install other important applications and programs. Eliminating unused programs will also improve your laptop’s performance and make it easier to locate important files.

5. Defragment hard drives

When you have many programs in your laptop, it will take time to locate your important files. It is therefore very vital to defragment your drives frequently. Defragmenting will arrange your files in a way which makes them much easier to access.

6. Clean your registry

Once in a while, registry files might get corrupted thus resulting in a drastic and sudden change in your laptop’s performance. Make sure you run your registry cleaners frequently to find out if there are any corrupt files or errors.

7. Minimize programs to run during startup

Whenever you start your laptop, it will load all the system files, as well as the programs which have been selected to run during startup. The more programs you run, the longer it takes to startup. You should therefore minimize the number of programs that will run during the booting process.

8. Delete temporary internet files

Slow browsing speeds are often as a result of poor internet connection. However, in some cases, it might be due to too many temporary internet files saved in your laptop. You should therefore take time to delete such files from your laptop.

9. Empty the recycle bin

When files are deleted from your laptop, they end up in the recycle bin. This means that they are not actually deleted from the laptop; they have just been transferred to a different location. Thus, they still take up space in your hard drive. It is therefore important to empty your recycle bin as often as possible.

10. Power surge protection

Power surge protection is as important for laptops as it is for desktop computers. Replacing a laptop power supply is very costly compared to investing in a power surge protection device. Make sure you get one so as to protect the laptop itself, as well as your laptop power supply.

How to Make Money from Home with WebAnswers!

In today's tough economy, many people are turning to the internet in search of a way to earn extra money from home. With the endless scams out there, it can seem nearly impossible, and become quite frustrating. As a single mother of two, I know what it is like to not just want an extra income, but to actually need some extra cash in your pocket. So, I am going to tell you about a website that I accidentally stumbled across, that has made me more money in one month than I have earned on other sites in six months. That website is called WebAnswers.

 

WebAnswers is an extremely easy to use site, which is loads of fun, and can become very addicting if you aren't careful. The gist of WebAnswers is that you get paid to answer questions that other internet users ask. I know it sounds too good to be true, but it isn't. Here's how it works:

To start, you have to sign up for a WebAnswers account. It doesn't cost anything to sign up, and you don't have to provide any credit card numbers. Simply enter some information, including your email address, and decide on a password.

Once you have signed up for an account, you have to start answering questions. WebAnswers states "Once you have answered 50 questions, you'll receive an invitation to open a Google AdSense account". I personally answered 47 questions, and asked 3, and I was able to link my Adsense account. I know other contributors to WebAnswers who did something along the same lines as I did, instead of just answering 50 questions. Whatever combination you choose to do, the point is to make 50 posts on the site.

When you have reached your 50 posts, you will be able to go onto your account page, and apply for a Google Adsense account. A Google Adsense account does not cost anything either, so don't worry. You do not need to put out any money to make money through WebAnswers.

If you aren't familiar with Adsense, let me explain as simply as I can. When you create a page of web content (which is what your answers on WebAnswers are considered), Google goes on those pages, and puts ads on them. When other users see your content, and click on the ads, you share part of the revenue gained from that click. Google also pays you based on the amount of traffic your content receives. There's a lot more that you can learn about Google Adsense, and how it works. That is just the very basic information.

 

So, you make your 50 posts, and apply for your Google Adsense account. This process is pretty simple, and doesn't take a long period of time. If you already have an Adsense account (as many online content writer's do), you can link your WebAnswers account with Google instantly.

Once you have linked your two accounts, don't be surprised to see your earnings start to come in, just from those initial 50 posts you made. Granted, it will only be a few cents at the very beginning, but they will be there.

Personally, I thought the way that WebAnswers explained exactly how you make money was a little confusing at first, until I finally understood it. To keep you from feeling that same confusion, I am going to spell it out for you. This is how WebAnswers works, and how you make money:

People go on the website and ask questions. You log in, and use your knowledge (and yes, you have some even if you don't think you do) to answer those questions. The person who asked the question then comes back and "awards" the best answer. Or, that's how it is supposed to work, but as you will see when you visit the site, many questions do not have awarded answers, because sometimes the "asker" never comes back or the questions were asked by a "bot" when the site was just beginning. But, these unawarded answers can become your best friend.

The WebAnswers site states "Once an answer you have posted is selected as the best answer for the question, you will earn a percentage of the revenue generated by that question from Google AdSense". I find that statement to be misleading, because the truth is, you earn on all the answers and all the questions that you post, at least to some extent.

When you ask a question on WebAnswers, you and the people who answer your question go into a rotation to earn off the ads on that page. Everyone continues to earn off that one question, until you go back and select an answer as the best answer. Once you do that, then the only person who continues to earn on that page is the author of that answer.

When you answer a question, you, the author of the question, and the other people who offer up answers, all go into that same rotation to make money on the page. When the author of that question comes back and selects your answer as the best answer, then you will be the only one to earn revenue off of that page's ads for the next year. If your answer is not selected as the best answer, then you will no longer receive any earnings from that page. If no answer is selected, then everyone continues to earn revenue from that page.

The site says the goal is to receive "awarded answers", but as many WebAnswer users will tell you, they earn more off of the questions that never select an answer as the best answer, than they do off the pages of their awarded answers. I have yet to notice a difference, but then I haven't dug too far into this either.

As you continue to answer questions, receive awards, and generally use the site consistently, you improve what is known as your Quality Score. As your Quality Score increases, the website starts to put ads randomly through out the site for you, to help you earn even more money. So, don't be surprised to see earnings come in from a category that you never answered a question in!

As I stated, WebAnswers is very easy to use- just go on, and start answering questions. Even if you don't completely get how it works in the beginning, you will pick up all the information you need to be successful. I have been with WebAnswers for not quite a month yet, and have earned triple what I earn on other sites. I would give you an exact amount, but that is against Adsense policy, so I can't.

When I stumbled across the site, I joined in hopes of making money. After spending some time there and getting to know some of the other users however, it became more about having fun and making money was just an added bonus. As a single mom, I am thrilled that something I now consider fun, is making me residual income. I even answer questions on my Iphone while sitting at the doctor's office with one of my kids!

If you are looking for a way to stay at home and make some extra money, I would definitely recommend WebAnswers. It won't make you rich, but if you put forth the effort, you can definitely earn a few hundred dollars or more from it. How much you earn will depend on you, but there are users who are making $500 or more a month just by answering questions.

How to Verify Your PayPal Account Through State Bank Of India!

Most of webmasters, publishers and bloggers used PayPal for sending and receiving money globally over Internet. But there is a limit for sending and receiving money until you will not confirmed your PayPal Account. The most common method to verify your PayPal account is just attaching your Credit card to PayPal. But in India Most of Bloggers and Publisher don’t own a credit card. But they can also verify their PayPal Account. You can verify your PayPal Account with any International Bank of India like State Bank Of India, Union Bank Or India, Punjab National Bank, ICICI, HDFC, Citi Bank, Bank Of Baroda, Central Bank Of India, Axis Bank etc... This is very simple process and takes 4 to 7 days to complete.

But most of Indian Publisher makes mistake during this process and hence they feel unable to verify their PayPal account. In this post I am explaining how you can verify your PayPal account through State Bank of India (SBI) account.

    

1,Go to your PayPal account and click Add/Edit Bank Account under Profile Tab.
    

2,Now Click on Add Tab.
   

 3,Choose your country as India.
   

 4,Add you Name. ( It would exactly same as on your Bank Account)
    

5,Add NEFT IFSC Code. Click here to find SBI IFSC Code for your SBI Branch.
    

6,Add your Account Number. (add full account number 17 digits, including zeros)
    

7,Reenter your Account Number.
    

8,Now Add This.
   

 9,Once you successfully add your account, you can verify it.
    

10,Click on the Verify link.
    

11,And wait for 4 to 7 days, PayPal will add two small amounts on your SBI Account. (it will be very small amount like Rs. 1.02 or Rs. 1.03 etc..)
    

12,Now verify your PayPal account by adding these two amounts on PayPal.
    

13,After you will add both the amount your account status will become verified.
    

14,Now you’re Sending and Receiving limits has been finished.
    

15,Done!

If you feel any problem you may ask to me. Once you will verify your SBI Bank Account you can withdraw PayPal funds to your SBI Bank Account directly. It will take usually 3 to 10 working days.