Changing the way how your blog posts look on the homepage of your blog seems to be really interesting. It however is interesting but also is helpful in optimizing your blogger blog for Search engines. Dynamic grid layout makes your blog much pretty on the homepage.
now find the below code in your template HTML
Now stop!
You will find the above code more than three times in your template html code. So, don't be sad.
Just replace second and third with the below code snippet.
What Should you do before switching to Grid view?
First of all, the matter of fact is that - After switching to grid view your post will be appearing on the homepage in the form of graphics. So, primary photo in each post must be in the form of infographic or such a concept based that would describe that explain the whole post graphically.
The post graphics should be sound and meaningful. Weired graphics are highly probable in blog engagement. Sometimes, strange graphics attract the audience to see what's there in the post and sometimes audience fly away seeing the strange graphic on your blog. So, you have to decide the kind of photos you'll be putting on the homepage.
The second thing you need to optimize is titles, some of the codes show about 6-7 words of the title. SO, you need to keep the title of each post minimum in length.
You are going to SEO optimize the blog just by using this trick, you have to make sure - Meta tags are placed correctly and are traceable.
How to Customize the blogger template to fit for the grid view?
Yes, you heard that right.
Now you ought to make the blog template fit before using any grid style thereon.
Here is a task that would give your hand a little discomfort of copying and pasting.
Go to Blogger Template and in EDIT HTML
Find
</head>
Now Copy and paste the code snippet just before it.
<script type='text/javascript'>
posts_no_thumb_sum = 100;
posts_thumb_sum = 100;
</script>
<script type='text/javascript'>
//<![CDATA[
function removeHtmlTag(strx,chop){
if(strx.indexOf("<")!=-1)
{
var s = strx.split("<");
for(var i=0;i<s.length;i++){
if(s[i].indexOf(">")!=-1){
s[i] = s[i].substring(s[i].indexOf(">")+1,s[i].length);
}
}
strx = s.join("");
}
chop = (chop < strx.length-1) ? chop : strx.length-2;
while(strx.charAt(chop-1)!=' ' && strx.indexOf(' ',chop)!=-1) chop++;
strx = strx.substring(0,chop-1);
return strx+'...';
}
function createSummaryAndThumb(pID, pURL, pTITLE){
var div = document.getElementById(pID);
var imgtag = "";
var img = div.getElementsByTagName("img");
var summ = posts_no_thumb_sum;
if(img.length>=1) {
imgtag = '<span class="posts-thumb" style="float:left; margin-right: 10px;"><a href="'+ pURL +'"><img src="'+img[0].src+'" /></a></span>';
summ = posts_thumb_sum;
}
else {
imgtag = '<span class="posts-thumb" style="float:left; margin-right: 10px;"><a href="'+ pURL +'" title="'+ pTITLE+'"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7gZT9DXRuL7enLmIT3tnjTPsvyM0EPvvDb86HaO_1b9-N9RxBBXJfRaFdrFsxLJIm885XV26D8eJ18IS2NWhs5-uUZMtssy5we3ShBqSU1K36w87nmVXgN5Yi-QZDqtRsTYq5kv9Amql/s1600/sorry-image-not-available.png" style="margin-top: -30px;" /></a></span>';
summ = posts_thumb_sum;
}
var summary = imgtag + '<a href="'+ pURL +'"><div class="post-summary-text">' + removeHtmlTag(div.innerHTML,summ) + '</div></a>';
div.innerHTML = summary;
}
//]]>
</script>
now find the below code in your template HTML
<data:post.body/>
Now stop!
You will find the above code more than three times in your template html code. So, don't be sad.
Just replace second and third with the below code snippet.
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>After you finish above tasks, you have to select which kind of grid style you need. All you did yet was just a setup before applying the grid view.
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "item"'>
<div expr:id='"summary" + data:post.id'>
<data:post.body/>
</div>
<script type='text/javascript'>createSummaryAndThumb("summary<data:post.id/>","<data:post.url/>");</script>
<b:if cond='data:post.allowComments'>
<a class='comment-bubble' expr:href='data:post.addCommentUrl' expr:onclick='data:post.addCommentOnclick'>
<data:post.numComments/>
</a>
</b:if>
</b:if>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'>
<data:post.body/>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'>
<data:post.body/>
</b:if>
First View (Pinterest Style)
using this view will make the grids like pinterest which are adjusted automatically but you need pre-sized images for this purpose. make sure you have posted the pictures of random sizes.
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType!= "item"'>
<style>
#blog-pager {
clear: both;
position: absolute;
bottom: 0px;
left: 0px;
}
.blog-feeds {
display: none;
}
.post {
height: auto;
width: 100%;
padding: 0px !important;
margin: 0px 0px 30px;
display: inline-block;
text-decoration: none;
}
h3.post-title a{
font-size: 95%;
font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif;
text-transform: uppercase;
padding: 0px;
color: #fff;
text-shadow: 3px 2px 2px #222;
font-weight: bold;
}
h3.post-title, .comments h4 {
margin: 0px !important;
text-align: center;
padding: 10px 0px;
position: absolute;
top: 10px;
width: 100%;
z-index: 200;
}
.post-header {
display: none;
}
.date-header {
visibility: hidden;
height: 0px !important;
width: 0px !important;
padding: 0px !important;
margin: 0px !important;
}
.posts-thumb {
width: 100%;
height: auto;
overflow: hidden;
clear: both;
}
.post-body {
overflow: hidden;
position:relative;
}
.post-body a {
text-decoration: none;
}
.post-body img {
display: block;
width: auto;
height: auto;
max-width: 100%;
max-height: none;
min-width: 100%;
min-height: auto;
margin: 0px;
padding: 0;
border: none;
outline: none;
position: relative;
}
.post-summary-text {
cursor: pointer;
background-color: rgba(44, 77, 163, 0.8);
color:#fff;
font-size:120%!important;
font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif;
clear:both;
overflow:hidden;
padding:25% 10% 0%;
left: 0;
position: absolute;
text-align: center;
vertical-align: bottom;
text-shadow: 1px 1px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
top: 0;
transform: scale(1);
opacity: 0;
z-index: 10;
height: 100%;
transition: all 300ms ease-out 0s;
}
.post-summary-text:hover {
opacity: 1;
}
.post-footer {
display: none;
}
a.comment-bubble {
color: #fff;
text-decoration: none;
font-size: 120%;
right: 5px;
z-index: 222;
position: absolute;
top: 5px;
text-shadow: 1px 2px 1px #333;
font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif;
}
a.comment-bubble:before {
content: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZK_aZssp1JjvkZogHh5Ynbzm3uqz4d8nTDtj8lnVMgvchQowLuHnTV2V2RZSjSmO7VP_y_dy-WLzdMewp7cRrhkSYz7m6HdDUzQwN5jBvVl62htJ7vb9xcEqPiNM04jyJjx-mFZhnLe-p/s1600/heart-active.png);
}
.main-inner .column-center-inner {
-moz-column-count: 3;
-moz-column-gap: 1px;
-webkit-column-count: 3;
-webkit-column-gap: 1px;
column-count: 3;
column-gap: 1px;
width: 100%;
padding: 0px !important;
}
</style></b:if></b:if>
<link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans+Condensed:300' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'/>
Second Style (Simple Grid Static View)
This code works with equal sized grids and looks static when live. This auto resize the image and make it fit for grid.
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType!= "item"'>
<style>
#blog-pager {
clear:both;
}
.post {
height:auto;
width:31%;
display:inline-block;
text-decoration:none;
float:left;
margin:0 1.1% 2%;
padding:0!important;
}
h3.post-title a {
font-size:75%;
font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif;
text-transform:uppercase;
color:#111;
padding:0;
}
h3.post-title {
text-align:center;
height:22px;
position:absolute;
bottom:23%;
width:100%;
z-index:101;
overflow:hidden;
margin:0!important;
padding:10px 0;
}
.date-header {
visibility:hidden;
height:0!important;
width:0!important;
margin:0!important;
padding:0!important;
}
.posts-thumb {
width:100%!important;
height:190px!important;
overflow:hidden;
clear:both;
border-bottom:3px solid #00C8BD;
border-top:3px solid #558ABB;
}
.posts-thumb:hover {
border-top:3px solid #FF664E;
border-bottom:3px solid #FEBE36;
}
.post-body {
border-radius:2px;
box-shadow:0 0 6px 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
position:relative;
height:auto;
}
.post-body a {
text-decoration: none;
}
.post-body img {
display:block;
width:100%!important;
height:auto!important;
max-width:800px!important;
max-height:400px!important;
min-width:190px!important;
min-height:190px!important;
border:none;
outline:none;
position:relative;
margin: 0px;
padding:0;
}
.post-summary-text {
color:#555;
background:#f5f5f5 url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadCqPOtTsSi4zFlEwLFd734avayar1xWXla1beL_cqGM5o6uExUSg9iuDb72BE_vSdbguzcVxDnByiXHEnsx1DjaVppf-423fdO1QSqBI03qmgzUqO9nScUB4IA_1v4_k5YO46sAfsXew/s1600/blueprint.png);
font-size:100%!important;
font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif;
text-align:center;
clear:both;
overflow:hidden;
margin:5px 0 0;
padding:17% 10% 6%;
}
a.comment-bubble {
color:#fff;
text-decoration:none;
font-size:110%;
right:10px;
position:absolute;
top:165px;
text-shadow:1px 2px 1px #333;
font-family: 'Pacifico', cursive;
}
a.comment-bubble:before {
content: "Comments: " url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZK_aZssp1JjvkZogHh5Ynbzm3uqz4d8nTDtj8lnVMgvchQowLuHnTV2V2RZSjSmO7VP_y_dy-WLzdMewp7cRrhkSYz7m6HdDUzQwN5jBvVl62htJ7vb9xcEqPiNM04jyJjx-mFZhnLe-p/s1600/heart-active.png);
}
.post-header,.post-footer {
display:none;
}
</style></b:if></b:if>
<link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans+Condensed:300' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'/>
<link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Pacifico' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'/>
Third Style (Dynamic Grid style Hover Effect . Title at Hover)
This is a dynamic view of the above grid style which hides titles and description of the post on the homepage and makes it appear at hover. This thing gonna steal the heart of your audience. I too prefer this style.
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType!= "item"'>
<style>
#blog-pager {
clear:both;
}
.post {
height:auto;
width:31%;
display:inline-block;
text-decoration:none;
float:left;
margin:0 1.1% 2%;
padding:0!important;
}
h3.post-title a {
font-size:95%;
font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif;
text-transform:uppercase;
color:#fff;
padding:0;
text-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #222;
}
h3.post-title {
height: 22px;
text-align:center;
position:absolute;
top:1%;
width:100%;
z-index:101;
overflow:hidden;
margin:0!important;
padding:10px 0;
}
.date-header {
visibility:hidden;
height:0!important;
width:0!important;
margin:0!important;
padding:0!important;
}
.posts-thumb {
width:100%!important;
height:190px!important;
overflow:hidden;
clear:both;
}
.post-body {
border-radius:2px;
box-shadow:0 5px 4px 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
position:relative;
overflow: hidden;
}
.post-body a {
text-decoration: none;
}
.post-body img {
display:block;
width:100%!important;
height:auto!important;
max-width:800px!important;
max-height:400px!important;
min-width:190px!important;
min-height:190px!important;
border:none;
outline:none;
position:relative;
margin: 0px;
padding:0;
}
.post-summary-text {
cursor: pointer;
background-color: rgba(44, 77, 163, 0.8);
color:#fff;
font-size:120%!important;
font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif;
clear:both;
overflow:hidden;
padding:25% 10% 0%;
left: 0;
position: absolute;
text-align: center;
vertical-align: bottom;
text-shadow: 1px 1px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
top: 0;
transform: scale(1);
opacity: 0;
z-index: 10;
height: 100%;
transition: all 300ms ease-out 0s;
}
.post-summary-text:hover {
opacity: 1;
}
a.comment-bubble {
color:#fff;
text-decoration:none;
font-size:100%;
width: 100%;
text-align: center;
position:absolute;
top:165px;
left: 0px;
text-shadow:1px 2px 1px #333;
font-family: 'Pacifico', cursive;
z-index: 122;
}
a.comment-bubble:before {
content: "Comments: ";
}
.post-header,.post-footer {
display:none;
}
</style></b:if></b:if>
<link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans+Condensed:300' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'/>
<link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Pacifico' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'/>
When you have selected your desired style copy the respective code snippet and paste it just before </head> , save template and see the magic.
Now enjoy this view and remember, stable template is the sign of a good blog and a blogger too.
Note: Second grid style may not work if you are using a pre customized template. In case of failure, change your template to any default and then go through the coding again. I am sure this will work then.
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