I got my own spot on Blogger. I chose Rounders 3 template as my blog layout. I tried to make both the blog post column and the sidebar wider, but to no avail. Adding gadgets and feeds to the sidebar and the bottom took some time.
I searched for free Blogger templates and found a nice website btemplates. I even downloaded cool templates like Raibow, Bright Side of Life and Notepad Chaos. But when I applied the new templates, they messed up my blog and removed feeds from the sidebar. Obviously, to apply fancy templates, it takes good HTML/CSS skills which I lack. After tweaking for a while, I gave up and decided to stick with the generic template.
Now, the next step is to figure out how to monetize my blog. Blogger provides built-in settings to insert AdSense to your blog layout. But I don't have good traffic to utilize AdSense yet. There's also Amazon Associates program (you receive a referral fee if someone buys a book, CD, etc. via a link from your blog) that's not as obtrusive as AdSense.
Anyway, trying to monetize my blog may deteriorate the quality of my blog. It's common dillema faced by serious bloggers: quality vs quantity. According to a Slate article, lame blogs are characterized by
top-10 lists, recycled ideas, half-baked notions, lots of viral videos, and a general increase in information pollution ... dubious crap.Hey, that's sort of demeaning for hard-working bloggers.
Anyway, here's a definitive report on the world of blog: Technorati: State of the Blogosphere 2008
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