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Monday, April 6, 2015

Blog Archives - a Finding Tool

GeniAus' Blog Archive
PLEASE Geneabloggers include a Blog Archive as well as a Search Box on your blogs.

I have just spent some time trying to find a few old posts on another genie's blog that didn't have a Blog Archive Widget. In this case the Search Box on the blog couldn't find the four posts I was seeking. I could have also tried a Google Search but that probably wouldn't have helped me either. I did eventually locate the posts but it took me a lot of going backwards and forwards and too much time.

How about taking a look at your blog and, if it doesn't have one, add a Blog Archive Widget so that dummies like me who know you wrote a particular post but can't find it via your search facility can browse the archive and find it easily.

If you don't know how to add a widget you can learn how to add one in Blogger here: http://www.wikihow.com/Add-a-Widget-to-Blogger  or Wordpress here: https://en.support.wordpress.com/widgets/

12 comments:

  1. Totally agree with you Jill. I find blogs really hard to navigate if I have to scroll down to the bottom, and hit next all the time. In my opinion a search box, and archives list should be mandatory.

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  2. Alright, already, archives box added. I took mine out with the revamp we did a few months ago - didn't feel it added much. I prefer the categories option and the search box is imperative but each to his/her own I guess. The search facility on WP seems to work well -it's what I use when I want to find an old post of my own ;)

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  3. And it wasn't your blog I was searching Pauleen. I wonder if the other blogger will read and heed!

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  4. Easier said than done sometimes -- I'm redesigning my website and have spent weeks trying to find an archive widget that works (I don't use WP). It's still on the to-solve list...

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  5. I already had the Archive widget, but I've added the search function now too.

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  6. I take your point about the need for a Blog Archive gadget, but as for search boxes - I totally disagree. I did extensive testing and found that search boxes in most blogs (or at least, those on Blogger) do not work properly. They miss many relevant posts, and are thus very misleading, so I removed them from my blogs - but I make good use of appropriate keywords/categories. An ordinary Google search will generally work, especially if the blog owner makes an effort to learn and apply the basics of Search Engine Optimisation.

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  7. I use the search box on my own blog regularly to find past posts! Wouldn't be without it!

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  8. It may not be perfect but, like you, Sharon, I find the Search Box useful. I'm keeping mine.

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  9. It may not be perfect but, like you, Sharon, I find the Search Box useful. I'm keeping mine.

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  10. I forgot to explain that keeping copies of my blog posts on my computer (in a separate folder) lets me do very fast and powerful searches there (much easier than doing online searches with a blog search box).

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  11. You've made me realise Jill that I removed most of my widgets off my blog ages ago to clean the look of it up. I might go back and add a few things like the archive.

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  12. Why not add a " search this blog using google option ". Would make it much more unlikely to miss relevant blog entries.

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