Choosing the right Blogger template is one of the most important steps in creating a successful blog. A good template does more than improve the appearance of your website. It also contributes to a better user experience, easy navigation, fast loading, and a professional presentation of your content.
Before installing a new Blogger template, it is important to follow a few essential steps to avoid losing important codes or encountering problems during the installation process.
Important Steps Before Installing a New Blogger Template
1. Back Up Your Existing Codes
Before replacing your current Blogger template, make sure to save a copy of any external codes that have been added to your template.
These may include:
- Google Search Console verification code
- Google Analytics tracking code
- Advertising codes
- Tracking and analytics scripts
- Other third-party codes and integrations
Replacing the entire Blogger template may remove these codes. Therefore, save them in a separate file before installing the new template.
2. Install a Default Blogger Template First
Before installing a new custom template, it is recommended to temporarily use one of Blogger’s default templates.
Go to:
Blogger Dashboard → Theme → Customize → Down Arrow → Edit HTML
Using a default template first can help prepare your blog for the new template and reduce potential problems during the installation process.
3. Use a Reliable Code Editor
Blogger templates are usually provided as XML files. Make sure you use a reliable text or code editor to open and edit the template.
Avoid software that may automatically change the formatting or encoding of the XML code, as this can cause errors when you try to save the template in Blogger.
Installing the Blogger Cleaning Template
Before installing a professional Blogger template, you can use a simple cleaning template to remove the existing template code and prepare the blog for the new design.
Blogger Cleaning Template Code
Copy the following code completely:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html b:css='false'
b:defaultwidgetversion='2'
b:js='true'
b:layoutsVersion='3'
b:responsive='true'
b:templateUrl='vegeclub.xml'
b:templateVersion='1.0.0'
expr:dir='data:blog.languageDirection'
expr:lang='data:blog.locale.language'
xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'
xmlns:b='http://www.google.com/2005/gml/b'
xmlns:data='http://www.google.com/2005/gml/data'
xmlns:expr='http://www.google.com/2005/gml/expr'>
<head>
<b:skin><![CDATA[]]></b:skin>
<b:template-skin><![CDATA[]]></b:template-skin>
</head>
<body>
<b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='yes'>
<b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' type='Blog'/>
</b:section>
</body>
</html>
How to Install the Cleaning Template
After copying the code:
- Open your Blogger Dashboard.
- Go to Theme.
- Click the arrow next to Customize.
- Select Edit HTML.
- Delete the existing template code.
- Paste the cleaning template code.
- Click Save.
Once the template has been saved successfully, your blog will be ready for the new template.
How to Install a Professional Blogger Template
After installing the cleaning template, you can proceed with installing the Blogger template you have chosen.
For this example, we will assume that you have downloaded a professional Blogger template in XML format.
Step 1: Open the Template File
If the template is provided in a ZIP or RAR archive, extract the files first.
Then locate the template file with the .xml extension.
Open the file using a reliable code editor to make sure that the entire code can be copied correctly without unwanted changes.
Step 2: Copy the Template Code
Open the XML file and select all of the code.
Copy the entire template code, then go to:
Blogger Dashboard → Theme → Customize → Edit HTML
Step 3: Replace the Existing Template
Inside the Blogger HTML editor:
- Delete the existing code.
- Paste the new template code.
- Make sure the entire code has been copied.
- Click Save.
If Blogger does not display any error message, the template has been installed successfully.
Check Your New Blogger Template
After saving the template, return to the Blogger Dashboard and click:
View Blog
Your blog should now display the new design.
Take some time to check your homepage, posts, pages, menus, widgets, images, and other website elements to make sure everything is working correctly.
Important Steps After Installing the Template
After successfully installing the new template, remember to add back any important codes that you saved before replacing the old template.
These may include:
- Google Search Console verification code
- Google Analytics
- Advertising codes
- Tracking scripts
- Third-party integrations
You should also customize the template according to your website’s needs, including the logo, colors, fonts, navigation menu, homepage sections, and other design elements.
Conclusion
Installing a Blogger template is more than simply copying and pasting XML code. Following the correct installation process can help protect your existing settings and reduce the possibility of errors.
By backing up your important codes, preparing your blog, installing the cleaning template, and then installing and testing the new template, you can create a professional and reliable Blogger website with a better user experience.
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