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I've noticed recently that many craft artists use 'Top 100' listings to promote their blogs, so I've spent the morning trying to create a listing for our bear artist blogs. I'm not yet entirely sure how the ranking thing works, but I'm sure it will all come clear in the fullness of time! If you are a blogging bear artist and would like to promote your blog, please pop over to see what you think and if you like the idea, sign up ... my banner looks a bit lonely at the moment!
If you sign up, please could you add the 'Best Bear Artist Blogs' button to your blogs to help spread the word ... thanks!
http://bestbearartistblogs.gotop100.com
Please note, you'll be entitled to add a banner as soon as your account is activated. You will receive an email containing your login details and info - I'm looking forward to seeing the banners! :dance:
Edited to add:
Banner details: I think the max width of the banner is 500 pixels and depth is 100 pixels with a resolution of 72 dpi ... I've sized mine at 468 px and 72 px.
Rankings:
Don't forget, your hits in to the 100 Best Bear Artist Blogs website from your blog won't count unless you have added the 100 BBBlogs logo above to your blog and linked it back to the 100 BBBlogs website using the unique user link contained in your registration email. You will still receive hits 'out' from the 100 BBBlogs website, but will stay low in the rankings unless you include the link, with your 100 BBBlogs unique user ID link, on your blog.
Happy Little SoulsAhh Paula,
You're a girl after my own heart! My blog is woeful at the moment (a casualty of the Society work), but I'm going to get cracking and get it updated- you've inspired me: see if I can't get myself into the top 100 
If you don't mind I'll also snag your link and put it onto the Society website so people can stumble across it there as well 
Cheers
Mel
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsGreat idea, Paula! If I have posted my blog address, can I later add a banner? I finally figuring out photoshop (thanks to some lovely TT folk!) and working on new pages for my website.
Thanks for joining in! Please do feel free to add banners ... the info should come to you in an email as soon as I've activated your membership ... Tami you are listed now!
Mel, I'd love you to add us to the Society website - thanks!
Here's to some great blog listings!!!
Thanks, that's great Paula.....do you ever sleep 
I signed up too !
Paula that is just fabulous! Yeah, do you EVER sleep? :crackup: Getting ready to send you mine
Happy Little SoulsJust finished, that was easy to sign up to Paula!
Thanks for going the extra mile....
Mel
Yay, we have a list now! Thank you all for taking time out to sign up ... I think this should give us a comprehensive list of bear bloggers ... great PR and great fun!
Ooh, I love that banner, and what a great idea, Paula! I'll pop over now to join... 
I have joined too Paula, thankyou so much for doing this :hug: :hug:
Hugs :hug:
Vicki xx
Pandy Potter BearsOh Paula you've done us proud! Thank you :clap: :hug: I think I've linked right, off to blog around, already found someone I did'nt know about. Yippeeeee....
JigpawsI've signed up too 
Paula, what a fantastic idea, you're such a star for spending the time doing this
Just off to post a link on my blog
Hugs
Janice
FenBeary FolkI am all signed up as well
Well done Paula :hug:
Great! The more the merrier! :clap:
Dolls N DreamsJust signed up...what fun!
All signed up!
Me too! Going to go right over and sign up now - thanks Paula and I like the banner very cute!
Dances With Teddy BearsHi Paula
Great site! I just signed up!
And I added a link on my blog to your new site.
Thanks!!!
:hug:
Sudey BabesCount me in :)
Thank-you, this is great and the site is adorable!
~Sudey
Thank you all so much for signing up! I hope the site will help drive more interest to your blogs!
I'm aware that the method of uploading banners can be a little confusing, so here are a few pointers (please bear with me - I'm still learning how to manage this site!)
Firstly, the sizing of your banners:
These are the website settings for your Top 100 banner sizing -
Max. Width 500 pixels
Max. Height 100 pixels
Min. Width 200 pixels
Min. Height 100 pixels
Banners need to be saved as jpegs at 72dpi.
Please note: the site is set to self-update at 30 minute intervals, so it may take a little while for your banner to appear.
I think to achieve the best quality for your banner so it isn't tweaked in the site software, sizing at 500 pixels X 100 pixels is probably going to give you the best results. (Thanks for the pointer Shel! :hug: )
To upload your banner image:
There are a couple of methods of uploading banners - first log in to your account (visit http://bestbearartistblogs.gotop100.com and click on 'member log in' at the top of the page. Then enter your user details to access your settings).
Once in your edit page, scroll down to 'banner location' and you will see a small drop down menu. If you click this you will see three option ...
No Banner
This Server
Members webspace.
If you are uploading a banner you can click 'This Server' to find your banner on your computer. Double click your banner file and then remember to click 'save' when the banner picture shows.
If you are uploading a banner from somewhere like Photobucket, Flickr, an existing blog banner etc ... visit that banner and right click on it. Then click 'properties' and copy the URL shown in the properties box. Return to your Top 100 membership page, scroll down to 'Banner Location', make sure the drop down menus shows 'Members Webspace' and paste your URL address. Then click 'save'.
I hope these instructions help! It's pretty straightforward really, just give it a go but if it becomes a problem, please send me your banner and I'll try and upload it from my end.
And finally reciprocal linking!
I would be most grateful if when you sign up to 100 Best Bear Artist Blogs, you would add a reciprocal link on your blog using the graphic above (right click and 'save as' to your computer).
When you signed up, you should have received an email containing your unique ID link (it's the 100 Best Bear Blogs web address with a number included in the link and this will be unique to your own blog link on the 100 site). If you place the Best Bear Artist logo on your blog and link it to 100 Best Bear Artist Blogs' site, using the unique link you have been sent in the email, it will enable your blog to take part in the rankings system!
To include the graphic on blogger blogs
(sorry, I don't know the mechanics of others ... perhaps someone else could give a pointer or two?) save it to your computer as previously mentioned. Visit your blog, sign in and select 'layout'. Then click 'add gadget' and find 'picture' on the list. Click to add and then browse your computer files to add the logo. To link, copy your unique user link from the email sent when your registration with Top 100 was activated and paste into the URL box. Then click 'save'. Hopefully your link to Top 100 Best Bear Artists Blogs should now appear on your blog!
Thanks a lot Paula, I've applied Hope sloths qualify!
They certainly do Chloe! Thanks for signing up!
Update!
http://bestbearartistblogs.gotop100.com/
I'm delighted to say we're fast heading towards our first fifty members and the 100 Best Bear Blogs site is looking great thanks to all the lovely blog banners! I've checked all the blog links and they all seem to be working fine ... I've even found some new blogs I didn't know about through the list, which is great!
We have one or two new members with problem banners today (ie., not sized correctly, or not displaying for some reason) so if you check your link and find your blog banner isn't showing, please remember the best size to use is 500 pixels by 100 pixels. If you still can't get it to load for you, email it to me and I'll do what I can to upload it from the management settings. Please note: I can't resize your banner for you though, it will need to be within the dimension mentioned earlier on this thread.
By the way, the ranking system is currently set to work by counting the hits from your 100 BBBlogs logo on your blog - so if a visitor to your blog clicks the logo to visit 100 BBBlogs, you score a point and that point helps to place you in the Top 100 rankings. Having the 100 BBBlogs logo on your blog, linked to 100 BBBlogs with your unique user id (please link using the unique link received in your registration email) will both help promote our Top 100 Best Bear Blogs website and also your blog!
Further down the track when our membership is full (I'm aiming for 500 blogs!) I may swap the rankings system to record hits OUT from 100 BBBlogs - just to keep things interesting and give everyone a good chance of moving up the rankings. The rankings (hits in and hits out) automatically reset every 30 days to make it fair to newer sites and give them a chance to appear higher in the list too. All in all, the aim is to make this fun while it works to promote everyone's blogs! :dance:
Please remember to add the 100 BBBlogs logo to your blogs and websites ... the more effort we put into promote the 100 BBBlogs site the more interest we will draw to our bear craft!
the piece paradeHi Paula,
I just wanted to say a huge Thank you! for setting up the 100 Best Bear Blogs site! You really are a star! I'm not sure how you keep all those balls in the air, but I sure appreciate your efforts and admire your savvy.
~ginger
That's kind of you, thanks Ginger! You'd see how I keep my balls juggling if you visit my next show ... I thinking that at this rate I won't have too much on my table!!!! 
Note to self: MAKE SOME BEARS PAULA!!!!! :pray: :doh:
