A Simple Related Posts Widget For Blogger

In the last tutorial, i've been talking about the Related Posts widget that shows related posts along with thumbnails just at the end of your blog articles. Some of the users, however, would prefer a simpler and cleaner displaying of their related posts so that it would show just the posts titles. So let's begin adding it!

How to add Related Posts Widget to Blogger

Step 1. Go to Template >> Edit HTML and tick the "Expand Widget Templates" checkbox

Step 2. Find the below tag

</head>

Step 3. And just above it, paste the following code:

<!--Related Posts Scripts and Styles Start-->
<!--Remove--><b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'>
<style type='text/css'>
#related-posts {
float:center;
text-transform:none;
height:100%;
min-height:100%;
padding-top:5px;
padding-left:5px;
margin-top: 20px;
}
#related-posts .widget{
padding-left:6px;
margin-bottom:10px;
}
#related-posts .widget h2, #related-posts h2{
font-size: 17px;
font-weight: normal;
color: black;
font-family: Arial Narrow;
margin-bottom: 0.75em;
padding-top: 0em;
}
#related-posts a{
font-size:16px;
color: #555555;
font-variant:small-caps;
}
#related-posts a:hover{
text-decoration: none;
color: #ffffff;
font-weight: bold;
}
#related-posts ul{
list-style-type:none;
margin:0 0 0px 0;
padding:0px;
text-decoration:none;
text-color:#000000
}
#related-posts ul li{
list-style-type: none;
border-left: 2px solid #1399CF;
border-bottom: 1px dotted #1399CF;
margin-bottom: 3px;
padding-left: 30px;
padding-top:0px;
}

#related-posts ul li:hover{
background-color: #1399CF;
border-left: 2px solid #B3CA3D;
border-bottom: 1px dotted #B3CA3D;
}
</style>
<script type='text/javascript'>
var relatedpoststitle=&quot;Related Posts&quot;;
</script>
<script src='http://helplogger.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/related_posts.js' type='text/javascript'/>
<!--Remove--></b:if>
<!--Related Posts Scripts and Styles End-->

Note:
- if you want to change the size and color of 'Related Posts' title, change the bolded values (17 for the font size and black for the color)

-to change the related post title color, replace the value in red;
-to change the background color on mouseover, replace the color value in blue;

Step 4. Now find (CTRL + F) the below line:

    <div class='post-footer'>

Step 5. Just above it, paste the code below:

<!-- Related Posts Code Start-->
<!--Remove-->
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'>
<div id='related-posts'> <b:loop values='data:post.labels' var='label'> <b:if cond='data:label.isLast != &quot;true&quot;'> </b:if> <b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'> <script expr:src='&quot;/feeds/posts/default/-/&quot; + data:label.name + &quot;?alt=json-in-script&amp;callback=related_results_labels&amp;max-results=6&quot;' type='text/javascript'/></b:if></b:loop>
<script type='text/javascript'> var maxresults=5; removeRelatedDuplicates(); printRelatedLabels(&quot;<data:post.url/>&quot;); </script> </div> <!--Remove--></b:if> <!-- Related Posts Code End-->

Note: In order to change the number of maximum related posts being displayed for each label, search for the code max-results=5 and change the number "5" to any desired number.

Step 6. Save Template

Enjoy!!!

How To Add Related Posts Widget To Blogger with Thumbnails

Now here is a wonderful hack for displaying related posts beneath each of your blog posts, along with thumbnails. The related articles are chosen from other posts in that same category/label/tag. With this hack many of your readers will remain on your site for longer periods of time when they see related posts of interest.

Steps adding the Related Posts Widget to Blogger/Blogspot

Step 1. Go To Blogger Dashboard >> Template >>Edit HTML

Step 2. Click anywhere inside the template's code and press the CTRL + F keys

Step 3. Search for this piece of code by typing it inside the search box:

</head>

Step 4. Copy and paste the below code just before/above </head>

<!--Related Posts with thumbnails Scripts and Styles Start-->
<!-- remove --><b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'>
<style type='text/css'>
#related-posts{float:left;width:auto;}
#related-posts a{border-right: 1px dotted #eaeaea;}
#related-posts a:hover{background: #f2f2f2;}
#related-posts h2{margin-top: 10px;background:none;font:18px Oswald;padding:3px;color:#999999; text-transform:uppercase;}
#related-posts .related_img {margin:5px;border:4px solid #f2f2f2;width:100px;height:100px;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;-moz-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;-o-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;-ms-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;}
#related-title {color:#222;text-align:center;padding: 0 10px;font-size:14px Oswald; line-height:16px;text-shadow:0 2px 2px #fff;height:28px;width:100px;}
#related-posts .related_img:hover{border:4px solid #E8E8E8;opacity:.7;filter:alpha(opacity=70);-moz-opacity:.7;-khtml-opacity:.7}</style>
<script type='text/javascript' src='http://helplogger.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/relatedposts.js' />
<!-- remove --></b:if>
<!--Related Posts with thumbnails Scripts and Styles End-->

Note:
- to change the width and height of thumbnails, modify the 100px value in red
- to change the color and size of related posts titles, change the value in blue
- remove the line in violet if you want the related posts to be displayed in homepage too

Step 5. Now find the following code (you might find it twice, stop at the second one):

<div class='post-footer'>

Step 6. And just above it, copy and paste the below code:

<!-- Related Posts with Thumbnails Code Start-->
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'>
<div id='related-posts'>
<b:loop values='data:post.labels' var='label'>
<b:if cond='data:label.isLast != &quot;true&quot;'>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'>
<script expr:src='&quot;/feeds/posts/default/-/&quot; + data:label.name + &quot;?alt=json-in-script&amp;callback=related_results_labels_thumbs&amp;max-results=5&quot;' type='text/javascript'/></b:if></b:loop>
<script type='text/javascript'>
var currentposturl=&quot;<data:post.url/>&quot;;
var maxresults=5;
var relatedpoststitle=&quot;<b>Related Posts:</b>&quot;;
removeRelatedDuplicates_thumbs();
printRelatedLabels_thumbs();
</script>
</div><div class='clear'/>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.url == data:blog.homepageUrl'><b:if cond='data:post.isFirstPost'>
<a href='http://helplogger.blogspot.com'><img alt='Blogger Tricks' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLIKwyXxUNgo0dJZtbJlTqfRaeJDJKuHrNN96YnvImN07iJ81D0MgG-9qibBCI2X1-9-4vU_CeJg5vBTyiPGoEDchmqsLoOeZ4__pUWZg6_gYcMiexGHWW_3RdwT59JA7ZkBMLEJQwLJV/s1600/best+blogger+tips.png'/></a>
</b:if></b:if><!-- Related Posts with Thumbnails Code End-->

Note:
- change the 5 value from max-results=5 with the number of posts you want to be displayed
- if you want the related posts to be displayed on homepage too, then remove the lines in violet

Step 7. Save the Template

Enjoy :)