How to Categorize (Label) Blogger Blog Posts and Show the List of Labels on your Blog Front Page

These instructions assume that you already have a Blogger Blog. If you don't then you don't really need these instructions, do you?

Start on the Dashboard. (To get to the Dashboard, go to blogger.com/home and log in if you are not already logged in.)

On the Dashboard page of your blog you should see your blog (or blogs) listed. Under the title of the blog that you wish to make categories for, click on the word "Settings."

Now you should be on the settings page. There are two rows of what I will call "tabs" at the top. The first row is Posting, Settings, Layout, Monetize, and View Blog. The second row starts with "Basic" and ends with "Permissions." This row will change when you click on different tabs in the top row.

Click on the Layout tab in the first row. Your second row will now start with "Page Elements" and end with "Pick a New Template."

Click on the Page Elements tab in the second row if it is not already selected.

There will be a mock blog page with elements that you can move around some. Look for a column of titled rectangles. Click on the words "Add a Gadget" in one of these rectangles. This will open up a new window.

In this window, scroll through the list of things you can add until you see the one titles "Labels." Click on the + beside this gadget. Now you can make some choices about how the labels will show up. After you are done choosing, click on the "Save" button at the bottom. You can then move the Labels element around on the Page Elements tab until you are satisfied with how everything is arranged. Remember to click saving after changing things.

Now that the labels will show up you might as well label your blog posts. Labels are essentially the same as categories on other blogging tools. I'm sure some people violently disagree with that, but debating the labels vs. categories and their similarities and differences is not the point of these instructions.

To the labeling, then!

Click on the Posting tab in the top row.

Click on the Edit Post tab in the second row.

Pick a blog post or posts that you want to label (or categorize) as something and click the check box in front of it so that a check mark shows. Go to the top of the list of blog entries and find the drop down menu box that says "Label Actions..." in it. Click on it and select "New Label." Type out what you wish the label to be when the dialogue box pops up asking you to enter the new label. Click the OK button. Once you create a label it will show up in the Label Actions drop down box as a selectable option to be applied to selected entries. Also in the future when you create a new post there will be labeling options at the bottom of the creation fields so you can label posts when you write them.

That should have set you up for labeled blog posts. Label some more if you wish and then go to your blog home page to check out your handiwork.