Remove The "Next Blog" Link From The Navbar

Ever since Blogger added the "Next Blog" link to the Blogger Navbar, blog owner and readers alike have periodically asked one question, in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?.

How do I remove the "Next Blog" link, from the Navbar?

The "Next Blog" link, long ago added to generate random traffic for new blogs, is occasionally perceived as leading unwary readers to blogs where they should not wish to go. Some "adults" of various intention have asked this question, quite seriously, in fear of their blogs being inadvertently linked to blogs with unsavoury content.

The navbar coded as it is, there is no known ability to customise it, and to remove specific elements such as the "Next Blog" link. Generally, we simply advise people, when they have the need, to remove the Navbar.

Use the Layout wizard, Edit the "Navbar" gadget, and select "Off".

That noted, it is possible to remove the "Next Blog" link (and all buttons and links to its left), with a bit of CSS - for blogs with the owner able and comfortable with using the Template Designer. For a simple way to remove the "Next Blog" link, use the "Add CSS" menu option in the Template Designer, and add one snippet of code.

#navbar-iframe {
margin-left:-510px;
}

When you do this, you will lose 5 other buttons and links.

• The dashboard icon.
• The Blog Search window.
• The "G+ Share" icon.
• The share count display.
• The multi-function share / "Report Abuse" menu.

So hackers / spammers will appreciate the last menu being unavailable, on their blogs.

You may see this tweak demonstrated, in my New Template Laboratory. It's an ugly solution - but for blog owners who truly don't want their blogs linking to "Next Blog", it may be useful.

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Blogger Blogs Lack The Navbar, Though Not Removed By The Owner

Recently, a few Blogger blog owners are looking at their blogs and wondering

Where is my Navbar?

or

Why don't I have a "Sign In" ("Sign Out") link, at the top of the page?

When investigating further, they may discover that none of the blogs, that they view, shows the Navbar. And, they did not intentionally make any template changes, to their blog, to hide the navbar.

Many of these people, later investigating the problem in Blogger Help, learn that their browser, or another anti malware product, is blocking the navbar as suspicious code. This is another example of improperly configured layered security, planned to protect our computers.

If you are observing the lack of the navbar on your computer, and you request help in Blogger Help, please help us to help you better, and provide details.

• What browser (name and version - and precision matters) are you using?
• What add-ons are installed, in the browser (completeness matters)?
• What anti malware product(s) do you use, on your computer (again, completeness matters)?

If we can get an idea of what components are involved in this problem, maybe we can isolate the problem, itself. Please, be complete - and be precise.

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Follow Blogs, Without A Followers Gadget

Recently, Blogger cleaned up the Navbar somewhat - and removed the "Follow" link. This left some blog would be Followers inconvenienced.

How do I Follow blogs, that don't have a Followers gadget?

There has always been a third way to Follow a blog, provided by Blogger - though not everybody may be aware of it.

Blogger has earlier provided three ways for us to Follow any given blog.

1. The Followers / Google Friend Connect gadget, in the blog body.
2. The "Follow" link in the Navbar.
3. The "Manage" wizard, in the Reading List.

Not every option is available on every blog, or to every blog owner / viewer - but given access to a working Blogger account, you can at least give yourself a third option.

If you're looking at a blog that lacks a Followers gadget, and now with no "Follow" navbar link, just login to Blogger and go to your dashboard, and the Reading List display at the bottom of the Blog List.

• For The Classic GUI, the "Add" button beneath the Reading List.
• For The New GUI, the Gear icon gives use the Manage wizard, with a similar "Add" button.

Just click on "Add", and enter the URL of the blog.

When you Add a blog, you'll have two options to Follow - Publicly and Anonymously. In either case, this only works for Public blogs - Private blogs don't publish a feed, and can't be Followed.

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