Your G (globally) R (recognized) Avatar (um…avatar)
I’m not saying you must have one of these or even should have one. It’s totally up to you, of course. But it’s possible you’ve heard something like this from me:
“Hello. 🙂 Just an FYI: Your Gravatar leads to your old blog.”
Or
“Hi there. 🙂 Your Gravatar is unclickable.”
You may already know this. You may not care. You may want it that way. But, just in case, it’s an easy fix.
Sometimes, when I’m rushing around or out and using my phone (which, if I’m honest, isn’t “sometimes”, it’s “most of the time”), I’ll click on your name (or image) to get to your blog. It’s quicker and easier than searching through social media for your handle or typing your name into Google then scrolling until I find you.
If you have a Gravatar, think of it as your avi, bio, blog, social media, and all that jazz rolled into one.
Update that bad boy for your bloggy friends so we can find you. Or don’t. But please don’t take offense if I comment about your GRA. Take it with some grains of salt (around the rim of your glass), a margarita, and a smile.
My Sunday thoughts in 200 words or less.
Do you have a Gravatar? Does it link to your current blog/website/social media? Do you keep it up-to-date or have you forgotten about it until now?
FAQ and useful info: http://en.gravatar.com/support/
After talking to some tweeps, thought I’d add a quick how-to sort of thing:
Sign in to Gravatar.
Click on “MY PROFILE” at the top of the page.
On the right, you’ll see a list.
“WEBSITES” allows you to add, well, websites. (You can add all sorts of things here that you want to show up as a thumbnail image below your name – not just WordPress blogs, FYI.)
“VERIFIED SERVICES” gives you a drop-down menu letting you quickly and easily add social media by cutting and pasting the link to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogger, YouTube, and more.
I will not take offence. Or umbrage. You are but a piece of grit in life’s vaseline, a splinter as we slide down life’s bannister. There for a reason we have yet to discern.
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The reason will make itself known… 😈
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That seems like very friendly and helpful advice, Sarah. I hope I’m not a culprit! 🙂
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Nope. Your name is completely clickable and leads directly to your blog. 🙂 Although…if you wanted to, you could add Readilearn to your profile. (Your profile is what pops up when someone hovers over your image and clicks that big, blue “view complete profile”).
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Thanks, Sarah. I’m pleased it’s completely clickable. I’ll consider adding readilearn – does that mean I can have two? Occasionally I do comment as readilearn on education or kidlit posts. I think my readilearn gravatar shows up then. I wasn’t sure if you were alerting me to something else I needed to do. I appreciate your support and helpful advice. Thanks. 🙂
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Haha… Yes. 😀 You’re clickable. And your profile looks great with both sites as thumbnails beneath your photo.
I think their idea is to manage multiple websites, social media accounts, blogs, etc. in one place instead of having multiple Gravatars for each thing. But it’s probably good having one for Readilearn when you comment.
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Thanks for the info, Sarah. Although I do have a Gravatar, I’ve never thought much about it and haven’t really understood its purpose!
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But yours is so lovely! You’ve got a great background and everything. Plus a fabulous photo gallery of books and your social media all in one place. And your name links to your blog. Which is so wonderfully convenient. 😉
I think its purpose was initially to be able to comment easily but I’m not that certain. I do know it’s so helpful to be able to get to your blog from the comment section of another blog with one click. That’s just me being lazy, busy, and reading from a tiny screen on my phone while I’m in a waiting room somewhere. Bleh…
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I also give those messages, Sarah. It’s extra challenging to visit sites when the gravatar isn’t linked. I figure the blogger doesn’t know and is needlessly missing out on traffic. Keep up the good work!
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Yes! Thank you! I was feeling a bit lonely (and lazy). 😉 It’s so quick and easy when a visit is just a click away. I think you’re right that some bloggers don’t know and, also agree, they’re probably missing out on traffic.
P.S. Love your background!
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A great reminder, Sarah. Thanks for the link to the ‘how to.’
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You’re welcome. 🙂 I hope you find it useful. Go forth and link to your awesome writing!
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Um, Gravatar? I need a Gravatar? What next? Sigh.
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Um… Diane? You have a Gravatar. 😄 And your blog is already on your profile. All nice and neat like, in a thumbnail. Looks good!
Your name is clickable and leads to your blog, which is awesome. But you can add an image, website, social media… It’s very easy. Really. I wouldn’t bother if it wasn’t.
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Whew, now I can sleep at night.
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I know, right? You’re welcome.
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Good advice! I noticed about three weeks ago my Gravatar photo for Carrot Ranch went AWOL, and I thought, hmmm. Now I’m going to check into it!
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Well your name leads to Carrot Ranch and your profile looks great with photos and thumbnail websites. 🙂 Hope it’s all been sorted out.
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I can’t figure out why the G shows up in the address tab. It’s probably some little obscure setting somewhere!
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Hmm. Don’t know about Gravatar. Weird. Try WordPress.
> WP admin (old one)
> Dashboard
> Settings
> General
> Site Icon (should be upper right-hand corner)
> “Upload Image”
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That was it! Thanks!
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Excellent! 😁
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Thanks for posting this! I didn’t realize you could add other social media under Verified Services, which is handy indeed. I feel so ultra-tech cool right now, thanks to you! 🙂
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I know! 😀 It’s awesome. Like an all-in-one-Silver-Screenings. The Verified Services offers more than I thought and much more than I use. You can link to a lot from there. You can also add a background image. And a photo gallery of some of your favorite old movies. Eek! Fun!
I am SO techie. (No. No, I’m not. It’s a ruse.)
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Yes good tips!
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Thanks, Nina! 🙂
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A very timely reminder, Sarah. I’ve got a new website, which I haven’t promoted yet, but linking to the Gravatar was something I’d completely forgotten about.
Thank you. Yet another reason to keep reading your blog (as if I needed one)…
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Glad to be of service. I love being on time. I rarely am so this is super nice for me. Yay, me! And I’m also glad to give you another reason to continue reading the Lemon Shark’s words when you can. Always good to see you here.
So, wow, you have your Amazon page on there. Hallooo… That’s brilliant. So, which site is your new one?
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The new site is graemecumming.co.uk
It is live and I will be transferring my blog posts to it but there’s some techy stuff that needs doing first. It’s in hand but you’re welcome to take a look.
Hope all is well with you.
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It looks great! Good luck with the techy stuff (not my favorite) and hope it’s up and running soon. I mean…where would it run to? Or from? *goes to get coffee*
Things are okay. Getting by, as always. Hope all is well with you and yours. 🙂
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I think mine is up to date… Uh-oh… suddenly totally paranoid… I’ll just go check…
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Already saw yours. It’s totally current. Looks awesome and, wow, you are ALL OVER the social media, lady. You’re a star! (Okay, I have to do it…) ⭐
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Rockin’ post my friend and well said. Why blog with no gravatar? And ya, I just returned for a few days and stopping by a few blogs, natch I picked yours. 🙂
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Hey there! Nice to see you. Hope you had a wonderful holiday. ❤ Thanks for stopping by as you're (hopefully slowly) getting back into the blogosphere. Your Gravatar is awesome. Chock full of info…and you're the second person I've seen with a link to their Amazon page. Brilliant, really.
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Yay girlfriend! So glad I passed you gravatar test lol! And thanks for the warm welcome. I’m back for a quick week to sort stuff, laundry and repack. Off to AZ next week, but at least I’ll have reliable internet! I’ll be able to buzz around more freely when time permits while there. 🙂 ❤
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You passed the Lemon Shark Test. Excellent. (No way…not from my non-techie little self. It’s just so convenient when people let me visit them.) 😉 *click* *visit*
Off again! Nice! Enjoy your time in AZ and try to relax. ❤
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Great Advice, Sarah I just updated mine!
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Excellent. 🙂 Looks great!
(Don’t know if you knew this but you can add Facebook and Goodreads to the sidebar on the drop-down menu from “Verified Services”.)
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No, I didn’t know. I’ll check that out too later😀
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Cool. 🙂
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