blogging

Benefits of Linking Your Blog Gravatar

Forestwood

Blogger Frank has been talking about community, of which I am a fan, and as such, I like to visit the kind readers who share their pearls of wisdom in comments on my blog and other blogs.

However, sometimes readers, who comment, have not linked their avatar and blog or website, meaning I’m unable to click their avatar link to reciprocate and visit their site. Clicking on such a user handle will take me to a dead-end, as this is what I see:

unlinked or non-existent gravatar

What is a Gravatar?

A Gravatar, or,’ Globally Recognized Avatar,’ is an optional URL that will be used when anyone clicks on your Gravatar picture or image. This is a link and it will re-direct the reader to that person’s blog or website.

According to WordPress:

Gravatar is a web service created and run by WordPress company called Automattic. It allows anyone to create a profile and associate avatar images to their email addresses. This avatar image is then displayed on all WordPress blogs where users leave comments or write blog posts.

WordPress integrates Gravatars into every WordPress site. Once registered with Gravatar, the service matches your WordPress profile information to the email address registered with Gravatar and displays your custom Gravatar image next to comments and (optionally) elsewhere on the WordPress site.

N.B. If you choose not to sign up with Gravatar, (and you can), the default icon set by the Administrator appears next to your name.

Adding your Personalised Gravatar Image

You can choose a personalised image for your Gravatar and upload this to your blog using your usual media library upload. Go to Your Profile, (i.e. this is found on the right hand side of your WordPress Dashboard screen, next to the “write” button)> click to change photo and upload in the usual manner.

The specific way to enable a link or personalise your Gravatar image, display or Hover card on your blog, may depend on your Blog’s theme, but here are a few other suggestions to try if you want to edit or add one to your site.

  • Settings > Discussion and scroll all the way done the page to “Avatars”
  • Appearance>Customise>hover cards on profile image
  • Settings> Editing your profile image
  • Customise>widgets>add a Gravatar widget to your sidebar or footer> add the url of your blog or website in the “Gravatar link”> save.

Hiding Your Gravatar Profile

If you wish to hide your Gravatar for some reason, or prevent your Gravatar profile and photo from appearing on any site, sign in and go to your profile, by clicking on the photos or Gravatar pic and toggle the on and off button. *

Gravatar profiles can also be deleted* at Gravatar.com

*It may take some time for the changes to take effect.

How does Gravatars work with your blog theme?

Do you prefer a personalised Gravatar?

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Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

58 thoughts on “Benefits of Linking Your Blog Gravatar”

  1. Pingback: Benefits of Linking Your Blog Gravatar — Something to Ponder About – All About Writing and more

  3. Hi, Amanda – I completely agree with you on the importance of linking a gravator or website to comments. Like you, I like to do a return visit when someone leaves a comment on my blog and am frustrated when I can’t find a way to do that. Thank you for this important reminder.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I can see we think a similar way, Donna! I think some people are unaware of the implications of leaving the gravatar unlinked. Both parties miss out. Community engagement is half of the blogging success.

      Like

      1. I just signed up fumbled around and started posting and stuff. Sometimes it’s good to be a bloke and not follow instructions on how to do something the way it is meant to. Not real sure if this is one of those times.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. None of us are perfect and reciprocal blog visits take time but they are worth it to get to know other bloggers and build a relationship. No gravatar link means that is not possible. At times I have googled the user handle but that requires effort and doesn’t always succeed in tracking down the person’s blog from which the comment stems.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yes, I’d only bother to do that if the person had left the sort of thoughtful comment that makes me think they’d be worth getting to know better! And even then, probably not if I were busy that day 😆

        Liked by 1 person

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  17. Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing this information. I don’t think bloggers realize just how important it is to do this. I display blogs I follow on the sidebar of my blog so that my readers can visit those blogs and broaden their community. I am considering stopping that practice because of this very reason. Thanks again for raising this issue.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. I can see that displaying the blogroll on the sidebar might be a problem, as I don’t think you can hand-pick the ones that show up. Could you use a selected widget to provide links to selected blogs on the sidebar instead. Using the blogs that you prefer. I feel sure I had a blog list like this on a former theme?

      Liked by 2 people

  20. Pingback: Benefits of Linking Your Blog Gravatar – ******Out and about with YaYa & Gangstalking ******🎯😎

  21. Hi Amanda, this is a helpful post. I think that all blog images should be instantly connected with an active link so we can pick and visit them. I am not sure why this hs to be an extra step and why the Gravatar company was needed?
    Either way, it is so helpful to connect with bloggers when they connect their Gravatar
    🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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