Ever wondered how some people display their images beside their name while commenting on your blog while others have a boring grey icon?
Well, if you want to have that cool feature to display your image beside your name in any blog’s comment section, today’s post is for you.
They boring grey icon not only diminishes your blog’s brand on other blogs. it also makes you look spammy and most comments don’t get approved for the same reason.
You can get rid of this by using a gravatar!
Not sure what a gravatar is?
In today’s post, I am going to explain you what Gravatar is, what is the importance of Gravatar and why you should create your Gravatar image Right Now.
Contents
What is a Gravatar?
Gravatar stands for Globally Recognized Avatar. Gravatar is a free service by Automattic (the people behind WordPress.com) and is globally recognized because there are millions of websites and people who are using Gravatar every day.
Gravatar is like your profile image or display picture but on other blogs and comments sections rather than social media profiles.
It gives others an instant image of you and thus helps in creating credibility and building more relationships.
Why Should You Have A Gravatar? (Advantages & Benefits)
Millions of users use gravatar daily, 8.6 billion times to be precise. So what is it that makes the service to popular amongst bloggers and website owners?
Let’s check out the advantages of having a gravatar for you.
- With Gravatar, you can create your own identity on the World Wide Web. People who come across your comments and guest posts will be immediately able to associate you with your profile image.
- When you leave a comment on someone’s blog without a gravatar, chances are your profile/comment will be associated to the spam that gets dumped onto blogs everyday. With gravatar, people know you for you.
Moreover, if another commenter or reader of that blog wants to know more about you, he or she can just hover on the profile image of yours and your profile along with business information and other details will be shown. A good chance to funnel in clients and leads.
- In the world of blogging and internet marketing, networking is everything. With Gravatar, you can create your stunning profile and build brand around it.
- If you are doing great work in blogging but you don’t have Gravatar then you will be anonymous. Gravatar helps you to create your profile in such a way that it will help your business in long term.
How to Create A Gravatar Profile For You?
Now that you know how a gravatar can help you let’s start creating one. Setting up a Gravatar profile is a very easy and straightforward process. After this one time process, you just have to use that associated email id to comment or create guest posts accounts online.
Follow the below mentioned steps to create your Gravatar profile Now.
- To create your Gravatar profile, you just need to go to Gravatar.com and click on create your gravatar button.
- If you already have a WordPress.com profile (you are sure to have in case you use akismet/jetpack, WordPress.com or any of Automattic’s products) you can simply login to get your gravatar created. Or else, you can create a free account to get started.
- Once you are successfully inside Gravatar, the email address which you have used while sign up or login will automatically be attached with your website.
- You can add additional emails also if you want. Next, you just need to add image which you want to show in online world. Click on add one by clicking here button to add your image.
On the next page, you will have multiple options to upload image. You can choose one as per your need. Available options are upload new, from URL, past uploads and From webcam.
- Once you select image and click on Next button, you will have an option to crop the image as per the need. You can check small preview and large preview of your image as well.
- After this, you need to choose a rating for your Gravatar. There are 4 options to choose from. You can choose only one.
- G Rated: It is suitable for all website with any kind of audience.
- PG Rated: This kind of Gravatar may contain rude gestures, provocatively dressed individuals; the lesser swear words or mild violence.
- R Rated: This kind of Gravatar may contain things like harsh profanity, intense violence or hard drug use.
- X Rated: This kind of Gravatar may contain hardcore sexual imagery or extremely disturbing violence.
- For safer side, choose the G Rated Gravatar as it is for all kind of website which contains any kind of audience.
- Now it’s time to create your attractive profile in Gravatar. Anyone can come to your profile by just clicking of your image.
Try a clear headshot with a professional attitude.
Gravatar gives you an option to add your profile details like website URL and others.
Just click on My Profile to add your profile with Gravatar. You will be redirected to the following page.
In the above form, you just need to fill simple details like First and Last name, Full name, Display name, Location and some sentence for about me.
You can also add your other details like photo gallery, websites, background, contact information, services and crypto currencies in your profile.
Once you add the details then press the Save button and you are good to go.
Now when you comment on others blogs, you just need to add your Email Address which is associated with Gravatar profile and your image will automatically show there.
Now when you leave comment on some other blog, your comment will look like this.
Wrapping Up
So now I am sure you should get some good insight on what a gravatar is? What are its advantages and why to set Gravatar profile and the DIY guide to set it up.
Don’t forget the power of your Gravatar Profile. If you don’t have one then go and set one for you NOW.
Feel free to share this post with your friends and let them know the importance and process to set Gravatar Profile.
Definitely better to have a Gravatar photo than one of those eggheads. It makes the conversation and your comment more real.
Swadhin, Thanks for writing such a detailed and great article on Gravatar. So many newcomers will not able to change the gravatar easily.
This is fantastic!!! Do you have to use an actual photo of yourself or could you use your website logo? Thanks.
You should use an actual image (this is safe because it is from WordPress guys so no worries) because that way you can create a brand for yourself. When you change your blog or create 2-3 blogs in the near future it is by YOUR image that people will recognize you.
However, there is no rule so you can use your blog logo if you want people to know you by that.
Hope it helps,
-Swadhin
YES! I think I have a Gravatar profile (do I?), but never understood what purpose it serves.
Your post was helpful in giving me a better understanding of this important blogging tool.
Good tips. Yeah, for privacy reasons, I prefer not to show my face on my blog posts, but I will probably use a logo.
great post and great advice. The best part is, its easy to do thanks to your step by step guide.
thank you!!! Super informational and helpful- techy things are always confusing to me. thank you for the explanation
You have been so helpful. Thank you.
I never knew how important your gravatar is. Really glad I came across this post Swadhin!
Great article! I have set up a Gravitar. I wonder if it will show when I post this comment. lol.
This is a very thorough post on Gravatar. Good job. I love Gravatar!