This short wibblette is intended for newcomers to WordPress; my aim is to show you how to set up Gravatar to help you build traffic to your site.
First of all: what is ‘Gravatar’?
An ‘avatar’ is an image that represents you online — a little picture that appears next to your name when you interact with websites.
A ‘Gravatar’ is a Globally Recognized Avatar. You upload it and create your profile just once, and then when you participate in any Gravatar-enabled site, your Gravatar image will automatically follow you there. Gravatar is a free service which is automatically included in every WordPress.com account.
Why should I care?
When you visit a site and ‘like’ an article, or leave a comment, your Gravatar remains behind on the page. Other visitors can click on it to find out about you… and, if you’ve set Gravatar up correctly, they can visit your site from your Gravatar page.
If you haven’t set it up, they can’t get to your site from Gravatar.
So how do I set it up?
It’s really easy.
- First, go ‘like’ a page somewhere — this one here is really handy ;) — which will plonk your Gravatar down.
- Then, click on your Gravatar: this will take you to your Gravatar page. You may need to sign in… if you’re already logged in to WordPress you just hit the ‘Approve’ button. (Don’t worry about doing this: Gravatar is part of WordPress.)
- Then, you click on ‘My Profile’ at the top,
- then ‘Websites’ on the right,
- then ‘Add WordPress.com Site’ on the left. This will present you with a list of all your WordPress sites, so you just click the box next to the one(s) you want to include on your Gravatar and press the ‘Add Checked’ button.
That’s all there is to it!
Go click on your Gravatar again, and you’ll see that your Gravatar page now includes a ‘Websites’ section with a handy link to your own site that visitors will see from here on. You can also use Gravatar to link to your accounts on other social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and so on.
If you’ve found this information useful, I’d appreciate it if you could spread the word by creating a link to this article — or even a reblog, if you’re feeling especially generous!
Special thanks to Everyday Life, Meditations in Motion and Adventures in Punk who gave me the inspiration for this post, and valuable feedback on it before it was released into the wild!
Thanks to you I know what a Gravatar! Thank you for being awesome!
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I was just happy to help.
(I don’t think I’ve ever been called ‘awesome’ before, thank you for the compliment!)
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I clicked “Like” on this page but it didn’t “plonk your Gravatar down” — at least, not that I could see. Or maybe I’m just too computer illiterate to do even an “easy” setup (what’s “easy” for others on the computer is seldom easy for me). But thanks anyway.
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Don’t know what might have gone wrong, there — thank you for trying to ‘like’ the page — maybe plonk a like down somewhere else and then follow my instructions?
I’d be interested in hearing how you get on, as the purpose of this post was to try to help ‘computer illiterates’! Maybe your experience can help me to adjust my advice to help others better.
[edit 27Feb2018 Hmm… I see your Gravatar ‘liking’ this page — and your Gravatar is already set up correctly to allow others to visit your website from it, so it looks like all is good.]
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Thank you. Although Gravatar is set up to allow others to visit my website from it, the reverse doesn’t seem to be true. When a reader posts a Like on my site and I click his/her Like, I see no way to visit their site unless that reader’s own link appears. If it doesn’t, Gravatar is of no help (maybe I just don’t know how to use it). Fortunately, in such cases, I can usually (but not always) find the reader’s site through Google, though it takes more time.
Thanks for YOUR time in trying to help, but I’m pretty much a hopeless case when it comes to understanding these things. Let’s call it a day so you can spend more time helping others who are more computer literate.
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I just checked your Gravatar, and like mine, yours is set up to show the website. That, I believe is the whole point of this article. Mine has been set up a couple of months ago. I get disappointed when I see a collage of Gravatars on someone else’s blog and I want to check their blogs and I can’t, because they don’t have their websites linked. It’s a major bummer.
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The problem you speak of is exactly the one I hope to address with this post :)
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I don’t mind spending the time.
I think that the problem you’re describing (“I see no way to visit their site unless that reader’s own link appears“) is due to the the visitor to your site not having configured Gravatar in the way I describe above.
I see this as one of those situations where we have a one-way system, but those responsible for putting up the roadsigns haven’t quite done their jobs correctly, leaving some folks travelling the wrong way…
This is exactly the problem that I was hoping to help address with this post.
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Thank you for your help!
Maria xx
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My pleasure!
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Good article. I don’t think Gravatar increases my traffic, but it definitely stopped me a few times from accessing other people’s sites.
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If Gravatar is set up in the way I describe, then those clicking on your Gravatar will be able to access your site. Granted, the hits may be minimal, but the way I look at it, it all adds up: and the other plus side is that you have a visitor arriving at your site who hasn’t been frustrated by trying — and failing — to reach it :)
[edit 27Feb2018 I neglected to address your other point: “… but it definitely stopped me a few times from accessing other people’s sites“: this is out of our control, and depends upon the owner of the Gravatar in question having correctly set it up at their end.]
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Surely, every bit counts.
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Going now to see what I have going..Thank you
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Would you let me know how you get on?
[Edit 28Feb2018 I just checked your Gravatar: it’s looking good!]
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Beautiful awesome thank you
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I think I just added my blog address and web site address and Facebook address and Linked in address to my Gravatar profile as you recommended… THANK YOU, peNdantry, for this useful tutorial!
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You are most welcome!
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Reblogged this on Diane Moments.
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Reblogged this on Everyday Life and commented:
Hey Darlings!
My friend Pendantry made this amazing post the other day about using Gravatar to build traffic. We all want to build traffic, so what are you waiting for, check it out!
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Awesome! Thanks for that tip.
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Happy to help!
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Reblogged this on Russellings of the Spirit and commented:
Good advice for all bloggers found here…
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Will try !! Thank you
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Happy to help — hope it does!
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I’m sure I have asked you before but on the back of your very instructive post are you able to tell if my own gravatar has been set up properly?
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Hi Paul. Hmm… no, your Gravatar doesn’t currently give a link to your website. :(
If your site isn’t hosted on WordPress.com then maybe you have to use the grey ‘+ Add Website’ button instead of the blue ‘Add WordPress.com Site’ one. Let me know if that works?
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It is a WordPress blog but I need to remind myself if it is hosted on WP. I thought it was?
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You’re asking me? I don’t know…
Is ‘Learning from Dogs’ listed when you click the ‘Add WordPress.com Site’ button? If not, try the other button… one or t’other should work.
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Yes, it does appear to be a WP hosted site. I’ll get back to the gravitas linking over the weekend!
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Thanks for this info! Very helpful!
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You are very welcome.
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Thanks to you I know what a Gravatar MERCI L AMI
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You’re very welcome… however, your Gravatar doesn’t (currently) link to your website :(
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thank you for sharing this great info…
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My pleasure. Let me know if you have trouble sorting it out, perhaps I can help.
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ok..will do
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Thank you for reaching out to me about this. You are awesome!
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Happy to help. I can confirm that your website is now showing on your Gravatar :)
‘Awesome’? Aww, shucks /blush
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Hello Colin,
Thanks to your clear instructions, I added my websites to my avatar.
I recall having set-up this feature but for reasons unknown, the websites section had disappeared. But no worries, I’m back on again, thanks to you.
Cheers,
Eric
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Thanks for letting me know it’s all fixed, Eric! Glad I was able to help.
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Thank you so much for reaching out to us about our Gravatar issue. That’s so thoughtful and kind of you. We’ll fix it using your instruction. Have a wonderful day!
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You’re very welcome. I see you’ve sorted it :)
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thanks for the tip and your easy steps to link mine, appreciate that!
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Glad to have been able to help!
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really appreciate it!
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Thank you..!!
Please do check out the gravatar of my blog and let me know is it working.
Thanks once again..
Sending positive vibes 💫
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Yes, the link to your website is there now. Well done!
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Thanks..!! Will you please confirm once again please..
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Yes, looking good :)
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Thank you so much..!! 😘
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Thank you for your kind message earlier today (or late yesterday). I’m still not quite sure how a gravatar will help me (I do not have a big following and do not feel that my unsophisticated computer skills will ever tempt many people to visit), but, since you took the trouble to offer me advice, I have gratefully accepted it (or at least attempted to). I had never even heard of a gravatar before :) I am very glad that wordpress is full of so many helpful and friendly people :)
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I can confirm that your Gravatar now links to your website. Well done! I can’t promise you that it will mean a surge in your visitors, but it does mean that anyone who wants to visit your site can now do so more easily.
There is a great crowd here! I’ve found everyone I’ve met here to be very helpful and considerate :)
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You are very kind! Both in technology help and in assuming that people would want to visit me in the first place ;) I am not expecting fame and glory any time soon! I’m not sure how it would be feasible but please let me know if I can ever return the favour in any way :)
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I am so computer illiterate that my first attempt to comment has just failed… thank you very much for the message you sent earlier. It was very kind of you to point out my lack of gravatar and, whether it will help me or not (I don’t hold out very much hope) I have accepted the gesture gratefully and have attempted to correct the issue. I had never heard of a gravatar before and am still unclear about it, even after reading your helpful post. So many thanks indeed for being so supportive :)
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You’re even more computer illiterate than you thought ;) Your first comment didn’t fail!
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Lol! I’m married to a programmer as well…
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I won’t tell if you don’t!
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Lol! I refuse to be ashamed of myself ;)
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Many thanks for your help, though I don’t know how you found me. I confess I don’t understand what I’ve done or why, but I followed your instructions and something seemed to happen… I am also the mother of your last person to comment, so it clearly runs in the family. Very kind of you to take th etime to help others.
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I found you using the magic of blogging ;) Yes, something happened; you now have a link to your site on your Gravatar. Well done!
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Reblogged this on Chomeuse with a Chou and commented:
Earlier today a very kind soul, Pedantry (whom I had not met before), advised me that my gravatar had not been set up properly, and that this would prevent potential new friends from accessing my site if, say, they happened upon a comment of mine on another page and felt like paying me a visit. Pedantry has generously written a post explaining how to correct this oversight, which I am reblogging here in the hope of spreading the word.
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Wow, thank you so much for this article! I never knew what in the world this Gravatar stuff was. Now I know what it is and I’ve set it up. Thank you so much!!
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My pleasure. Happy to help!
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Reblogged this on Poetry by Charles Joseph and commented:
Must read! (especially if you’re new to WordPress)
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Reblogged this on bibliomaniac-ezza.
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Thanks!!
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You’re welcome… but… your Gravatar doesn’t currently link to your website. Weren’t my directions clear? :(
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Well, crap. I was half asleep. I’ll do it again.
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Ok! Well done :)
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Got it!! Well done! Will await your feedback that it has been set up correctly?
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Huzzah! WTG Paul! :)
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Reblogged this on Alessandria today.
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Grazie del suggerimento…
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Felice di aiutare!
(I hope that Google Translate did that right!)
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Nice! Cheers for that :)
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My pleasure :)
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Thanks! Didn’t know these information :)
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You’re welcome!
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Useful information. i need to set up my Gravatar and this will definitely be of help.
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It only takes a few minutes. What’s holding you up? (Seriously, I’d like to know, so that I can try to help others in your shoes.)
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Got my gravatar finally. Wasn’t difficult, just got busy in some other matters. Thank you so much for drawing my attention to setting up the gravatar, and your information in this article!
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Your Gravatar looks good. Happy to help. Sorry if I seemed pushy! :)
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Yay! I think I’ve done it.
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You have! Well done! (Easy, wasn’t it?)
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Yep :D
Didn’t even take five minutes
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I tried to add an image as my gravatar, but it didn’t seem to work, so how do I click on my gravatar if there’s really not one? (See, I TOLD you I was a ditz regarding all this stuff!) I should hire a teenage kid to help me! 😁
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When you’re on your Gravatar page, click on ‘My Gravatars’ and then on ‘Add a new image’, then (on the next page) on ‘Upload new’. You’ll need to have an image file on your computer that you can select for upload.
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Glad to see you’ve got it sorted out! :)
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What an awesome, helpful post. Per your request, I reblogged it. Thank you!
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Many thanks! :)
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Reblogged this on Blue Sky Days 365 and commented:
Excellent advice from pedantry on how to link your blog to your gravatar
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Thanks, Colin. I followed your instructions — to find I’ve done all that already! The privileges of old age…
:)
Bob
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Well, I did start by addressing this post to ‘newcomers’ :P
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Thanks for this I’ll get on to it.
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I see you’ve done it :)
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Hi! Thanks for emailing me about how gravatar works. I originally thought gravatar was just there to keep some photos. Obviously, I thought wrong. Again, thanks for the help! :)
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My pleasure, happy to help!
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Reblogged this on velleochor and commented:
I originally though Gravatar was just there to keep some photos. But boy was I wrong! In this post, the author will teach you how to use Gravatar to build traffic in your blog/site! It helped me, I hope it will help you too!
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Nice helpful post, especially to beginners, thanks for sharing!
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You’re welcome… however, your Gravatar still doesn’t link to your site — let me know if there’s any part of my instructions that aren’t clear, I always like know where I can improve!
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OK, thanks!
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Actually some people/sites have linked up with my blog through Gravatar, how were they able to do so if the URL for the blog is not in my Gravatar profile?
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*scratches head* I don’t know the answer to that one. Glad to see that you’ve now linked your Gravatar to your sites!
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👍
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Reblogged this on Pearls bunch.
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Reblogged it on http://www.pearlsbunch.com
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Thank you so much for this blog. I wasn’t aware of this. :)
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I see you’ve fixed it :)
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Yes I have. Thank you for helping me out here :)
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Thanks for the feedback!
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My pleasure!
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Thanks! Blessings
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Glad to have been able to help :)
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Thank you for reaching out to me about this. How you even found me I have no clue – I’m small potatoes in the blogosphere. I’m so small and illiterate at this stuff (but I’m trying!) that I don’t even know how to “Like” this page. I am now “following you” but don’t think that’s what you mean. Once I figure it out I’ll go through the process and see what I can do! Thank you again so much. And yes…you are awesome!
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‘awesome’… lol thank you for your kindness :) … and let me know if you need assistance setting up your Gravatar!
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P.S. If you can’t figure out how to ‘like’ this page then go to https://en.gravatar.com/debibradford — that’s your Gravatar page — and then follow my instructions from there.
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Yay! Thank you! I followed your instructions. Did I do it right?
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Yup :)
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Thank you so much for highlighting to me what a Gravatar is and why I should be using it. I’m sincerely grateful to you ☺. It always warms my heart when someone does something nice for no reason. Thank you for defrosting me today! 😁
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My pleasure! Thanks for letting me know I’ve warmed your heart today :)
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Oh my, after a whole year, finally a wonderful tip. I am so very happy with your suggestion! Please keep the tips coming. You made my day
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I see you’ve fixed it. Glad I made your day!
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Reblogged this on The Rendezvous Club and commented:
How to link your Gravatar with your Site.
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Thank you for being absolutely fabulous and sharing this information. You are amazing for doing this.
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Thank you for your kind words!
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Thank you for sharing this (and for letting me know that my Gravatar wasn´t linked to my blog).
It´s a really useful something new learnt and I´ll be sure to send others your way too!
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Good to see you’ve sorted it! :)
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Thanks, this was actually very helpful. I had no idea people couldn’t find my WP site from my gravatar. Thanks again.
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Happy to help. I see you’ve fixed it, well done! :)
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Reblogged this on umbrios27 and commented:
Uma dica muito boa, em inglês:
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Thank you for your comment on my blog about my gravatar not linking. Hopefully I have followed your useful post and fixed it now – I just need to work on my menus now! Thanks, once again.
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Yes, you’ve fixed it — well done!
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I really appreciate you reaching out to me! I think I got this set up correctly! Fingers crossed… ;)
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Looks good to me! :)
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Reblogged this on Life, more than existence! and commented:
This was something I was not aware of needing to be done. Now I have linked my site to my Gravatar. This was helpful to me hope it may be of help to you.
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Reblogged this on In a Love World and commented:
Following this article, I have linked my site to my Gravatar for I did not know about that. I hope it may be of help to you, too.
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Reblogged this here
https://inaloveworld.wordpress.com/2018/06/02/using-gravatar-to-build-traffic/
and commented:
“Following this article, I have linked my site to my Gravatar for I did not know about that. I hope it may be of help to you, too.”
Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you for sharing!
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Reblogged this on Sappho-Licious and commented:
Thank you so much “pendantry, Wibble”!
I had no idea about the Gravatar!
😀😎
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Reblogged this on Success Inspirers' World and commented:
Very useful post.
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Reblogged this on Chris Thompsons' Emphorius Views.
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Hi I just found a feedback thing you left me (I’ve been awak for about a month so I’m not entirely sure what this is) but you sent me to this post so thank you! :)
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You’re very welcome.
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Thank you – so so helpful! I had been wondering about that…and there you are explaining it all – wonderful!
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Happy to help! :)
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You helped me with this perfectly. Thank you!
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You’re very welcome.
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Very useful. It should work now…
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Awesome, you’ve fixed it :)
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Thank you
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You’re welcome. Hope it helped!
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I guess time will tell!! 😉
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Wow, I had no idea about this! Thank you so much for the super informative post!
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You are most welcome!
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Pretty cool stuff. Thanks for the tips. I finally have a Gravatar….
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