Last updated on August 1st, 2018 at 06:26 pm
When people stop by your blog to comment you may have noticed a plain looking Gravatar. When you respond, are you displaying a profile pic or are you showing up as mystery man? Learn how to set up a WordPress Gravatar so your blog won’t be filled with the default avatar.
If you’re new to blogging or WordPress, you may have no idea how to get one set up or what the heck a Gravatar is.
I understand, when I started my first blog, I used the “Mystery Person” avatar because I thought it was cool.
Regardless of whether you set up your own professional looking Gravatar, WordPress is going to leave one whenever someone comments on you blog.
Which of these gravatars do you prefer? The default of the profile pic?
I prefer showing a profile picture. It shows your visitors that there is a real person running the blog and helps build trust with your visitors.
You don’t want to be one of those bloggers who tries to hide behind their blog. It’s time to get out in front and show your pearly whites.
If you’re following my blog, then you take your blog seriously and it’s time to get others to take you seriously.
What Is A Gravatar
A Gravatar is an image that will represent you online. Another fancy name for it is “Globally Recognized Avatar”.
It’s not hard to create and you only have to do it once. When link your image to your email, your avatar starts following you around in the online world.
WordPress makes it very easy to get it set up on your WordPress profile.
Let’s get started
Blogging Basics – Every Blogger Needs A Gravatar
I don’t know all the technical jargon regarding a gravatar, but you can read more about the free-to-use API service that Gravatar uses, if you want to know the technicalities.
My concern is that when you finish following the steps, you will have a professional looking gravatar on your WordPress blog.
Step 1: Sign up for a Gravatar Account
If you’ve already installed WordPress, head on over to the Gravatar website. You will need to log in with the credentials you created when you setup your free WordPress account. Enter your credentials or create a free account.
Step 2: Manage Gravatars
Head on over to my gravatars inside of your account. It’s going to ask you to enter an email address to use for your account.
The email that you use with your Gravatar account will be the one that links to your profile picture.
If you want to change the email associated with your account, click on “add email address” which is directly under the blue box.
You can add as many emails you want. Just remember you can’t delete your primary email address.
Once you’ve added your new email associated with your WordPress blog, it’s time to choose a picture that you will associate with your blog profile.
Click on the “add new image” link and browse to saved photo on your computer. Upload the image that you want to use for your WordPress site.
Once the image is uploaded, make sure that you choose a G-rating.
Now you have set up your avatar online. This is the image that will follow you around online, it’s also the image that will be displayed on your blog when you setup an author profile box.
Step 3: Create a Gravatar Profile
I am going to walk you through the profile page and show you how to create a professional gravatar profile you can be proud of.
Name and Details
This part is easy, just fill out all the fields with your:
- Name
- Public display name
- Location
About me section: This is where you will tell people a little bit about yourself and why you started your blog. Don’t make it very long, you just want to add a small excerpt about yourself.
Photo Gallery: You can upload several photos to show on your profile. I personally don’t use this feature.
Websites: Link your WordPress website here.
Background: You can upload a background image for your avatar. They also give you an option to use a color-picker to change the background color.
Contact Information: Enter your contact details to make it easy for your readers to contact you.
Verified Services: Verify other accounts to show ownership.
Crypto Currencies: Add crypto-currency digital wallets to your account.
Once you are done setting up your profile and photo on your Gravatar account, your comments will look like this.
Remember to associate the email address that you setup in your Gravatar account with your WordPress blog.
Associate Your Gravatar Email Your WordPress Blog
In order to change your email address login into your WordPress blog.
Head on over to users >> your profile
Scroll down and you will see a text box to input your email address. Make sure that it’s the same email you just used to setup your gravatar.
If you don’t see your newly created gravatar right away, give it some time. Mine took a while to start showing up.
If you’re using a cache plugin, you might want to clear your cache.
Allowing People’s Gravatar’s to Display
WordPress makes it very easy to allow other WordPress users to display their Gravatars on your site if they have set one up.
Head on over to Settings >>Discussion
Avatar Display: Check this to display other people’s avatars when they leave a comment.
Maximum Rating: Choose suitable for all audiences. This ensures no offensive images show up.
Default Avatar: Check gravatar logo
Once you’ve setup your avatar settings, don’t forget to click on save.
Now whenever someone comments on your blog, their image will show up instead of the default gravatar logo.
Unless of course they didn’t set one up.
Why Having A Gravatar Can Help You Grow Your Blog
You might not think that it matters much to have a Gravatar.
However, they help build your brand and trust online. If you’re serious about starting a WordPress blog, you have to put a face to your name.
With the millions of blogs online, it’s important stand out and build your unique identity. No one can be YOU and your image helps you build your brand.
When people visit your blog they want to know the person behind it. Get off on the right foot with your blog and head on over and create your Gravatar.
Even if you don’t have a great image, you can always change it later.
Final Take Away
Don’t hide behind your blog. People do business with people they trust. Get out in front of your blog and be proud of what you’re creating.
It doesn’t take any time at all to create one and it will help you increase your blog’s credibility and build trust with your readers.
Have you signed up for a free Gravatar account? Leave me a comment and show me the image that represents you in your online world. I look forward to meeting you and seeing your Gravatar!
Having a gravatar is crucial in my opinion. Very helpful tutorial that is easy to follow:) Happy New Year Susan!
Hi Drica Lima,
Welcome to my blog. Glad you found my tutorial helpful and easy to understand. Glad to see you have a gravatar on your blog.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and Happy New Year to you as well!
Susan
Hi Susan,
I saw you tweeting about blogging and I thought I’d check out your website. I really like it. Looks like Susan has come a long way!
Building a mailing list like you are is so important too, I think people would really like to be signed up to what you have to share.
Good job on the social buttons, social media is so powerful these days
Good job with the Yoast plugin SEO is so important these days.
Keep making great stuff!
Hi Maximilian,
Welcome to my blog and thanks for checking it out.
Yeah, I think that building an email list is extremely important. It’s something that I am focused on with this blog. It takes time to see it grow, but at least it’s growing.
I appreciate all the compliments, hope you have a great day 🙂
Susan
I have a gravatar associated with my main business email but I’d like it to connect with another email and it won’t do it! Can you help me fix this? Thank you.
Hi Laura,
You should just be able to log into your Gravatar account and add another email to it. I know because I have several emails attached to my gravatar.
Hope it helps you out, please come back and let me know about your progress.
Have a great day 🙂
Susan