Blogging tips

The blogs are here! A lot of you have jumped right in and started your own learning blog, which is great to see. Be sure to check the ‘Participants‘ page to see the addresses of your colleagues’ blogs. (If your blog is not listed, please let me know).

You may have found that your blog can look and behave differently to someone else’s, even if you are both using the same blogging software. This difference can depend on the blog theme that you choose. Each theme has different settings and tools. You can change these settings at any time by logging in to your blog and checking out all of the options listed. Both Blogger and WordPress call this admin section of your blog the Dashboard.

On Blogger, look in the Layout tab along the top of your screen:

 

 

 

On WordPress, look for Widgets under the Appearance link on the left hand menu:

 

 

 

 

 

A comment about comments

A feature of blogs is the ability to leave comments at the bottom of posts. (What’s a post? You are reading one now. A post is an individual article or entry on a blog). People who read your blog may be inspired to leave a comment, ask a question, or respond to a comment that someone else has left. You may also reply to these comments with your own comments. To enable this conversation to happen, make sure that you have enabled comments on your blog.

For Blogger, check under the Settings tab (top of page) for a link to Comments, and for WordPress users, look for the Discussion link under Settings (left hand menu)

It is also wise to moderate comments. You are familiar with getting spam email – it is common for these same people and companies to leave spam comments on your blog. When you set your comments to be moderated, each time someone leaves a comment you will receive an email asking you to approve it for publication on your blog, or to delete the comment. It’s very easy to use and highly recommended.

- Warren