How to add an image to your comments on a WordPress blog

Have you ever wanted to know how to add a picture to your comments on a blog? Well in this guide I will show you how.

The picture is often known as an avatar (picture connected to your profile) and is used often on Forums. Since, blogs are becoming increasingly popular the concept naturally followed to blogs, but on blogs such as WordPress they are know as ‘Gravatar’ images.

Here is a  list of benefits for adding a ‘Gravatar’ or image to your blog comments:

• Your comments becomes easier to see. How many times have you seen a really long post and really just glossed over the pictures? The same is true with comment, if there is a long list, people will scroll down and stop if something catches their eye. And in a mountain of text, that something is often an image, or Avatar.
• You start to brand yourself. People often say, I cannot remember names but I can remember faces. The same reference is true online. People often forget your usernames, or often don’t read them, but will focus on a picture. A picture therefore is memorable, and once people start to recognise your picture they will spot your blog comment from the others.
• It shows your a person. Believe it or not blogs get a lot of spam. I know a colleague who has over 200 spam posts a days (or they are flags as spam). The only one’s he reviews are the one’s with a picutre, and anyone who takes the time to add a picture (or ‘Gravatar’) is most likely to be human and not a Spam bot.
• It builds trust. In line with being a real person to the person running the blog, you become a real person to everyone who reads your comment. Your no longer feel like an internet name but like somebody they can start to feel accustomed to.
• Gravatar’s are consistant. That’s right, post your comment on ANY WordPress blog and use the same email address, and you will always be represented by the same picture.
• It’s harder for someone to pretend to be you. Yep, it happens, sometimes people use your name to make comments, hoping that people will read them due to your fame. Having an avatar helps prevent this, as the spammer must make an extra effort to pretend to be you (yeah, this does not prevent it, but certainly creates another hoop for the spammer)

Ok, so now your sold, how much is it and where to get one. Well, It’s FREE ! Time needed, 5-10 minutes:

1. Simply click here to be directed to Gravatar
2. Scroll down a little to where it says ‘Get your Gravatar today’  (mid way down the page on the left hand side)
3. Follow the simple instructions to add you email address, confirm it and then add your image.
4. Click Finish and see your instant avatars on WordPress blog comments!

Now, there is no excuse not to have your picture associated with your comments.