I decided to move the blog for several reasons. One is Chinese porn spam that we repeatedly report and seems never to be addressed by Blogger. That's not to say that I don't think that we will have to deal with that sort of thing on the new site, but I have to approve new posters' first posts, so that stuff isn't seen by everyone else on the blog. Another is that we've started getting offers for advertising and other things, and while I don't really intend to do much of that, I think having a slightly more professional site will help with that. I don't kid myself that I'm going to make money off this blog, though. That's not the highest priority for me with the blog by any means. We'd also like to make it easier for people and dogs who actually read the blog leave comments. Finally, I just felt that it was time for us to take the step and grow the blog some.
Following the blog is easy. If you use Google Reader, you copy the web address and post it into your Google Reader. If you read blogs through the dashboard on Blogger, you just copy the web address, look at the bottom of the box and click on the "add" button. You can paste the website address in the pop up box and still follow the blog through your blogger dashboard.
Leaving comments on the blog is easy. The first time you comment, it will ask you for your user name and e-mail address. It also asks for your website address, but entering that is optional. You'll be asked if you'd like to add a Gravatar. This is simply an avatar that follows you to other Gravatar-enabled websites and is linked to your e-mail address. If you already have one with Wordpress, it should show up on the blog. If you don't have one, our new blog will use a screenshot of your blog, provided you have entered your website address. You don't need to have one to post on the blog by any means. It's a simple process, however, if you're interested in adding one.
If you have any other questions for us, please don't hesitate to ask. We want to make the transition go seamlessly and we very much still want to see our blog friends comment on the new site. Hopefully this has answered the questions that we've gotten from other so far.
Posts
Well, I didn't know I could follow a site thru the dashboard! Thanks for teaching me that (I was one of the complainers!) And I have a gravatar. Dang, you just made this easy; thank you!
ReplyDeletePlease kiss all the dogs for me!
I'm going over right now.
ReplyDeleteI tried adding the new site to my reader but kept getting an error; will have to try again tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteSounds exciting. The Chinese porn spam - one of those strange unspoken burdens of blogging. Click once by mistake and they're with you for life.
ReplyDeleteI've updated my link - love the new site!
ReplyDeleteIt's done - we're following the new blog!!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Ruairi
Mack and I are now following you through your new website! We will miss the pink...
ReplyDeleteDrools and licks,
Minnie and Mack
We are following there (and we have stopped following "here"). Welcome to Wordpress. I have found the flexibility of hosting my own site to be worth all of the pain.
ReplyDeleteThanks for explaining!
ReplyDeleteI like the blogs that I can comment on without word verification and approving the first comment by someone would help with that immensely. I tried turning off word verification for a while on my blog and I got a barrage of advertising comments almost all on old posts. It was driving me nuts to deal with them so I turned the verification back on.
We'll keep following you regardless of where you are!
If we are already following you will we automatically be followers when you move?
ReplyDeleteAlso...my blog is also housed on Blogger and I have my comments set so that I have to approved EACH and EVERY comment....not just those who are commenting for the first time. Just a thought!
We're heading over now, to follow the new site.
ReplyDeleteRudy's Raiser
Super excited for you! You are moving up in the world!
ReplyDeleteWe just added you to our dashboard reader!
ReplyDeleteWyatt
I added your new blog to my GR since you told us the new address without problem.
ReplyDeleteAnd like the Thundering Herd I have been leaving comments on the new one!
Happy Sunday to all of you!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza
As we've been considering the move ourselves, we are very interested in hearing how you feel about WordPress as you move forward.
ReplyDeleteNubbin wiggles,
Oskar
Good luck with the new site. I haven't experienced too much in the way of spam on Blogger, but maybe I've been lucky so far. I hope that continues. See you in WordPress. :)
ReplyDeleteokie dokie,
ReplyDeleteme and asa and mama are followin' your new bloggie! from now on we will leave our woofs 'n comments on the new site! :)
*woof*
the booker man
Congrats on making the move to Wordpress. The Wordpress Platform holds a lot of appeal but also has numerous security flaws and spammers are abundant on Wordpress. If this was added through your domain host then they will warn you when a newer version is available but only by you signing into your hosting account. Updating to the latest version is a must for security reasons, you will have to back up your WP blog first. They are constantly upgrading versions as flaws are discovered so keep on top of it. If you installed WP on your own then it's up to you to watch out for and apply any updates. Plugins are abundant but a lot of them are risky. Join the WP community Forums and read up on problems others are dealing with and the solutions for them. Blogger is sort of stale but blogger members do not have to worry about most of these potential problems. As for Spammers on Blogger, I was getting a lot too with those links attached. Blogger members only need to sign into their account, in the dashboard click on comments and check off any comments as spam. You can see all the spammers under the Spam Tab. I never had any problems with those once I marked them as Spam. Good Luck!
ReplyDelete