Are you invisible on the business blogs you read?

In this era of social networks, I'm continually surprised when someone posts a comment on one of my blogs and there's no avatar (picture) associated with their message.

An important tactic to implement is to literally be visible when you comment. That means your picture (avatar) shows up when you submit a comment. An image (remember use a good, professional headshot that you use on all your social networking profiles) helps people connect with you, makes you recognizable and memorable.  I find most people who comment on my blogs do not have profiles set up so a generic image is posted next to their comment instead of their face and a link to a detailed profile where I can learn more about them.

On blogs, this has never been easier to implement, though you do have to have accounts at key sites in order to be visible when you comment.

Take a look at the comments on this post to see what I mean.

Which comments stand out?

Most blogging platforms have this option built in. From the stand point of creating visibility there are two actions you need to take:

1.  Make sure your own blog has the appropriate plugin or widget installed so the images of you and the people who comment show up in the comment threads. On Wordpress, install Gravatar and Disqus. On TypePad, in the Comment settings, select "show userpics."

2. This is important! Make sure you have accounts (profiles) set up on Gravatar and Disqus so your photo gets pulled into the comments you post on other blogs. AND, whether or not you use TypePad, set up a profile (another opportunity for visibility to millions of TypePad bloggers) so when you comment on a blog hosted on TypePad (like mine!), your image and link to your profile is included.

Gravatar - http://en.gravatar.com/

Disqus - http://disqus.com/

TypePad profile - http://www.typepad.com/profiles

Help people "see" you and get to know you better. You never know where your next client or JV partner or media inquiry will come from and adding your picture can make a huge positive difference in how others connect with you.

How do you create visibility for yourself on the blogs you read? Do you think it helps or not, to have your profile picture associated with your comments?

This post is an excerpt from Lesson #16 of Online Visibility Secrets. Learn more about how you can boost your visibility on the Web...

Comments

[Michele Scism, Biz Strategist]

Excellent article Denise. As usual your information is right on target. Before reading it I hadn't thought about signing up with Typepad. I am going to share this article with everyone at http://facebook.com/decisiveminds. Thanks, Michele

[Steve Sponseller]

Thanks for the tips Denise. I didn't know about the Typepad profile, but now I have one finished! Thanks for making me more visible.

[Proarticlesdaily]

Great Post Denise! This really helps me out a lot.

[Kathleen Gage]

I sure hope my pic shows up on this. Your recommendations are always spot on.

[Elizabeth Cottrell]

This post reminded me that I had always signed in with Facebook or Twitter and had never created a profile on Typepad. Just did that and hope it means that my pic will show up here.

Question: in your #1 above, to install Gravatar and Disqus on my WordPress blog, do I look for plug-ins to do that or is there some other way to do it? When I type in Gravatar,there are several plug-ins. Do you have a specific recommendation?

[Denise Wakeman]

Thank you, Michele. Appreciate you sharing the post with your community. blog on!

[Denise Wakeman]

Nope, no picture, Kathleen. Your pic has showed up on previous comments so probably you were not signed in to Typepad when you commented.

[Denise Wakeman]

Gravatar is owned by the Wordpress folks so I would install their version, which I would presume is the only version. It also may be installed by default. I'm not a wordpress technician so I don't know all the ins and outs of plugins. I hire other people to do that stuff! Maybe a wordpress techie can answer for you.

[Leigha Baer]

Great post! I'm going to share this page with my clients. The old saying a picture's worth a thousand words applies here. As you said, having a photo helps those reading your copy recognize and remember you which then makes it easier for them to know, like, and trust you.

Thanks for the great post!

[Alex Dropshipping]

The good thing about this post is that it is telling the truth. It is true that a post like this I made is not that present to everyone else because I am considered as "anonymous". Being invisible in business blogs is like saying that you are out in the circulation of business. Good thing that this blog is created and now a lot of bloggers will be able to rise from the invisibility.

Thank you very much!

Alex