Gravatar: What it is, why you want one & how to get it

What the heck’s a gravatar? And why do you want one?

You know those little images you see next to some people’s comments on blogs? Those are called “avatars.” (Yep, just like the blockbuster 3D movie from this past year.) A Gravatar is a name for
Globally Recognized Avatars. While Gravatars aren’t really quite “globally” recognized yet, they are used by WordPress sites, so they’re handy to have so that your face shows up when you leave comments instead of just a generic symbol.

The video below shows you how to get set up with Gravatar.

If you like a typed-up list, here are your steps:

Step 1: Surf over to http://gravatar.com

Step 2: Point your mouse to the spot on the upper toolbar that says “Log in/Sign up.” In the drop-down menu that appears, click on “Sign up.”

Step 3: Enter your email address in the spot provided. Click “Signup.”

Step 4: Head over to your email inbox. Gravatar will send you a confirmation email with a link in it that you’ll need to click in order to activate your account. Watch for that email and then go ahead and click that link.

Step 5: Choose a “Nickname.” This is your screenname for Gravatar, and you can’t change it, so make sure it’s one you like and will remember. If you use Twitter, you might try using your Twitter name as your Gravatar nickname. Or use your real name (e.g., davidcaruso) as your nickname, or your website title (e.g., haveasmoothie). Also choose a password, and enter that in both blanks provided.

Step 6: You’ll next go to a page that shows you the email address you just set up, and it will give you a message that says “Whoops, looks like you don’t have any images yet!” Click where it says “Add one by clicking here!” You’ll have the option of choosing an image from your computer, from somewhere on the web, or by using your computer’s webcam. You’ll want an image that shows your face–it’s going to get trimmed down to be a small square, so don’t worry about trying to find a head-to-toe shot of yourself looking glamorous. And also don’t worry if you need to crop your photo. You get to do that in the next step.

Step 7: Once you’ve chosen an image, you’ll be able to crop it so that only the part of the image you want for your Gravatar will be displayed.

Step 8: Next choose a rating for your Gravatar. You can choose G, PG, R or X (just like movie ratings). If you’re just uploading a basic profile picture, you can choose G. Some websites will be configured to not allow Gravatars with higher ratings (no R-rated photos or X-rated photos, for instance), so rating your photo appropriately makes sure it will be displayed on the right sites.

Step 9: And that’s it–you’ve got a Gravatar! Now when you leave comments on WordPress blogs using the email address you used when you signed up for Gravatar, the image you selected will be displayed, so people will know who you are. Nice!