Thursday, November 14, 2013

BOB's Tuesday Toast on Thursday - 11/14/13


Here’s to all of those who sign up for a Google Account -
In order to be able to leave a comment to enter a “give-away” -

May they not miss the last step - ;))

===

A lot of blogs have a contest or a “give-away” -

At one time or another -

And usually all you have to do to enter -

Is to leave a comment - ;))

The blogger may even encourage you to get a Google ID -

If you don’t already have one -

So that you can leave a comment as a “Registered User” - ;))

And they usually add that -

If you are a “no-reply commenter” -

And he/she is unable to contact you -

That you cannot win - ;((

I checked some comments left on a recent “give-away” -

And found that quite a few commenters missed the last step -

They don’t have their email address enabled -

And they cannot win - ;((

That part about "One account. All of Google." -

Seems to be a little misleading - ;((

===

Did you know that even though you signed up for a Google account -
  • And even though you have a Google ID -
  • And even though you are a “Registered User” -
  • And even though you are able to leave a comment -
  • That you may have missed the most important part?? - ;))

Did you know that there is a SEPARATE part -
  • That determines whether or not -
  • The blogger - whose blog you visited -
  • Is able to reply back to you?? - ;)) -

Did you know that unless you DID that separate part -
  • That whatever “give-away” you thought you signed up for -
  • Is not signed up for at all?? - ;))

Did you know that when you created your Google Account -
  • You set up your “Google Profile” -
  • But that your “Blogger Profile” is a SEPARATE thing?? - ;))

Did you know that unless you actually went into your “Blogger Profile” -
  • And set it up to show your email address -
  • The blogger - or anyone else - will NOT be able to contact you?? - ;((

And if that’s the case -

You pretty much have a snowball’s chance -

Of winning anything - ;((

If you are new to Google -

And don’t have a "Blogger" blog -

You may not realize that you even have a “Blogger Profile” -

Or where to find it -

And you miss that last step - ;((

===

I don't want to insult your intelligence -

Or sound like a know-it-all-

Because I certainly am NOT a computer expert -

And I don’t have Google + - so I have no idea how that works -

But on “Regular” Google -

Here’s one way to check your setting -

1 - Go to the comment that you left on the blog with the "give-away" -

2 - Left-click on your name to see your "Blogger Profile" -

3 - If you see - "Contact me" in black - and “Email” in blue -
You’re OK -
If you can see the link to your email address -
So can the blogger - ;))

4 - If all you see is - “About me” -
And “On blogger since Month/Year” -
And “Profile views - #” -
You missed the last step - ;((

===

Here’s one way to fix it -

1 - “Log in” to your Google Gmail -

2 - Left click on the little grid of dots at the top right next to your name -

3 - You should get a drop-down box with icons for various Google “Products” -
That's the part about "One account. All of Google." - ;))

On mine I have -
Google + - Search - YouTube - Maps - Play - News - Gmail - Drive - Calendar -

and - at the bottom - “More” - which takes me to the next page -
Translate - Books - Offers - Wallet - Shopping - Blogger - Finance - Photos -

Left-click on the one for “Blogger” - the white “B” in the orange box -

4 - I have a blog - so I get my "Dashboard" page -
A page listing my blogs - with my name in the top right corner -

You are looking for your "Dashboard" -
Left-click on it -

5 - You should get a drop-down box with your name in it and a line that says “Blogger profile” -
Left-click on it -

6 - You should get a page with your profile info -
At the top right should be an orange box - “Edit Profile” -
THIS is what you are looking for!!! - ;))
Left-click on it -

7 - You should get a page that says “Edit User Profile” -

Under PRIVACY -
  • Check the box next to “Share my profile” -
  • Check the box next to “Show my email address” -

Under IDENTITY -
  • Enter your Username -
  • Enter your Email Address -
  • Enter your Display Name -

8 - SCROLL THROUGH THE REST OF IT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM -
Enter more information to complete your profile - or not - your choice -
But the next step is at the very BOTTOM of the page -
So you have to scroll down to get there - ;))

9 - SAVE PROFILE - to SAVE your changes - ;))

10 - View your updated profile -
If you see - "Contact me" in black - and “Email” in blue -
You’re OK -
If you can see the link to your email address -
So can the blogger - ;))

===

So now if you were to go back to recheck your comment -

Your email link should show -

And you should have a much better chance -

Of winning that awesome 'give-away" -

Which is the whole point of this very long post - ;))

And why the comment section doesn’t say -

Select profile - BLOGGER -

Instead of - GOOGLE -

Is beyond me -

I think that would be much less confusing - ;))



But then again - it's probably just me - ;))


NOTE -
I missed BOB's Tuesday Toast this past Tuesday - 11/12/13 -
because it was such a TOTALLY COOL DATE and needed a special post - ;))
I decided to post this week's Toast today instead - I hope you don't mind - ;))



4 comments:

Katie M. said...

Very informative! I guess I've got mine set up right as I've one a couple of those give-aways :-)

Linda C said...

They make it unnecessarily complicated, methinks. Blogger profile for sure!

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks, Katie - YES, you have yours set right. Those who have blogs are very aware of their "Blogger Profile" and their "Dashboard" having had to set all of the setting for their blogs. It's the ones who don't have a blog who may not realize that Blogger has a separate profile in addition to the Google one - and that THAT is the one with the email address setting that needs to be enabled - ;))

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

It would certainly clear up some of the confusion - ;))

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