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 - ;((

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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 - ;))