Blogs Help

1. Do I have a blog? Where is it?

Of course! Every member of a social network powered by Ning has his or her own page on that network, including a blog. To get to your blog, click on the My Page tab. Click on the "My Blog" link just under the My Page tab: You can add a blog post by clicking on the "Add Blog Post" link. Once you write the first entry in your blog, this link will remain on the top right of the page.

2. How can I see someone else's blog?

If your network's main page features blog posts, you can select the "View Archives" link at the bottom of the blogs module to see posts from the all members on the network. You can also see a specific person's blog by viewing their profile page, where — if they have published blog posts — you will see their posts listed.

3. How do I edit a draft? Can I edit a blog post after it has been published?

You can definitely edit your blog entry after you've posted it! Go to your My Page tab. Click the "My Blog" link at the top of the page and then click on "Manage Blog" on the right side of the page. Click "edit" next to the post you want to change. This will bring you to a screen where you can make tweaks to your post. Drafts will be indicated by a pencil icon in the column next to the post title. Click on the post you would like to edit, and edit away!

4. Can I see what my blog post will look like before I publish it?

Yep! Click the "Preview" button at the bottom of the post box when you're done writing your post. If you're happy with the way your post looks, make sure to click the "Publish" button at the top of the page. If you want to work on it some more, or save it for later, click the "Back" button to return to the compose page.

5. How do I add a clickable link to my blog post?

To make text in your blog post into a clickable link, highlight the text you want to be linked and click the "Insert a Link" icon in the toolbar. This button looks like a chain link. In the box that pops up, type the URL you want the text to link to. Once you save your text box or blog post, anyone can use the link. How do I add an image to my blog post? You can insert an image into your blog post by clicking the "Add a Photo" button in the toolbar. This button looks like a framed picture. A window will pop up prompting you to select a photo from your computer to upload. Once you've found the image you want, click the "Add" button. This will insert the image into your blog post.

6. How do I moderate comments made to my blog? Can I delete a comment once it has been posted?

You can choose to moderate comments to your blog before they are posted. To do this, click on the "My Settings" link in the right column of any page on your network. Click "Privacy". You can choose to moderate all comments made to your blog before they are made public. You can also decide when you're writing a post to whether you'd like to make commenting available for that post only. To manage your blog's comments, go to your My Page tab on the network. Click the link to "My Blog" at the top of the page, then click "Manage Blog" on the right side of the page. If you'd like to delete a comment after it has been posted, click on "Comment" below the blog post, and click on the next to the comment you would like to delete.

7. Can I subscribe using RSS to a specific member's blog?

If the network is public, yes. Locate the person's page on the network and find their blog in the middle column. Click the RSS button at the bottom left of their blog. Alternatively, if you go to another member's My Page and click "Blog," you will see an RSS feed link on the right side of the blog. Choose the application you want to subscribe with (the default is Live Bookmarks). Private networks do not generate RSS feeds to protect the privacy of their members.

8. How can I comment on someone else's blog post?

By default, anyone who is logged into and a member of the network can comment on blog posts added to that network. Every person on a network has the power to control who can comment on his or her blog posts. If the author of the post wants people to comment on his work, a comment box will appear beneath the blog post. You can then comment by typing directly into the box.

9. How do I manage my blog?

Start at your My Page tab on the network. Click the "My Blog" link. Here you'll see the link to "Manage Blog". You can approve or reject comments, edit drafts or published posts, or delete blog posts.

10. Can I embed videos from YouTube or Google Video into a blog post?

Absolutely! Just copy the HTML embed code and paste it into your blog post. When you publish your post, anyone will be able to see the video.

11. Who can see my blog posts? Who can comment on my blog posts?

You get to decide who can view your blog posts: just you, just your friends, or everyone (the default setting). To change this setting, click the "My Settings" link in the box on the right column of the page. Click "Privacy" and click the circle next to who you want to read your blog. By default, your blog posts are set to allow anyone who can read them to comment on them. You can change this option and limit who can comment on posts to only your friends — or only you. You can also decide if you want to approve comments before they are posted or all comments to posted immediately. These options are listed under the "Privacy" link under your "My Settings" as well. Finally, each time you write a blog post, you can override your settings to further expand or restrict your audience!

12. Can I change how many blog posts show on my page?

Yep! On your page, click the "Edit" button in the header bar of your blog. You can choose the number of posts that show up when others visit your page. You can also choose whether people see just the titles of your blog posts or the "detail views."

13. Can I show only titles of my blog posts on My Page?

Yep! On your page, click the "Edit" button in the header bar of your blog. You can choose the display setting to show "Titles Only" — which will display the title, time of posting and number of comments — or "Detail View," which shows the same information, along with the beginning of the blog post.

14. How can I tell who wrote a blog post?

The blogger's name appears as "Posted by" under the entry. How do I see all of my old blog posts? To see all of the blog posts you've written, go to your My Page tab and locate the "My Blog" link. I found a blog post I really like.

15. What's the easiest way to share it with others?

Click the "Share" link that appears at the very end of the post. If you're not a member of the network, you can copy a link to the post into an email or instant message, or email the post using your computer's email client. If you are a member and signed in you can use the network to send the post for you.

16. How can I tell if I have comments on my blog awaiting approval?

If you've turned on comment moderation on your blog, you will be alerted that you have comments awaiting approval when you log on to the network. You will see a box alerting you to the content under the "Hello!" box on the right side of the page. Click the link to view comments to your blog and approve or reject them. I just posted a comment on someone's blog.

17. Why does it say it has to be approved?

If that person has decided to moderate comments, your comment will only show up once they have viewed and approved it.

18. Why does a blog post say comments are closed?

Members have the power to control whether or not people can comment on their posts on a Ning network. If the blogger has decided not to allow comments for a post, you will not be able to comment on it.

19. Why don't I see the comment wall under a specific blog post, photo, or video?

If you are logged into and a member of a network and don't see the comment wall for a specific blog post, photo, or video, the member who wrote the post changed the privacy setting for comments to that blog post.

20. How do I report an offensive blog post?

Click "Report an Issue," which appears as a link at the bottom of every page in a network. This will alert the Network Creator to the issue.

21. Can I add tags to my blog post?

Absolutely! You can add tags to your new blog post when you're writing it. To add tags after you've published a blog post, click the link to "Edit post" and add tags in the "Tag" field. How long will it take before can I search for new content? Your new members, groups, photos, videos, forum posts, and comments will usually show up in your network search after about two days. This delay may be slightly longer on occasion.