Recommended by David

Do you want to build an internet identity that’s recognised globally? How about if, each time you contributed to a forum or blog, your comment was also accompanied by your photo, logo or other recognisable icon? Here’s a really neat way of doing it for free.

You may have already come across “avatars” from the world of online gaming: these are graphical representations on screen of the gamers themselves. Not necessarily anything like the real person, the avatar is how the gamer chooses to have themselves (or their character) depicted on screen so that they are instantly recognisable to others.

“Gravatars” are Globally Recognised avatars; they are not used in gaming, but for the more serious applications of blogs and forums. They help posts and comments made by you to be more identifiable as being written by you. Once you have linked a specific picture or photo to an e-mail address, each time you use that e-mail address to comment on a blog or forum that recognises gravatars, that picture or photo (i.e. your gravatar) will be displayed.

I have just enabled gravatars on this blog and you will now see my own gravatar displayed whenever I comment on other comments (but not in my original posts). At the time of writing this post, you can see my gravatar only in the comments section of my post made 30 June 2008 entitled “Entrepreneurs Bootcamp at Brighton”.

Why not apply now for your own gravatar and start to build your own online identity? The application process is relatively simple: you can probably have your own gravatar operational within 10 to 15 minutes.

Firstly, decide which e-mail address you will be using in future for blogs and forums and then decide what image you wish to use for your gravatar (it can be located on the internet or on the hard drive of your computer). Wherever the image is, you will need to know the precise address where it is located. You can even use part of an image as you are able to “crop” part of a bigger picture or photo as you make your application.

Apply for your gravatar here

Then why not post a comment on my blog to test it out?

I look forward to seeing you!

David