Oct 2, 2013 / News

Have a question? Ask an editor!

Posts here on The Daily Post run the gamut from widgets to photography to social networking to grammar: anything and everything that might boost your blogging prowess. We’ve got lots more ideas up our sleeves, but we thought we’d check in with you — what questions do you have?

We’ve got a talented group of bloggers contributing to The Daily Post, and we want to know how we can support you to reach your blogging goals. Do you want to learn more about customizing themes? Interested in pet photography tips? Trying to figure out if you need a Tumblr in addition to your blog? Want to explore different poetic forms?

Ask away! If we don’t know, we’ll track down someone who does — we’ve got friends in bloggy places.

We’re not going to be answering questions in the comments, but we will compile all your requests and use your needs to shape our calendar in the coming months. We’d ask that you keep your questions blog-related — either design, administration, or content — although between us, we’re also competent to answer questions about 18th-century French literature, Canadian Football League rules, drum n’ bass music, rabbit husbandry, gelato, and high-altitude mountaineering lore.

Help us help you! Tell us what you’d like to learn about in the comments below.

Show Comments

289 Comments

Comments are closed.

Close Comments

Comments

  1. Hey, I want to add some plug in to my blog to make it better but I do not see the option on my dashboard..I really dont understand why, is it because I still haven´t purchased my domain??

    Like

    2. @nsatiableDR
      Please iIgnore the response from bhumika as it’s not correct.

      If you want to install plugins of any kind then you will have to hire a web host and set up your own WordPress.org install.

      There is no FTP access and no blogger installed plugin capability on free hosted WordPress.com blogs. There is no upgrade you can purchase here that provides FTP access and the ability to install plugins and or any third party themes.

      See here for a full comparison WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org

      WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org

      Like

    1. Here’s how I do it, step-by-step, and if I’m telling it wrong, please correct me.
      1. Go to the post you want to ping.
      2. Copy the URL in your browser bar.
      3. Go to your own blog post.
      4. Highlight the piece of text that you want to become the link. You can use the title of the post you want to ping, or anything else.
      5. Look at the tool kit at the top of the text box in your new post or editing mode. If you have highlighted text, you will see the link icon is highlighted/active. Click on it.
      6. You will get a dialogue box that has a space to copy the URL that you grabbed in step 2.
      7. Paste that URL in the space and click “Done.”
      If you now go back to the original post in step 1 and refresh the page, you will see that you have left a pingback! Remember to refresh the page or you won’t see it.

      Again: if any of this is wrong, or if it doesn’t work, PLEASE let me know.

      Like

    2. I’m the same with pingbacks, I get them as comments for me to approve or not, but have never had any idea how to do them. Thanks so much for asking Emily, I’m going to try one now and see if it works for me.

      Like

    3. Also, don’t use the shortURL but the full one from your browser address bar. Using the shortURL doesn’t send a pingback, which is useful if you don’t want someone to know you linked to them for whatever reason.

      Keep in mind the person you linked to also might choose not to approve/to delete your pingback. The link in your post will still go to that person’s blog, but unless they approve no link back to yours will appear in their comments.

      Like

      2. @moi
        Suffice to say that there are some who link to my posts and when I check their sites out I find they are not keepers of blogs that I wish to send any of my readers to so I do not approve those pingbacks. I delete them and approve only pingbacks from high quality blogs with excellent resources for my readers to use.

        Like

  3. What Emily said, plus: Widgets!! I have *never* been clear on how to use them, and it limits my participation in your daily-post prompts.

    Like

  4. I want to register my domain but I was planning to do it elsewhere. If I go ahead and register elsewhere how do I transfer my content, would I need to transfer it at all? Please explain (NB I have no programming background so a simple exp. would suffice). Thanks in advance.

    Like

    1. Buy a domain and then map with your WordPress site. WordPress have an option of domain mapping 🙂

      Like

      1. @phenomenallady

        In order to map to a domain one must have an underlying .wordpress.com subdomain blog to map from. If you have registered a .wordpress.com blog you log in as Admin under the exact same username account that registered the blog and purchase a domain name by purchasing an annually renewable domain mapping upgrade for the blog.

        See here for mapping an existing domain that you already own https://wordpress.com/support/domains/map-existing-domain/

        Dashboard > Store > My Upgrades is where you do the primary blog set up knowing it can take between 24 – 72 hours for domain name propagation to take place throughout the internet. What’s important during that stage is to be patient.

        Like

  5. The YT videos in my blogposts have suddenly started showing as black boxes without the thumbnail on Safari. Is this a known issue and can I rectify it?

    Like

    1. @ricksackrose
      That’s a technical support question that you need to post to the support forums by starting a thread using this link. https://wordpress.com/forums/?new=1

      Please note when you do post there you ought to provide links to posts or pages you see this issue in. Then we won’t waste your time in getting an answer because we were fruitlessly trawling through your blog looking for what you describe.

      Like

  8. I am somewhat new to using the ability to custom design. It’s a lot of fun, but I am wondering if there is an easier way to look at all of the backgrounds instead of having to cycle through all of the colors. I come across something that I like and then I am unable to find it.Some repeat themselves and the ones I want to go back to appear to be gone. If there was a way to save the ones I like and then go back to decide would be cool. It can be a long process trying to find it or them again..Thank you! ps I can visualize some vintage backgrounds with softer colors. At this moment I am using my own background..

    Like

  9. How can we block a spam user from liking our posts and a spam bot who reblogs my posts? I’m tired of seeing the Fatspecialist like my stuff! LOL! I can’t help but feel he knows I’m not in shape!!
    Thank you!

    Like

      1. Akismet only blocks spam comments, not spam likers and followers. As far as I know you can’t block them from liking aside from removing the like button from your posts. If they’re hosted on WordPress.com you can report them, though. If you hover your pointer over their blog name in the menu bar up top there will be a report option in the drop-down menu.

        Like

      2. @girlychristina
        In fact every WordPress.com account is a Gravatar account – together forever. The link to report spam like button clickers with Gravatar accounts that used to be on the bottom right hand corner of the Gravatar profile page has been removed.

        I’m sorry but it’s clear from past responses in multiple support forum threads that Staff do not consider it to be an issue that they have a means of assisting with. The bottom line here is that none of us can prove that any like button clicker did not actually like our blog posts.

        We cannot delete the individual likes others leave on our posts, even those that are from obvious like button spammers. All we can do is disable likes on our whole blog, or on specific posts.
        https://wordpress.com/support/likes/#likes-and-your-site

        Like

  10. I would like to share the media libraries of my four WP blogs so that I can access any from any. Is that possible?

    Like

  11. I would like to get some new tricks to get new audience for my blog. I would also like to know how understand variations of readers from a week to another. That would be so helpful!

    Like

    2. @Belette Optimiste @quincy harley jr

      Have you two considered following WordPress.com blogging tips blogs like the one linked to my username? I’ve been here for over 7 years both bloggin g and answering support forum questions. I have lots advice to share on the subject of encouraging others to read your blog published in my blog as well as what I share in the support forums.

      Like

  12. Hi! I have a question regarding pingbacks as well. I understand how to create a pingback, but is there ettiquet to follow when receiving a pingback in your blog’s comments? I have received pingbacks in my comments before, approved the comment, but wasn’t exactly sure what to reply. Thank you???? I am thinking that it is a way for someone to say “Hey, I liked your post, now come read mine!” Am I right? I just want to make sure I acknowledge all comments. I don’t want to come across as rude to readers. Thanks for the help WordPress!

    Like

    1. Hi Annie. I think the least you can do is to read the post where they linked to you (Which is a good idea in any case – before you approve the pingback on your own blog make sure you’re okay with being associated with that post. You can’t prevent them linking to you but you do have control over whether or not you link back to them.) and leave a comment thanking them for referring others to your blog as they’re essentially driving traffic your way. I don’t think you need to reply to the pingback on your own blog unless you want to highlight it for your own readers.

      Like

  13. I would like to know how I can secure my blog against advertisements. Do I need a domain name and, if I do, can I keep my current blog content?

    Like

  14. My blog right now is private and only if you sign in to WordPress can anyone read it and I´ve been trying to change that. The WordPress bulletins on how to make your blog public are not helpful because I think that when those were written the screens looked differently because when I try to follow the instructions the sections they say to look for don´t actually exist on my screen. By the way, have you seen this guys reply to someone´s questions? Personally I think he was out of hand. http://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-do-i-make-this-blog-public

    Like

    1. Hi. Your blog is wordpress.com and it seems you went to the forums for wordpress.org. The two platforms work differently. Go to your dashboard and select settings – reading. Under visibility change your selection from private to one of the other two options. That should make it visible to others.

      Like

  15. I have two questions: 1) How do I link my post to the Daily Post without code showing up at the beginning of my post? 2) Why do my posts sometimes publish when I click on Publish Post and sometimes they stay in Drafts?

    Like

    1. @lindaricke
      If you want to know how to create links in posts and pages then go to the support docs. Type this into the search box and type the word links into the searchbox.

      Like

  16. I would love to read more grammar tips. Also, styling/writing tips. Good writing is much more than grammar, right?

    I would love to know more about how the best bloggers engage the audience and make them come to their blog again and again. How do they weave magic with words?

    I like some of the recent posts I read in daily post. Just continue the awesomeness 🙂

    Like

  17. Hello, I have my wordpress website but I need an upgrade. I want to offer users the possibility of filling a purchase order form and than press a button that will send the form to me. Is that possible ? How can I make it ? Thanks!

    Like

    1. @Genevieve
      WordPress.com blogs cannot be equipped for Ecommerce transactions with the addition of shopping carts. However, you can post a contact form and an unencrypted PayPal button for the sale only products you personally make and/or services you personally provide. Alternatively, you can set a shopping cart up somewhere else online, can create a custom menu on your blog, and place a custom link to it in the custom menu. Consult the support docs for more information or post to the support forums where I answer questions like every question posted here day in and day out. 🙂

      Like

  18. Why won’t my color scheme save? I log in and customize the look, save it, and it’s not there when I view my blog! When I revisit the customize page, all the colors I selected are still up and the customize page shows the blog with the color I selected. I tried to change stuff around just to refresh it and resave, but still, nothing! What the heck am I doing wrong?! Whew…
    I’d appreciate any help I can get on this.
    Love,
    Disgruntled blogger

    Like

    1. @colletteseline
      If you have not purchased the custom design upgrade note that no changes you try out aside from those such as Custom Background, Custom Header, etc. which are stated on the theme description pages in the features column (right hand side) will be visible to visitors.

      You do not need to load the design tools unless you have the Custom Design upgrade. All of these functions can be accessed from your dashboard – without loading the custom design tools – no upgrade required.
      Appearance > Header
      Appearance > Background
      Appearance > Theme Options (applicable only to some themes)
      Settings > Reading (set a static front page)
      Site Title and Tagline > Settings > General

      If you are using the preview mode for the Custom Design upgrade some of the settings in that mode will save but they won’t show up on the front end unless you purchase the upgrade.

      To go back to the free options, go to Appearance → Themes → Customize → Colors and click the “exit the preview” link in yellow at the top of the panel on the right.

      Like

  19. I would like to see a Google Analytics widget for wordpress.com blogs. The stats included with the blogs is just too basic. I specifically want to be able to drill down to the city level (at least) for locations and also know who is a returning visitor, times of the day that have more traffic, etc.

    Like

    1. @lupitatucker
      If you consult the Stats section of the support documentation you will discover that Google Analytics cannot be used on free hosted WordPress.com blogs. No plugins can be installed by bloggers as there is no FTP access.

      The other information you desire can be obtained at this time by using non-JavaScript free third party stats tracking codes like sitemeter, stat counter, feedjit, whosamungus, getclicky. Don’t forget that all WordPress.com blogs are tracked on Quantcast. Your blogs is too new to have any stats reflected there as yet.

      I’m also assuming that you know you cannot reliably track any individual by their IP as ISPs place hundreds of us in the same IP block to save money and have been doing so for over a decade. Lastly, note some of us have dynamic ie. ever changing IP.s

      Like

      1. Thank you! I have a bunch of other Word Press blogs that are not hosted on WordPress.com, and I do use a Google Analytics plugin for those. It works really well, and does give me city & town in real time. I will check out the 3rd party stats tracking codes for my WordPress.com hosted blog. Thanks again!

        Like

  21. When looking for posts to feature on Freshly Pressed, such as the highlighted DP Challenge selections that are put up on Fridays, does the number of revisions that have been done to a post play a factoring role in deciding whether or not its worthy of being featured?

    Like

  22. I have a custom domain name for my business but am in the process of changing the name. I have already registered my new domain name and would like to know if I can close the other site but transfer my premium theme and content to the new site or just change the domain name of my current site. Thanks

    Like

  23. I have a question/comment…I just saw that on sidebar of the reader screen there is a menu that say “02” with a sub-menu of “automatic” on there, but when I click on it nothing shows up. Any idea what that is?

    Like

  24. I have a question …. I just noticed this a few minutes ago, on the home page between Reader and Topics shows this :
    O2
    Automattic
    I’ve refreshed….I’ve logged out….but it still shows up.

    Like

  25. How come WordPress does not have a phone# for customer support??? They are required by law. I have emailed them several days ago about my issues and have not heard anything from them! Does anyone have a customer support number I can call to talk these guys??

    Like

  26. My blogs are posted at school and the background theme (greyzed and bueno) is being blocked or doesn’t show up on student computers. The tech guys say that nothing on wordpress is blocked. Is there anything else I can look at. Thank you!

    Like

    1. @J.Kallhoff
      You can check with the computer techy at your school because schools are notorious when it comes to blocking images and I’m sure you can guess why that is.

      Like

  27. i think i accidentally pressed the wrong thing and am now registered and i just got started with the Robin Ellis blog and so unhappy please help

    Like

    1. @georgiegirl2013
      The correct place to get assistance with any WordPress.com technical support issue is here > https://wordpress.com/forums Note also that “Robin Elkilis blog” is meaningless to those who provide support as I do. What we need in order to help when you post there is the blog address ie. the URL.

      Like

  28. Is each person’s blog safe? Are blog pages backed up by wordpress incase a server crashes?

    Like

  30. I am new to blogging and in hindsight I foolishly started 2 blogs simultaneously, with the result that stuff from one blog ends up on the other blog, and it just looks rubbish. I have tried in vain to delete one blog but it seems to be linked with the other somehow. Losing the will to live here, and also trying to find my way around the dashboard as well. Anyone have any useful suggestions, before I explode with frustration.

    Like