What is a Gravatar ?
Gravatar is actually an abbreviation of Globally Recognized Avatar and to understand what it is all about you need to first know what an avatar is. An avatar can be defined as a small image that represents its owner. It lends a face to the user. A Gravatar is usually associated with an email id and whenever you use that id, your Gravatar is displayed.Gravatar is globally recognized because people all over the world use it as a part of their online identity. Gravatar is highly popular with bloggers as it helps them to create their own identity and to develop trust amongst their readers. Email ids can be anonymous and easily forgotten. However, when you have an image you can readily associate it with the person and also remember it easily.
Why do people use Gravatar ?
The simple answer is easy recognition. It is always nice to have an image of yours by which people can identify you. It is cool and also increases your credibility. Most sites urge their users to use it so that spammers can be easily identified.Moreover, individuals or companies who want to establish themselves as brands use Gravatar so that the people can relate to them and also remember them.
What are the options for Gravatar ?
Usually people use their own image as an avatar. However, you can also use your brand logo as your Gravatar identity. If you are not willing to share your image publicly, you can go for other options like icons or anything that you want to represent you. Fear of stalking or cyber crimes often make people wary about using their image online.How to use Gravatar ?
It is very easy to get your own Gravatar. It is absolutely free and most WordPress themes automatically support it. Just visit the site, gravatar.com and you need to follow the instructions to associate your email id with an image.What type of images should be used for avatar ?
You should choose an image that rightly portrays your personality. Remember people will judge you by your looks and also body language. So go for an image that would reflect you in the right light to the entire world.What are the benefits of using Gravatar ?
To begin with, it helps you to have your own identity and also create your reputation. It is good for branding yourself and your company. A Gravatar allows you to add personal touches to your correspondence and makes you more human.It has been seen that people who use Gravatar are able to establish themselves as experts in their fields more easily and command authority. This also helps in increasing traffic to their sites.
Having your own avatar helps in developing relationships with your readers. A Gravatar is cool and nice and a simple way to have your face amongst millions of unknown users. Go for it and see how it bolsters your online image.
