How Can I Comment / Follow / Share?

One of the overwhelming benefits of using a blog as opposed to the written form of writing is the idea of interactivity. A blog has the ability to have a reader comment on a blog post, as well as giving the ability of the blogger to comment back. This is a huge plus for blogs that service a special niche (like diabetes) because it provides the opportunity to create a conversation between the blogger and his / her readers.

How to Comment
Commenting on a blog is as easy as '1, 2, 3', but if you've never commented it can be a little confusing as to what the steps are. But no fear, here are the steps:

1. Click comment - At the end of the post you want to comment on, click 'COMMENT' (see picture to the right)

 

2. Leave your comment and your name - Use the space provided on the right side of your screen to leave your comment. If you are familiar with HTML tags (a  web form of language) you can some tags, but if not no worries, you don't need them.

  Underneath the comment space, you'll see three options to choose an identity:

• Blogger username: If you have a blogger account, your display name will appear, along with a link to your profile and your photo (if you have one).
• Other: If you do not have a Blogger account, you do not have to sign up for one. Other allows you to still enter your name and a link to your website.
• Anonymous: No identifying information is displayed. The comment is credited to "Anonymous" without a link.

3. Submit - You can publish your comment from there (you can also preview it if you're a fanatic about how it's going to look - like I would:)

How to Follow
If you like what you're reading, then chances are you'd like to read more (hopefully). Rather then try to remember both the name of my site and to periodically check my blog for updates, you can sign up for a service that allows you to receive my posts.


One way is to receive updates is via email. Whenever I update my site, you get an automatic update sent to your email box. Simple. Quick. Done.

Another option is a web based service called a feed reader. A feed reader reads feeds (duh). Feeds are a way for websites as large as CNN or as small as my own blog to distribute information to those beyond just the ones who visit our sites using their browsers. Below is an example of what my feed reader from Google Reader looks like.

If you look at it closely it resembles an inbox of an email account, which is great because you don’t really have to learn anything new. By subscribing to the site you want to follow, you receive updates whenever the site is updated.

Google Reader is a great choice, but there are many out there that are great.  The easiest way to get one is to Use the Add This Button located in the Get Social Section of my blog and search for Google Reader, it only takes a few moments and you’ll be updated on your favorite feeds just as fast as your blood sugar can spike from Skittles.

A way to save it is called Bookmarking. Bookmarking is a way for you to organize, store, keep track of and search for bookmarks of resources online.


How to Share?
A great way to show that you enjoy what you’re reading is to share it. With the staggering amount of information being added to the web every day, content sharing is one of the greatest tools of the internet – it allows you to share what you like.

To share my posts, you can use the same Add This button that you would have used if you wanted to create a feed reader.