You can listen to the podcast with the links below or on iTunes (you can search the iTunes podcasts for Blogging Basics 101 and you'll find us, just click on the BB101 graphic that comes up and you'll see all the podcasts). If you don't have the QuickTime Player, you may need to download it for free. Let me know if that helps you with these links. Thanks!
Most bloggers do everything they can to drive traffic to their site; they want their content to be indexed by search engines. However, some bloggers find it a little disconcerting to have strangers find them through seemingly unrelated (to their blog) searches.
If you would like to ensure that the bots from search engines do not index your site for search results, there are ways to do this. Vanessa Fox is an authority on SEO (search engine optimization) and has more information than you can shake a query at. Whether you're interested in optimizing your search engine rank or taking your blog or web site off the search engine radar, I suggest checking out what she has to say.
If you would like more information about how to take your blog off the search list, you can view this article at Google: How do I request that Google not crawl parts or all of my site?
Now, go out there and optimize those searches! Or, you know, don't.
What you're looking for is a batch search and replace function. These are common in web design software (e.g., Dreamweaver) and in applications like Notepad or MS Word. Unfortunately, they are not as common in average blog applications. All is not lost, though. I found a few things that may help you.
Wordpress offers a plug-in called APAD that allows you to search and replace text across all your posts.
Typepad users can find information from this help article in the Typepad Support Knowledge Base. Looks like you need the Pro level or above if you want to search and replace across multiple posts.
Blogger users may be out of luck, I'm sorry to say. I was unable to find a way to do a batch search and replace. That, of course, doesn't mean there's not a way, but I couldn't find it if there is. Perhaps one of our readers will be so kind as to comment on this.
This is most definitely improper blog etiquette. It is never anyone's right but your own to be "outed" online. Many people use a pseudonym on their blogs as a means of privacy. In fact, many people not only use a pseudonym for themselves, but also for their family and friends in order to protect their privacy as well.
What to do about it? Contact the blogger directly about your concern. Stay calm, state facts, and keep your emotions out of it. Ask the blogger to please remove your name and state why it's important to you. It's quite possible the blogger never meant to "out" you. In fact, I've accidentally posted my husband's name and my own name on my blog and had others point it out. It may just be an honest mistake, so give the blogger the benefit of the doubt.
In addition, consider the context of the offending blurb. Is it clear to everyone that it's you (e.g., Your Name at This Particular Blog)? Or is it a story that involves you, but others may not realize it's you? Neither of these situations makes the mistake right, but the latter may not be as detrimental to your privacy. Just something to consider.
The bottom line is make it clear to everyone (readers, friends, family, etc.) that you wish to remain anonymous no matter who is writing about you. If someone does use your real name, contact them immediately and with tact. I'm sure you'll have the issue resolved in no time.
The copyright notices like those at Copyscape (which also allows you to search and see if your blog has been plagiarized and download a button) and Creative Commons are simply good reminders to your readers that a blogger "owns" his or her writing. To lift someone's words without permission and/or giving proper credit is plagiarism, pure and simple. Signing up for those copyright services is free, so you have nothing to lose, but they don't make it "more" illegal to steal your work, and they don't provide some sort of magical lock that keeps others from lifting your work.
Unfortunately, part of being a blogger is opening yourself up to the possilibility that somebody, somewhere might pass off your work as their own (of course, you open yourself up to that if you publish anywhere, including a book or magazine). If you discover that this has happened to you, you do have legal recourse, but it's an expensive and complicated option that not many bloggers have the stomach (or wallet) to pursue. It's a frustrating catch-22, but in my own experience, it's worth it. The positives of writing publicly far outweigh the risks of occasional theft. Would I stop blogging just to protect my work? No.
If you discover that your work has been taken, a common-sense first step would be to contact the "offender" via e-mail and politely ask them to remove your words, or give you proper credit...and then hope, in deference to the bloggy honor system, they'll see their mistake and comply.
For more information you can check out the article Questions about Copyright at Electronic Frontier Foundation.
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It's a very personal thing. Many people feel that sharing their own first name is fine, but the names of their children are off limits. Others feel that all names and even photos should be carefully guarded. On the other hand, some people use their blogs as a way to share information with family and close friends and therefore show pictures and share names freely. It's a matter of what you are comfortable with.
Please be aware, however, that the Internet is not private. Your photos and names are very much public and searchable for those people who may or may not have noble intentions. I write this not to intimidate anyone, but only to make you aware.
Bottom line: Only you can decide how much information you want to share. Consider carefully who you are sharing it with and how it will be used.
Unless you feel the rude comment is worth responding to, delete it. Both Blogger and Typepad offer easy ways to delete an undesirable response to a post. If you choose to respond to the comment, understand that you may be starting something that could escalate into a flame war (both parties simply writing rude things back and forth) and may reflect poorly on your blog.
Most blog readers like to have a way they can contact the blogger personally. You can set up a free e-mail account at Google, Hotmail, Yahoo, or a number of other places. It would be wise not to use your "main" e-mail address as your blog contact e-mail. First of all, you don't want spammers to know your primary address and second, it's a nice security measure as well.
This is entirely up to you, of course. But remember, once you reveal something you can't take it back. It is wise to err on the side of revealing as little information as possible, and gradually add info until you've reached a level with which you're comfortable.
Many people do not use their real names. Or they use their real names, but not the real names of their family members and co-workers. Certainly when dealing with children, it is prudent to use great caution. At the risk of sounding over-dramatic, there are some creeps out there. Even if you are writing a light-hearted, family-oriented blog, there is nothing to prevent someone with less-than-honorable intentions from stumbling upon what you've written. USE CAUTION.
