How to Enable Google Plus Comments in Blogger

How to Enable Google Plus Comments in Blogger

Long time ago, Google proudly announced their new integrated commenting system which is now available for users who have created a Google+ profile and connected it with their Blogspot blogs. This way, Blogger users will be able to use Google+ as a commenting system for their blogs, while comments from Google+ will automatically appear on their blogs.

For those who haven't yet upgraded the Blogger profile to a Google+ profile, here's a tutorial on how to associate a blog to a Google plus page. Once you have connected a blog to a Google+ profile, you'll have a new "Use Google+ Comments on this blog" setting on the Google+ tab of your blog. To enable the Google plus commenting system, just check the box next to this setting:

As soon as you've enabled the feature through your Blogger Dashboard, you'll have the following features:

- Threaded commenting system: the threaded system will allow a reader to reply to other comments on that post, thus the conversations will become much easier, more effective and more enjoyable

- Public and private comments: this ensures a better privacy for your visitors which can make their comments either public or private

- Edit or delete comments: your visitors will be able to edit any comments that they wrote even after publishing, so they don't have to write another comment explaining the correction

- Google Plus One (+1) button in comments: we can up-vote any comment by clicking this button. This is a great feature which could also help you to get some traffic from Google+

- "Also share on Google+" check box: with this option which is right below the comment editor, we will be able to share a specific comment on Google+ and thus get more traffic!

How to Share Blogger Posts or Pages to Google+

When you share Blogger posts/pages to Google+, an entirely new group of people will be able to find and follow you. Right now, if you access your Blogger dashboard, you'll notice that there's a Google+ tab which can be used to connect your blogs with your Google+ profile or page. If your Blogger blogs haven't already been integrated with a Google+ profile, you can go anytime to the Google+ tab and click on the Get Started button:

It's important to note that once you've upgraded your blog to connect with Google+, the posts or pages published on your blog will be listed on your personal Google+ profile. However, you have the option to select whether your content will be shared on your Google+ Profile or Page and associate some blogs with a Google+ page, while keeping other blogs connected with your profile.

How to Turn Off Auto Enhance for Blogger Photos

When you go to upload photos on Blogger, look closely for changes between the picture you uploaded on your computer and how it looks on Blogger. If you notice any darkening of the pictures themselves, especially in light-colored areas of the photo, you are seeing the results of a Blogger auto-enhancing feature.

This Blogger auto-enhancing feature is packaged within the service and is intended to give your photos a more professional feel. It works by smoothing out fuzzy photos and removing any imperfections in personal photos, so that you see your best looking you. However, you may realize that not every picture that you upload needs to undergo this enhancement. In fact, it may even cause your site to look dull or outdated as it can turn white photos gray.

The first picture was auto-enhanced, while the second one was not

Turning Off Picture Auto-Enhancement on Google Plus

Fortunately, there is a way to adjust these settings so that you're able to turn them on and off at will. You may be surprised to know that the root cause of these changes actually lies with the Google uploader and your decision to link your Google+ and Blogger accounts together.

Step 1: Access Your Google Account

Blogger is just one of the many services that make up the Google network. When the company released Google+, this Blogger auto-enhancing feature came with it because adjustments were made to the Google uploading service. These same changes take place when you're adding pictures from your library in Picasa. The good thing about Google is that they allow you to make adjustments to your settings from one central location by navigating over to your Google account.

In order to turn the "Auto Enhance" feature off, go to your Blogger dashboard, and click your icon in the top right corner, then the blue "View Profile" button (if you are not using Google+, click the "Account settings" link). Now you'll be taken over to your Google+ profile or settings.

Step 2: Find The Enhancement Settings

Once opening your Google account, look for the tab on the top left corner of the page that says Profile > navigate to Settings - or if you are using a Blogger profile, click the "Edit settings" link under "Google+ settings". This will bring up a list with "Photos and Videos" options including "Show geo location…" and "Allow viewers to download my photos...". Look toward the bottom of the list for the 'Auto Enhance' heading and check the "Off" option to turn this feature off.

Step 3: Auto Enhance on Photos You've Already Uploaded

Any picture that you upload from here on out will no longer be subject to this Blogger auto-enhancement feature; however, this will not revert any pictures that have already been uploaded. If you want to make any changes to photos that were uploaded during this period, do the following: from the same panel, click on the 'Photos' tab which it will take you to the albums for each blog > click on the blog where you wish to disable the auto enhance effect and press the down arrow > go to the "Apply Auto Enhance" option and choose 'Off'.

Notice The Results?

Now that the auto-enhancement feature is turned off, you may start to see different results when uploading. Remember that this change will affect all of your Google services across the board such as Google+ and YouTube. You may turn this feature back on, at any time, by repeating the steps list above and re-checking the account settings box. When you're done, just turn it back off. Understanding these changes gives you the power to decide for yourself which pictures you'd like enhanced, and which you don't.

Show/Hide Blogger and Google+ Comments System With Toggle

Many Blogger site owners received the new Google+ Comment System pretty negatively because it forced all commenting users to create their own Google+ account before they were able to write a comment. The Google+ Comment System on Blogger was convenient to writers, but discouraged many users from continuing to comment on blogs because they simply didn't want to use Google+. For those that did use Google+ to make a comment, Blogger would never email you and notify you that someone left a comment; you could go days or weeks without ever realizing that you never responded to a reader.

In addition to frustrating your audience, the Google+ Comment System on Blogger depended upon the URL of your blog post. By changing your URLs or moving around your blog posts internally, you run the risk of losing every one of your comments that was placed using Google+.

Previously, the only way to solve this problem was to disable the comment system through your account settings, thus giving up your ability to use their Google+ account. Now, there's an easy new way to have the best of both worlds. Allowing fans of Google+ as well as everyday blog readers to access all same features, you’ll be able to engage every visitor equally. You can respond to comments while still being able to communicate with other Google+ users outside of your site and take advantage of the Google+ Comment System on Blogger.

How to Integrate Blogger and Google Plus Comments