Frequently Asked Questions

Your Account and the IndiBlogger directory

How do I sign up?
You may sign up here. Please note that IndiBlogger is not a blogging platform like Wordpress or Blogspot. You need to have a blog before you can sign up for an IndiBlogger account.
Why in the name of all things holy would I need an IndiBlogger account?
Find the answers to that question here.
I submitted my blog, but I haven't received the activation email. What do I do now?
You should receive your activation email within a few minutes after you register. If you haven't, please ensure that you entered the correct email address while registering, and check your spam/bulk email folder. If you still have no luck- well, we probably messed up. Send us a message and we'll help you out.
My blog listing is not active even after I activated my account. Was this a waste of my time?
Heavens, no. Every blog that is submitted for the directory listing is checked manually by a moderator to see if it complies with our submission guidelines, and also to check if the blogger is of Indian origin. Your listing will show up in the IndiBlogger directory only after your blog has been approved. Don't worry, you'll get an email confirming the same.
How long does the moderation process take?
We typically take up to a week to check every listing. It may be moderated sooner depending on the number of pending registrations and the freshness of our moderator's morning coffee. If your blog is taking a long time to be approved, send us a message and we'll look into it.
Is it mandatory to display an IndiBlogger badge on our blogs to be a part of the IndiBlogger network?
Putting an IndiBlogger badge on your blog is your choice - we don't let that affect our moderation process. Forcing bloggers to put anything on their blogs is NOT something we believe any blogging community should do.
How do I get a profile picture on IndiBlogger?
You can change your profile picture on your Account Settings page.
One blog just doesn't do it for me. How do I add more blogs under my account?
Go to Dashboard > Settings > Add another blog.
My blog has multiple authors. Can multiple IndiBlogger accounts be associated with a single blog?
We're sorry, but we don't support multi-authored blogs at this time. While we are working on an upgrade, you'll have to make do with having a single representative for the blog or sharing a login.
My blog was listed, but now it's gone. Has it been kidnapped? Or worse?
Fear not - unless our web server has been struck by lightning, your blog listing is still safe with us. Your listing can only disappear if you have updated the URL recently. Any blog listing that is updated immediately puts it back into moderation, and will appear on the listings once it has been approved.
I entered a bunch of tags when I registered my blog. Now some of them are missing. Where have all my good tags gone?
Our moderators may decide to remove certain tags, simply because they are redundant. For example, "life" is a redundant tag because that is what every blog is about. Or "India" is redundant, because every blog on our network has something to with India.

IndiRank - Ranking of Indian blogsTop

What is IndiRank? Is it like a report card?
No, we have no intention of reminding you of the nightmares you had in school. IndiRank is a system we built to rank the blogs in the IndiBlogger network. Although we manually verify every blog before it's allowed into the network, the IndiRank system is completely automated. Read more here.
What does IndiRank mean?
It's like runs in a game of cricket - the higher the score, the higher ranking you have. Blogs are ranked on a scale of 1-100, although the highest ranks are in the range of 80-90. We realize that "IndiScore" would have been a more logical name for it, but "IndiRank" just sounded so much cooler at the time, and we decided to stick with it.
How is IndiRank calculated?
A blog's IndiRank is calculated based on various factors. Most blog ranking systems calculate ranks based on popularity. We've taken it a step further based on how deserving a blog is of becoming popular. This is to make sure that the lesser known, but well deserving blogs are pushed up the ladder as well. IndiRank will be completely refreshed every 1-2 months, so a blog's previous rank will have no bearing on it's present rank.
Why is my blog ranking unavailable?
Your ranking may be unavailable for the following reasons:
  1. Our system was unable to get the relevant information about your blog. In most cases, there was a problem accessing your feed, or your feed threw up data which didn't make sense (such as all your posts being published at the same time). If IndiBlogger is unable to read your feed, check these posts for help:
    Feed detection issues on Blogger.
    Feed detection issues on Wordpress.
  2. Your blog was only recently approved, and we have not ranked your blog as yet. You'll have to wait till the next update. The approximate date of the next update will be found in the sidebar of your dashboard.
Why is my rank so low? I deserve a better rank!
We believe that any ranking system should not be taken too seriously - and that is because no sytem can be accurate. IndiRank is built to rank the majority of Indian blogs as accurately as possible using the tools, methods and technology available to us. Please do take note:
  1. Not every blog applies to our algorithm, and a blog may get a rank it does not deserve.
  2. IndiRank is a relative ranking. If your blog's performance is consistent, but the majority of the bloggers have made great improvements, your rank will decrease.
  3. No piece of computer code can ever judge your blog as well as your readers can - so get your blog reviewed on our forum if you haven't done so already!

IndiVineTop

What is IndiVine?
IndiVine was created on the day of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, as a collection of blog posts on the crisis and it's aftermath.The original IndiVine was built in a day and had more than 100 entries before the Taj stopped burning. Since then, we added more topics to IndiVine such as the "Pink chaddi campaign", the elections and the Tata Nano. IndiVine in it's present avatar (IndiVine 2.0) is a direct result of the collaboration among bloggers on the forum, where Vipul Grover and all the usual suspects told us how IndiVine can really help the Indian blogging community. Bloggers can now submit their blog posts under appropriate categories, vote for the most deserving blog posts, and participate in drives.
What's the difference between a category and a trending topic?
A category is a generic heading, such as Science or Business. A trending topic is a subject that is presently being discussed in the blogosphere, such as "Mumbai Terror Attacks". All trending topics are classified under a sub-category of a main category.
How many posts can I submit to IndiVine everyday?
You may submit 2 posts every 24 hours.
Can I submit a post into a main category?
Sorry, you need to find a specific sub-category which suits your blog post. If you think we need to add a new category, let us know on the forum.
How does the voting work?
Only bloggers with an active IndiBlogger profile can vote on IndiVine. You can only vote once for a blog post, and posts with the most votes are pushed to the top.
I voted once, but the vote count increased by 2 points. Is that a bug?
No, that's a feature of IndiVine. The IndiVine voting system is integrated with IndiRank, where a vote for a higher ranking blog gets more weightage. Take for example the blog gujiligalaba.blogspot.com having an IndiRank of 55. Every vote for posts from this blog will have a value of (1 + .55 = 1.55). Votes are rounded off for display. All fresh entries on IndiVine start at 0 votes, regardless of the IndiRank.
Can I make changes to my submission?
Sorry, you cannot make changes to your submission since it's not fair to the bloggers who may have already voted for your post. However, if you want to remove your submission, you may do so by sending us a request.
List of IndiVine error codes:
  • Pelendur, Faramir: The title of your post is too short. Note that IndiVine strips tags and swear words from your submission.
  • Gandalf, Ragnir: The description is too short. Note that IndiVine strips tags and swear words from your submission.
  • Legolas: Your post title appears to be a URL.
  • Mithrellas: Your post URL is invalid.
  • Aerandir, Boromir, Caranthir, Denethor, Eowyn, Hador, Jaybird, Khim, Isildur: Missing basic information in your form submission. Solution - Sign out, sign in and try again.

Finding other bloggersTop

How do I find other Indian bloggers?
There's more than one way to skin a cat on IndiBlogger. Our default search gives you results grouped by the blogger's name, city or tag.

The IndiBlogger networkTop

What is the IndiBlogger network? Is it like a social network?
No, it is not a typical social network. There is no scrapbook to receive spam on, no place to upload pictures of your dog, and no application that wishes to access your profile. The IndiBlogger network lets you:
  1. Discover new blogs, and helps your blog get discovered in return.
  2. Promote your blog posts on IndiVine, and keep track of the latest/top posts by bloggers on your network.
  3. Send private messages to bloggers via IndiMail.
Can I send messages to other bloggers on my network?
Yes, you can do so using IndiMail.
Can I see the latest posts by bloggers on my network?
Yes, you can see the latest and most popular posts they have posted onto IndiVine.
How do I add a blog to my network?
To the right of the blog's title, you'll see this icon - icon. Click on the icon to add the blog to your network.
How do I remove a blog from my network?
To the right of the blog's title, you'll see this icon - icon which indicates that the blog is a part of your network. Click on the icon to remove the blog.
If I add a blog to my network, will the owner of the blog be notified?
Yes - we believe in spreading the love!
If I remove a blog from my network, will the owner of the blog be notified?
No, the blogger will not be notified of your heinous crime.
What is a mutual connection?
When two bloggers are on each other's networks, they have a mutual connection. A mutual connection is denoted by this icon - icon. Having a mutual connection allows you to use IndiMail, send private messages and generally feel good.

Blogger MeetsTop

What is the criteria for being able to organize blogger meetings?
Anyone who is a member of the IndiBlogger network can organize a blog meet. Go ahead and create the meeting - we'll give you a call and give you any help you need. Who knows - we may even pay for the coffee/beer! If you need help creating the meeting, post a comment on our blog.
Why should I organise blogger meets through IndiBlogger?
At the time of writing this FAQ, IndiBlogger has over 7000 15,000 22,000 25,000 blogs in the directory. You can use IndiBlogger as a platform to invite bloggers for the meeting via email. You'll also have your own meeting page where participants can show interest and post their feedback.
How can I promote my blogger meet?
We'll help you by informing all the bloggers in your area. Go ahead, create the meeting and we'll give you a call!

The IndiBlogger ForumTop

(This section was put together by Adarsh Rao)

I need my blog to be reviewed. Where can I post the request?
Under the blog review section, click on "Request a Review". You will be presented with a list of blogs you have registered with IndiBlogger. Select the blog you would like to be reviewed, tell bloggers why you want your blog to be reviewed (be nice) and wait for the reponse! Do note that you can only request for a review once. You can always refresh the same request when you need more feedback on your blog at a later date.
Can I promote my blog?
Sure, you can promote your blog - but ensure that your promotion is relevant. Posting a topic about your blog or your latest blog post (no matter how brilliant it is) is frowned upon by the community. However, if you have blogged about something relevant that can add value to an existing topic, then by all means - post a link to your blog post! You may only post a fresh topic about your blog in the "Review my Blog" category.
I need tips about improving my blog traffic. Where can I find the information.
You'll find tips on everything in the forum. This topic is a good place to start!
Should I review another blog before I submit my blog for review?
We certainly encourage this. Showing that you are willing to help other bloggers before asking for reviews proves that you have the blogging spirit.
I found the language used in the particular post offensive. What do I do?
Under every topic, you have a link to report abuse to our team. We will remove the offending post and the blogger who posted it may be banned from the forum, after we give him/her a warning.
Can I post an entire blog entry in this forum to discuss about it?
No. Discussions about your blog posts belong on your blog, that's what comments are for!
I have a suggestion for IndiBlogger. Is there a category wherein I can post my idea?
Yep! Please post all questions concerning IndiBlogger to the "IndiBlogger.in Questions" category.
I cannot think of any topics to blog. Can I get some ideas?
Post a question in the "Content and Inspiration" category, and let the community help you out.
I need some help regarding some widgets I use for my blog. Is there a category where I can post my question?
Sure, you can post questions about widgets, plugins, templates and themes in the "Platforms & Addons" category.
My blog is in a regional language. Is there a specific category for various regions?
Yes, you may post your topic in the "Regions & Languages" category.
I am involved in promoting a social cause. Can I do it on IndiBlogger?
Yes, you may post your topic in the "Social Causes & Activities" category.
What are the new features implemented on Indiblogger?
You can keep track of the new stuff on IndiBlogger by subscribing to our development blog, stalking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter. Comments, feedback, criticism and suggestions are most welcome!

The IndiBlogger TeamTop

I want to help indiblogger. How can I do that? (From BinaryDay)
One of the IndiBlogger team members manfully tried running through the streets of Bangalore scantily clothed while flying an IndiBlogger kite. That didn't work. As a result of our various failed publicity stunts, we've learned that there is only one thing that helps - you blogging about us. If you have an idea that doesn't result in public beatings, write to us!
Who are you guys?
Strangely enough, we're incredibly shy (or too lazy to write up our own profiles) so you'll have to make do this with this information till we have more.