South African family research How to blog your family history Ancestry24 Family Journal pages http:// beta.ancestry24.com/

On the homepage, click on My Blogs on the top toolbar. Then click on Create a Blog

On the homepage, click on My Blogs on the top toolbar. Then click on Create a Blog

Set your blog domain and give your blog a title More details on the following two slides

Set your blog domain and give your blog a title More details on the following two slides

Giving your blog a domain name The domain is the URL or web address of your journal. Make it descriptive and easy to remember. It has to be unique. You will not be able to use a domain that already exists. Once set, you can’t change the domain name. You can create multiple blogs, each with a different domain name.

The domain is the URL or web address of your journal.

Make it descriptive and easy to remember.

It has to be unique. You will not be able to use a domain that already exists.

Once set, you can’t change the domain name.

You can create multiple blogs, each with a different domain name.

Give your journal a descriptive title Give your journal a descriptive name that will tell others at a glance what your focus is. Be more specific than just a surname. Which branch of the family are you interested in, or which area are they from? For example: “Smith and Brown”, “Smiths of Grahamstown” etc, rather than just Smith. The title can be changed later.

Give your journal a descriptive name that will tell others at a glance what your focus is.

Be more specific than just a surname. Which branch of the family are you interested in, or which area are they from? For example: “Smith and Brown”, “Smiths of Grahamstown” etc, rather than just Smith.

The title can be changed later.

Privacy: Make your blog accessible to search engines by ticking YES.

Privacy: Make your blog accessible to search engines by ticking YES.

You should now see a confirmation screen showing your family journal URL. You can start writing!

You should now see a confirmation screen showing your family journal URL. You can start writing!

To access your journal, select My Blogs from the top bar. If you have multiple journals, be sure to select the right one.

To access your journal, select My Blogs from the top bar. If you have multiple journals, be sure to select the right one.

To start writing, click on New Post

To start writing, click on New Post

Add Post Title in the top field. Write your entry in the block below that. Don’t worry about the settings on the left or right for now. More directions on the following slides.

Add Post Title in the top field. Write your entry in the block below that. Don’t worry about the settings on the left or right for now. More directions on the following slides.

Select Visual as opposed to HTML to enter your text.

Select Visual as opposed to HTML to enter your text.

If you don’t see two rows of tools, click the button on the far right to switch on the second row.

If you don’t see two rows of tools, click the button on the far right to switch on the second row.

To copy & paste text from Word or another program, use these buttons. Paste as Plain Text.

To copy & paste text from Word or another program, use these buttons. Paste as Plain Text.

After completing your journal entry, you should add TAGs in the block on the right. This improves searchability. Use relevant keywords like names, places, events etc.

After completing your journal entry, you should add TAGs in the block on the right. This improves searchability. Use relevant keywords like names, places, events etc.

Before you publish, click on Preview to see what it will look like. A separate window will open.

Before you publish, click on Preview to see what it will look like. A separate window will open.

If you’re satisfied with the preview, click on Publish to make your post live on the internet.

If you’re satisfied with the preview, click on Publish to make your post live on the internet.

Congratulations on your first blog post! The following slides show how to manage your journal.

Congratulations on your first blog post! The following slides show how to manage your journal.

To edit, delete or manage your posts, click on My Blogs on the top bar. Navigate down to your journal title and select Manage Posts .

To edit, delete or manage your posts, click on My Blogs on the top bar. Navigate down to your journal title and select Manage Posts .

Move the mouse over a post title to see edit options

Move the mouse over a post title to see edit options

Click on Delete to permanently remove this entry. Click on Edit to edit the text of the post. Or click on Quick Edit to add tags or edit the headline.

Click on Delete to permanently remove this entry. Click on Edit to edit the text of the post. Or click on Quick Edit to add tags or edit the headline.

To approve, delete or manage comments on your posts from others, click on My Blogs on the top bar. Navigate down to your journal title and select Manage Comments . Remember to check for new comments occassionally.

To approve, delete or manage comments on your posts from others, click on My Blogs on the top bar. Navigate down to your journal title and select Manage Comments .

Remember to check for new comments occassionally.

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