BLOGNTWEET to BlogFrog

With the announcement by Ning that their communities/forums would no longer be free, it left me and the members of my forum called BLOGNTWEET with a decision to make: Have paid membership or find another platform for our community that would remain free. I want the followers of my blog to participate in our conversations as well because you add great insight from your own experiences and that is why I am posting this today.

I took a poll at BLOGNTWEET and the majority chose to remain free even if there are less features. Anna said, “Wow!!! Yeah, stay free” and Arika agreed saying, “Stay free!! I love chatting with you ladies.”

Exploring all free options I kept coming back to the same platform which I have already been a member for many months, but became active in the community on precisely 11/22/2009. It is not the same type of forum, however, it preserves our ability to chat with one another.

The easiest way to describe it is that we all live in a city called BlogFrog. Within that city, my house is called The Redhead Riter and all my friends come over to my house to chat and eat doughnuts (We would if you really came over to visit me). While you’re in my house, since there are a whole bunch friends in my really big house, there are a lot of different conversations going on at the same time. You can chat in them all if you want or you can even start your own chat in my house and we will all chime in with our opinion just like we do now in “The Daily Chat” at BLOGNTWEET.

When you finish a book, host a giveaway, need things tweeted (happy to get this done for you Cindi so you can set up the chat each week), wreck the car (I won’t name names on this one), have a pretty picture of the rain (I know you secretly love these Anna), and a myriad of other topics, just post them in The Redhead Riter community. From now on I will also start discussions on topics that I address in my blog too.

Just as you wanted, BlogFrog is entirely free.

You also have the option of either creating your own community by linking your blog, Twitter and future state, Facebook. If you do not want your own community, don’t have a blog and/or do not have a Twitter account, that is fine too. EVERYONE can join The Redhead Riter community!

It is VERY SIMPLE to set up your account. If any of you get stuck, I am still just an email away. If you want your own community and need help with a background or header, give me a shout. PJ, if you just don’t want to even try setting it up, let me know because I am poised and ready to help you.

So Teresa, to answer your question of what we are going to do…the answer is BlogFrog. I have already set up a welcome chat and I’m just waiting for you to join me!

Here are the directions to get started:

BlogFrog at http://theblogfrog.com/1024359

Click the big orange SIGN UP NOW button indicated with the arrow below

Fill in your email address, first name and create a password
Click DONE

Now fill in as much or as little of the information about your blog, Twitter and Facebook
When you are finished, click DONE

Now you will be at the welcome page.
On this page you can upload your profile picture.

Now you are ready to find The Redhead Riter community.

Do not sign out of BlogFrog. In the ADDRESS BAR, copy and paste this link:

http://theblogfrog.com/1024359

Since you didn’t sign out…and because you pasted the above URL address in place of the BlogFrog address you had…You will immediately be directed to the home page of The Redhead Riter’s community!

At the bottom of the forum, you will see FEATURED DISCUSSIONS under which “The Daily Chat” and a “Welcome To BLOGNTWEET Members” is located. It will take a little time to get used to, but I’m sure you will find this a comfortable and easy platform to use and it is entirely free.

I want to invite everyone that is currently a member of BLOGNTWEET and everyone that visits my blog to become a part of The Redhead Riter’s community at BlogFrog!