CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html dir="ltr" lang="en">  <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://learn.wordpress.com:80/get-flashy/","20101125054614","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1290663974"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta charset="UTF-8"/> <title>Get Flashy | Learn WordPress.com</title> <link rel="profile" href="http://gmpg.org/xfn/11"/> <link rel="pingback" href="http://learn.wordpress.com/xmlrpc.php"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Learn WordPress.com » Feed" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/feed/"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Learn WordPress.com » Comments Feed" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/comments/feed/"/> <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function addLoadEvent(func){var oldonload=window.onload;if(typeof window.onload!='function'){window.onload=func;}else{window.onload=function(){oldonload();func();}}} /* ]]> */ </script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614cs_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-content/themes/h4/global.css?m=1285344902g" type="text/css"/> <link rel="stylesheet" id="main-css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614cs_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-content/themes/vip/wpcomlearn/style.css?m=1285345020g&ver=MU" type="text/css" media="screen"/> <link rel="stylesheet" id="print-css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614cs_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-content/themes/vip/wpcomlearn/print.css?m=1285345020g&ver=MU" type="text/css" media="print"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614js_/http://s2.wp.com/wp-includes/js/l10n.js?m=1290133841g&ver=20101110"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614js_/http://s1.wp.com/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.js?m=1290133841g&ver=1.4.4"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614js_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/js/comment-reply.js?m=1285344898g&ver=20090102"></script> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="http://learn.wordpress.com/xmlrpc.php?rsd"/> <link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="http://learn.wordpress.com/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml"/> <link rel="index" title="Learn WordPress.com" href="http://learn.wordpress.com/"/> <link rel="prev" title="Get Published" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-published/"/> <link rel="next" title="Get Mobile" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-mobile/"/> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress.com"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-flashy/"/> <link rel="shortlink" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wp.me/P4gm-y"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://s1.wp.com/i/favicon-stacked.ico?m=1285344897g" sizes="16x16 24x24 32x32 48x48"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://s1.wp.com/i/favicon-stacked.ico?m=1285344897g" sizes="16x16 24x24 32x32 48x48"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-content/themes/h4/i/webclip.png?m=1285344902g"/> <style type="text/css"> /* <![CDATA[ */ div#likes { margin-top: 15px; } .like-button { border: 1px solid #eee; padding: 2px 6px; font-size: 13px; font-family: arial, tahoma, sans-serif; } #wpl-likebox { clear: left; font-size: 11px; font-family: arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif !important; min-height: 30px; margin: 10px 0 !important; padding: 5px 0 10px 0 !important; } #wpl-button { float: left; background: url( /web/20101125054614im_/http://learn.wordpress.com/i/buttonbg.png ) top left repeat-x; margin-right: 7px; border: 1px solid #d4d4d4; -moz-border-radius: 3px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; } #wpl-button a { color: #666 !important; line-height: 130% !important; text-decoration: none !important; outline: none; float: left; padding: 3px 6px 2px 24px !important; font-size: 11px !important; background: url( /web/20101125054614im_/http://learn.wordpress.com/i/likestar.png ) 6px 49.8% no-repeat; } #wpl-button.liked { background: #feffce; border: 1px solid #f3e389; } #wpl-button.liked a { color: #ba871b !important; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-count { min-height: 25px; line-height: 130% !important; float: left; padding-top: 4px; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-avatars { clear: left; max-height: 98px; overflow: hidden; margin-top: 15px; line-height: 130% !important; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-avatars img { border: none !important; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin { line-height: 14px !important; font-size: 11px; clear: left; margin-top: 5px; background: #f0f0f0; padding: 10px; width: 65%; -moz-border-radius: 3px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin a { color: #888; text-decoration: underline; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin p { margin: 5px 0; padding: 0 } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin input.input { padding: 2px; background: #fff; font-size: 11px; font-family: inherit; border: 1px solid #ccc; -moz-box-shadow: 1px 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) inset; -webkit-box-shadow: 1px 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) inset; line-height: 12px; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin input#wp-submit { border: 1px solid #ccc; font-size: 11px; background: #fafafa; repeat-x; -moz-border-radius: 3px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; padding: 2px 4px !important; line-height: 12px; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin label { position: relative; cursor: text; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin label span { position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 5px; padding: 0 !important; } #wpl-likebox #wpl-mustlogin label span { top /*\**/: -10px\9; } /* ]]> */ </style> <link rel="openid.server" href="http://learn.wordpress.com/?openidserver=1"/> <link rel="openid.delegate" href="http://learn.wordpress.com/"/> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/osd.xml" title="Learn WordPress.com"/> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.com/opensearch.xml" title="WordPress.com"/> <meta name="application-name" content="Learn WordPress.com"/><meta name="msapplication-window" content="width=device-width;height=device-height"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=Subscribe;action-uri=http://learn.wordpress.com/feed/;icon-uri=http://s1.wp.com/i/favicon-stacked.ico"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=Sign up for a free blog;action-uri=http://wordpress.com/signup/;icon-uri=http://s2.wp.com/i/favicon.ico"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=WordPress.com Support;action-uri=http://support.wordpress.com/;icon-uri=http://s2.wp.com/i/favicon.ico"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=WordPress.com Forums;action-uri=http://forums.wordpress.com/;icon-uri=http://s2.wp.com/i/favicon.ico"/></head> <body class="page page-id-34 page-template page-template-default"> <div id="page" class="hfeed"> <header id="branding"> <h1 id="site-title"><span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/" title="Learn WordPress.com" rel="home"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-content/themes/vip/wpcomlearn/i/logo.png?m=1285345020g" alt="Learn WordPress.com"/></a></span></h1> </header> <div id="main"> <div id="access"> <div class="skip-link screen-reader-text"><a href="#content" title="Skip to content">Skip to content</a></div> <form id="searchform" name="searchform" method="get" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/"> <div> <label for="s">Search</label> <input type="search" id="s" name="s"/> <input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search"/> </div> </form> <div class="menu"><ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/" title="Home">Home</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-14"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-started/" title="Get Started">Get Started</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-19"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-focused/" title="Get Focused">Get Focused</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-43"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-customized/" title="Get Customized">Get Customized</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-30"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-published/" title="Get Published">Get Published</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-34 current_page_item"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-flashy/" title="Get Flashy">Get Flashy</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-79"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-connected/" title="Get Connected">Get Connected</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-70"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-famous/" title="Get Famous">Get Famous</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-39"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-mobile/" title="Get Mobile">Get Mobile</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-66"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-heroic/" title="Get Heroic">Get Heroic</a></li></ul></div> </div> <div id="primary"> <div id="content"> <h1>Get Flashy</h1> <article id="post-34" class="post-34 page type-page status-publish format-default hentry"> <div class="entry-content"> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-628" title="Welcome aboard!" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://draftlearn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/wlecometocom-web.jpg?w=700" alt="Illustration: welcome to WordPress.com" width="700"/></p> <p><strong>By now you’re set up, published, and have branded your blog</strong> to be unique to you. To take things to the next level, it’s time to start thinking about how you can make each post more flashy and eye-catching.</p> <p>Adding rich media like audio, video, and images to your text-based content can really help it to reach out and jolt your audience. If you’re blogging about photography, or sharing recipes, for instance, including a visual dimension to your blog is all but essential.</p> <p><strong>Even if your blog is more personal</strong>, or about something abstract like accounting or metaphysics, illustrating your ideas can really help bring them to life. It’s a trick as old as the cave paintings primitive humans daubed on the walls to really drive their stories home and win over audiences.</p> <blockquote><p>“<em>You have only 30 seconds in a TV commercial. If you grab attention in the first frame with a visual surprise, you stand a better chance of holding the viewer… When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire.</em>”<br/> David Ogilvy</p></blockquote> <p>While your blog isn’t an advertisement, the average person browsing the web will give you somewhere in the region of 4 seconds to capture their interest before moving on. With that in mind, the need to use visuals, to engage people in two-way conversation, or to pose simple, easy-to-respond-to questions via polls becomes readily apparent. If you aren’t engaging your reader directly, and personally, chances are they’ll go elsewhere to find someone else who will.</p> <p><strong>Your competition isn’t just other blogs</strong>. It’s video sharing sites like YouTube, online games, email, Twitter updates, online social networks, and that’s before you even think about what’s going on beyond the computer screen. Time to fight fire with fire!</p> <h3>Stage One: Adding photos & other images to your blog</h3> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1548" title="photos-web" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://learn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/photos-web.jpg?w=700" alt="" width="700"/></p> <p>If you decide to add an image to your posts or pages, you have a couple of ways of going about it. The easiest is just to click the “image” icon on the toolbar of your visual editor while you’re writing a post:</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2468" title="upload-photo" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://learn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/upload-photo1.png?w=344" alt="" width="344"/></p> <p>You can then select a picture from your computer to upload. Or from the same pop up screen you can select an image from your media library, which is where previously uploaded photos (or videos) are stored. The icons to the right of the photo icon are for similar actions — adding video, audio, media and polls.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2469" title="select-files" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://learn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/select-files1.png?w=637" alt="" width="637"/></p> <p>You can add as many images as you like this way, or you can leave them in your media library for later use.</p> <p>Once the image is uploaded, you’ll get a special screen to plug in lots of details for the image.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2470" title="image-edit-window" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://learn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/image-edit-window.png?w=629" alt="" width="629"/></p> <h3>Get More Help</h3> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://en.support.wordpress.com/images/">Images (WordPress.com Support Document)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://en.support.wordpress.com/images/gallery/">Adding an image gallery (WordPress.com support document)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://en.support.wordpress.com/slideshows/">Adding a slideshow (WordPress.com support document)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/2009/01/05/embedding-photos-video-audio-into-your-posts/">Embedding photos (WordPress.tv video tutorial)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/2009/01/05/creating-an-image-gallery/">Creating an image gallery (WordPress.tv video tutorial)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/2010/04/14/using-slideshows-on-wordpress-com/">Using slideshows on WordPress.com (WordPress.tv video tutorial)</a></p> <h3>Stage Two: Adding video to your blog</h3> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1557" title="videohead-web" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://draftlearn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/videohead-web.jpg?w=700" alt="" width="700"/></p> <p>By now you’ve probably got the hang of uploading media. The optional <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://en.support.wordpress.com/videopress/">VideoPress upgrade</a> makes uploading videos from your computer as easy as uploading photos or audio, and displays your video content in beautiful high definition. Once you have the upgrade good to go, it’s as simple as clicking the insert video icon from your post editor:</p> <p>If you’d rather just share a video you’ve found on YouTube, we’ve got you covered there, too.</p> <p>1.) Go to YouTube and find the video you want to embed on your site. Look for the share button, and click it. A little window will appear with a URL — copy that URL.</p> <p><img title="Add a YouTube Video" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://draftlearn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/add-a-youtube-video.png?w=599" alt="" width="599"/></p> <p>4.) Then, in your post, click the video button.</p> <p><img title="Add a Video Icon" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://draftlearn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/add-a-video-icon1.png?w=750" alt="" width="750"/></p> <p>5) Click the “From URL” tab at the top of the window and paste in the URL. Then click “insert into post.”</p> <p><img title="Embed YouTube Screen" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://draftlearn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/embed-youtube-screen.png?w=619" alt="" width="619"/></p> <p>6. This is what it will look like now in your post editor.</p> <p><img title="Embed a YouTube in Edit Post Window" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://draftlearn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/embed-a-youtube-in-edit-post-window.png?w=552" alt="" width="552"/></p> <p>Edit the post as you normally would, adding in any extra text and whatever headline you like. It will look something like this once live:</p> <p><img title="Live Post with YouTube Video Embed" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://draftlearn.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/live-post-with-youtube-video-embed.png?w=565" alt="" width="565"/></p> <h3><strong>Get More Help</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://en.support.wordpress.com/videos/youtube/">YouTube (WordPress.com support documentation)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://en.support.wordpress.com/videos/">Videos (WordPress.com support documentation)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/2009/01/05/embedding-youtube-videos-into-your-wordpresscom-posts/">Embedding YouTube videos into your blog posts (WordPress.tv video tutorial)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/2009/01/05/embedding-photos-video-audio-into-your-posts/">Embedding videos (WordPress.tv video tutorial)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/2009/08/05/videopress-com-basics/">VideoPress basics – getting up and running (WordPress.tv video tutorial)</a></p> <p><strong>Help for inserting sound files (audio)<br/> </strong></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://en.support.wordpress.com/audio/">Audio (WordPress.com support document)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/2009/01/05/embedding-photos-video-audio-into-your-posts/">Embedding Audio (WordPress.tv video tutorial)</a></p> <h3>What’s Next?</h3> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/get-connected/" target="_self">Get Connected »</a></p> </div> </article> </div> </div> <div class="clear"></div> </div> <div id="colophon"> <a class="feedback" href="/web/20101125054614/http://learn.wordpress.com/feedback/">Questions, comments? Send us feedback.</a> <ul class="resources"> <li id="linkcat-1784" class="linkcat snap_preview"><h2>Resources</h2> <ul class="snap_preview xoxo blogroll"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.com/" rel="generator">Blog at WordPress.com</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://support.wordpress.com/">WordPress.com Support</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://wordpress.tv/">WordPress.tv</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p class="automattic"><span>An <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614/http://automattic.com/"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://s.wordpress.com/wp-content/themes/h4/i/automattic.png?1" alt="Automattic" width="102" height="9"/></a> Contraption</span></p> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> // <![CDATA[ (function() { try{ if ( window.external &&'msIsSiteMode' in window.external) { if (window.external.msIsSiteMode()) { var jl = document.createElement('script'); jl.type='text/javascript'; jl.async=true; jl.src='/wp-content/plugins/ie-sitemode/custom-jumplist.php'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(jl, s); } } }catch(e){} })(); // ]]> </script><script type="text/javascript">_qoptions={qacct:'p-18-mFEk4J448M',labels:'language.en,type.wpcom'};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614js_/http://edge.quantserve.com/quant.js"></script> <noscript><p><img class="robots-nocontent" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-18-mFEk4J448M.gif?labels=language.en%2Ctype.wpcom" style="display:none" height="1" width="1" alt=""/></p></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614js_/http://s.gravatar.com/js/gprofiles.js?l&ver=MU"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> // <![CDATA[ WPGroHo = { data: {}, renderers: {}, syncProfileData: function( hash, id ) { if ( !WPGroHo.data[hash] ) { WPGroHo.data[hash] = {}; a = jQuery( 'div.grofile-hash-map-' + hash + ' span' ).each( function() { WPGroHo.data[hash][this.className] = jQuery( this ).text(); } ); } WPGroHo.appendProfileData( WPGroHo.data[hash], hash, id ); }, appendProfileData: function( data, hash, id ) { for ( var key in data ) { if ( jQuery.isFunction( WPGroHo.renderers[key] ) ) { return WPGroHo.renderers[key]( data[key], hash, id, key ); } jQuery( '#' + id ).find( 'h4' ).after( jQuery( '<p class="grav-extra ' + key + '" />' ).html( data[key] ) ); } } }; jQuery(document).ready(function($){ Gravatar.profile_cb = function( h, d ) { WPGroHo.syncProfileData( h, d ); }; Gravatar.attach_profiles(); }); // ]]> </script> <div style="display:none"> </div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614js_/http://b.scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js"></script><script type="text/javascript">try{COMSCORE.beacon({c1:2,c2:7518284});}catch(e){}</script><noscript><p class="robots-nocontent"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614im_/http://b.scorecardresearch.com/p?cj=1c1=2&c2=7518284" alt="" style="display:none" width="1" height="1"/></p></noscript><script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20101125054614js_/http://s.stats.wordpress.com/w.js?19" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> st_go({'blog':'16390','v':'wpcom','user_id':'0','post':'34','subd':'learn'}); ex_go({'crypt':'RDZ8LFkxbXFZMDA5NTI9T0lwVEVaUCVrM3R3cCU2Wi10dWQ0JktGcGFFRkZuR0ZNW0dDN1J4NTFWaiU2Y1F1OXB2WlZLWnVQdjBnLlB+cEpbclEmWmpOL0ZvN2lpaVt2YmVrXXNBfEl1MUhORWFhQjktNmdZZHxfJk5QSlByM18wb3BbZUx0ZkwtNUc5fjFbRGxJU0pvMmxHfEF+UzQsMTBpTGV3YkZkMW5TVz0lYixNfE5QRW8xb1M0Wn5xfE5SUWZGTjZDWg=='}); addLoadEvent(function(){linktracker_init('16390',34);}); </script> </body> </html>