A Users Guide to Ning

Paul Webster

March 2012

What is Ning and what is networking? Ning is a social networking website that groups and communities can use to build their own personal space. They can contain discussion forums, blogs, shared photos, documents, podcasts, videos and more. Discussion forums can be open or closed (invited people only).

Networking is something people do already anyway – technology just makes it quicker and easier. Ning, or any other social network should not be seen as a replacement for existing face to face networking, but as a supplement to these. However there are times when an on-line group can be

Practical – group can stay in touch when physical meetings not possibleCost effective – cut down cost & time taken to travel to see others in the group

How do I find the Ning network?

The address of your Ning Community Website is ________________________________

Getting started

You will have either received and accepted an invitation email to join the network or signed up through the online form. So now you’ve joined the network – what next? Your welcome email has links to help, but here are a few things to do to get you started…

Sort your Profile tab out (click Edit on the Profile Information) – See Page 2 for more details

Use your full, real name. We’re here to network, so it’s nice to know who we’re talking to. Check and update your organisation and other background information about you. Upload a profile picture in 'My Settings' so we can say hello when we meet you!

Check you are happy with your Activity and Privacy settings (click Edit on the Latest Activity box)

Choose which items of your activity get posted into the 'latest activity' stream Choose your personal email settings to control how many emails you get from this site

(click on the 'See what activity gets displayed' link Change your Privacy settings – who can view your profile, photos, blog etc. Here's a tutorial on changing your profile page

( http://help.ning.com/cgi-bin/ning.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=3413 )

If at any time you aren't sure which screen or option you are in, click on the logo for the community shown at the top of the screen to be taken back to the main page.

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Introduce yourself and start networking – See Page 3 for more details

The chances are that we've all met already – have a look at the Members page to see who is here. Already know someone? – clicking on their name and then on the "Add as friend" link underneath their photo on their profile page puts them in your group of friends.

Setting up two way friendships with others in the group means you can get in touch using the private message facility should you choose. (See Messages section on Page 4)

Head over to the Discussion Forum pages and get stuck into the conversations! (See Page 6 for more details about Discussion Forums)

There's a Category in the main Forum to say hello and a bit about yourself. Anyone can add a new Discussion or reply to one already there – don't be shy!

There may already be interesting discussions taking place or you may want to start your own. However, remember if you start a discussion, please own it - please stay involved with it. Discussions might be based around an area of interest, perhaps you all do the same kind of activity or live in the same area and want to compare notes.

You may want to start a personal Blog page about you, your work or the group you are involved with. (See Page 4 about how to set up a blog page)

If you're stuck or you have question about the website which is not answered here, send a private message to one of the administrators who will be happy to help.

How to use the main Features of the network

Login SecurityCan anyone join our network?

The network is primarily for our group. We may approve new members and ask that they provide certain information, such as the organisation that they represent. Currently the network is set to be private and accessible by e-mail invitation only

Can I create a link to the network from my own blog/website?Yes, but because the network requires a login visitors won't be able to see your content.

Introductions and joining the networkWhat information do I have to give to join the network?

You will need to give : Your name, Your email address, Your Date of Birth.You will also be asked a couple of questions relevant to your location and membership of

the group and maybe your work or interests.After completion of this screen your request will need to be approved by an administrator.

Profile, Image and Description - My Profile Page How do I see my network member profile?

If you click on My Profile page, it should show up in your browser's address bar.

How do I upload a profile photo?On the right side of the screen, below the network banner, there is a box with your name atthe top and a number of options. Click on "Settings". Next to the heading "Profile picture" it will display a mini version, or thumbnail, of the picture that you are currently using.If you have not uploaded a picture, it will display the default picture used for all profiles.Next to the thumbnail, there is a small camera icon. Click on this icon and a window will

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open up. The first option is "Use an existing photo" - if you have pictures already on this network it will allow you to choose from them. Just click on the image you want, select "Done" and the window will close. Now scroll down and select "Save".

To upload a new picture, you will need to have saved the image you want to use on your computer. Select "Upload a photo from your computer". Click on "Browse" and navigate to the file, folder etc. where your photo is saved, select it and press "Open". Click on "Done", then scroll down and select "Save". This might take a few seconds to load, so be patient.You should now see the message "You have successfully saved your changes. Go to My Page." with a link to your profile. It's worth having a look to check that you're happy with the image.

Do I have to put my photo on my member profile?The photo you use for your member profile is up to you, though it’s nice to have a picture of you there. If you do not put a photo up, your profile will show the default profile image.

What kind of photo should I use?We would recommend using a portrait photo if possible, but you don't need to arrange for a formal photo shoot - a snapshot works just as well. Square, rather than rectangular images are better; the system crops images to make them square.

How do I delete a photo?Go to your member page (the My Page tab up top). Scroll down and click on the View Photos link that appears on left hand side. Look through your photos and click on the one you want to delete. Press Delete Photo link that appears underneath the photo. Click Go.

Friends How do I add someone to my friends list?

View the person’s profile that you would to add as a friend. On the left hand side, below their picture (if they have one), click on “Add as friend”. They will be notified of your request and have to approve it. Likewise, when someone adds you as a friend, you will be notified and asked to approve the request.

How do I accept friend requests?If you look up at the top, under the network banner, your name is displayed, along with a few options. Where it says “Friends” it will also display how many outstanding requests you have in brackets, e.g. Friends (1 request). Click on the text in brackets and any requests will be displayed. Then just hit Accept or Ignore and you're done.

Do I have to accept friend requests?No. Some people want to be friends with everyone, some just want a select group they know well. How you approach this is totally up to you.

What happens when I reject a friend request?It disappears from the Sent section in the member's friends dropdown. They don't receive an email notification of this.

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What is this whole friendship thing anyway?Friends on our network and other social networks work differently than friends in real life. A friend on here can be thought of as a bookmark for someone you find interesting or happen to know. It is possible to restrict photos, videos and blog posts to be viewable by Friends Only, something to consider when requesting or accepting friend requests.

MessagesWhat are messages?

Messages are like emails. They enable members of the network to share ideas, stories and news with each other. Messages can be private between just the sender and the recipient or can have a wider circulation to people you choose. You can filter messages to show just those that have been Sent, Read or just those still Unread.

How do I read my messages?Go to the 'Inbox' section of the website (on the right side) to see the messages you have received, clicking on the message subject opens the message so you can read it and reply

How can I send a message?From the 'Inbox' screen click on 'Compose'. This opens up a list of all the members on the network from which you can choose the person or people you'd like to send the message to. Then you can enter your message in the box underneath. The message entry box is a fairly standard 'word processor' style box which enables you to :

Format text – Bold, Underline, Bullet Points, Change Colour, Change Size etc.Insert links to external websites or Include Media such as Pictures and VideoAdd file attachments

When you are happy with your message, click on Send.

What is the Archive?This is an area to store messages you'd like to keep. When a message comes into your inbox you can either mark it as read, delete it or move it into the Archive if you want to keep it

BlogWhat is a blog?

Blog is short for 'weB log'. Many blogs provide insight, commentary or news on a particularsubject, cause or issue; others function as personal online diaries. Entries are displayed in reverse chronological order with the newest at the top. A typical blog could include images, and links to other blogs and media.

How can I add a blog post?On your 'My Page' click on the 'Blog Posts' link on the left hand side and add a new blogGive the blog a title, e.g. 'My thoughts about rural communications' or 'What a great event' and then start entering your blog in the box underneathThe blog entry box is a fairly standard 'word processor' style box which enables you to :

Format text – Bold, Underline, Bullet Points, Change Colour, Change Size etc.Insert links to external websites or Include Media such as Pictures and VideoAdd file attachments

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You can save the blog post as a 'Draft' or you can click 'Preview' to see what it will look like to everyone else, you can also schedule it to go live at a specified date – or straight-away.Select who in the network can see and can comment on the blog post, you may want to restrict either or both to just yourself or just your friends rather than everyone. When you are happy with what you have written and ready to share, click the 'Publish Post' button!

If you'd rather talk than type, you can embed an audio blog post. You will need to create a free Audioboo account, record your thoughts by speaking into your computer or smartphone and then copy and paste the code from the Audioboo website into a blog post.

Can others comment on my blog posts?

If you have enabled this when you created the blog other members of the network will be able to comment on your blog post. If you have moderation set then you can review the comment before it goes public. You don't have to allow comments on your blog, however its good to talk, share and build up a joint community voice.

Searching for a blogIf you are not sure about the exact blog you'd like to comment on or not sure who has written the blog, you can search for it. Either use the overall Search facility in the top right corner of the network or by going to the 'Blog Posts' box and clicking on 'View All'.

What is Tagging?You can give each post a tag relating to its topic or subject matter. This makes searching for similar content easier and as tags can be clicked on, shows all posts tagged the same way.

How do I comment on a blog?Once you have located the blog you wish to comment on, click to open it up. At the foot of the blog post simply add your thoughts in the 'Add a Comment' box, you have all the same facilities as you do when writing a blog postIf you don't want to leave a comment about the blog, but you agree with what the writer is saying then you might want to just use the 'Like' button to let others know its good.

How can I find out if someone replies to my blog?Now you have joined the conversation, if you want to find out about other people's comments on the subject, click 'Follow' to get email notifications when these are posted

Extra blogging featuresYou can subscribe to the 'RSS' feed from someone's blog if you find them interesting and would like to know when they post new thoughts and updates.In the 'Options' box at the top of the blog click 'Feature' which puts that blog post onto the front page activity feed of the website. Don't blog 'too' often, (once a day is fine) as newer entries will push others out of view You can add tags to the blog post if you feel something is missing or would make the blog more searchable

You can also click 'Flag' if you believe the blog contains inappropriate content that site administrator should be informed about

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Photos and VideoHow can I add a photo to the website?

From your 'My Page' box click on the Photos linkYou can then add photos in four ways

Quick upload, by typing in the boxes, the location of the photo on your computer.Choose and upload multiple photos from your computer using the uploader 'plug-in' in the More Options section. You will need to accept & install this the first time.Add photos from the Flickr photosharing social network. You will need to grant permission for the Ning website to link to your Flickr account.Send photos by phone or email to the email address of each user in the Ning site.

If the pictures relate to a particular event, project or place then add them into their own unique Photo Album. Albums can either be public or personal.Give each photo a descriptive name and add appropriate tags to make future searching for images more effective.

What types of pictures can be added?Images can be in .jpg, .png or .gif format, you must also agree that you have permission to use any pictures before they are uploaded.

How can I add a video to the website?From your 'My Page' box click on the Videos link. You can either search for the video on your computer or you can enter the URL of the video or the 'embed' code if the video is hosted on sites such as YouTube.If the video relates to a particular event, project or place add it to its own Album. Give each video a descriptive name and tags to make searching for it more effective.

How can other people search for my photos and videos?Go to the 'Photos' section of the website and click on 'All photos', here you can search forpictures by name or sort them into newest, most popular or a random order.

Discussion forumsWhat are discussion forums?

The forums are a place for you to start and participate in discussions about all kinds of topics. Think of them as a conversation that is online and takes part over a longer period of time. You can start a discussion by asking a question, looking for information or sharing opinions on something of interest. Or just dip into and reply to existing conversations.

How do they work?One person starts a thread, or discussion, and other people can reply to it. The first post is shown at the top of the page, with replies below that in the order that they are added.

How do I start a discussion?In the main forum, click on “Add” in the top right corner. Give your thread a clear and relevant name, write your text in the text box, and click “Add discussion”.Note: Once you start a thread you will receive an email notification when anyone replies. If you don't want to receive these, go into the thread, scroll to bottom. Click “Stop following”.

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How do I reply to a thread or discussion?Go into the thread that you wish to take part in and click “Reply to This”, then type your reply in the text box below. You can add documents, photos etc. to your reply by clicking “Would you like to upload files?” and browsing to find the file on your computer. Next, click “Add your reply”. Once you have posted it you have 15 minutes to edit it, in case you spot a typo, spelling mistake etc.Note: Once you reply to a thread you will receive an email notification when anyone else replies. If you do not want to receive these emails, go into the thread and scroll to the bottom. Click on “Stop following”.

Can I edit my thread or reply to a thread after I’ve posted it?Yes. If you start a thread you can edit the text of your initial post, or even delete the entire thread at any time. Click on “Edit discussion” on the right hand side to amend the text, or “Delete discussion” to remove completely.If you’d like to close the thread so that people can read what was said but not add to it further, select “Close discussion”.If you reply to someone else’s thread, you have 15 minutes to edit it after you have replied. If you would like to delete your reply completely, you can do so at any time by clicking on the “x” to the right of your reply.

What is Tagging?You can give each post a tag relating to its topic or subject matter. This makes searching for similar content easier and as tags can be clicked on shows all posts tagged the same way.

Can I add a document to my post?Yes. If you start a thread you can attach up to three files to it. Simply browse to the document on your computer and it will be uploaded when you click “Add discussion”.

Who can read what I write?Only members of our network can see what has been written. Each time a reply is added to a discussion thread it will show up again in the Latest Activity section of the main page.

Other features of the Ning Network

What are the 'social buttons'?If you don't want to leave a comment about a blog post or media you have found, but you agree with what the writer is saying then use the thumbs up 'Like' button to let others know its good. You can see a list of the items you have 'Liked' on your 'My Page'.

How can I search for content on the website?There is a search box in the top right corner of the screen where you search for anything you'd like to find on the network. Blog Posts and Discussions that have been tagged with the particular keywords being searched for will appear here.

Can I change the look and design of my Ning page?Yes, from the 'Customize' link on your profile page you can change the page layout. You can move boxes on the page or alter the colours and fonts to suit your personal tastes.

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What is an Status Update?To let other network users know what you are doing or what you are thinking, you can send short 'status updates' from your profile page or the main activity page. Simply enter something in the “What are you up to?” box

What are 'apps' and how can I add them to my page?'Apps' – short for applications or programs can be added to your personal profile from the 'App Directory'. Currently there are over 150 apps to choose from in a wide range of categories. Some are business and work or group related, others are games or music players to make the network more social. You can add 2 apps to your Profile page.

What else is shown on my Profile Page?Your Profile Page also shows and links to the places where you have presence on the Ning network. For example you can click on and see all the Blog posts you have made, the Discussions your are part of, your Photos and your Videos.

What are Text Boxes?On your Profile Page you can add up to 3 Text Boxes. These are free format areas where youcan either enter simple text to be displayed.

This is a useful 'Do' and 'Don't' protocol to think about when contributing to the community. Do

read these rules and guidelines before posting for the first time.search existing conversations, if your topic is already being talked about you can add to it.use a meaningful title for your discussion.stay on topic as this helps the conversation, set up a different thread if you need to.use plain text not excessive HTML so that it can be read by everyone. avoid abbreviations unless you know they will be understood by everyone.write concisely and do not ramble, check spelling and grammar.help others as often, or even more often than you ask for help.watch your sense of humour as tone and context can be difficult to convey online.be friendly, personal differences should be handled through other channelsbe patient – not everyone is online at the same time so you may not get an instant reply.be enthusiastic, a network that has been build by its supporters will naturally grow and

members will encourage each other to contribute

Don'tinclude posts with large attachments, provide link to read online or upload the file.post the same message in one thread or across several threads.use all capitals or SHOUT in your posts, one exclamation mark is enough.quote more than is needed from a previous post.post new problems on someone else's thread and interrupt a topic of discussion.post information that is private, personal, identifiable or embarrassing to others.post content that violates a copyright.post ”empty” responses, such as just ”thanks”, post when you have something to add. be hard on newcomers to the forum. Help everyone to learn together as a group.

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Terms and Conditions for people who will use the network

About our organisation

We are _______________________________

In these terms and conditions, where the words 'our organisation' is mentioned, this is referring to _______________________________ and where 'our network' is mentioned this refers to the online Ning network set up for the use of _______________________________.

About this website - Terms and conditions

Using content on this websiteThe content of this site is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike Licence, meaning that you are free to copy, distribute and display this work, and to make derivative works providing that you attribute it to our organisation, and do not use it for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a licence identical to this one.

For further information, read the Creative Commons licence summary.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this website. However, our organisation cannot be held responsible for any action an individual takes, or fails to take, as a result of this information.

How we will use your contact detailsYour details will not be passed to any third parties at any time without your prior consent.

Terms and conditions of usePlease read the terms and conditions. If you contribute to our network you agree to be bound by these conditions. If you break these terms and conditions, you may be immediately and permanently banned from the website. Your IP address may also be blocked.

You will not make inappropriate use of the websiteWe will be the final judge of what constitutes inappropriate use, but it includes, for example, writing content that is abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, sexually-oriented or illegal. We reserve the right to remove or edit any material on the network at any time.

Other areas to be careful of are: Self-promotion and advertising – do not let this interfere with the value of website to users Expressing negative opinions about people or organisations – unless you can supply facts to

support your opinion, this may be deemed as defamation “Flaming” – do not live out personal arguments and grudges in the forums

We reserve the right to halt the service at any time.

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We have provided this network as is. Access to the network is not part of any existing membership arrangements or tied to any existing services. In particular, any membership fees you may have paid do not necessarily entitle you to access to the network.

We may stop your access to the network, or any parts of it, such as we see fit.

We have the right to reuse and reproduce all posts. We may collect posts and republish them, for example, on other websites or publications. However we will never use your name or personal details without your permission.

You understand that the network cannot always be continuously moderated 24 hours per day or 7 days per week and we do not check posts and messages on this website before they go live. While the administrators of this website will attempt to remove or edit any generally objectionable material as soon as we are notified or detect it, it is impossible to review every message.

You acknowledge all posts express the views and opinions of the author and not the administrators or webmaster (except for posts by these people) and hence will not be held liable.

All content on this website is made in an individual capacity and expresses only the views of its author. The content on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the author's organisation, our organisation or any other organisation.

Hopefully you won’t, see anything rude or offensive, but if you DO see something that you think shouldn’t be there, get in touch with one of the helpers, or email them on ______@__________.

You agree that these terms and conditions are subject to change at any time. We will post an announcement of the changes on the website before we do so. You must read the new terms and conditions because continued membership will constitute agreement to them.

If you have any questions about these terms and conditions, please email ______@__________.

Paul Webster www.watfordgapservices.org.uk @watfordgapMarch 2012

You can copy, distribute & display this and make derivative works under the following conditions:

Attribution — You must give the original author credit. Non-Commercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes. Share Alike — If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a licence identical to this one.See - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Some parts of this document were based on a guide written by Sophie Ballinger (@sospot), thanks for permission to use them here.

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