SoulCast: FREE Blog - Blogs & Blogging

Blogging Basics: How do I create a blog?; What is a post?; Can I view other blogs without becoming a member?; How long will my post remain on the website?; How do I connect with other members/users?; What are profiles?; Is SoulCast free?
Posting and Editing: How do I publish my post to my blog?; What is a "Description"; Can I edit my Description?; How do I edit what I've written?; How do I delete a post?; How do I add a comment on another user's blog?; Can I delete a comment I added on another post?; How do I delete a comment on my blog that was added by someone else?; How do I add a link to another webpage?; How do I block a user from commenting on my blog?; How do I make a private or draft post?; How do I find an old post?; How long does it take for my post to be published online?; How can I make words bold or in italics?; Help! I can't post!; What is "Compose" mode?; What browsers support "Compose" mode?; What is "Edit HTML" mode?; How do I change my default Editor setting?
My Account: What is a tag, and how do I tag my posting?; Is there a wrong way to "tag" posts?; How do I subscribe to someone's blog?; I can't sign in.; Can I write my blog in a language other than English?; How can I recover my username and password?; How do I delete my account?; What is the url to my blog?; What url do I use when requesting an adsense account?
Getting Paid to Blog: How do I get paid to blog?; What is AdSense?; How do I sign up for Google's AdSense?; I already have AdSense. How do I add AdSense to my SoulCast blog?; How do I make money?; Why is someone else's Google Adsense ID used on my page?; How much money can I make?; How will I receive my money?; Can I click on my own ads?; I still have more questions about AdSense.
Privacy: Will I remain completely anonymous?; What if the government insists on obtaining info?
General: Will SoulCast work on a Mac?; Can anyone use SoulCast?; Can I post pictures or images?; Is there anything I can't post?; How do I get featured on the homepage?; What is the daily post limit?; How do I report abuse or a bug?; Questions or have feedback?; Still more questions or have feedback?

Blogging Basics

How do I create a blog?

To create your blog, you'll first need to register to become a member. Signing up is quick, easy, anonymous and free. All you have to do is create a username, password and a short description of you. Sign up now for free.

What is a post?

A post is a single entry in your blog; your blog is composed of multiple posts. All your posts are stored in SoulCast's database

Can I view other blogs without becoming a member?

Yes, you can browse SoulCast and view the blogs of other users. But membership has its benefits. As a member, you'll be able to create your own blog, comment on other blogs, subscribe to other members' blogs, and receive alerts when you members have commented on your blog. Signing up is easy, anonymous and free!

How long will my post remain on the website?

A legitimate post will remain on SoulCast indefinitely, unless you delete the post or there is sufficient reason for SoulCast to deem the post unacceptable, in which case the post will be removed.

How do I connect with other members/users?

SoulCast uses the technology called "tagging" to connect members with each other. You will be connected to members whom you tag, and vice versa.

What are profiles?

A profile is a brief description of you and your blog. If you are concerned about privacy you should avoid giving personal information here.

Is SoulCast free?

Yes, there is no fee to join SoulCast. Membership is absolutely free. Join SoulCast now.

Posting and Editing

How do I publish my post to my blog?

Click on "Create a post" and you'll see several blank fields. First enter the title of the post, then create your post. You must then tag your post before publishing. Click on "Publish" to upload your post for the world to see. This may take a few seconds.

What is a post's "Description"?

The description is used to quickly describe a post on pages that list multiple posts (i.e. the homepage).

Can I edit my Description?

Yes, you may edit your description by simply going into that field and editing it.

How do I edit what I've written?

Once you are signed in, go to your blog and find the post you want to edit. Next, click the Edit button next to the post you'd like to edit. Once you've edited your post, click on "Publish" to upload the edited version.

How do I delete a post?

To delete a specific post, first sign in, then go to your blog. Locate the post you'd like deleted, and click the Delete button.

How do I add a comment on another user's blog?

Under each post you will find a form you can use to post a comment. When commenting, you will need to "tag" the post, then fill in the comment box. Click "Submit comment" to post your comment. If you are not already signed in, you will be prompted to sign in or create an account at this time.

Can I delete a comment I added on another post?

No, you can't delete comments you add to the posts of other users.

How do I delete a comment on my blog that was added by someone else?

If you want to delete a comment to your blog, click the "delete" link next to the comment you want to remove.

How do I add a link to another webpage?

You can add URLs in your post by simply typing it in as you create your text.

How do I block a user from commenting on my blog?

To block a user from commenting, click the "block" link next to one of their comments.

How do I make a private or draft post?

Once you've created text for your post, you can save it as a draft to make it private. There are a few reasons you might want to use this option.

You may want to do this if you are not finished with the post and want to complete it before you post it publicly.
You may also want to make your post private if you are posting something you don't want anyone to read yet.
You may have created a post for the future, and wish to post it at a later or more relevant time.

How do I find an old post?

You can browse through any user's posts chronologically or by searching for a specific word or phrase.

How long does it take for my post to be posted online?

Changes should be visible immediately after the posting process completes. On occasion it may take longer for posts to appear. You can check to see whether your post was published successfully by clicking "My blog" and seeing if your post appears there.

How can I make words bold or in italics?

To bold or italicize text for emphasis, use the buttons above the text box. Highlight the text you want to modify, then click on one of the buttons. You can also click one of the buttons before typing the words that you would like to be bolded or otherise formatted.

Help! I can't post!

Are you having problems creating a post in "Compose" mode? Your browser may not support the features of "Compose" mode. If you're having difficulties, try using "Edit HTML" mode instead!

What is "Compose" mode?

Compose mode is a great way to easily format your posts. Typing in this mode will give you a preview of what your post will look like.

Compose mode is supported by most popular modern browsers. If it doesn't work on yours, please use the "Edit HTML" mode instead.

Compose Mode is enabled by default but you can change your settings in Edit my profile. Click here to find out how to change your default Post setting.

What browsers support "Compose" mode

Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 1.5+, and Safari.

What is "Edit HTML" mode?

If you're comfortable working with HTML, or if your browser doesn't support compose mode, Edit HTML is for you! Edit HTML gives the chance to really get creative with the formatting of your post. You can change color, font and weight of your post, or you can leave it simple. It's all up to you. Click here to find out what HTML tags you can use on Soulcast.

If you prefer Edit HTML mode, simply log in and change your default settings. Click here to find out how to change your default Post setting.

How do I change my default Editor setting?

Simply go to Edit my profile, select the setting you want under Default Editor Mode, and click update settings.

My Account

What is a tag, and how do I tag my posting?

A proper tag is usually a word that is somehow relevant to the blog. It is a means of creating connections with other relevant content. For example a blog about fishing may have tags such as "fish," "river," or "outdoors." When you post a blog, you must tag it. Click on the button in the text box that says "Add tags." A blog can have multiple tags, which must be separated by commas.

Is there a wrong way to "tag" posts?

Yes, there is a wrong way to tag a post. Whether you are writing a post or commenting on a post, you should try to tag the post as accurately as possible. Although much of tagging is subjective, there are tags that are blatantly wrong for a post, and we suggest you not tag a post incorrectly. For example, if the post is about a rock concert, the tag "politics" will not likely be a correct tag. SoulCast closely monitors tags made in error, and tag abuse may result in suspension of your account.

I can't sign in.

Have you tried resetting your password? If you are getting continual promptings to sign in or "Session Expired" messages , then this is caused by your browser not retaining your login information correctly. You may also see "Session Expired" messages in these cases. To fix this you need to troubleshoot your browser, so try the following:

Clear your cache

Delete your Browser's cookie

Check your Browser's Cookie settings

Check your JavaScript settings

Quit your Browser and restart it

Use another Browser.

Can I write my blog in a language other than English?

At this time, blogs can only be created in English. As SoulCast expands internationally, we will offer the ability to write in foreign languages in the near future.

How can I recover my username and password?

If you forget your password, you can reset it by using the link on the page shown after incorrectly entering your password. Here you will be required to enter your username and the email address associated with it. You will then be emailed a new password. Please change your password to something you will remember after resetting it.

How do I delete my account?

There currently is no way to delete your account, but you can delete all of your posts if you no longer want them to be posted on the site.

What is the url to my blog?

Simply add your username to the end of the SoulCast domain like this:
http://www.soulcast.com/yourUserNameHere

What url do I use when requesting an adsense account?

Simply add your username to the end of the SoulCast domain like this:
http://www.soulcast.com/yourUserNameHere

Getting Paid to Blog

How do I get paid to blog?

If you're going to blog anyway, why not get paid? SoulCast makes it easy to make money while you blog with the help of Google's AdSense service. Through AdSense, you are able to automatically place relevant ads on your blog. These ads generate revenue for you every time a user clicks on your ad. The money generated is paid into your AdSense account.

What is AdSense?

AdSense is Google's advertising service that allows you to place relevant ads on your blog. These ads generate revenue for you every time a user clicks on your ad.

How do I make money?

Once you have your Google AdSense ID number, all you need to do is go into your "My Profile" section of SoulCast, and enter your Google AdSense ID number into the correct field. After doing this, your SoulCast blog will automatically start generating ads! Ads that are relevant to the content of your posts will begin to appear.

The Google ads that are displayed on your content pages can be either cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-1000-impressions (CPM) ads. Every time a reader clicks on an ad with your AdSense ID, you'll make money! This means that advertisers pay either when users click on ads, or when the advertiser's ad is shown on your site. You'll receive a portion of the amount paid for either activity on your website.

For the first 60 days after you sign up with SoulCast, all of the ads on your page will be yours. After 60 days, the Adsense IDs of the ads will alternate. 50% of the ads generated will be your ads, and 50% will be SoulCast's.

Why is someone else's Google Adsense ID used on my page?

How much money can I make?

Depending on the type of ad, you can make anywhere from $0.02-$1.00 per click. There's no cost, no obligation, and getting started is quick and easy. You can even check your clicks and revenue generated on Google's reporting system.

How will I receive my money?

You will be paid directly by Google! Google will pay you through your bank account or with a check.

Privacy

Will I remain completely anonymous?

For the most part, yes, you will remain completely anonymous. At the time of registration, we only ask for you to provide an email address and create a username and password. We don't ask for any other personal information when you join. We don't collect IP addresses nor do we keep track of traffic logs, etc. Unless you choose to associate your account with third party websites or services, such as Google AdSense or other similar websites, your account will remain anonymous. If you do place ads from third party sites or view blogs that have ads from third party sites, your level of anonymity may be decreased. You can take extra measures to remain completely anonymous using proxies. To see more detailed information on how SoulCast will do everything we can to protect your privacy, visit our Privacy Policy.

What if the government insists on obtaining info?

We do everything to ensure privacy. The only information that we will make available if required by law is what's already public on our website, such as the username and blog content.

General

Will SoulCast work on a Mac?

Yes, you can use SoulCast from a Mac.

Can anyone use SoulCast?

To use SoulCast, you must be at least 13 years of age.

Can I post pictures or images?

SoulCast is about words. Our goal is to provide a place where people can share using the most raw medium there is: printed words. We don't allow images or photos, but you may post references to links or other websites.

Is there anything I can't post?

Our premise is to allow for content that is at its most free form. We don't censor content unless there is a possibility of SoulCast being liable for what is posted. For more information, please visit our Terms of Use page.

How do I get featured on the homepage?

There is no real rule or way to do this. All of the featured blogs became "featured" organically, or by virtue of their popularity, and the featured posts change daily. These are posts that have many viewers and lots of "buzz" surrounding their content. Generally, these posts are about a popular topic that is favored by a large portion of the SoulCast community.

What is the daily post limit?

As a new member, you are allowed 5 posts per day to begin with. Once you are a seasoned SoulCast member, your daily post limit will be increased. We do this because we are actively policing spam and other potentially harmful activity.

How do I report abuse or a bug?

We love proactive community members. If you come across stories with bad links, duplicate stories, or other "problem" content, then let us know by posting your bug to SoulCast_Help.

Questions or have feedback?

You can post your questions and feedback (anonymously, of course!) on the SoulCast_Help blog. This is the quickest way to get your questions answered.

Still more questions or have feedback?

Because we never ask for your email address and because we stress anonymity to a high degree, contacting us by email will not guarantee your question being answered. To get your questions answered in the quickest manner, post your questions on the SoulCast_Help blog.


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