A WordPress Gravatar is a user’s image appearing beside their name that follows them as they browse and comment on avatar-enabled sites.
These pictures are called “avatars,” but WordPress uses a particular type called “Gravatars.” A WordPress Gravatar follows you around the web and automatically appears when you post a comment on a WordPress site.
How Do WordPress Gravatars Work?
WordPress integrates Gravatars into every WP site. Once registered with Gravatar, the service matches your profile information to the email address registered with Gravatar. Then, it displays your custom Gravatar image next to comments and (optionally) elsewhere on the WP site. If you choose not to sign up with Gravatar, the default icon set by the Administrator appears next to your name.
Benefits of a WordPress Gravatar
Providing your users with avatars has become a web-publishing standard. Enabling Gravatars on your WordPress site simplifies the process for everyone concerned. While you can use a WP plugin to manage user avatars on your WordPress-run site, using Gravatars creates less work for you and your users.
Administrator Benefits
- Effortlessly add user Gravatars
- No maintenance of an additional plugin
- No need to manage user accounts, or their images, for commenters to use Gravatars on your site
Users Benefits
- No need to register for every site you visit just to use a Gravatar
- Update your Gravatar across multiple sites by uploading an image in one place
