Add Blog Posts to Ning Networks From 3rd-Party Apps

[Kyle Ford]

We're extremely excited to announce our support for the MetaWeblog API across all Ning Networks. This new enhancement will allow members of Ning Networks to compose and edit blog posts from popular 3rd-party applications.

Here are a few suggested applications across multiple platforms:

PC: Windows Live Writer

Mac: MarsEdit

Browser Extension: ScribeFire

Alternate Browser: Flock

If you're looking for other options, WordPress (which also supports the MetaWeblog API) has a comprehensive list of blogging apps (note that not all of these have been tested with Ning, but it's a good starting point).

Getting started is easy. When the application prompts you to set up your blog, simply enter your blog's name (you can enter whatever you'd like) and the following for the URL: http://NAME.NING.COM/profiles/blog/list (replacing "NAME.NING.COM" with the Ning Network's URL). Once prompted, log in with your e-mail address and password for that network. That's it!

This is the first of several 3rd-party integrations coming down the pike, so stay tuned. In addition, we're currently holding a private beta for our own new APIs. If you're a Ning Pro Network Creator interested in developing a custom mobile, desktop or sync-style application for your network, please feel free to apply for an invitation.

[Steven Rothberg]

We have permission from a number of bloggers to crosspost their entries along with bylines for them to our Ning blog so that our users will have easier access to the blog entries. It doesn't seem like this will work for our needs. We're looking to automate that process and were thinking that using the RSS from the third party blogs to automatically "copy" their entries to our site would be the answer. We'd set up a member account on our Ning network for each of the bloggers and then automatically "copy" their entries to the blog built into their personal pages on our site.

Is there a way to do this?

[Eric Suesz]

I don't think so, Steven. I don't believe there's an automated way to pull in RSS content and re-publish someone else's content.

[Martin de Goede]

The dutch social network actually has this feature.
By entering the RSS feed of your blog the entries are also posted as entries on hyves.
You can still post entries on hyves only.
RSS entries show the first 255 characters in the blog section and by clicking on them you are redirected to the actual blog.
A great feature that every social network should have.

[Steven Rothberg]

This sounds perfect, Martin, but do you have URL's for the "dutch social network" and "hyves" as I am not familiar with those.

[Martin de Goede]

Here is the URL to my blog on hyves including the entries from my WordPress blog.

[Steven Rothberg]

I don't see any URLs in your reply. Can you email them to me at [e-mail]? Maybe this forum blocks domain names from appearing.

[Martin de Goede]

http://madego67.hyves.nl/blog

[James Hawkins]

Jen...Jen...Jen...Where are you? The gauntlet has been thrown down!
James

[Martin de Goede]

If you created member accounts for these bloggers this feature is just what you need.
They can now blog with one of the apps and post their entries to their own blog and to their NING profile with just a few clicks.

[caro]

bonjour je suis perdu je comprend rien a tout ca bisous bonne journee

[UYIGUE UYI]

Choosing a NING plan is not a problem,paying for the selected plan is a huge problem. i am a Nigerian and i stay in Nigeria,it has been very difficult registering the paypal account but ning is so difficult to communicate with.the price on the plans are very fair but the mode of payment is the big problem.ning should allow people in Africa pay through western union or money gram for easy accessibility

[Monique]

Find someone on your network, maybe a Admin in the US. Send the $50 per month to them which they would pay Ning for you. Maybe I should start my own Paypl FOR Nigeria...hmmm