Link Builders Cubicle Party (June 2026) w/host @Robinson-27225

[music] >> Thank you everybody for joining us for the link builders challenge for the end of July 2026. We're just going to briefly go over some um stats for last month and see how we're doing this month. I did want to make the caveat though that I am using the WikiTree browser extension, which is you can see in the upper left-hand corner of my screen is um it's showing there that that's what I'm using. So, if it looks if WikiTree looks a little bit different to you, that's the reason why. So, just briefly about what link building is if you're just now joining uh WikiTree or maybe you don't even know WikiTree is. I'm just going to share that link building is one way that we can attract new members to WikiTree through what we call cousin bait. So, we're just basically leaving breadcrumbs or links back to WikiTree from external websites. So, that's what our mission is. So, let's see how we did in June. So, here is the overall stats that I posted on last month's join post. We had uh 32 participants in June that built 2,125 links back to 1,582 ancestors. Yay! Thank you everybody for all your hard work. And as usual um the top three on that list is Ancestry, FamilySearch, and Find A Grave with a close fourth of newspapers.com. So, here is the score sheet for June and it breaks it out in the detail for each user and shows uh by site. So, uh if you'd like the detail, uh I always like to make sure you all know to reach out to me and also you can go to the Link-A-Thon Builders Challenge space page where we have a link to the detail in a spreadsheet. Um if you'd like to to look at that information, you just click on this link here that's for each year. Uh we've been doing the challenge now for for three we're in our third year, so congratulations. All right, so so far this month 1,089 ancestors So, 1,457 links be built back to those ancestors. And that was done by 32 members again this month. So, thank you again to everybody who participates. We do really appreciate um the the time you spend doing that. Uh like I said, it does build awareness out on the web for anybody who is working on their own family history that there's a great site out here on WikiTree >> [laughter] >> where they should add their their ancestors. So, we had uh question that we were going to cover this month and did you remember what that was or have it we had a some example profiles you wanted to cover? >> Uh no profile just that I was looking at the IMDb. >> Okay, uh-huh. >> Uh >> Cuz cuz I do a lot of notables and they are always in that. >> Okay. Great. Do you have um >> The profile is not sorry. I can't have it. >> okay. No worries at all. >> [laughter] >> Let me uh let's see what we can find for that. I think I have a way to get Oh. >> Really? >> Okay. So, um I will go Here we go. Yeah, there's a query here. >> Oh, of course. >> [snorts and laughter] >> So, this is just going to search for uh profiles that have IMDb on their the website for IMDb on their uh profile page and there we go. that are deceased. Okay, so let's open this one up and see what we can find out. Okay. A notable and director. Okay, so let's go ahead and open up IMDb profile. And I have to do it in my other Chrome profile here. Let me sign in. You do need an account on IMDb. It's a free account, um but you do have to register basically. It's so they know who's who's making the changes to the to the site. So. Um. Okay. [snorts] So, just let it Okay, so here's his page. And if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can see where it >> [laughter] >> You can see it says edit page. Okay, and then all you do is you scroll down to links to other sites and you go to the section for miscellaneous here and put in that you're going to add one item. It's just a drop-down that you select what add one item. And then hit continue. And then you're going to put in his WikiTree URL. Just a second. Let me get back to that page. And then you just say genealogy of That was That was his first name, right? I just all of a sudden I'm second-guessing myself. Or Sherwood Ernest Ball. There we go. So, just um this is the link and then this is the description of the link. >> Okay. >> And then you just say check these updates. And it's just going to say it's if it's a green it means there's nothing wrong with your edit there. Um if there was maybe an error in the URL, um it would notify you of that so you get a chance to fix it. And then go ahead and click submit these updates. And that's it. >> Wow. Oh, wow. Excellent. I It's interesting that I I just saw him in that movie a couple of days ago. >> Oh, okay. Yeah, so so that's IMDb for you example. >> Yeah. >> Excellent. Excellent. Okay, thank you. >> Yeah. >> Oh, good. That's good. >> Okay. Any other anything else I can share or show how to do? >> Marilyn, do you have any? >> Uh yes, I do have a couple of questions. >> Sure. >> Uh what exactly has changed on Ancestry? Because all of a sudden I can I can't add a link to uh just the uh you know, the uh source >> Okay, yeah, let me show you what that looks like now with the change to Ancestry. Um and I have example profiles. So, let me grab those just 1 second. >> Cuz I saved the profiles that I created during the connect-a-thon. So, let me just get that. >> Yeah. >> Query. >> I just found that yesterday when I was doing the all those. >> Okay. So, I'm just going to do a quick tree profile search for profiles created during this last Connect-a-thon created by Okay, so created equal creator _robinson 27225 And there we go. Okay. So and over here, you can see which templates are in use on the profile. I don't know if you all have noticed that before. >> [snorts] >> No. >> Yeah, so you can see that there's seven FamilySearch image templates being used. There's FamilySearch record FindAGrave Ancestry So that's really helpful. So this one would give us a lot of examples that we can do. So I'm just going to go into this profile. And go down to the sources. Okay, so here's an Ancestry record that we will you'll use as an example and I'll do these other ones as well. Okay, so just go up to sourcer and do save person data. And then the Ancestry record So before the comment was the public comment was down here under all these suggestions and now it's up here. >> Well. >> [laughter] >> Yeah. >> And it's and like before it's not there for all records. Some records, I think the privacy or the not the privacy but the something about the copyright or whatever doesn't allow you [clears throat] to leave a public comment. Um but on this one it is going to let me. So then I'm just going to go to Sourcer again and add built link builder comment. And there it is. >> Bingo. There it is. You go Yep. >> One and done. >> Yeah, I just started finding that so So so so this month wasn't that many entries on my uh >> Yeah, it's kind of a new new way to go about it. So. So it's these three dots right here. >> Okay. >> Show more and then comments. Which is it's kind of sad that it's now hidden. You know, people don't see it when they first see the record. They'd have to go in here to see it. >> Yeah. >> So. Anyway. So that's where that's living now. And then I'm just going to do Find A Grave. >> Oh, I love those yellow ones. Ooh. That's probably a good >> There's Find A Grave. And then on FamilySearch. And that's down here. >> Okay. So you did that FamilySearch kind of in one step. I mean, I've been >> Yeah, Sourcer >> first. >> Yeah, Sourcer has um the the ability now to build that right in. So, you just go to add new source and then use sourcer to add the build link builder. >> So, when I'm in the >> new source >> records in FamilySearch >> When you're in the No, this is the FamilySearch profile, not a record. >> Oh, sorry. Yeah, in the FamilySearch profile, okay. >> Yeah. And then you just go add source, add new source. >> But I don't go in there, I'm sorry. >> What's that, Marilyn? >> don't So, I don't need to link them first. >> No, huh-uh. >> Okay, well, that'll save time. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, so just add new source and then do the link builder, add link builder. >> And one thing, guys, Marilyn, is that since this is tape, you could go slowly over it, the you know >> Well, and I'm going to do a couple more. >> Yes. >> I I have several to do from the Connect-a-Thon, so we'll walk through several. >> [laughter] >> Yes. Now, I've also observed in FamilySearch lately that they have a little symbol saying that something is connected to WikiTree. >> Yeah, that's sourcer. That's the new functionality of sourcer. That's right up here. So, that's telling you when um the link is active on the whole profile back to WikiTree and from WikiTree back to the this FamilySearch profile. Also, if there's a Find a Grave, so yeah, it's really nice. And >> And some of them are ones I mean, I go in as if I'm going to do it, but it's all the link is already showing. >> Yeah, uh-huh. Yeah. Oh, well, um so, there might not be a link built back to the WikiTree profile. You have to check cuz that the icon this icon doesn't mean that there's a link built back to WikiTree. It just means there could be there could also just be that there's a record or that the profile exists on WikiTree. So, there's multiple automatically by WikiTree search. No, it's generated by the WikiTree Sourcerer extension. Okay. And so, there's a help page about the icons and what they mean cuz there's different looks to them. So, if you scroll down on his profile you see the different icons here. Let me zoom in a little bit. So, see this one is a down arrow and then and an in arrow. So, it just means that it's referencing a Find a Grave memorial which is referenced by a profile on WikiTree. So, there's not a link built back to WikiTree from that FamilySearch profile. Okay. But that there is a WikiTree profile which is really helpful because when you're like connected on you can just go view tree even and you can see how much of this family is already on WikiTree and where you could add maybe. So, it's it's a really great feature. Just a note to you though that the database that that it's looking at is the database dump that happens once a week. So, if there are new profiles that were created on WikiTree since the last one they wouldn't show up as being on WikiTree yet until the next database dump, so. >> Yeah. Oh, okay. >> I've also been noticing more sort of individual people showing up this way on FamilySearch. Usually it used to be just if they were connected to others, but I don't know if I'm making sense. >> I don't know what you mean. I'm sorry. >> Well, I mean I'd see an individual who isn't connected to anybody on FamilySearch, but they come up with uh this uh link. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah, it's really nice to have that link there, and it's also on the record. So, if you're looking at a record, see here it's indicating that this record is referenced from the WikiTree profile. >> Mhm. >> And if this is a census, if you scroll down, um actually I think you have to go into the actual record here. Let's open that up. If you scroll down, oh, it used to I thought it used to say who else was on there, but maybe it's >> Me, too. Uh uh uh they changed it again. I saw that too last time. >> Hm. >> It do. >> Okay. Well, that's okay. >> Well, it should be um >> Let's look Let's look at it earlier. See what this one looks like. There we go. That's what it That's what I was looking for. So, this is it's letting you know that this record is referenced on this other WikiTree profile, too. Which is cool. >> I love that. >> Yeah. I think it just means that it's not referenced on any other profiles, that one we were looking at. I think because I didn't add his parents, I just added him and his children, so. It just might be that >> I think that >> profile doesn't have for Richard Robertson isn't Robertson isn't on on there. >> No, not yet. >> Or this the census record isn't on his profile. Okay, so now I did let me you do this before I forget. I forgot on the other one I just did, but let me do it here. >> Oh, the challenge >> The challenge tracker. I for some reason have a problem with remembering this. So, I did Ancestry, Family Search, and Find a Grave on this gentleman, and then the other one I was on. Let me find the link for him in my clipboard program. There we go. >> Uh >> So, for this guy, I did just IMDb. There we go. >> Oh, yeah. >> Okay. >> So, I'm going to go ahead and do adding the flower that we use for Find a Grave. So, on the registration post each month, I I leave this little image here for y'all if you'd like to use it on your Find a Grave profiles. And so, if you just right click and save image as and save it to your desktop for example. Then that'll save it there for you. And let's go ahead and open up one of these profiles. To start walking through. That. Those examples. So I'm just going to go down and get the. Memorial page and the family search profile up for this person. So all you need to do to do this is if you have WikiTree Sourcer, you can use that. Just on the WikiTree profile click on the Sourcer icon in the upper um. Part of the screen here. You can see what I'm doing. And just do save person data. And then go down on the memorial page on Find a Grave. Scroll down to leave a flower. And then where it says choose a category, you'll want to select my scrapbook. And I'm going to say add to my scrapbook. Upload new. And I'm going to go back to my desktop then where I saved that image right there. And I'm going to name it. Let's see. I've done this a couple times. >> [gasps] >> And then hit upload. >> [snorts] >> So what that's going to do is save it into my scrapbook right there. You can see it. But so now I need to just go back to the memorial page for her. Go back down to flowers. And then back to my scrapbook. And there it is. And now I can go up to Sourcer. And add link builder flower comment. There you go. And just click add flower and note. So, what are you guys working on? >> I'm working with a challenge. >> [laughter] >> And doing a lot of links, a lot of children. >> The WikiTree challenge. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> For 10 Shaper. >> Yeah, I have one that has 12 children and and they have It's the Appalachian team. >> [laughter] >> Nice. >> They had They had all these kids. >> What are you working on, Marilyn? Are you still working on those um death records? >> I'm not sure what what we talked about before. Uh Oh, you mean the ones that my sister gets when she does Find a Grave. >> Yeah. >> I have a stack of them I could do and I haven't gotten to them because what I'm doing now, I have a a I I have two one-name studies with the guild, one-name studies. >> Uh-huh. >> One is Astle, my surname that I took over from someone else, and the other is Brinston, which was my late husband's surname. And I'm reviewing the Brinston study and uh seeing where, you know, I've put a few of the profiles on WikiTree, but other people have put them up, so I'm trying to get consistency between that and the website that I have through the guild for Brinston, so that's what I'm working on. >> Nice. >> doing a lot lately. That name is common in Newfoundland and uh not to a lesser extent in Australia and also in the southern US. Um So, yeah, that's what I'm working on. You know, related to that, I've Trove. Uh at the moment, there's only four links to Trove this month and I've put them all there, but I read the instructions again and it was to put the the link in comments. I've put it in tags. Is that a problem? I can There's only four there. I can go back and change them. >> Um I think um is tags letting you leave a full URL that's clickable? >> Okay, I didn't know I I probably not because I would put in, you know, John Smith is Smith number, you know, 1 million on WikiTree. Okay. So, that's a good idea to to put the actual URL. And with only four, it'll be easy to uh >> Good. Good that one. >> I'll do that. >> Mhm. >> Oh, I love Trove. That was good session. Thank you. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. Always have fun doing these with you guys. >> And and but and uh so, you know, if I find other ones, um you just have lessons for that below that, right? You know, like if I have >> Yeah, there So, it ha it lists all these places here and then I've got in the notation here, it kind of tells you how to do it. >> Okay, good. Yeah. You know what? >> And it also provides, like for Wiki Data, there's a example query that you can run. >> Okay, good. Right. >> And like I showed you with IMDb, there's a query there you can run. >> Right. >> For those profiles, so >> do also you one. So, so So, I see there's a told and and also Commonwealth War Grave Commission. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, okay. Okay. >> I don't remember if we I ever found out how to uh link on Commonwealth War Graves. I think I looked once and couldn't find it. >> Yeah, he gave us um Darren gave us a walk-through. I think it's back on the team page. Let me go back there. The full walk through is there, I think. Yeah, here we go. So, I'll I'll add the link into the chat here for you. >> Oh, okay. Good. >> Cuz Darren did some screenshots for us of what the different screens look like. >> Good. >> And walks through how to do it. Oh, I wanted to share with you all something that Aon and I are going to start doing the third Wednesday of every month. >> [laughter] >> It was something we kind of come up with together. So, we're going to have a YouTube live cast that is Azure and Aon answer everything. So, it's just going to be a session where you viewers can ask questions live or ask in the the GTG post that I have up. And then we'll answer and walk through how to do different things about WikiTree. So, hopefully everybody can tune in for that. And so, that's August 19th. >> Right. And And that's also on the What's Happening in August, right? >> Yes, it's on the GTG post for that. Let's see here. Let me just go there. >> So, that yesterday. Well, it's it's August tomorrow. >> And as always too, you can always check the um help and then calendar of events, too. That will show you what's happening. All the live casts and everything are there, too. So, it's a good place to check, see what's happening. You know what's coming up. >> Oh. Right. I Yeah. I keep on forgetting to look at that one. >> Yeah, it's an easy easy place to look, too, cuz it's just help and then calendar of events. Yeah. >> It brings it back. It's always in front of me, but I never linked it. >> I know. >> [laughter] >> I I've been here since 2018 and I still run across things that are new to me, so don't worry about that. >> Me, too. Me, too. At every session, it it it's a YouTube or Zoom, I'm always learning. >> Yeah. Which is good. Yeah. >> much. >> Thank you all for joining me, and maybe you guys will come back later today or next month. >> [laughter] >> Bye. >> Thank you.