Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Questions for my blogging friends....

Okay, I'm embarrassed to admit this, for you all are going to know just how far behind I am...(ie. March)

Of course, I am still mottling my way through the changes at blogger, I'm sure I will get better with it in time, took me forever to find my blogroll again! lol ;)

My question is about google friend connect. I know that most of us have been using this feature. What are you doing now that it has been retired? Did you add a google + badge to your blog? How are you keeping up with your followers?

It seems to still be working, though, I see many blogs that do not have the feature, how do followers subscribe then? Must it be by email, RSS or google +? 

I have no understanding of RSS and I've tried, repeatedly! lol ;) Follow by email is great for those special few blogs you don't want to miss... but, one couldn't have all of the blogs they are following in their email, or all they would be doing is blog reading 24/7. Yes, I'm an honest person. :)

So, I'm wondering how you all are handling the changes and what you are doing, I would greatly appreciate any help, tips, info. :) If you know me, you know how technically challenged I am!

thank you!
dale :)
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15 comments:

  1. DaydreamerJune 27, 2012 at 9:23 PM

    Hi Dale! Sorry I don't know the answers to most of your technical questions!! I do know that I keep up with the blogs I am following by having my blog list on my side bar. It is one of the options you can choose (I think it is found under "Design" - popular add-ons) and you can select whether you want to see a picture or just the name, but it updates the most recent posts to the top of the page... and I eagerly prowl the new postings! I have never understood the difference between Google friends connect and just regular followers.....

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  2. DaydreamerJune 27, 2012 at 9:30 PM

    Uhm.... I went to my blogger page and I found it under "layout" which is in the drop-down list called "other options".....and it is a "gadget" so if you go to your side-bar click on "add a gadget" and it gives you a list of common options.... I hope this helps... and I hope you can find it!!! I know I am still learning my way around... I tend to get the minimum figured out and stick with that!

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  3. Susan@minicrochetmadJune 27, 2012 at 9:34 PM

    I use google reader for all blogs and etsy shops that I follow. Any hints for making sense of the new blogger would be gratefully received, I can't even do a post with it so will probably have to disappear when the old system disappears.

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  4. Stephanie KilgastJune 28, 2012 at 3:29 AM

    the "join this site with google friend connect" thingy still works ^^

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  5. IlonaJune 28, 2012 at 3:33 AM

    Hi Dale!! Thanks for your comment on my blog and your participation in my give away!
    I saw this post with an update: my men, here in the house, advised me to use Google Chrome. Since I did there are some good changes in using blogspot.com. Perhaps it will help you if you change Google into Google Chrome?? I hope so for you :D
    Greetings, Ilona

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  6. HeatherJune 28, 2012 at 7:03 AM

    RSS feed. I recall I didn't know how to use it either... but you just have to set up your Google Reader account and you're good to go.

    I suspect if you choose RSS follow Posts from one blog and select Google Reader as your RSS following format, they'll walk you through the steps of opening it up... either that, or if you're already logged in to google, it will open your reader page.

    Then to get back to it, go to your blogger list page (where you can see the list of blogs you have... even if it's just one) and go over to your user name in the upper right hand corner and click the arrow for the drop down menu... then click account settings.

    That will take you to a new screen with a black bar on the top... click on "more" in the black bar... another drop down menu appears... click on "reader" and you're to your RSS feeds... which can be organized into folders and such from there.

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  7. Sans!June 28, 2012 at 9:06 AM

    There are changes? I still follow by clicking "Join this site" LOL

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  8. otterineJune 28, 2012 at 10:12 AM

    I'm right there with you on RSS feeds. I run a blog platform on my own website, and it has a built in RSS. If a person clicks one of the links, they can add me to their google reader. Still, I've noticed comments on my blog are way down since the friend connect disappeared. I am guessing people aren't seeing my blog in their blog rolls anymore and aren't aware I'm still out there. :\ I don't plan to implement anything else at the moment because I really don't know what would be most effective for followers. I have instructions on my blog on how to follow with google reader, but I don't know if most people see it since it's not as obvious as the friend connect widget. I do miss seeing new followers and getting to know other blogs through friend connect.

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  9. WandaJune 28, 2012 at 11:29 AM

    I am anxious to hear some of the responses as well, because I am having some challenges with the Blogger Dashboard, especially adding more wonderful blogs to read.

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  10. BiWuBärJune 28, 2012 at 12:23 PM

    Sorry Dale, I don't know anything about this kind of stuff. I don't use google+ so far, still the old follower gadget and it works (quick, knock on wood!) ;O)

    Greetings
    Birgit

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  11. onbeingaminimumJune 30, 2012 at 1:36 PM

    I have just about got used to it now although it is not user friendly at all and what used to take two clicks now seems to take five.

    I find my favourite sites by going through my own blog page...click on New Post, top right....then click on the name of my blog top left.....then click on my blogs, top left.....then finally the reading list should be there!

    There must be a quicker way but I haven't found it!

    From your site I will click on Dashboard top left to get back to my Reading List. Phew!!

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  12. Tinky Town MiniaturesJuly 2, 2012 at 12:11 PM

    I haven't got a clue what you're talking about either! I either just jump into the blogs I'm following direct from my dashboard or from the followers themselves! Useless aren't I!!

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  13. IdskesminisJuly 7, 2012 at 4:41 PM

    I only started a blog in May and I didn't know it had been retired. It was the top option in the design panel. Maybe I should add the email option too. I found a really good tip on another blog (sorry I forgot where) and that is to use the 'remove formatting' button when blogger seems to be doing strange things. That really works for me.
    PS I really like your blog!

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  14. DeboraJuly 8, 2012 at 3:07 PM

    Hi Dale, if it's any consolation to you, i'm a no-know with computers as well :S And since Google has terminated the google connect service, except for Blogger i'm lost too. The connect widget has disappeared from my page, while they said it would stay available. It has something to do with an out-roll per country, but it is taking way longer then the 2 weeks they said it would.

    I've thought about all the other possibilities to follow, like you've mentioned. But i don't seem to grasp the how-to and how it works in the first place. I'm not keen to start all over again, as i've read here and there in the Google forum section. The thought alone.... So i'm sorry i'm of no help to you here. When i read your post i hoped there would be some response already but i seem to be the first. Let's hope future readers can shed some light????

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  15. dalesdreamsJuly 18, 2012 at 9:54 PM

    Well, now I just don't know what to think! lol ;) I feel like Pooh Bear at this point. You know, he was a bear with a very little brain. ;) I've been battling a cold for over a week now and reading all of this, at this point makes little sense to me. Anyhoo! ;)

    I never found google reader to be appealing at all, I was so used to the blogroll and I am a visual person.

    I guess, I just keep going and suffer through and hopefully, a light bulb will eventually light above my head and maybe not! I'm not going to sweat it at this point.

    Hearing what all of you have to say, leads me to think I am not alone and I think we'll all just get by, by doing what we can.

    Till we learn more. ;)

    I so appreciate you all taking the time to comment, misery loves company. lol ;)

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I love to hear what you have to say! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. :)

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