Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Google Reader, Bloglovin' and All The Confusion


I mention Confusion. Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty much lost on what's happening to Blogger blogs come July 1.  I've casually read a few stories about the fact that Google Reader is shutting down and in order to "follow" a Blogger blog (which mine is), one has to follow via Bloglovin.

Are you confused too?

Tonight my HB has promised to sit with me and try to determine what I need to do. He's much more computer savvy than am I, and my hope is that he'll "figure it out."

Now as I understand it thus far, a person can still READ your blog, but to FOLLOW or COMMENT one needs to establish a BLOGLOVIN (free) account, just like you set up a GOOGLE account (free).

A few bloggers have posted on the subject, so if any of you out there care to shed light on the subject, please do so below.

Perhaps the followers of my blog have already, or least know, of this change and have already switched to Bloglovin. If not, I hope you will do so and continue to follow me, because your comments are very important to me.

I have few followers, but many daily READERS. For instance, my post on January 27, 2013 on Cinnamon and Honey: Cure-All or Hoax  has received 36, 962 page views and continues to average around 400-500 page views each day! At the bottom of this page, you will see the other most popular posts -- most of them many months ago.

On the other hand, my daily posts receive a mere 30-40 page views each day.

So the bottom line (for me) is that I want to keep the followers/daily readers I already have. And those who merely READ the blog won't be affected by this switch. Is that correct?

I suppose it's great that one's posts have longevity. However, I really wish there were more daily readers/comments. I have read the advice on how to make that happen - such as posting to Facebook, Twitter and many other social media sites. But sorry, those suggestions just don't appeal to me. I don't wish to "advertise" to the world that I have posted. Instead, I wish to have a dialogue with others with mutual interests.

This is probably enough about this upcoming Bloglovin quandary so I'll stop and await YOUR comments/suggestions. Thank you!

18 comments:

  1. Not a clue about any of this. Do you know if the comments you already get are from members of "Bloglovin"? I'm pretty sure I don't belong to this group, so if my comments don't show up after July 1st, now I'll know why.

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    1. I don't know the answer to your question, Beryl So much about this I don't know!

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  2. I am just as confused as you are.
    Bravely I tapped the Bloglovin button, but nothing happened on my blog site,
    All the passwords are mixed up, and I am not sure if they are " under my control" anymore.
    I´m in a total mess.
    I´ll have to consult my daughters, but if you manage to find the answer with your husband´s advice, please share.
    I have connected with Bloglovin ( or maybe not ) but what about the readers????????????

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    1. Me too, Mette - have tried to get on to Bloglovin, mixed up the passwords, and don't know if I am on it or not. No idea what to do, just watching what happens to everyone else. Oh dear.

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    2. All of this is just so time-consuming -- trying to figure out what to do!

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    3. There has not been time -- as of yet -- to get my HB to sit with me and figure all this out. Maybe this weekend.

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  3. I'm another one who is in the dark about all this. If you or anyone finds the solution I'd be grateful to know what it is.

    Darla

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  4. Same here,no idea what everyone is talking about!! Thought it was just for bloggers?now think it involves us followers as well.

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    1. I am hoping that one of the blogs we read will shed some light on all this for us!

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  5. the rss feed reader at google is going away. that makes me sad, because i've used google reader for years to keep up with all the web sites i read.

    my blog is a blogger blog, and my understanding is that nothing changes with the blog itself.

    i've been researching other rss readers and am currently trying out feedly (their "cloud" version, not their browser-based version) and "the old reader" http://theoldreader.com/ . so far i like "the old reader" better. it's a lot like google reader always was.

    i found it very easy (and i'm no computer expert) to transfer my subscriptions to whichever reader i was trying out just by following the instructions on importing them at whichever new one i wanted to try.

    i did want to try bloglovin, but i couldn't even open an account without giving them my full name. their terms of service require you give them your actual "full name", which i was unwilling to do.

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    1. Thanks for that info on other RSS feeders; I will go to their sites and attempt to educate myself. You see, the term RSS feed confuses me; what does that mean? I have a google account but how do I know if I have an RSS feed?

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    2. all blogger blogs have rss feeds. it's built in. it's useful for subscribing to the blog but not necessary otherwise. i've used a feed reader for years, and google reader isn't the first one i've used. i did like it best, tho :(

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  6. oh, and it's my understanding that if you don't currently use google reader to follow rss feeds, you won't have your ability to read blogs affected in any way.

    if you have readers who read your blog through google reader, they'll lose their ability to follow you through google reader on july 1; and they will need to switch news readers to one of the others. there are so _many_ others! i was surprised!

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    1. Is there any way to tell if your readers use google or other readers?

      This is enough to make me want to just forget blogging!!

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    2. you could write a post asking your readers to post comments letting you know. lots of people don't use a feed reader, so this won't affect them at all. i've been using google reader. i'm trying feedly (cloud version) and "the old reader" now.

      don't quit blogging! :(

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    3. Please try Bloglovin. I have managed to change all the sites I follow to it, and I get an email ( now ) every ( ? ) morning reporting what the blogs I follow are writing about. All except Sulky Kitten, wondering why her blog was nor added????
      Indeed, I have so many passwords to everything; have written them down, but this is still so confusing.
      I would wish to have ONE password to everything connected with the internet and iPhone, but it is impossible..
      Will all the followers automatically drop July 1, if they won´t sign in with Bloglovin ?

      Partly this is a good thing, because I seldom get any comments from the supposed 95 followers I have.
      I most certainly don´t have the time to inform each and everyone separately to join in with Bloglovin.

      But - Sanda, you are on my new list anyways, as I want to follow your blog.

      Maybe it is good to have things dated.
      Some bloggers have hundreds of followers, but only few comment, I´ve noticed.

      So, please choose Bloglovin.
      I just don´t know how to place the tag Bloglovin on my blog.
      Btw, all information about me is seen if you click my picture on the right side of the page. All the blogs I follow are yet there.
      Just wondering if I should add more, or are they there on Monday.
      Phew.

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  7. Hello dear Sanda
    I am slowly coming back with my blog.. Dear Perpetua has kindly helped me.
    I felt very strongly about google, just deciding that we had to do what they wanted us to do.. and because i too had heard about the changes..thought i would loose everyone.. and am on bloglovin.. but we can still keep our blog.
    I received your comment.. about blogging.. i put up another post ..but had no
    comments to that.
    I will get there... dont leave your blog. just carry on, and add bloglovin..
    I also dont want to have everyone know my business.. I made my blog to meet friends.. and have personal contact with them.. Please join my friend connect again.. must get up to date.. best wishes and thanks for the support. val xxx

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  8. people seem to think they have to switch to bloglovin'. which feed reader you switch to is really just a matter of which one works best for you as a blog reader, isn't it?

    i don't think which reader your subscribers use affects the writer's blog at all. i feel like i'm missing something here. there's no reason to choose bloglovin' over the many other readers available except for a personal preference for how it suits you as a reader, is there?

    what am i missing? there are so many others out there. if you do a google search for google reader alternatives, there are tons of articles about the pros and cons of each one to help you choose.

    i don't understand what difference it makes which one your subscribers use or whether or not they use one at all. can someone help me understand that part of it? thx! :)

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