Since the beginning of the year, Google has announced that Google Reader will be retiring on July 1st, 2013, and while they are saddened by the news, us bloggers are even more saddened. I have heavily relied on Google Reader for 4+ years since I started my blog, reading your posts from the comforts of home or work, sipping on lattes and tea. Knowing that that platform will be gone in just a few weeks is already just...bleh.
Not only is that the only news but GFC is also going away as well. It's essentially a perk of blogging - we promote their widget, they integrate the blogs with a platform to read subscriptions and easily building up followers for the bloggers. We've put in so much work to build a readership base and followers that it seems hard to have to "start over", so to speak -_-
They are forcing us to integrate us to use Google+ which is their main focus now, and with the saturation of so many social media outlets, that will be one more thing to manage. I'll certainly try to make use of Google+ and to connect with as much blogs/bloggers as I can but it still comes down to how we'd make use of creating content and commenting on blogs, utilizing different social media tools and managing a ton of stuff all at once.
Will you or are you already managing a ton of different social media sites for your blog?
Honestly, I've used both Reader and GFC quite heavily that it's going to be a very different change. It would mean rebuilding the entire scope of readers in several places whereas having an audience that had already been existing - potentially losing a slew of followers and an impactful decrease in traffic.
While my blog doesn't drive advertisements or is marketed as such, knowing that I may lose readers impacts everything THAT I STRIVE FOR IN LIFE (dramatic, sorry).
Google Reader Alternatives:
1. One solution to get your reading fix is to subscribe to BlogLovin' and follow your pretty blog pals there. You can also IMPORT the blogs you follow on GFC to BlogLovin'. Go HERE to start the importing process.
2. There is an alternative to Google Reader called Feedly and that one takes everything from your RSS reader and puts it in a high quality, magazine-style print. A lot of bloggers have merged to that to get their updates.
3. Follow/Join your favorite bloggers' circles on Google+. Get update feeds as you would Facebook.
4. Rumor has it that Facebook is also working on coding for a new type of reader as is Digg so keep your eyes out for that.
GFC Alternatives
WHAT TO DO NOW!??!
Google Reader Alternatives:
1. One solution to get your reading fix is to subscribe to BlogLovin' and follow your pretty blog pals there. You can also IMPORT the blogs you follow on GFC to BlogLovin'. Go HERE to start the importing process.
2. There is an alternative to Google Reader called Feedly and that one takes everything from your RSS reader and puts it in a high quality, magazine-style print. A lot of bloggers have merged to that to get their updates.
3. Follow/Join your favorite bloggers' circles on Google+. Get update feeds as you would Facebook.
4. Rumor has it that Facebook is also working on coding for a new type of reader as is Digg so keep your eyes out for that.
GFC Alternatives
1. BlogLovin' - This one seems to be the closest you can get to old GFC
2. Linky Followers - You can sign up and create a widget to add to Blogger, as an alternative.
Ultimately Google wants us to jump on Google+ and use their platform. Above mentioned are just some options you can look into. I'm sure in time there will be a less messier way to streamline the crazy world of blogging.
2. Linky Followers - You can sign up and create a widget to add to Blogger, as an alternative.
Ultimately Google wants us to jump on Google+ and use their platform. Above mentioned are just some options you can look into. I'm sure in time there will be a less messier way to streamline the crazy world of blogging.
What are you thoughts on Google closing Reader and Google Friend Connect?
In the meantime...feel free to follow me in other avenues :)
Google+ (here)
BlogLovin' (here)
RSS ((here)
Facebook (here) - blog posts are always updated here, and other stuff :)
Twitter (here)
17 comments:
I hate it so much! I meant, of course there are other platforms which are similar in function like GFC, but i am so used to google reader and GFC, it is not that easy to move to another platforms.. I don't like google+ so I think I won't use it much in the future.. Bloglovin is so far my fave alternative..
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. that's what I think. I was under the impression it was just going to be google reader.. not GFC as well. I guess I shall start again on Bloglovin as I find google plus too much to handle.
I can't believe this is really happening! Aaaggghh. Losing GFC feels like I'm starting from square one all over again! It's going to be so hard to connect for new bloggers too. :(
Urgh, this really sucks! I've switched to bloglovin a while ago, but I'm still so used to GFC interface on my page... Starting over reallllly is not cool with this.
I really like GFC, but I can see why they dumped Google reader. I do not like Google+. Off to Bloglovin!
I am a total noob about this. I just found out today. I really liked GFC. I don't understand why they would shut down something that is popular and used by so many people. I just signed up with Blog Lovin.
Lol I hate Google+, it's unintelligible to me and plain ugly. But I guess we'll have no choice to adapt to whatever changes the powers that be command! :p
Jen, I was so upset when Google decided to do this. I huffed and puffed for a week. LOL Then, I was like you. What steps can I take now. So months ago I asked my readers to join me on Bloglovin. I got a good response but still only half of my GFC readers that I worked hard to get. It's so frustrating. I joined Google + but only use it to post blog posts and add people to my circles. I don't like it, but I'm just going with the flow. I follow your blog on bloglovin. Great post!
http://www.averysweetblog.com/
I switched over to Feedly because my office firewall started blocking blogger sadly and I really like it - so far so good
I was never on Google Reader, but I can see how this must be a big pita :-(
i didn't know GFC is going away either! its rather panicking for bloggers :( thank you for your tips!!
Google Reader has always been my home when it comes to blogging so it's going to be sad to see it go. I'm no starting to use Google+ more often but it is definitely going to be tough building up my readership and also finding all of the blogs I read again. I've started to switch over to Blog Lovin, but it's going to take me a while to get used to using a new platform.
Google+ has an ugly format >< lol i dislike using it. I use bloglovin and i loveeee it!! :D so much better
Joyce @carouselstreet.com
I really hate google's way of trying to save their Google+ by taking away their other great features. It's such a hassle.
I'll be so sad to see Google Reader go.
Actually, GFC is NOT going away.... just Google Reader.
That's news to me, thank you. I read all sorts of stuff this past week so I'm not 100% on either :p
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