Online Help - Changes to How You Can Follow Blogs

Designs by Dawn Marie on Facebook

Good Morning Everybody!  I know I wished you all a happy Memorial Day weekend yesterday and shared some tips for making Facebook an easier, more navigable online place... but there have been a few other online updates to our blogs that I wanted to help you with.  SO, here's what I found has recently taken place.

When I looked at my blogger blog yesterday, I noticed my Google Friends Connect widget that people used to click "Follow" wasn't working.  I thought initially that it was just "down for maintenance" and figured I would check it out again this morning.  Woke up, checked and nope... still not working.  It would appear to me that Google has discontinued servicing this widget in an effort to get people to use the Google Reader app more readily.

So, I went into the design layout of my blog, deleted the old app/widget and looked to see what was new.  They now have a "Follow by E-mail" widget that I've added to the top of the right sidebar of my blogger blog.  I haven't used it yet to see where it takes me once I enter my e-mail, but that's what they have made available.

I've also added a Follow Me app via Networked Blogs.  Networked Blogs is a facebook app that allows your blog posts to be syndicated to your Facebook page.  This way anybody that follows will see the new blog posts on their Facebook newsfeed.  They can comment on Facebook and Share just like they would a photo or other link.

The third way people can follow a blogger blog that has always been available is in the upper left corner of the window.  You'll see the blogger logo... the orange box with the white "B."  Just to the right of that it says "Follow."  If you click that link, it will also place that blog in your dashboard to see any updates.

Anybody else with experience using Google Reader, please feel free to share your comments.  I think the more we share with each other, the better browsing and blogging experience we'll all have.

Good luck... happy rearranging and until they make more changes, happy following!
Have a wonderful weekend! ~Hugs

UPDATE:  As of 5/29 the followers widget does again seem to be working.  Thanks to Sarah of Finding Charm for letting me know.  Have a terrific day!