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Sunday, February 5, 2012

A New Way To Follow Blogs

Google is discontinuing Google Friend Connect March 1 for all platforms except Blogger. It is also a strong rumor that they will also cancel GFC for Blogger in the near future.

LinkyFollowersLogo1
LINKY FOLLOWERS (http://www.linkyfollowers.com/)



Some of my wonderful Blogging Friends got together and contacted Brent, the man behind Mr. Linky (I use Mr. Linky for my weekly party...NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY). He has created a new Linky Followers platform on which we can connect with each other. I’m still using GFC since I’m on Blogger, but I think this is a great new tool to have to stay connected with non-Blogger friends and, who knows what may happen to GFC in the future, so let's all stay connected and sign up to follow each other with LINKY FOLLOWERS. Brent has made it very easy to sign up, you just follow his clear instructions. Plus, you don't need a blog to sign up either. This service is FREE and he has included some neat options:
*View the blogs you follow

*Read follower posts from your list or on a scrolling feed

*Group your followers

*Mark your favorites for quick access and viewing

*Plus, it’s much easier to follow back someone who is following you (unless you use the "random" set up on how you want your friends pictures to appear) I choose the newest to appear at the top.

*Plus you can even "feature" a blogger!
linky followers 2

Non-Blogger users will not be able to transfer people from their GFC followers and will lose all of their Google Friend Connect friends. Don’t take a chance of losing your followers when GFC goes away for non-blogger platforms. Sign up for Linky Followers now and give your followers the option to follow you this way. This also offers your followers who are not linked to Blogger an alternative.

Another important thing, Linky Followers won't ask you or your followers to sign up for any unneeded or unwanted service, and Brent isn't using or selling the private information collected from use of his tools, unlike Google, Facebook, Twitter, Etc. Who needs another service to spread your personal information all over the web?

You can use the link above or the link at the bottom of my Linky Followers gadget on the sidebar to take you directly to Brent's service. After you sign up, won’t you please sign up to follow me in the new widget on my sidebar, right under the Followers widget, just above the Google Friend Connect sign-up. If you follow me, please let me know so I can follow you back. You may also opt to sign up on GFC, if you are still affiliated with Blogger. I’ll be keeping that for as long as it’s available.

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42 comments:

  1. {northern cottage}February 4, 2012 at 8:21 PM

    Yay dearie - just became your newest linky follower! XO

    northerncottage.net

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  2. Linda @ A La CarteFebruary 4, 2012 at 8:28 PM

    I just signed up and now I've got the Linky on my blog. I think this is great! I'm hoping others will start following the new linky thing! hugs, Linda

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  3. Jenny @ Simcoe StreetFebruary 4, 2012 at 8:47 PM

    Linda -- I've followed you on the new Linky and have added it on the sidebar of my blog. If you haven't had a chance to do so, I'd love if you followed me on Linky too!

    Jenny
    www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com

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  4. beachcomberFebruary 4, 2012 at 8:51 PM

    following you on the new linky. i'd love you to follow me back :)
    x

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  5. Betsy@My Salvaged TreasuresFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:08 PM

    Following you now via Linky followers. So many changes have my head spinning:-)

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  6. Katie @ Wildwood CreekFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:18 PM

    I'm a linky follower.

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  7. Katie @ Wildwood CreekFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:19 PM

    I'm a linky follower.

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  8. UnknownFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:24 PM

    I'm following you on Linky followers now, and hope you can do the same too.

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  9. ℳartina @ Northern NestingFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:34 PM

    Ok Linda I took the plunge and signed up as soon as I see that it took I will be back to follow you:)

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  10. Twigs and TwirlsFebruary 4, 2012 at 10:15 PM

    Great idea Linda, I did the same on my blog. I am so afraid of losing the blogs I follow. I am now following you on Linky.

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  11. Lynn at Cottage and CreekFebruary 4, 2012 at 10:25 PM

    Following you via Linky Followers, Linda. Hope you'll follow back :)
    Lynn at Cottage and Creek

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  12. raggygirlvintageFebruary 4, 2012 at 10:31 PM

    Thanks for the info Linda, so just to clarify, I can transfer my current followers to the Linky Followers without them having to "follow" again?
    Tracey

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  13. AntiqueChaseFebruary 4, 2012 at 11:12 PM

    This is all so confusing to me. If I am on blogger, am I going to loose all my followers?? Marcy

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  14. Linda@Coastal CharmFebruary 4, 2012 at 11:32 PM

    I way I understand it...if you are on blogger...then you will be able to keep the feature on your blg. What I don't understand is, if you follow someone and you don't have a blog, will you still show up as a follower and be able to follow blogs thru google connect...anybody know the answer?

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  15. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2012 at 12:20 AM

    I follow you and would love if you would follow me back! I am glad we have this fun new tool!

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  16. UnknownFebruary 5, 2012 at 12:21 AM

    Thank you for this info. I have now added the linkey to my blog. I also started following you on Linky.

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  17. Karla Do MoreFebruary 5, 2012 at 12:32 AM

    I'm so glad for Linky follower. I just signed up yesterday. I am now following you. Hope you'll do the same. :)

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  18. Joy@Thrifty Parsonage LivingFebruary 5, 2012 at 12:45 AM

    I'm following you in the new Linky follower. I just signed up on Thursday. Hope you'll follow me back :)
    Joy at
    thrifty parsonage living

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  19. GailFebruary 5, 2012 at 5:32 AM

    I'm all signed up to follow you in Linky follower. Happy Sunday, Gail

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  20. Laurel@ChippingwithCharmFebruary 5, 2012 at 7:15 AM

    Following :) Laurel

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  21. LoriFebruary 5, 2012 at 8:17 AM

    Will this affect you? You are blogspot?

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  22. Linda@Coastal CharmFebruary 5, 2012 at 8:28 AM

    Lori...I don't think so...since I'm on blogger...might in the future.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  23. TinaFebruary 5, 2012 at 9:26 AM

    I am following you on the linky gadget. Would love for you to stop by and follow me back.

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  24. Herballistic GardenFebruary 5, 2012 at 9:43 AM

    Hi Linda...I've followed you on your new Linky Followers...hope you'll come visit me too! xo wendy

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  25. OliveFebruary 5, 2012 at 11:10 AM

    Put the widget on Olive Out today and am following you:)

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  26. Rosemary@villabarnesFebruary 5, 2012 at 12:39 PM

    I just added the widget to my blog, and I'm following you. Already following on GFC.

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  27. autenaFebruary 5, 2012 at 1:04 PM

    Thanks so much for this information. I just signed up and am now following you on both Linky and GFC.

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  28. Beth @A Little Country HouseFebruary 5, 2012 at 2:21 PM

    You are sweet to explain the switch, I did it and am following you on linky now. Thanks for the help!

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  29. THE FARMHOUSE PORCHFebruary 5, 2012 at 2:29 PM

    Following!
    ♥Linsey

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  30. emilysnanFebruary 5, 2012 at 5:54 PM

    hiya , yeah i added linky a few days ago and am encoui am your linky friend ( flinky ) now too x tfs
    xmaggiex

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  31. At The Picket FenceFebruary 5, 2012 at 6:20 PM

    Hi Linda, Hope I can help clear up any questions your readers might have.

    First, if you are a blogspot blog (that means you use Blogger) to blog than for now GFC will remain on your blog. There is a very real possibility it will go away sometime in the future for everyone. They (GOOGLE) own Blogger and want everyone to use Google+ (which many people have found quite complicated) GFC (Google Friend Connect) is not being used like they wanted, therefore not much reason for them to keep it. ANY blog that does not blog on Blogger and MANY blogs do not (Pioneer Woman, Lettered Cottage, most really large blogs) will lose this option and their blog feed and updated posts will not show up anymore in your dashboard. You will have to add them to a Reader or Email. This provides a nice option as you can add any blog into the Linky Follower reader even if THEY don't use it themselves.

    To answer the question above, NO you cannot switch followers from GFC to LinkyFollowers. You can NEVER sign up someone else to be a follower and Google would never allow access to their data to transfer people over. They will have to refollow, but if GFC goes away all together than they would have to follow you through some other means, anyway. We are suggesting that if for now you are confident that GFC will not be going away, than keep it on your blog and take a wait and see approach. BUT if you do not blog through blogspot and want to get the word out to your GFC followers before you lose them, than this is a great time to encourage them to sign up to follow you through Linky Followers. OR if you have a blogspot blog and want people to be able to sign up and follow you with the new Linky Tools then go ahead and add it to get a jump start on it. We will be writing a tutorial on Tuesday explaining all of the amazing features at Linky Followers. Hopefully that will help answer a lot of questions people have. Thanks again for sharing this Linda.

    Heather

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  32. andrea@townandprairieFebruary 5, 2012 at 8:47 PM

    Linda, I FINALLY got the new LINKY tool activated on my side bar. Won't you please stop by sometime and sign on? It took me forever today to get mine rolling... wasn't recognizin' my darn password. I'm so not w/ it in regards to technology. Thanks for poking us all along w/ a stick to get us on the new linky ship. andrea@townandprairie

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  33. The Polka Dot ClosetFebruary 5, 2012 at 9:08 PM

    Linda, first of all i just noticed your fabulous new profile picture! Oh I hope GFC does not go away, but so thrilled that we have another option because people are saying that Google + is horrid

    Carol

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  34. UnknownFebruary 5, 2012 at 9:09 PM

    Thanks for the information! Just followed you...if you would like to follow back, I am at http://mom4realky.blogspot.com

    Love Ya!

    Jessica @ Mom 4 Real

    ReplyDelete
  35. Lou Cinda @ Tattered HydrangeasFebruary 5, 2012 at 9:34 PM

    Signed up and followed you...this is all so confusing to me! Wish they would just leave things as they are....I am not a fan of "change"! lol

    Lou Cinda

    ReplyDelete
  36. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2012 at 12:54 AM

    Hi,
    I just found your blog and I love it!! I just signed up for the Linky follower too, so I will definitely follow along with you!
    Hope you have great week.
    Sincerely,
    Melinda

    ReplyDelete
  37. andrea@townandprairieFebruary 6, 2012 at 4:34 AM

    Linda- have you thought about hosting a linky party for the sheer purpose of everyone linking up in the new format? I think it might encourage people to get on board before the deadline when the ticker goes off. Maybe the bloggers w/ more traffic volume could host a national linky day and suggest everyone go to these (several main blogging sites) and hook up as many of thier old friends as possible b/4 they're gone and that they should have their account established beofre that day. That was one of my sticking points last night... I didn't have the account established yet and it took WAY longer than 5 minutes to get the thing emailed to me. I was on hold, I think, in email traffic. It was frustrating. Anyway, it was just a thought. andrea@townandprairie

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  38. Jane@Cottage at the CrossroadsFebruary 6, 2012 at 5:07 AM

    Linda,
    I'm so grateful for this new Linky thingy because I'm on Wordpress. I'm following you now.

    ReplyDelete
  39. AnnFebruary 6, 2012 at 6:37 AM

    Just added the Linky widget to my blog and I'm following you.

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  40. KarenaFebruary 6, 2012 at 10:42 AM

    Hi Linda Thanks so much! I am your newest Linky Follower!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    ReplyDelete
  41. ℳartina @ Northern NestingFebruary 9, 2012 at 1:29 PM

    Just followed you Linda. I finally have it up and running on my blog too.

    ReplyDelete
  42. debFebruary 12, 2012 at 1:41 PM

    Following you now too Linda. I think I've figured it out and have it up and running...now to get some to follow! LOL
    *hugs*deb
    oh and thanks so much for letting us know about this xoxo

    ReplyDelete

I'm all ears...