Thursday, January 15, 2009

To Follow or Not to Follow……

To follow, or not to follow…… THAT became the question last week. Did you know there is a limit to the number of blogs you can follow by selecting “Follow This Blog”? Well, there is… 200 is the limit!

I was enjoying the Blogger gadget “My Blog List”. I posted "Help with Blog List" a couple weeks ago to share with you how to add and update the list. I was surprised when I reached the limit so quickly. I visit EVERY blogger who comments on my blog, and I was adding them all to my blog list. Now what was I going to do? How do I decide who to follow and who not to follow? I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings…and I don’t want to miss a good post!

Solution?  Google Reader  !

I moved all the blogs I was following from my dashboard at Blogger to Google Reader…… and then created folders (labels) to sort the blogs…..

google reader2

Some of the labels I used  …blog follower, Georgia blogger, Blue Monday, Tablescape Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Food, Garden, etc. Some blogs have more than one label….. but they are all organized now!

google reader1

So if you recently saw me “disappear” from your “Followers” list…. don’t worry… I am still “there”!

How do you keep up with the blogs you follow? I am always open to new ideas…and would love to hear what others do!

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34 comments:

  1. I do not follower anyone! I have people who choose to follow me, and that's fine, but I don't post them. I keep a blogroll, and I visit it each day. In addition, anyone who visits and comments gets a return visit from me. I find that this is simpler. No one gets offended.

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  2. This was helpful. I know so little about blogging. But I do know about mosaics! You may already know this, but you open a free account at Flickr and upload pictures. Then go to www.bighugelabs.com and select which photo tool you wish to use. With the mosaic, you have a choice (I believe you can even upload them from your computer, but I haven't tried that) of styles. It's a lot of fun--and a great decorating tool. You can make a little design board with paint chips, fabrics, items you'd like to add to a room.

    I would be honored if you blogged about the book.

    As I write this note, I'm looking at your slideshow--your blue monkey is so cute!

    Back to writing,
    G.

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  3. That is good to know. I have all of mine on a separate blog. I think it is under 200. It is a blog roll. I may have to do what you did soon....

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  4. That looks a good idea. I must take some time and study that option.

    Alfazema

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  5. I follow very few blogs 'officially', but the ones I like and want to keep up with, I just add them to my sidebar and choose the option of 'sort by last updated'. That way, when one of my faves posts a new post,it pops to the top of my list. This blogging is very time consuming, so I've found that is easiest and best for me. Blessings, Becky G.

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  6. That looks like a good idea.Only I don't know much about blogging and being Dutch doesn't help me understand all that goes on. I love your slideshow but one way or another it won't work with me yet. I will have to try again.

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  7. Great idea Susan...and wow girl 369 thats alot to follow I would need someone to bring me my meals at my desk if I had that many..thanks for sharing...hugs and smiles Gloria

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  8. Wow, Susan, you follow a LOT of blogs!

    I work 45 hours a week and simply don't have time to follow many. The ones I check often I put on my sidebar (just a few). I bookmark a lot and when I have time I visit them.

    I don't participate in the followers thing. It reminds me of high school popularity contests.

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  9. HOW DO YOU FIND TIME! i don't follow anyone, but i have a blog roll limit of 25 and i can see thats still way to big for me! i can't keep up with 25 pages a day, have a life of my own to even to be able to write about on my own blog, then still go visit many other blogs... PHEW ITS JUST MIND BLOGGLING! i am in a cooking group blog, that eats up all my spare time, but there is so much great stuff out there i admire you! and to respond to all your comments, now thats southern hospitality! obviously i am not handling the net well...

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  10. I started out following fifteen and that is all and then thirty and that is all. Well I am closing in on 100 and this is really all! I like to follow blogs that follow me or comment. But I have a limited amount of time so I will leave it at 100. At that time if I want to add someone, then someone will have to go no matter how heartless that sounds. I visit all 100 every day. Fortunately for me they all don't post everyday. Sometimes I visit during the afternoon nap time and usually while we watch TV at night because you really don't have to pay that much attention to the TV. I adore blogging(more than I ever would have thought) and I love going to visit other bloggers and I have learned so much and my home is cleaner because you can hardly show off and share your stuff unless you clean it first. And I feel like I have grown ups to talk to. Your 369 is amazing. You are my blogging hero! Just today I was wondering what will happen when I go on vacation or get sick... will everyone of my crew wait for me to come back, I hope so. There is a blog right now that has not posted since 12/31 but I still check everyday because her blog is so amazing and I will wait on her. I am nothing if not faithful. I guess I will end this book with this thought: The amount of time I spend blogging is more than returned to me in the satisfaction of sharing in the lives of a lot of incredible women. Thank you for posting about something that was really on my mind.
    Roberta Anne

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  11. I do have the Follower List, for myself as I am now at the limit AND I have it as an option for others to follow me on my blog...but I have more readily been adding to my on page blog roll...and I have just used that to "read and follow" others blogs.

    This whole follow business..listing who does and doesn't...really, in my opinion doesn't matter too much...and has caused angst, where there should be none. I believe if you read a blog...and make a comment, that is more important.

    I am seriously considering nixing FOLLOWING, altogether (on both sides of the coin).

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  12. I love your tutorials! Blogging is taking up too much time unfortunately & I can use all the help I can get!

    I finally gave up following blogs & removed it. I'm trying to simplify...

    I use my blog list to visit everyone. It's sorted by most recently updated posts.

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  13. Susan,
    Thank you for this - I had no idea!
    I will have to do this too because the list of blogs I follow is scary big! What happens when you can't sleep and you wake up at 0'dark thirty? - more time to read blogs - and now I can organize them too! Gotta love this addiction! :)
    Blessings,
    Kymber

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  14. Susan, I don't know what I'll do. I just add blogs to my list every day! I'm sure I'm close to the 200 cutoff. There just shouldn't be so many great and interesting blogs out there! laurie

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  15. It is hard to follow everyone isn't it? I do add those that I adore and do try to check in with them every week. I really appreciate this idea as I am following so many now! hey! There are some fantastic blogs out there...your included!

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  16. I need to add more to my list...but I'm afraid with Dear Bebe to watch, I'll never get around to all of them! I like how you used the diagrams in your blog! Clever!

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  17. Well I love getting new followers and find it not that easy so for me--its still manageable.

    I dont know what i would do if i ever got to this point..because i for one--think its great that people enjoy your blog enough to visit often..and yet i do think its hard to visit when you have that many. perhaps i would just let it grow--and then make sure in each and every week--i visit so many so that in time--everyone is getting supported as I am.

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  18. Thanks for the info, I add everyone also.. I also keep some in my faves, but would be nice to keep in one place.. have a great evening,

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  19. I follow with the bloglist and as a follower. Sometimes I forget to add to the follower list, but I've got you on both, Susan. Don't want to lose you. :-)

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  20. Susan this is so interesting. I don't have a clue as to the number of blogs I follow.. guess I should check that out. I didn't know there was a limit of blogs we could follow. I'm wondering why that is? I'm not real computer savy. I would love to add a slideshow and a mosiac and don't have a clue how to do that let alone add a link to my blog.. girl.. HELP!!! you got it going on.. hugs ~lynne~

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  21. Hi Susan, :)
    I try to follow whoever follows me and I add one whenever I see one that catches my eye. I'm like you.
    I really try to talk to as many bloggers as possible. I enjoy it.

    I actually use my followers pictures daily as a guide to check blogs. That's why I do tend to notice if I lose someone. I glad you never left my list. I'm really enjoying your blog and learning alot from you. Thank you for all the info. I also sign in to blogger and look at post updates throughout the day.

    I think I need to count who I'm following and update that.
    I didn't know about the limit. HMMM...I may hit that soon.
    ~Melissa :)

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  22. I just recently discovered the following feature. I mean, I had seen it on other blogs but like Zoey, considered it a popularity contest. Until I explored it further & realized that I could literally "follow" your posts. I didn't have to make frequent, sometimes unsuccessful, trips to your blogs to see if you had posted recently...I can see when I log onto blogger who has & who hasn't. It's a big timesaver for me!

    I follow everybody who follows me (because the southerner in me feels it would be rude if I didn't ;o) ) plus the blogs I love & visit often. I didn't know about google reader. I'd seen it on my sitemeter but didn't know it also let you know when new posts had been added. I really enjoy knowing when blogs have new posts but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make anyone think that I am seeking popularity votes. Maybe I'll do away w/ the followers feature on my blog & switch over to google reader.

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  23. 369??? Wow, that's alot of blogs to read! I'm honored to be one of those blogs! Thank you and thank you for the info!

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  24. Wow, four years ago, we oldtime bloggers just listed people on the sidebar. I still do this with my old friends (who lasted) and then hit the "follow" button on the new blogs I come in contact with. But mostly, I only go to the blogs who have left comments in the last month or follow my blog. Maybe I should update too!

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  25. Thanks Susan for the tip. I didn't know there was a limit! Thanks for stopping by today!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  26. I feel very special when someone that has hundreds comes to my blog :) thank you for taking the time. Your page is one of my favs although I don't always comment :) :)

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  27. WOW- You are amazing you decorate have wonderful tablescapes and on top of it know so much about blogging and something call tweedy (?). If I run into a snag I coming to you my friend! Have a golden weekend!!

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  28. Thanks for the tip! I will have check this out!

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  29. I had no idea they'd cap it at 200. Yikes! I'll reach 200 in no time.

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  30. Susan, you won't believe this, but I just mentioned to Kathleen Ellis today that I just attended a training (I work in HR Learning for a bank) on RSS Feeds with any type of Reader. I have Google Reader...and I was telling her how great the training was. Thanks for sharing with everyone, as not everyone has the training tips I eventually glean from work. ;) You're super to share this info! ~CC

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  31. There's so much I don't know about this blogging thing. Thanks for this info!

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  32. This was interesting to read. Those who don't know how many blogs they follow can go to their dashboard page, click on manage blogs and at the top is the number of blogs you are following. Lately I have been using the column on the left to see who has posted recently. I click on the blog name and the recent posts come up. If I have not read them, then I read those. If I have already read them, then I go to the next blogger. Sometimes I start at the bottom of the list, sometimes I start at the top.

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  33. I don't Follow. Instead, I have 4 Blogrolls that are listed by recent updates. That way I see what they topic is as soon as I open my blog, just like following, but others can see it too and see what I like. I categorized my Blogrolls into Reading, Crafting, Decorating, and Misc.

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  34. Susan,
    All this information. It is great!
    I even understood how to do a few. =0)

    I do not have an answer to how do you keep up?
    I do not do a lot of 'follow..' because it puts all their posts on my screen. if there were only a way to list the date and that it is an new post, that would be great.

    thanks for all this advice. When i get a little more caught up i may try some of them.

    blessings,
    Barbara Jean

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Thank you for stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment! I enjoy reading all your thoughts and will try to answer any questions you might have for me. Have a wonderful day....hope to "see"you again soon!