Monday, September 3, 2012

Book Blogger Confessions #1: Un-Following a blog

The lovely bloggers at http://www.fwiwreviews.net/ are hosting a meme: Book Blogger Confessions.
This week's question - 
How do you follow blogs?  Do you use Google Reader?  Are you on an e-mail list?  Are you more apt to follow people who have less followers?  Would you follow a blog to enter a contest?  What makes you unfollow a blog?


I decided to reply to this meme only because it coincided with what I was doing this very morning - pruning my Google Reader list. I don't do this often, but every 6 months or so, I go through blogs that haven't updated in the last 6 months to a year, and delete them.
You'd be surprised by how many blogs enter this dry, arid update-less zone.
I follow blogs only on GFC (Google Friend Connect), which pulls all the feeds into my Google Reader. These, along with some authors’ blogs and webcomics, make up my early morning reading.
I am not on any email list for blog updates. That seems like an unnecessarily cumbersome way to read. I do get Goodreads updates via email, and some reviews there link to blog posts.
I don’t have a preference around following people who have less followers, but I have a reciprocity policy:
“Follow me, and I follow back”. This does mean that a lot of blogs I follow are in the 200 to 500 follower range.
I used to follow blogs to enter contests, but now I just enter contests hosted by blogs I follow! *grins*
The only reason I would ever unfollow a blog if they haven’t updated in 6+ months.


A great question, thanks to the hosts FWIW and Midnyte Reader for inspiring this post!
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18 comments:

  1. I'm glad you joined in this week :-)

    And thank you for letting me know how to update my Google Reader list!

    I find subscribing through email too cumbersome. If I really like a blog but they don't have GFC I just follow them through Twitter.

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    1. I follow through Twitter as well, but usually do both GFC and Twitter - I know some bloggers like to keep tabs of followers via their GFC count :)
      *ahem* ME.

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  2. I use Google Reader too. I must be more ruthless than you, though, because I delete blogs that haven't posted in three months. I also follow with GFC but do enter some blogs in Google Reader that don't have GFC if I am interested in the content.

    I also try to follow back anyone who follows me. But new followers have to tell me they are following and leave a link to their blog. I am not a mind reader!

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    1. I get the three month thumbrule - I should probably do that, most blogs that haven't updated since June will probably not update for the rest of the year...

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  3. great question!

    I add blogs to my blog roll and move them around based on when they posted last.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, interesting! Where do you move them to? Do you have a separate category or folder?

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  4. Always sad when a blogger just disappears, I think I'll follow your example and delete those blogs that haven't updated in the last 6 or so months.

    As for following a blog to enter a competition? This is not something I have or will do as I like to think that if I like a blog enough to follow it then follow it I will - I don't need the incentive of a competition to do so.

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    Replies
    1. I noticed that I had a big jump of over 100 followers when I ran my one and only contest on this blog :)

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  5. It is sad when a blog I like disappears. But I guess they have other stuff going on. I don't automatically follow people who follow me, especially if it's not a blog that coincides with my tastes.

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    1. I do automatically follow, as I've found that even blogs that I think won't coincide with my personal tastes usually have something interesting once in a while! I also do enjoy getting glimpses into people's lives via their blogs, so the occasional family pic, or outdoorsy pic can really intrigue me.

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  6. I use Google Reader, too. I need to go through my own subscriptions and un-follow the inactive blogs, but I know it's going to take forever and so I put it off.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It doesn't take forever!! I will post a short blogger tip on how to do it quickly :)

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  7. I follow blogs using Google Reader, and I'll usually add a new blog if they comment on my blog OR if I stumble upon a blog that is very well written or is in other ways interesting. If I unfollow a blog its because they haven't updated in awhile (though, some I still keep because they may start blogging again. Sometimes I unfollow if I'm just not enjoying a blog anymore or if there's no reciprocation....with commenting or whatnot.

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  8. By the way, I know you asked for book recommendations and I have not had a chance to really consider it (and I'm heading out of town) but I do keep my Goodreads updated so anything I've given 4 or 5 stars in a winner in my opinion. http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5977576-nikole

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    1. Thank you! I've begun following your reviews there too :)

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  9. I just found your blog and after reading through it I followed you because I see so many great posts.

    This is a really great question. I usually follow through GFC and if they aren't using Blogger I just bookmark their page and come back to it that way. I have on occasion followed through email updates but that's very rare for me to do. The only time I would unfollow is if they stop updating their blog or start posting things I just can't relate to.

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Thank you for the comment! I will always reply to each comment, and if you leave a link, comment on your site as well.

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