This is just a bit of blog housekeeping.
Also, you can only type the word blog so many times before it starts to look really odd.... Blog. Bloog. Blogg.
I'm trying out Bloglovin'. I've had some issues with reading blogs from my dashboard (the lazy girl way, I know) so I'm trying out an actual reader. I chose this one because you actually click over and see the real layout of the blog. I like seeing posts on the actual blog, you know? Where things are on the page, headers, color choices and layouts... all those things make up the personality of a blog.
Anyone else use a reader that you love? I'm not up to date on other options, so I'd love to hear how you read your blog roll.
I use Google Reader, but I mainly use their "Next" button which you can put underneath the address bar with your other link icons (or that's how it works in Firefox, at least). This lets you just keep mashing the "Next" button and have whichever blog has updated last load in your browser (repeat indefinitely!).
ReplyDeleteI do like the next feature, but I still want to see the post on the actual blog. I wish Google reader was set up different- just visually speaking. All the features are nice, though.
DeleteInstall the Super Feed plugin. It lets you unfurl the whole blog, comments everything right there in Reader.
DeleteI'm a bigger fan of bloglovin than i am of google reader, but I do use them both. Usually if I'm following a blog in google I still click over to look at the actual blog because I do feel like half the fun is seeing people's blogs! Just like you said, the colors, the layout, the fonts - it all matters, and I know I try to consider it so I'm sure other people do to!
ReplyDeleteI would stick with google reader if my blog roll was accurate. For some reason it won't let me add certain blogs and it doesn't update them all regularly.
DeleteI use a Firefox add-on called Brief to read my blogs. I love it! You can find it here if you use firefox: (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/brief/) I like how the blogs that are chronically slow to load (such as Ana White's website because of all of the ads/images) can be viewed in the brief tab, or I can click on the little sideways arrow to go straight to the blog post. The only thing I don't like is that you can't manage the blog list alphabetically, it's strictly by order they were added. As a bonus? No account to set up, you just add it and subscribe to the blogs and you're all set to go straight out of the box. :-) But then, I'm always looking for ways to avoid creating yet another account....
ReplyDeleteGood to know! I will check that one out. I use Firefox but our computer is in serious need of some updating. Lately I've been getting messages that I need to upgrade which means also updating the operating system... yeesh.
DeleteI use Bloglovin it's great, you can also set up categories. So you could have your faves in one category and read them first if there are a lot of updates. You can also "like" posts and then come back to them or save.
ReplyDeleteOoh, nice to know about categories. I can see how that would come in handy.
Deletesame as you, i like to see the real blog layout, i'm in the middle of switching everything over. the only problem i've had is pinning things-- you can't pin an image if you're reading the post through bloglovin, you have to click again so you're on the actual blog to pin images. i don't mind that though...
ReplyDeleteSo you have to click through twice to be on the actual blog... I'm assuming that's when the bloglovin frame goes away.
DeleteI've been using Bloglovin for a while now, and I think it's great. It's also really easy to use from a smart phone. I agree with Oona about pinning, also I found that I can't leave comments on some of the blogs I follow, I have to open up the blog in a new page. But it's not the end of the world! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's nice to know you can use it from a phone.
DeleteThat settles it, I'm going to migrate over to Bloglovin too. I've been debating it for a while as I hate the Blogger reader, and Google Reader's aesthetics just don't do justice to the beauty of the blogs I follow! Now I just need to find a free evening to spend moving things over and checking out the blogs in my new reader...
ReplyDeleteIt didn't take me too long. And I've already added more blogs to my reading list. Maybe this won't be good thing for my sewing time....
DeleteInstalling Super feed fixes the aesthetics quite nicely. Turns it into a Mac basically...
DeleteThis is a separate topic, but congrats on being featured by Colette today!
ReplyDeleteHey, I just saw you featured on the Colette blog...woo hoo!
ReplyDeleteI use google reader but I still click over to see the actual blog. Congrats on the feature on the Colette blog!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the good info, ladies! And the congratulations, too!
ReplyDeleteI use Google Reader mainly because I also use gmail - one log-in. I mainly use the app. I'm not a big fan of it on a computer!
ReplyDeleteI use Google Reader. If you open the first unread blog on your list properly (as in click on the hyperlink to open the actualy site_ and then hit the "next" button which you install, it opens each blog in its own website so you still get the benefits of seeing the sites as they are supposed to be seen.
ReplyDeleteAdd me to the Bloglovin' fan list. So easy to keep up with all your favourites. I enjoy making my own categories, I like that if you get behind on your reading you can mark everything as read and start fresh, but I would never do that to your blog, of course 8-D.
ReplyDeleteHaha!
DeleteThere are just too many great blogs to read, and not enough time!
Google Reader! OMG woman activate that sh*t already XD
ReplyDelete