With dooms day Google Friend Connect only 1 day away, I’ve had many of you reach out, begging to know what the heck an RSS feed is, how do I use it, and what am I supposed to do without GFC!!!!
Don’t worry friends, I went through the same thing, and have lived to see the other side with all my blogs intact.
RSS (real simple syndicate)
An RSS feed is simply a simplified version of blog posts, news feeds, articles, yada yada delivered to a reader. It’s that little dot/2 rainbow lines symbol that you often see in the upper corner or with the Facebook, Twitter, etc. buttons.
Those of you who are used to using GFC probably see the blogs you follow delivered to your Blogger account homepage like this…
When you follow a blog’s RSS feed, you will need to use a reader to view the posts, just like you use your Blogger homepage. Only with a reader, the entire post (if enabled by the blogger) with pictures and all will be delivered to your reader.
This is a snapshot of my Google Reader homepage. It shows me the latest posts that have been delivered and a short snippet. All I have to do is click on the blog title, and it will take me to the full post (again, if enabled by the blogger). The difference here is that you WILL NOT SEE THE WHOLE BLOG. You will only see the post with the pictures.
Here is how today’s post from Much Love {Illy} looks in Google Reader. I see the pictures and the text, but nothing else.
This is a great way to read your favorite blogs on your phone because you have to do far less page hopping. I use the GReader app (not an official Google app, but fantastic!), on my HTC Thunderbolt.
The downside is that YOU DO NOT SEE THE WHOLE BLOG. I like to see the whole blog…the background, the header, the navigation bar, the fun sliders and info on the sidebar. I often feel like I’m missing out if I don’t see the whole picture.
Enter Bloglovin’
For you GFC readers, Bloglovin’ is absolutely the closest thing GFC. You subscribe to your favorite blogs, then on your Bloglovin’ homepage it shows you all the latest posts from your favorite blogs. You click through to the posts you want to read, and you are taken DIRECTLY TO THE BLOG!
Super similar to how GFC! You will need a Bloglovin’ account, but most blogs these days offer a Bloglovin’ feed.
I hope this makes some sort of sense and helps you stay in touch with all your favorite blogs. Google has not released how they will be handling all the blogs that you follow using GFC, so I recommend you spend sometime tonight and tomorrow following your favorite blogs using their RSS feed, Bloglovin’, Facebook, or Twitter.
If you are totally lost, or have a question, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT! I will be replying to all question on this post in the comments section as a reply so others who might have the same question can see the answer!
Hi Nina, I adore your blog. I’m relatively new to blogging, but I adore bloglovin’. I like it even better than GFC. I’m hosting a bloglovin blog hop right now so that it gives everyone a chance to mingle. I posted the instructions on how to upload with the hop. If you’re interested it’s at http://www.thenymelrosefamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/bloglovin-blog-hop.html. Thanks so much!
Love the new blog look.. and I am on bloglovin, google+, RSs feed, and email subscriptions.. hope u keep following along!
will we lose just the blogs not on blogger or all sites regarless of it being a blogspot.com or not….that what i’m really confused about.
Annoyingly, Google hasn’t released that info. I have noticed all the blogs that I follow using GFC, Blogger or not, are appearing in my Google Reader. Whether or not they will remain there on Thursday is yet to be seen. I’m going through and subscribing to all their RSS feeds just to be safe.
Fantastic info, thank you!! Google is being so confusing about the whole thing!
I follow everyone through Bloglovin.. it’s amazballs!!