With the news that Google Friend Connect (GFC) is on it’s way out, it is more important than before to find alternative ways for Readers and Bloggers to connect with each other. If you’re not a fan of the RSS feed button, then maybe Bloglovin might be the Blog Reader for you.
I have been using Bloglovin for over a year now and find the interface really easy to navigate and it makes blog reading a pleasure. Much like the GFC, Bloglovin offers widgets for participating Blogs to share with their users – see the blue button with white cross. You can then read through your Bloglovin feed, heart/like the posts you like, and search for interesting and relevant blogs.
The design of the Bloglovin interface is clean and minimal allowing the blog content’s to shine through. Nobody wants scary graphics and garish colours when they are reading!
Bloglovin is an excellent tool for sharing your own Blog. Not only for offering your readers an alternative way to read your Blog but also to promote your Blog via the search facility on Bloglovin. 
Bloglovin provides a selection of widgets to add to your own Blog (although I might have edited one of them to feature on my Social Widget tool bar on Rosalilium).
Of course everyone has their own preference for following blogs and that is why I would recommend offering your readers a range of ways to follow your blog. I find that readers come to Rosalilium via Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and Bloglovin.
What is your preferred Blog following tool?
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I use Bloglovin also, I really like the whole interface and I love that if any of the blogs I follow change their layouts etc I see it right away rather than having to go and visit their blogs. I love the way they feature up and coming blogs as well – its a really nice way to find those smaller blogs that you might otherwise have missed!
Vic recently posted..tune on a tuesday
so true – the up and coming lists are excellent.
Yup, I’m a Bloglovin fan too. I just find other readers too cluttered or not very user friendly. The interface is clean and simple, keeping the focus on the posts you haven’t read making keeping up my favourite blogs easy peasy.
Loves it!
Kim
Coffee and Cat Hair recently posted..Bump update – 9 months
I’d be lost without Bloglovin. It’s keeps all of your favourite blogs in one place, and you can see at a glance who has updated. I keep up at work (naughty!) and dip in an out of it whenever I’ve got a free minute. Perfect!
xx
I’ve recently found Bloglovin too and find it a really good way to keep up with all the blogs I like to follow! Thanks for the tips on the extras you can do with it too!
What?! GFC is on its way out?!!!! NO!!!!! I guess I have to switch over. I hate change. I really do. But I’ll do what I have to do.
Dancing Branflake recently posted..Weekend Outfit
I just signed up. Deep breath.
Dancing Branflake recently posted..Weekend Outfit
good luck!
I certainly recommend offering your readers other ways to follow you, and Bloglovin is rad.
x
It’s really good to have a site like Bloglovin because it’s very accessible and user friendly. You won’t have a hard time navigating the site. Great job..
Brenda W. Scott recently posted..Unlock iPhone 4
I really like it too. I don’t really like it on my phone or iPad but it’s the best reader for laptop viewing IMO. It updates much faster than the others too.
Did you have problems with it last night? It was adding random blogs to the feed but the site owners were straight on it which doesn’t happen with other readers. I’ve had months of problems with Google Reader in previous years.
A Thrifty Mrs recently posted..Make Your Own Glitter Stripe Shoes
I use Bloglovin every day, i love it. I like the way it’s presented, the “like” and “read” buttons and basically everything about it. Like A Thrifty Mrs above, I don’t really like it on the iphone but for my laptop reading it works extremely well.
Jessie in Fashion Limbo recently posted..David Koma A/W 2012 at London Fashion Week
the like and read buttons are great!
Guess how I got here! I like bloglovin’s interface much more than GFC’s. It had a few problems to begin with, but now it actually works I love it.
Rebecca recently posted..Mulberry Coloured Mulberry Hair
The thing I don’t like about it is that you can’t see who is following you – or can you? I tend to just read updates off my dashboard, but I’m running out of space I think!
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I don’t think you can see who’s following you on Bloglovin, but I personally don’t mind so much. The readers that want to know they’re reading my blog will comment or chat to me on twitter or facebook.
Bloglovin’ fan here too – I used to use Google Reader but found Bloglovin’ far easier to navigate, and I agree about the clean design as well.
PS congratulations on your sales – I’m still umming and ahhing over that set of hooks, Monday is payday!
Vicky recently posted..one day
Hoorah for payday!
The ending of GFC is kinda making me a nervous…
My preferred blog reading tool is Google Reader!
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