There are a lot of rumours going around the blogging world as of late that Google Friend Connect will be shutting down. You know, the little widget we all use to follow our favourite blogs.
Although I didn't have my own blog then, these same rumours were going around last year. Apparently, Google wants to push everyone towards using Google+. But, Google Friend Connect didn't get shut down last year and I have a feeling it wont get shut down this year either.
What is getting shutdown on July 1, 2013 is Google Reader (which I didn't even learn about until a few days ago from another blogger). You can read about that here. Frankly, I don't think you really need Google Reader, since blogs you're following via Google Friend Connect show up on your Blogger homepage (but then again, what do I know?).
And that's just it: they show up on your Blogger homepage. Although Blogger migrated with Google back in 2006, the Blogger and Reader platforms are still different. Essentially, isn't Google Reader just a separate RRS feed?
If you go here it doesn't mention anything about Google Friend Connect getting shut down.
Anyway, we'll find out soon enough if is actually getting shut down or not. I posted the question on Google's discussion board (about GFC getting shutdown or not), so if I get a response, I'll let you all know.
In the meantime, just in case GFC does indeed shutdown, it doesn't hurt to create a Bloglovin' account. I put my own widget for Bloglovin' on the right hand side of my page, so just click that or click here to follow me!
GOOD NEWS!
Bloglovin' has made it super easy to import all the blogs you follow on Blogger/GFC and through Google Reader (since Google reader automatically adds all the blogs you follow from Blogger anyway). Just go to http://www.bloglovin.com/import (make sure you have a Bloglovin' account first) and click on Google reader. It's easy peasy!
If you have any questions, let me know.
(Today I'm linking up here and here for GFC and here for Bloglovin'.)
i'm with ya, alex!! i think it's going to stick around. there have been so many rumors in the past and it's still always there. i find gfc is more user friendly and so many more people prefer it rather than google +.
ReplyDeletethanks for the info! :)
xoxox
maria