Friday, March 15, 2019

G+ Changes {important-ish info}



As some/most of y'all probably already know, many changes have been and will continue to be taking place within Google+ and some of it's connecting sites.

Why does this matter? Because Blogger is a Google owned platform, and therefore some widgets will be effected. On April 2nd, Google+ will be leaving entirely. With it, the "+1 Button" and "Google+ Followers" will no longer be present and functioning. Any comments left on blogs with a G+ account will disappear. From something I read, Google Hangouts is closing as well.

I'm more glad than ever that I operated this blog with a Blogger account, instead of my Google+ account. I did have much on that account, so saving some information and closing out wasn't much trouble. I hate to see other's accounts be closed and data become inaccessible.

It's kinda sad—but nothing lasts forever. I'm writing this post now because I don't want to lose contact with any of you! I've compiled a list below of ways to keep in touch. I'm not someone to count blog/social media followers, but for an author's platform, it is kinda nice to have more than a dozen. :P



Follow by Email >> The follow by email gadget is near the top of the right sidebar. By subscribing to that list, you'll receive every SBF post in your inbox.

Fireflies Newsletter >> I don't remember if I've officially announced this here or not, but I now have a bi-monhtly author newsletter. (Yay!) Sign up form is here.

Goodreads >> My blog is linked to my author profile, so by following me on there, each post will be in your Goodreads feed. :)

Social Media >> While I don't share every blog posts on my social media platforms, I occasionally will on Facebook or Instagram.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin >> Stories by Firefly is now on BlogLovin'! I'm not very familiar with that site, but it seems like a pretty cool way to keep up with blogs and find similar ones.


were you aware of the coming changes with G+? what's your favorite way to follow a blog? 

17 comments:

  1. I saw this too. I was kind of bummed...
    So what is Bloglovin? I haven't heard of that.
    -Brooklyne

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    1. It's quite annoying, for sure.
      Ha, good question. xD I'm pretty sure you have to have an account, but it's an app (works on browsers too) that allows you to follow blogs through them. So like, instead of keeping up with blogs by email, your G+ account, etc., you can just go onto BlogLovin' and scroll through new posts by blogs you follow. Does that make sense?

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    2. i'm really glad that i no longer use hangouts ( the final person I was using it with, we switched to emailing each other instead of hangouts.) but I used it for the longest time. It's where I first started chatting with my best friend. And Google Plus blog usage always seemed annoying to me because it gave me troubles related to commenting. I'm glad and happy blogger is still alive, though.

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    3. I've never been a fan of Google+, but Hangouts is basically my life, haha.

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  2. Wait. Google Hangouts is closing too? NOOOOOOOOOO. I JUST DISCOVERED IT. :_(

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    1. One article said it would be closing with G+ (although I can't find that one now—pfft), others say October, and others say 2020. Supposedly, it was closing like two years ago and never did. So who knows... We can hope, though—I love Hangouts!

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    2. the plus with google hangouts is it kinda you like don't have to use things like your phone number and is more privacy in a way than some other messaging apps, making it a good alternative for imessages, whatever message system Android uses, and other apps. and it is a LOT less annoying than . Facebook Message app in my opinion. Google hangouts has a lot of memories to me.

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    3. Right-o! I don't like Facebooks Messenger either.

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  3. WHAT? NOOOOOO! Don't close down my Hangouts, I neeeeeed it *cries*

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  4. I’m following by email, so I’m safe. ;) I think I’m signed up for your newsletter, but I can’t remember...XD Is there a way you can check and make sure?

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    1. Good to know! Just checked, and yes, you are. :)

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  5. Yes I am still confused about all this Google + closing. It is kinda complicating. I think the blog follower will still be there. *shrug*

    astorydetective.blogspot.com

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    1. Saaammee. And nothing directly from Google specifically says what's leaving and what's staying. *sigh*

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  6. I had heard a bit about this, but not a ton, so thanks for sharing! So it's just Google+ and not Blogger that's closing?

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    1. Absolutely! :) Yup, just Google+. Something I read said they're even planning to improve Blogger in some ways...? We'll see. xD

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