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02 March 2012

7 Quick Takes: Blogging Tricks and Tips

1. These will probably help no one. Let me use this take to preface with the absolute fact that I know very, very little about blogging compared to many bigger and greater bloggers. Read on at the risk of learning absolutely nothing. Also, these will all pretty much only be applicable to blogspot/blogger bloggers. Not to discriminate but ... to discriminate.

2. Word Verification. Yikes. Pretty, pretty, prettiest please turn this off. Please. If you haven't turned it off -- it is still on and is probably frustrating a formerly willing and enthusiastic commenter right this second. Here is a hilarious how-to. Go forth and unfrustrate your readership.
**update thanks to Janet - you have to switch to the old interface to disable word verifannoying

3. noreply-comment@blogger.com. This is probably one of the most frustrating roadblocks to hit when trying to respond to a comment. Not to beat a dead Mr. Ed but there is an easy, easy fix. Help me help you -- for the infintimillzillionth time.

4. Music. I have faith that there are no blogs left that scare the daylights out of new readers with a poorly curated soundtrack attached to their page. I've come to the conclusion that everyone hates unsolicited tunes after polling an audience of one: myself.

5. Give credit. I haven't seen much content stealing or post plagiarism firsthand but I read a lot of grumbling about both. If you're unsure ... just link to the original source or just think of some original content yourself. You're a bright bulb ... you can do it. (irony here -- I first read about this blogging sin on Kayla's blog -- linking to be safe and not branded a hypocrite)

6. Respond. I appreciate when bloggers take the time out of their busy blogging schedule to respond to my earth shattering comments. Especially when its genuine. I've made some lovely virtual friends this way and I can promise you will too if you take the time to thoughtfully respond.

7. Subscribers. Just for fun, I saw this first on Kayla's blog as well. Maybe everyone already knows how to do this but I didn't. You might have more 'subscribers' via Google Reader than 'followers' via Google Friend Connect.

Make sure you're following or subscribed to your own blog in Google Reader and click on your blog ... like so ... and then click on 'Feed settings' .. a drop down menu should appear also ... like so ...


highlight 'View details and statistics'
and bam. Subscribers!

You might be pleasantly surprised.

And bonus ... because I am incapable of publishing a pictureless post
Here's a pretty one of Julia ... after devouring some Cheerios, obviously.

Go visit Jen for many more interesting takes.

27 comments:

  1. Thanks for the sweet 7. Word verification seems to be harder to turn off. Maybe the settings have changed.

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  2. My 5:
    1. I love Julia's shirt and would wear it myself, if it were in my size.
    2. I HATE unsolicited music on blogs. I have unsubscribed to more than one offender.
    3. I didn't know how to check for my subscribers. Thanks.
    4. I concur with responding to comments. I have stopped reading blogs, because I have left lovely comments that get ignored.
    5. Stop underselling yourself, Grace. This is good info!

    P.S. Your blog almost always makes me laugh. Thanks for being a little brightness in my sickly little world today.

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  3. This was so helpful to me. I have no talent for the tech-related, but I'm trying to learn.

    ps should I be embarassed that I didn't even KNOW about Google Reader? so sad.

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  4. 2,3,4- Preach!!

    7- I did not know that. Awesome!!

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  5. You are right on about the music. I don't know how many times I have jumped a mile after clicking to a new blog and some random (LOUD) music starts playing. I'm usually next to a napping babe too!

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  6. This is a great list Grace!
    The world would be such a glorious place if people would especially join forces on 2 & 4. :D
    Word verification is especially fun when I'm browsing blogs at night and my contacts are out, and my glasses are waaaaaaay too far away on the dresser and I can't read the @#$!@#$@ words they want verified.

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  7. Word verification makes me want to punch a baby. Not one of yours thankfully. And it's gotten harder now! Urghh!

    Haha - Kayla taught me how to check my Google Reader as well. That was a fun surprise.

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  8. #2 and 4- THANK YOU! Both are pet peeves.

    Enjoy your weekend!

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  9. Love it. I hate, hate, HATE word verification. My eyesight is AWFUL, and my attention span often severely limited by tiny tyrants, and many a time I've just skipped commenting altogether rather than squint/guess my way past the gate.

    Now I'm going to check the Google Reader thingie. I had no idea!

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  10. First let me say.....your daily sarcasm brightens my day {smiley face, heart, heart, heart}. I was aware of all of these with the exception of the ability to see your subscribers in google reader. WOW. I have like 27 people who read my hot mess of nonsense. Anywho.....thanks for putting me in the know. Now I'm off to add a sick playlist to my blog to scare them all away.

    theduvallswithlove.blogspot.com
    whitneysduvall@gmail.com

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  11. love the tips- even listened to one and removed the word verification on my blog in the hopes to drum up more than 2 comments every single day.... and will have to give up not replying to comments for lent... but can i get an amen and a hear hear on the trashing the musical accompaniments on some blogs. blah!

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  12. I thought blog music was dead- until yesterday when I clicked over to a blog where the writer thought it best to regale readers with ultra loud organ music.....no thanks (click X).

    Totally with you on word verification- just makes people not want to comment!

    Julia is such a champ! Love it.

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  13. This is great, Grace, thanks! Although I feel a leedle nervous about whether or not I have stolen things form people and not given credit... I am absolutely terrible with technology and also did not know about Google reader, pathetic. I am about to check it out!

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  14. And I love love that picture of Julia, hilarious.

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  15. What a great list, Grace! It was fun to find that I had more readers than I thought... and so many agreements on the music! With a newborn I highly resent visiting a site only to have some obnoxious sound blasting at us and most likely disturbing her dearly-bought sleep!

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  16. I agree with the word verification! Turn it off people!!

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  17. Don't even get me started on word verification...
    I think I also have responded nice long emails to no-reply@blogger.com one too many times.
    ;)

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  18. ooooooo thanks so much for number 7, it did wonders for my self esteem.

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  19. Learn something new every day!

    And please save that photo of little J for her high school yearbook. Priceless.

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  20. So incredibly agreed on the music. I hate it.

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  21. I do hope that Ana realizes how many of these rules she is presently violating and that she amends her blog-ways post haste. Quite frankly I'm ashamed.

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  22. I totally agree with the music. Especially when you are trying to sneak in some internet with a nursing baby sleeping in your lap. But the word verification~ I had that off and got a whole bunch of porno comments. Yuck!

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  23. she looks like she is channeling don corlione "we'll make him an offer he can't refuse".

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  24. Thank you for #2! Very much dislike the word verification.

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  25. Okay, so I just found out about this #7 subscribers thing. You just blew my mind. Is there anyway to find out who these mystery subscribers are?

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  26. Wow, these tips are super helpful for a new-comer. Now I just need to incorporate the ones I haven't already!

    http://www.randomthoughtsandfeelings1.blogspot.com

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  27. I think I need to bookmark this post for another day! :)

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