Now that I'm back from the land of ginger ale and pretzels, let's talk blogging. Jenn recently informed me that I don't get credit for a visit to my blog if someone reads my entire blog post in Google Reader or Bloglines. Considering that BlogHer Ads pays per impression, it makes monetary sense for me to display only a partial blog post in the feed. Call me mercenary, but I want that extra dollar or two a month, dammit.
Anywhoo, apparently I've breached blogging etiquette. Suzy announced on Twitter that lowdown Bloggers like me who refuse to put the entire feed in the reader will no longer be read by her. annahannah clicked through from her reader to comment, "I am done following you on google reader since you now make me click out of it to read. Seriously, that is soooo annoying."
Really, people - if I'm not worth that extra click, I don't know why you bother reading my blog anyway. Go do something useful with your time, and godspeed.
I did spend the time to click through to annahannah's blog (who seems to be a nice person, by the way) to explain to her why she could no longer view my posts in her reader. There I discovered the lyrics to a beautiful song called "How Could Anyone" displayed across her header. The song, written by Libby Roderick, is twenty years old and famous; but I guess I was too busy having babies the last 2 decades to have heard it. People, I'm going to buy me an IPod just so I can download this song and listen to it all the time.
My point? Is that it might be worth clicking through to someone's blog page. You could discover something beautiful. Thanks, annahannah!
Oh, man, I get all weepy. See ya tomorrow...those of you who click through, that is!
You have to click through to comment, so the people who really care are already taking that extra step. I've been thinking about doing a partial feed and I just might do it now.
ReplyDeleteyes and no. people already had to click over to leave a comment. so... if the people you are losing are people who formerly commented, your views may actually end up less, while also reducing the number reading in general. so its something to watch and see...
ReplyDeletebut, i will say, you might be better off extending how far down you include. the first paragraph or so doesn't always get enough of the interesting parts to make them feel compelled that they just must click over to read the rest and see where this post goes. stick the break closer to halfway... and they'll be less likely to just skip reading the post.
Yup, I find it mildly annoying, but I guess if you're trying to make money off of blogging, it's your choice. I don't always comment, because I don't always have time, and I often read through reader on my husband's cell phone (and I haven't figured out how to comment there, nor do I want to use my thumbs on that annoyingly small keyboard). But don't be offended. Some days I don't get a chance to click through to read the Yarn Harlot, either.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to do a partial feed on my com
ReplyDeleteI'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to "get" Homemaker Man's joke.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is annoying to have to click through, but if I enjoy the blog enough (as I do yours), then it's worth it.
ReplyDeleteI always click through--the blog layout is part of the flavor. I can see why people don't every time though--I am a little less free with the commenting now that I have a job.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind clicking through...have to do it if I'm going to comment, anyways.
ReplyDeleteMildly annoying? yes, especially since I can't read your posts during lunch breaks at work (blogger gets filtered out while reader does not, which could only be a matter of time any way). but you are soooo worth the wait until I get home!
ReplyDeleteI've always clicked through anyway. I like those pretty blue and green dots, which don't show up in Google reader.
ReplyDeleteI was gonna make a comment that you've disappeared from my reader, but I was also going to include that I'm just lazy. but I think I'm even more lazier to let myself miss your postings and stop following you. So when I'm home, I'll click, but when I'm at work (on my break, supervisor people!) I'll skip and save it, because it takes soo long (a few extra seconds) to load another web page. :)
ReplyDeleteHummmm....your whole post shows up for me.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture! Super Sweet!
I don't use google reader, so I always visit your actual blog. In fact, sometimes I will even type your entire blog address so I can get to your blog.
ReplyDeleteI guess you now know who your real friends are ;0)
I am ALL about getting people to click through and screw 'em if they don't feel like it.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right. It's so much more interesting - and you learn a lot more - actually seeing the blog itself.
Just don't add popup ads, ok?
ReplyDeleteNot that I'm vying for position of your favorite reader or anything (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) but I have always used google reader only to know when you post and then I read the post at your blog. You love me even more than you did before now don't you?
ReplyDeleteBy the by, I think you are worth the extra click.
Now you know who your real friends are...here all the clickety click click?
ReplyDeleteThat would be me...
While I do find it annoying to click through, I do enjoy your blog enough to do it... Yours may be the only one. However, my computer and your blog don't like each other very much. Your page loads super slow (at least on my computer, which ain't new!) and often the ads cause the page to stop loading and go to an error message. Then sometimes the white part of the page doesn't load and I can't read brown on brown words... Often I have to reload the page 2 or 3 times.
ReplyDeleteJust so you know...
Im here! I read! I dont need no google reader. xxoo
ReplyDeleteThat song made me cry. Everything has made me cry since yesterday. My Brother and sister in laws twins were born last week, 16 weeks early. Leslie Cordelia died yesterday, her brother Timothy Michael is still fighting.
ReplyDeleteM stole my comment. Apparently I should stay up late to visit blogs instead of getting sleep!
ReplyDeleteCount me in with jillybean as not using google reader. I guess I'm still living in the dark ages of the blogosphere. I bookmark the RSS or Atom thingy in Firefox and have the blogs I follow divided into categories. Yours is filed under "Blogs-Parenting/Homeschooling", BTW, because I don't have a category for "Blogs-Dishwasherless and Vomit-Enhanced". :D
ReplyDeleteI dunno about anyone else but the whole immediate gratification thing needs to come to a halt. Not reading someone because you have to make a few more clicks? Are we really all that busy and important a few clicks is going to throw the entire cosmos into chaos?? Any who - I'll keep on a reading you and everyone else I love regardless of the amount of clicks involved. That's like saying your aren't going to read the comics in the newspaper because you have to thumb past the sports section first - I swear I just don't get people anymore. Done ranting. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteWhat's Google Reader? Ok, I've heard of it, but I wouldn't know where to find it or how to use it. I guess I could figure it out, but it doesn't seem...worth the trouble. I don't get why people are bitching because they have to click a link to read your blog? That just seems petty.
ReplyDeletefor me, it just depends on which computer I'm using to read the blogs - my phone doesn't do well with all the graphics (slows down the page load tremendously), my home computer is awesome but my parents' computer needs an upgrade and also cannot handle the graphics. Ah well.
ReplyDeleteI never knew this--I don't read through the reader because then I can't comment that way--which is LAME if you ask me. So I read you by clicking through. I'll help keep your stats up, honey.
ReplyDeleteI always click over. Even if I could read the whole thing in my reader. It just feels more personal to me, I guess. And your reasons for changing how your posts appear make sense and can't be begrudged. Rock on. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm here! I always click through for each blog. Like others have said, you get the personality that way.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're over the vomit. Are you taking bets on who's next?
This whole post showed up in my Google Reader, but all recent ones I've had to click through to read ... I had wondered if the blogger gets credit for being read in Reader, and now I know you don't - thank you for that info, and I will keep on clicking through to read. I like your blog.
ReplyDeleteI second the motion. You're totally worth an extra click!
ReplyDeleteI'll click through!
ReplyDeleteaw MAN you HAD TO MAKE ME CRY.
ReplyDeletedammit.
I go back and forth about the reader thingy. i just switched to partial feeds - i can't see any difference in anything...
ReplyDeleteI first found that song as a background to a lot of down syndrome children singing in a circle. To me, it makes the song more meaningful. Gee, babies are cute. Yet when they grow up with disabilities is when you really really need to see that everyone is whole and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI feel famous, if negatively, by my mention here.
I have to say as 'convenient' readers and the like are....I :::LOVE::: clicking around, every nook and cranny of a site.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a nice one here!