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Add The Followers Gadget To The Blog

It's been a bit over 2 months since Following was added as a Blogger feature, and daily we see anxious bloggers asking
How do I get Followers to my blog?
as if that is a holy grail of blogging. My first answer is always
Write interesting and relevant content for the blog, so people will read the blog, and will want to Follow the blog.
But there is yet another detail, that not all bloggers seem to get.

Add a Followers gadget to the blog. Having a Followers gadget, with pictures of other Followers, will attract more Followers than just the "Follow" link in the navbar. The "Follow" link, besides not having pretty pictures, works differently than the Followers gadget.

You're going to get a different class of blog readers using the Followers gadget, than the Follow link. The Followers gadget lets people Follow the blog
  • without signing in to Blogger
  • using a different Blogger account
  • using a non Google account
The navbar Follow link requires the reader to be logged in, with the primary Blogger account, to the navbar. People who Follow the blog using the navbar link won't be as casual as those who Follow using the gadget.

Also, the Followers gadget encourages readers and visitors, by making your blog into an active part of the Following community that contains your blog.

You add Followers, like every other gadget, using "Page Elements".

The navbar link, frankly, is a poor substitute for the gadget. If you have a blog that uses a classic template, with which people who insist on publishing by FTP are stuck, the navbar link will be your only choice. But if the blog has a layouts template, and you want Followers, the gadget is your best accessory to add.

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Comments

preppyplayer said…
I agree. Another suggestion? If you want followers, become a follower. People notice when you follow them and then check out your blog, if they like it they then follow you!
mizdarlin said…
This is a ridiculous posting, as anyone who is asking how to download Followers is asking about the gadget...having tried both, I know that for some reason it just won't work for some of us...if you don't want people to post their issues here, why have a comments section at all?
Nitecruzr said…
I'm sorry that my blog does not suit your standard of content, Darlin, but some folks asking about Following are only using the "Follow" link in the navbar. The blog that inspired this post, yesterday, did not have a gadget installed.

Why not elaborate on your problem, in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?, or in Nitecruzr Dot Net - Blogging? Peer support is what you need.

Oh yes, if my blog does not suit your need, please see my refunds clerk for a cheerful refund of all monies paid to date. Satisfaction is guaranteed, or your money back. Have your receipt at hand, please.
Nathalie said…
I have been looking all over for these answers! Thank you!!!
partyplannermom said…
I have the gadget installed but there is no little button that says follow so people can click on it. It does show my followers though. How are people to "follow" my blog?
Nitecruzr said…
Hey Party,

I'm looking at your 3 blogs - and the Follow button is right there, on each one.

You have 3 blogs, and you're Following each one, already. You can only Follow a blog once. When you're Following a blog, you can't Follow it again, and you shouldn't expect to have a Follow button.
partyplannermom said…
Thank you. I knew I was following but a friend said no follow button was there. New to this blogging thing, trying to figure stuff out stil. Thanks again!
Nitecruzr said…
Party,

Was the friend able to Follow the blog and then noted the absence of the button - or is he / she unable to Follow, to start?
partyplannermom said…
Unable to follow o start
Nitecruzr said…
In this case, Party, I suggest that you post in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, so we can diagnose the problem.

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