Making the most of the end of Google Reader

It is finally upon us, and yes GFC will no longer be by Monday. We have all been trying to find new (and exciting) ways to follow our favourite blogs. From a blog point of view (I read the news on Pulse, but it is really not working out for me for blogs), it is basically between Bloglovin or Feedly. The switch was easy in both cases - you could import your reading list through Bloglovin here, and Feedly used your existing gmail account. 

Many discussed the look and feel of both readers. I prefer the Feedly layout personally - especially on my Ipad , it looks like a magazine and when you have your favourite blog posting, it is like reading your perfect magazine. 

However I use (like many of you) Bloglovin (I have 20 followers on Feedly and 107 on bloglovin, so I am assuming bloglovin has won the battle..). I find it easier to comment on blogs - which is an integral part of my blogging experience. 

So how to make the most of the change? 

1. Updating your reading list

It was so cumbersome to update it on GFC - especially if you wanted to follow French blogs (that operate on canalblog usually) or blogs operating on wordpress - that I was glad I changed reader. It is now much easier to keep up to date with all the blogs I like. I also took the opportunity to do a spring clean in my reading list. 

2. Making the most of categories

I always have in my head a category for each blog I follow - quilting, fashion, sewing. Of course it is not black and white (mine for instance) and therefore a crafty category is also there. There are blogs that are so popular that I don't even bother commenting, but love to see the pictures - I have a category for these 'popular blogs' and enjoy just reading them without commenting (it is quite relaxing too). 

3. Reading the first few lines and picture

Although with GFC it was already there, I am much more aware that the first few lines and the first picture are key to any reader. This is what I see first - and usually makes me decide whether I want to read the article or not. This is why I tend to have one post per project, I find it hard to explain too many things at the same time (unless it is a Saturday post - where I try to 'style' what I have made). 

4. Liking and Linking

I love the fact that I can like an article - usually because a sewing pattern, a fabric pattern, or something that I would want to wear is featured - and keep it for later in a library (although as the library cannot be categorised it is a bit harder to search if you have too many likes). It is easy to link through twitter to share, or pinterest (I suppose that is where the library comes in, except that it is the all important first picture that will go in). It makes the whole process much more interactive. 


5. What stats?

I think that both Feedly and Bloglovin arfe rubbish at providing stats. Blogger is still the best source - it is a bit of a shame. I would like to understand a bit more what is going on there - but the search continues. 

6. Where are your followers and which social media platform? 

The switch meant that we may have lost followers (that may have come only for giveaways for instance) - or that our followers are now scattered between bloglovin, feedly, RSS feeder or maybe facebook. It is also time to update your sidebar, maybe get a page on facebook - I use it quite a lot outside blogging so I quite like updating my page with blog posts and more 'behind the scene' projects. 

How did you find the change? What features do you enjoy most?