What are Followers and how do I get them?
Not on Blogger? See more resources for alternatives, or learn about Google Friend Connect.
Have you see one of the most popular new widgets/gadgets on Blogger blogs lately? They’re popping up all over: Followers. A grid of user pictures in the sidebar of popular blogs, showing off the wonderful mix of people that this blogger attracts:
So what’s this all about?
What’s Following?
Following is a lot like subscribing using RSS. When your visitors “follow” your blog, they get updates from your blog (and all the other ones they follow) in a centralized location—this time, though, instead of Google Reader or Bloglines, it’s their Blogger Dashboard:
How Do I Follow?
To follow your favorite blogs, click on the Follow button on their sidebar widget. You then get to choose what account to use to follow the blog—Google, Yahoo, AIM, Open ID or Netlog. (Google includes your Blogger account.)
Once you’ve signed in, Blogger gives you the option of following the blog publicly or privately.
Either way, you get to read updates on your dashboard, but if you don’t want this site added to your Blogger/Google profile, select Private. Note that Following a blog might also result in it being added to your Google Reader. Hasn’t happened to me, but I’ve heard reports.
Why Do I Want Followers?
You want followers for the same reason you want subscribers—it grows your audience. (If you don’t want that, that’s okay, too, of course.) Blogger Help explains this well:
The Followers widget is a great tool to help you grow your blog’s audience. Readers often visit a blog and enjoy it but fail to return. With the followers widget you can get all readers to return and become a fan.
You can also use a Followers widget to better connect with your readers—to see who they are and to find and comment on their blogs, even if they’ve never commented on yours.
How Do I Get Followers?
First things first, you have to add the Followers gadget. This is available primarily to Blogger blogs, but if you run a blog on your own hosting, you can also add the widget if you sign up for Google Friend Connect.
To add the gadget in Blogger, go to Layout > Page Elements (the default tab under Layout). Choose where you want the Followers box—your sidebar, your footer, whatever:
Click on “Add a Gadget” in your desired place. A window with a list of choices pops up. Right now, Followers is #1:
After you click the plus button to the right of Followers, you’re given options to give the Followers box a title (in my above example, from Literary Agent Nathan Bransford‘s blog, the title is “Friends of the Blog”) and to customize the colors to match your layout:
Once you’ve added the Followers gadget, you’ll want to encourage your readers to follow your blog. Again, Blogger Help has some good advice here:
- Write a post about your followers widget.
- Encourage all readers to become a follower [Well, unless you're a grammarian. Then you'll encourage all your readers to become followers, because I don't think it's very healthy for all your readers to become just one follower
]. - Put your followers widget at the top of your sidebar so more readers will notice it.
- Many readers ignore sidebar items so by writing a post about your followers widget and moving the widget to the top of your sidebar, you will inevitably grow your audience.
- Encourage all readers to become a follower [Well, unless you're a grammarian. Then you'll encourage all your readers to become followers, because I don't think it's very healthy for all your readers to become just one follower
The best way to encourage people to follow your blog is to have awesome content—something they’ll want to come back and read again.
If you aren’t on Blogger, you can still get Followers. You can enroll your site in Google Friend Connect, but that will take a little technical work. If you’re on Facebook, you can try the NetworkedBlogs app.
You can also learn more about attracting readers with RSS and getting your visitors to stay and subscribe. I’ve written a free guide to increasing your blog’s stickiness, “Get Your Visitors to Stick!”
Good luck garnering Followers!
More WFMW
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Thanks for the info! I’m new at blogging and I appreciate your article!
June 18th, 2009 at 3:41 pmGlad to help, Carol!
June 18th, 2009 at 3:42 pmYou know, I guess this is similar to having a fan page on Facebook! I’ve had a blog for over a year but don’t use the Follower widget. Maybe I should…thanks for the info and input!
(Came over from WFMW!)
June 19th, 2009 at 9:08 amYeah, I guess it is like that. The Followers gadget is relatively new, though. Hope this helps you!
June 19th, 2009 at 9:19 amYea it helps and is a great gadget. I am looking for more followers myself. Know how to get them quickly?
July 9th, 2009 at 7:01 pmThe fastest way, I would guess, would be to run a contest with an awesome prize. To enter, people just have to follow your blog. Get the word out using social media, email other bloggers, etc.
Good luck!
July 9th, 2009 at 7:48 pmThanks for the information, please check out my blog about fashion, architecture and cars.
August 10th, 2009 at 3:04 pm[...] you can appeal directly to your readers to become Followers and [...]
August 11th, 2009 at 1:57 pmHi! I came across this post trying to figure out the whole Follower thing. Do you know if there is a way to use this application to notify the followers of new posts? Or is there a setting they can set up to be notified?
Thanks in advance! =D
August 12th, 2009 at 2:16 pmHey Connie,
I don’t think they can be “notified,” but new posts from blogs you follow do show up on your Blogger Dashboard (the picture under “What’s Following?”).
If you want to be “notified,” I recommend using RSS or e-mail subscriptions.
HTH
August 12th, 2009 at 2:28 pm[...] explain it to your readers, or even run a contest for followers if that’s your goal. (More on Blog Followers). You could also use a subscribe widget in the sidebar to encourage your visitors to subscribe via [...]
August 21st, 2009 at 12:32 pmTHANKS! I just started!
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:02 pmI just started a blog and I’m trying go get some followers myself.
November 20th, 2009 at 10:11 amThis comment is late to the game, but do you know if my “followers” on Blogger are the same as my “subscribers” in Google reader? The numbers are different, but I’m not sure if some followers are also Google subscribers, and vice versa! Do I add them to get the “true” number? Thanks!
November 28th, 2009 at 11:37 pmI *think* they’re totally separate. Of course, people who follow your blog could also subscribe through Google Reader.
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:27 amHi, just wondering if there’s a way to get blogspot to notify you of ‘new followers’ ie if someone signs up to follow your blog, you get an email alerting you to it, just how you can change a setting to get an email about the option to publish or reject a new comment.
TIA
December 10th, 2009 at 3:58 amHugs
Naomi
Just came across from this from Google while looking info up for somebody new to blogging; you have a great guide!
January 5th, 2010 at 11:38 amIve just started making a blog, and this really helped. Thank you
February 19th, 2010 at 8:15 pmI’ve been blogging for more than 3 years now and i never had a follower in my blog. I used to not care but now that I think about it, I guess having followers will make me feel more inspired to write and put nice content on my blog. Thanks for this article. This should help me get readership.
March 4th, 2010 at 9:34 amThanks for the posting. Its good to have followers on your blog. Makes you feel like people care, you know?
If you have the time, or are into folk music, I would encourage that you folks come check out some free tunes and folk music references. I know you’ll enjoy it.
Check it out: http://www.thepursuitoffolk.blogspot.com
Thanks for looking
Good the good blogs comings.
March 11th, 2010 at 11:29 amHi…thanks for very informative post!
I already have the followers gadget on my sidebar. unfortunately it’s at the very bottom and is stuck on 45 followers!! Any ideas as to how I might move it to the top of my sidebar?? I tried clicking on it and dragging it up but, no go!
Thanks! x Jazzy
March 13th, 2010 at 2:30 pmYou move widgets in Blogger under Layout. You can drag and drop widgets there.
March 13th, 2010 at 3:20 pmHi…thanks for very informative post!
April 4th, 2010 at 2:11 pmexcellent post. thank you for sharing!
June 8th, 2010 at 11:48 amThanks for the tips. I’ve just created my blog and was wondering about the followers widget.
June 23rd, 2010 at 3:29 amThanks for the post! I’m just starting a gymnastics blog and at this point am rather blog-illiterate, so this was helpful.
June 29th, 2010 at 8:38 pmim stuck at 4 followers, i have been building up a twitter acct as a sounding board, i get good traffic to the site, i just dont get followers
July 3rd, 2010 at 5:42 pmSo confused on how to get followers! I have tried several different social media methods but thus far no luck! I even did the team up with amazon? Any tips!!!!!
July 14th, 2010 at 11:59 amPheww… I have no follower..
I don’t know why.. It is hard.. SOB
Anyway, thanks for the tips.. Appreciate that!
July 26th, 2010 at 1:25 pmI’ve only been blogging for a month now and I have to say that this is the best experience ever! Thank you for posting these tips, they will really help! my blog is really controversial…that kinda helps too ;D
September 3rd, 2010 at 6:30 pmThis may sound like a stupid question. I was on a blog and joined as a follower but I do not have a blog. Will I get updates from that blog or do I need to subscribe another way? Thanks.
September 9th, 2010 at 9:32 amMomma, I have tried all of these things to try and help myself and blog get more followers, but it hasn’t helped as I thought it would.
October 27th, 2010 at 12:06 amCan you help me and my blog get more information?!
Please check it out and critique me and my posts!
http://www.assistedlivinginformation.blogspot.com
Thanks!
i too want to have some followers to my blog. there is nobody following my blog. please visit my blog and be a follower and feel free to comment on my blog posts. i will follow you in return…please…..help…….
November 18th, 2010 at 9:45 pmHi there
Im trying blogging for the first time and i would like to get followers. Could you pls have a look at my blog and give me some tips?
It’s not to big right now but i am working on it.
December 8th, 2010 at 2:38 amI’m not having much luck getting followers either. Can you please look at my blog and give me some helpful tips?? Maybe because alot of people dont have a google account and they dont want to bother registering? I don’t know.
December 8th, 2010 at 7:12 pmI am very glad I came across your information, it was just what I was looking for. Thank you!
December 15th, 2010 at 4:27 pmI only have one follower thus far but the above information is helpful:) Hopefully more keep coming *fingers crossed* take care and happy holidays!
December 18th, 2010 at 4:32 pmThanks…I’m a new blogger and have tons of questions about how to grow my audience. Thanks for the help.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:39 amThanks for all the helpful info… I am new blogger and hopefully all the above info will help me..
January 19th, 2011 at 11:22 amfollow and i will u
January 23rd, 2011 at 10:00 pmTHANKS!
February 4th, 2011 at 1:05 pmThank you! I don’t have a blogger but still wanted to add followers to my blog, this was exactly what I was looking for!
February 13th, 2011 at 12:59 pmIf you’re on Facebook, you might also try the NetworkedBlogs app! I’ll add a note about this to the article.
February 13th, 2011 at 3:13 pmThank you for the step by step instruction. I look forward to reading more from you. I am a fairly new blogger and invite you to follow along.
February 21st, 2011 at 10:32 amCool and insightful info. Facebook is a great source to link Blogs to.
March 7th, 2011 at 9:41 amThis is one of the best blogspot info resources I have found so far. We have a very interesting positivity blog. http://www.weeworldwonder.blogspot.com and always looking for great new connections.
~Allison and Tim
March 14th, 2011 at 9:15 amGreat information. I am a new blogger and invite you all to follow along my journey. I think having followers is motivating. I will add you to my blog list too.
April 6th, 2011 at 1:55 pmThanks for the information. Help full and details explanation of followers gadget. Thank You
April 8th, 2011 at 7:31 amI came across your information, it was just what I was looking for. Thank you!
May 4th, 2011 at 3:42 amI love the info i didn’t know about the nifty little
May 7th, 2011 at 8:08 pmWidgets. That’s available thanks.
Nice tutorial – well explained and plenty of followers. That’s what I would like also for my site and blog.
Cheers,
May 16th, 2011 at 8:28 amNick
super helpful! check out my blog, tell me what you think:
May 24th, 2011 at 10:00 pmflorecity.blogspot.com
I think hard work over your blogs utility will automatically increase the trafic.
May 30th, 2011 at 5:24 pmA personal blog, with views on life,love,the true meaning of happiness,animals,birds,and values. Follow me and i’ll follow back ! :]]
June 28th, 2011 at 9:40 amThanks for the help!!
August 24th, 2011 at 9:26 amThis post was very helpful thank you.
August 28th, 2011 at 6:11 pmthis was really useful! i am new to blogging! please check out my blog about sewing. it’s a bit empty right now but it will get better!
September 4th, 2011 at 1:16 amThat was very helpful! I put the gadget on my blog.
September 6th, 2011 at 2:28 amThank You So much I just got started and hope to have my own followers soon
September 13th, 2011 at 4:01 pmThank you, this info is very helpful!
If any of you would like to ‘follow’ mammablogga’s advice, HAHA, please check out my personal blog.
justenoughrambiguity.blogspot.com/
September 13th, 2011 at 10:04 pmThanks! I have lots of visitors, but not many followers. If you like me, please follow me!!!
October 4th, 2011 at 10:13 am