Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
Google has screwed me up…twice. When I first started my blog, I was really excited like any other new blogger and posted images that I love. Until one day, I found in horror that Google has put a warning page on my blog (you know the one that said I have offensive material) and I was extremely confused and angry. I’ve posted fashion editorials which have topless models but every major fashion publication online does! That’s about the only “offensive” thing I can think of. All the readers that came to my blog were equally perplexed as well and they emailed me saying they didn’t understand why I have that warning page. However, I continued to blog and I complained to Google about it but of course received no help. Finally, I decided to move my blog to WordPress because it will give me more control over my blog and most importantly, I won’t have to deal with that annoying warning page anymore. I didn’t want to leave my followers behind so I also transfered the Google Friends Connect Widget (GFC) to my new wordpress as well. It took time and money to move everything and keep it functioning well again. I thought I can blog with peace after that. I was wrong.
Now, Google just announced recently that they will no longer be allowing the GFC widget on non-blogspot blogs. This is their way of saying “Screw you if you don’t use us”. Their solution is that we create a page for Google + to transfer our followers and use their other features. To me, it just means more work and more stress. I don’t care about Google + or any other useless applications that Google creates. I want to keep my GFC widget exactly the way it is because I can find out who is following and I can easily check out their blogs.
But since Google has set a date for March 1, 2012 to drop the GFC widget, I have two choices. One would be to devise a plan where I could somehow transfer my followers to other social media accounts like twitter, facebook and bloglovin. I’m thinking of replacing the GFC with my facebook fan page account where it’s a great way to connect with my followers. The other way is to move back to my blogger account but I’ve grown fond of WordPress and I have a lot of flexibility with my blog design. It’s a tough decision.
Are you upset by this change from Google? What are your thoughts/plans for your blogs? I’d love to know!
Wow that sucks 😮 And also abit unfair towards you. There are indeed
tons of fashion bloggers with showing nudity.. but in artistic ways..
I’m glad I don’t have any trouble with Google but I understand that
it’s pain in the butt for you 😮
I don’t understand WordPress much but since you like it I think you should
stick to WordPress + Facebook link as follower system.
good luck! Do you want me to send a complain note to Google :P?
xx http://icepandora.blogspot.com
I totally share your thoughts. I unfortunately am also stuck with google and all plans I make from times to times for wordpress fail as it would be like starting again from zero.
It’s a business thing for them. They hope google+ will take over facebook etc.
I wish you can find a solution.
I would suggest bloglovin’ and facebook too (although I do not use it anymore)
But in bloglovin’ you can not see your followers but only a number…
Good luck dear Shin.
xoxoxo
I’m so thankful I have a Google based blog…zero stress!
http://www.intotheblonde.com/
Yeah, I heard too. I have a fan page and Twitter for both my blogs and people can follow me there. I have a Google+ page for DelectablyChic! (and a “personal profile” for Shorty Stories), but I’m not 100^ happy with Google+ yet. You can’t connect an RSS feed to it, so you have to manually update your page every time you have a new post. I don’t have to do that with Facebook or Twitter! I probably won’t make the big leap to Google+ until they work out the important kinks.
Oh my god, that really sucks, and is so unfair to you! I think you should replace the GFC widget by blogloving, I think that’s very handy as well.. I’m not used to blog with WordPress, but if you think it’s better for your blog and easier, you should definitely keep using it! Good luck, xoxo
That is just horrible. 😡
If you cant have google then I will follow you on bloglovin’!! xx
yeah, i couldn’t believe when i read that yesterday. in my opinion, it’s a last ditch effort on google’s part to try their hardest to force google + and hopefully get a few new users since it’s pretty much been a failure so far.
I haven’t thought much about that. Sorry to hear you’ve encountered so many problems. I have a wordpress blog and I’m very pleased. Facebook and Twitter are great ways of following too. xo
Ada
Ugh honestly I was just complaining about Google to Matt yesterday. I’m sick of Blogger crashing and of the zero support that we receive when it does happen…I ended up losing lots of comments yesterday, which makes me upset not because I don’t get as many comments, but because my readers are putting time and energy into commenting and it doesn’t even show up. It’s really annoying and quite frankly I started thinking about switching, but this definitely messes that plan up.
I’m sorry to hear about this love because it’s absolute bullshit. It’s obviously a ploy to monopolize the market on blogs. I follow you with bloglovin, but perhaps you could get some of your followers to switch over and then set up the other page? I don’t know, it’s just a really dumb situation. Hope something works itself out for you love, and know that my thoughts over this dumb issue are with you! Fully agree that it’s ridiculous.
Alexandra xo
http://tovogueorbust.com/
Hey Shin! I read about this and it’s going to create many problems for everybody. Whatever you decide, keep in touch so I can follow your posts. I’m with Blogger but I’ve only been blogging since August. Hope it all works out. ((HUG))
http://sassyuptownchic.blogspot.com/
OMG! I was reading your post and it got me sooo angry! What Google does is totally unfair! They want to have the internet monopoly and force us to use their products. I don’t know what I’ll do with my blog because I use blogger for the moment… I’ll think about it for sure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about it!
http://www.blonde-rose.blogspot.com
WHA?? That’s a lot of hassle for nothing!! I didn’t know Google is so annoying and “over-sensitive”! Keep us updated on your move.
xo
momojae.blogspot.com
I don’t think that is fair of Google to mess with the widget.
I don’t like facebook altho I’m on it-I don’t go there. Google
lets the readers censure content. I think Google is so big
it doesn’t have enough people to look into whether
complaints are valid or just silly miffs because you
have a beautiful successful blog.
My blog was frozen by Google — I moved to WordPress. Just stop using any of their stuff! Your readers will stick with you!