When you have a site that posts regular content, you need a way for users and clients to be notified when that content updates. This best practice will make the users’ experience easier and drive traffic to your site.
Subscribing to receive content updates allows users to get your content pushed to them. There are multiple ways to offer these subscriptions, including offering the option to subscribe via Google FriendConnect.
What is Google FriendConnect
Google FriendConnect, also referred to as GFC, is a widget located in the sidebar area of a website. Users can click to “follow” your website, causing a tiny gravatar to appear in the widget box. GFC widgets are a product of Google, and commonly found on Blogger blogs, though sites hosted through WordPress.org also have the option of including a GFC widget in their sidebar.
Why Offer the Google FriendConnect Option
There are a variety of ways to offer subscriptions to your content. While you may prefer one subscription option, it’s important to remember that this is a very personal decision. The subscription option you prefer may not be what all your users prefer, so it’s best to offer multiple options. Also, Blogger is a very popular platform, so there’s a high likelihood that those who publish on Blogger, utilize their Blogger reader to stay updated on their favorite sites.
Choosing to “follow” via a GFC widget means that any time new content is published, it will appear in a user’s Blogger reader. They don’t have to go looking for new content; it comes to them.
How to Set Up a Google FriendConnect Widget
If you are a Blogger user, you can add the Followers gadget by going to Design –>Page Elements –>Add A Gadget.
For WordPress users, the process is a bit more involved. We will give you the step-by-step in an upcoming post.
Using a GFC Widget Offers Users Options
There are 3 main ways in which a user of your site can subscribe to receive content updates. While you might not publish on the Blogger platform, there’s a good chance many of your users do. Offering this option makes staying updated on your content easy for them.
I really like the GFC, sure it is great for others to follow me but it also saves me a ton of time when reading blogs. I read and comment on several blogs a day and if I had to search for them all, it wouldn’t work well.