Big News For Google Friend Connect Users!

We have some exciting news to share for all of us concerned about the discontinuation of Google Friends Connect! 

As you’ve probably heard, the popular Google Friend Connect (“GFC”) is going away March 1^st for non-Google blog platforms like Wordpress, and the scuttlebutt is that it will be eventually phased out completely to be replaced by  Google+.  (now don't panic yet!!) GFC was never really so much an “I follow this blog” tool as it was an attempt at the whole Facebook “friend, like” concept. Now we are being asked to join Google+ but have found like many of you it can be difficult to navigate.  

Bloggers know a good “follower” tool is really needed and we’d like to have one that is not tied to a million other services (seems like Facebook, Twitter and Google are linked to everything else on the Internet).  One that we can use JUST to keep track of our favorite blogs! 

We wanted a simple, fast, easy-to-use and reliable service. Those of us who use Linky Tools and know the owner/creator (Brent Riggs), realized he would be perfect for developing some kind of really easy to use “follower” system. So we contacted him, and he loved the idea.

We along with a few other bloggers were involved with the "Beta Testing" of this fabulous new tool!! And boy did we give it a run for it's money...and Brent graciously listened to every suggestion, question and concern we had!  So without further ado we want to introduce you to:

LINKY FOLLOWERS (www.linkyfollowers.com)

Brent has created a FREE (and we all love FREE) service that a group of us mom bloggers have tested and helped develop. He is launching it today and you’re the first to be invited to try it out!

Keep in mind this is DAY ONE of the service… there will no doubt be some bugs that the test group didn’t catch. Just contact Brent (brent@brentriggs.com)… he is great about fixing things fast. Don’t let a bug or an “oops” hurt your first impression. You’re being invited to be some of the first users of this great new tool, and your feedback will help him iron out any problems very quickly.

But, there are already so many amazing options! You can group blogs by Favorites, Everyday and General and even Custom Groups.  You can create a Blogroll that includes Blogs that DO NOT have Linky Followers but that you like to keep tabs on, and you can highlight a Featured Follower!! 

One last thing, the inevitable question: can my GFC followers be automatically moved over? NO. Google won’t allow access to those accounts but more importantly, YOU really shouldn’t sign up someone to a new service. They should voluntarily sign up themselves.  You’ll need to ask your GFC folks (and all your blog readers) to follow you using Linky Followers but its easy, quick and did I mention, free?  They’ll love the tool. It’s  a cool way to organize and follow the blogs you love.

You can get started by FOLLOWING ME from my Linky Followers widget on this page… 

or you can locate it on our sidebar right above the soon to be gone Google Friend Connect widget!   We want to invite OUR friends here At The Picket Fence to give it a test try.  Just start by clicking on the “Follow Me” option and it will walk you through this easy process! If you have any questions feel free to ask them here or email us and we’ll be happy to answer them, or pass them on to Brent! 
We will be watching today and be sure to "follow back" all of our friends who sign up to follow us.  Just leave a comment letting us know when YOUR widget is up on your blog and we'll follow you back! 
We will be posting next week in more detail how you can customize Linky Followers for your own needs!    Remember you can also receive FREE email updates to your email inbox, follow us on our Facebook Page or Pin with us on Pinterest by clicking on the graphics below.    See you tonight for Inspiration Friday!