If everything around me would stop changing at the speed of light, maybe I’d have time to defrost my freezer.
Or organize the toys.
Or try that new recipe I have on my list.
Instead, I’m trying to figure out why Facebook interaction dropped by 80-90% this month, and what is going on with Google Reader just up and quitting on us?
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just read a few more paragraphs. I promise; I’ll keep it short.
Google Reader is Done For
Word is that Google Reader is closing its doors, so to speak, on July 1 of this year. Apparently there’s no longer any such thing as a free lunch…er…reader.
Actually, there are plenty, but I guess Google doesn’t want to be one of them.
If you use Google Reader to follow your favorite blogs, you’ll certainly want to switch over to a new reader (here’s an article on 5 other options, and when I used to have time to read blogs, I used Netvibes) and/or get an email subscription to Kitchen Stewardship. If you are setting up your new reader, grab my reader feed again easily. You can also follow me on Twitter, get KS for Kindle, or like my Facebook Fan Page.
Speaking of Facebook…
Facebook loves to switch things up just when you have the last new thing figured out, don’t they?
On March 7 Facebook announced a new look to “newsfeed” which gives you another option in the left sidebar called “following.” You can get on a wait list HERE and then have a fancier, more photo friendly feed to choose from.
Somehow in the meantime, I still can’t figure out why, but Facebook fans aren’t seeing KS updates nearly as much as they did before.
Facebook seems to really want page owners to pay to promote their posts, but, well, that’s just not my style. I’d rather be loved just for being me, not because I paid Facebook.
One thing you can do if Facebook is your preferred way to follow new posts, which I’m finally getting pretty good at remembering to post to my wall, is to go to the KS Facebook page, hover over the “liked” button (since of course you already like the page!!) and make sure “show in news feed” is checked.
If you have been using the “interests” categories – you could create one for the blogs you read, or for real food ideas, or whatever – you can also click “add to interests” there.
Facebook might be a decent way to follow your favorite blogs if you’re losing Google reader, but they do change things up often, and people have found that even their favorites suddenly aren’t showing up in their feeds anymore without jumping through new hoops.
UPDATE: You can also click the sort of gray word “SORT” on the upper right just above where your “feed” starts, and if you choose “most recent” instead of “top stories” you’ll see everyone you “like” instead of what Facebook decides you should see.
Got all that?
I would have just mentioned this on Facebook…but if you’re already one of the 80% who is no longer seeing my notes regularly, I would have been like the word “natural” on a package of food – writing but not doing any good. 
Any questions?
Or any more ideas on how to make sure you keep up with KS?
If you want a brief email reminder that only comes once a month, you can sign up for the KS monthly newsletter. I share new content, never published online, plus good deals, exclusive coupon codes, and the best of KS and Facebook convos from the past month. It’s a good way to get fresh content AND keep up in case your reader or Facebook feed ever poops out on you – then you get a little reminder that you used to like the stuff at Kitchen Stewardship.
Plus, you get a free 85-page eBook when you subscribe.
This month’s topic, coming out next week, is a roundup of all the best tips for freezing in glass jars without breaking them, ever.
And with that, I’m off to reload my own little chest freezer, which was overdue for a good defrost. It’s much happier now, and I’m excited to make certain my freezer inventory list is accurate. (I’m using the free printable that comes with your purchase of Better Than a Box!)
While I’ve got you, any ideas for a new “cover image” photo for my KS Facebook page? I have a tendency to leave things the way they are for a really long time, but I wonder if the grain-free granola says everything I want to say for new visitors to the page…advice?
Thanks!
Katie Kimball, CSME is a trusted educator and author of 8 real food cookbooks. She is passionate about researching natural remedies and making healthy cooking easier for busy families. She’s been featured on media outlets like ABC, NBC and First for Women magazine as well as contributing regularly on the FOX Network.
A mom of 4 kids from Michigan, she is a Certified Stress Mastery Educator and member of the American Institute of Stress.
Neal says
Like Dorothy, above, I heard about the closing of Google Reader and made the switch to Google Currents. Yours was one of the first blogs that I moved since it was also RSS cleaning time. You Mau sigh in relief now, you made the cut.
Neal says
That would be “may” sigh in relief. 🙂
Angela says
Hi Katie, I realize that FB is probably the major reason for less traffic but we are also in Lent? Some people give up FB for Lent so that might be responsible for a teeny percentage of the dip too. 🙂 I so enjoy your blog, keep up the excellent work!! 🙂
Dorothy says
After reading the first linked article regarding Google reader (I, too, have all my favorite blogs on RSS through Google reader), I saw that Google currents is an option, at least for mobile. I mostly read my blogs on my tablet, so this will work for me. I always wondered what Currents was, as it came loaded on my Nexus 7. It was easy enough to save my current feeds in the new list. I like it for a mobile interface, too, it’s pretty sleek.
Carole in AZ says
I follow you on Google Reader as well as FB and email. I find that I keep up better with GR…so I will be trying the other readers in the article you referenced. FB is driving me nuts. I had all of the pages I follow organized in to various lists…which are now on the right side of the page. But I can’t see my entire list of ‘lists’ unless I minimize the print so small no one can read it. So, I have to consolidate my pages. they have pushed us back to the newsfeed to keep us current. Who has time to be on FB 24/7?? I will find a way to make this work.