Unreciprocal Blogrolls. Really. It’s OK.

by Zoey @ Good Googs on October 14, 2011

Don't miss a thing! subscribe for updates.

As I was discussing with Crissy and BabbleEditors the creepy nature of this newborn photo and then taking a non-creepy picture of a baby wearing a hat. Because, no matter what baby and hats are GOLD, I noticed something else on #BWE chat. Fair enough, I should probably have been cleaning the house, or engaged in some kind of flash card activity with the three year old or teaching the baby to crawl by luring her with shiny objects. But I wasn’t, I was guzzling coffee, on twitter and being distracted by the wonderful place on the internet. It’s not about engaged children and a clean house – it’s really just all about me having fun.

Anyway, I digress. Which is what makes me perfect for twitter and mediocre for blogs. The chat was about blogrolls – do people still have them? Did they get to political? Did too many people get offended if they weren’t on them?

Plenty of people had gotten rid of them for that reason. I love that I took the time to do a blogroll for the new site. I love that it updates so that occasionally I’ll see something pop up and click on it, particularly when I’m going through a reader-avoidance stage. Woogsworld also noted her love of the blogroll and while she and Problogger where chatting about the merits of Catriona Rowntree, I got to thinking that probably the vast majority of people who are on my blogroll, well I’m not on theirs.

Which probably doesn’t surprise anyone. At this point, this blog post is just an awesome example of what a fantastic online stalker I am.

And sure when I am on someone’s site and I see my blog on their blogroll I get a little excited. You know, like I’ve won lotto, only much better. But I’m not disappointed when I’m not on someone’s blogroll. And sure sometimes I might daydream about being proudly displayed on Fat Mum Slim or Edenland or Woogsworld or Baby Mac. But the fact is I’m so busy being over the moon excited that people like Writing Out Loud, Ah the Possibilities, Veggie Mama, The Mummy Autobiography and MummyK are showing their love of the Good Googs, in public no less, that I’m happy for my idols to be my idols and my mates to be my mates.

Do you have a blogroll? Do you lust to be on anyone else’s blogroll? Are as awesome at stalking as I am? Enquiring minds want to know.

Tagged as: blogging, blogroll, Piper

http://www.theveggiemama.com veggie mama

I love the blogroll! I love seeing what everyone has up.

I’ve recently moved mine to its own page so I can write a little blurb about why I like everybody so much.. but that was only two days ago and I haven’t gotten around to that part yet

I don’t usually feel bad about missing out, only because I know how slack I have been with putting mine up, I just assume that is what others do… we all mean to, but never update… oh for more time in the day!

http://www.goodgoogs.com Zoey @ Good Googs

Exactly! I’m time poor enough that getting through my reader is challenging enough, let alone the blogroll!

http://www.backwardslife.com Amber

I used to have one but it got too long and I didn’t want to offend anyone. Then I had it so it was linked to a particular folder on my Google Reader, but if I unsubscribed or moved someone to a different list they were taken off the Blogroll. I gave up on it.
http://pilesofwashing.blogspot.com MultipleMum

I use my blogroll as the primary way to access blogs that I read when I am out and about (ie iPhone). If I like a blog I always check their blog roll to see what stuff they read (and have found lovely new friends that way). I didn’t realise blogrolls are supposed to be reciprocal? Mmmm… maybe I have been offending people without even realising?!
http://www.dazeofmylife.com Corinne

I love the blog roll, it helps me keep up with my favourite blogs (including yours). I never expect to turn up on other people’s. Having a blog roll is my way of keeping track and also maybe putting my readers onto blogs I like.
I never expect it to be reciprocal.

I have had people ask why I haven’t put them on my blog roll, which I think is kinda odd.
http://www.themummyautobiography.com Miss Pink

I’m a massive fan of the blog roll, as you mentioned.
And like you said, it’s a massive compliment when you roll on over to someone’s blog and see your blog displayed there.
I am acutally in the middle of working on my blog roll. I want it to be my very very favourite blogs, and not put someone’s button up just because they’ve displayed mine. The codes annoy me though, so i’ve been avoiding it.
http://mummyk.com MummyK

I need to update my blogroll too! Always liked you, we keep bumping into each other
http://www.pinkelephantsandlemonade.com Chantel

As a relative newcomer, other people’s blog rolls are the perfect way for me to find new blogs. I have stumbled upon some wonderful blogs (yours included )) by clicking on blog rolls. xx
http://writingloud.blogspot.com Megan @ Writing Out Loud

Love your work Zoey.

I love a blogroll!
http://www.nappydaze.com Donna @ NappyDaze

Well I am over here due to you being on my blog roll But try not to worry about whether I show up anywhere else as if I think too much about that side of things my brain may combust. So I just plod along content to “blog my own race”
Veronica @ Mixed Gems

I’ve got a blogroll and wanted to put up pretty buttons but not everyone has one so haven’t bothered with that. I’ve chosen to list mostly those I like and interact with regularly, whether I’m on their blogroll or not. So mostly mates, with a couple of idols and inspirations.

I’d love to be on more people’s radar but people put you up if they like you and you can’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I do think its harder to get on the radar if you’re a newbie too. Many blogrolls I’ve seen have almost the same core of favourites which are pretty much the ones you’ve listed, whether they be mates or idols.

I can see how they can get offensive if it’s not reciprocal but also if we just plum forget to update them. Who can tell if it is a deliberate omission or not? I’ve only seen myself on two other blogs. I’ve no idea how to find out if I’m on others unless someone tells me. I’ve decided it’s not a good use of time to go searching if I’m on other blogrolls; it mayn’t be good for my ego, either.
http://Www.dearbabyg.com Dearbabyg

I did a blogroll last weekend and you are on it. However I just figured out how to do the mcfancy blogrolls that show snippets like yours so now I will have to redo it. Xx
http://everythingisedible.com Louisa

I have avoided having one as I don’t want to offend anyone but the truth is I often use yours, Kel’s and others to check out blogs I haven’t read in a while so I probably need to give it some thought…you would definitely be on mine love!! x
http://www.diminishinglucy.com Lucy

When I started blogging publicly, there was a “debate” about this, about two years ago. A blogger (who shall remain nameless!) had a go at me because she wasn’t listed on my blogroll “even though she knew I followed her blog”. I was gobsmacked. I wasn’t aware that there was a blog roll/follow etiquette! Either way, I explained to her that if I had every blogger that I followed on my blog roll, my blog roll would be a million miles long.

I have a blog roll now. I think Blogger sometimes shits itself, because I notice sometimes blogs fall off or their feed goes wonky or something, so I have to keep an eye to update it.

xx
http://blog.mummybrain.com Ms Kate

You are on my blogroll, however it only shows the most recent 10 blogs that have posted, so once you post, check my blog and you’ll see it there I figure that way, it changes and shows off different blogs that I read!
http://www.singularinsanity.com Dorothy @ Singular Insanity

I have a blogroll, but just recently I decided to put on it blogs that I really, really love reading and don’t want to miss. And I love that the latest post from my favourite bloggers automatically pops up on top. I probably don’t have absolutely every blog I love, but do most. You are there…!
http://thetruthaboutmummy.com Caz

LOVE MY BLOGROLL. It’s my access portal to the blogosphere I have it for that reason and because I love the fact that it sends traffic to my friends blogs. It’s nice to be on other peoples – but it doesn’t offend me if I’m not. Life is just to short for that!
http://www.catch.com.co Mrs Catch

Oh Poop! Now, I have to go and figure out blogrolls! (You’ll be on it though
http://mybignutshell.blogspot.com/ Gemma @ My Big Nutshell

Oh gawd, I didn’t think about offending people, I thought it was a great way to share what you read, or bloody well hope to read. I am a fan of the blogroll and as Multiple Mum said, it’s a great personal tool too! Sometimes I don’t have my dashboard open.

I didn’t think about reciprocation. I just did it because I wanted to.
http://www.threelilprincesses.com Kellie @ Three Li’l Princesses

I came over here tonight after seeing your post pop up in my blogroll. I only display the latest eight posts at a time in my sidebar blogroll. However, I’m starting to wonder if eight is too low a number. What happens to the 30-odd people who all post at 7am on the dot? xx
http://river-driftingthroughlife.blogspot.com river

I have my blogroll so that I can see who has a new post up for me to read. I probably should update it but I never seem to find the time, plus I don’t want it to get too long. You’re on there though.
http://daisyrooandtwo.blogspot.com Daisy

I have a blogroll, but it only shows the latest 10 posted, otherwise it would be miles long! I don’t get offended if I don’t see my name on someone else’s , but as you say, it’s nice to see your name there when they do.
I didn’t realise they were meant to be reciprocal either!
http://www.lifeonplanetbaby.com/ Jane

Oh Zoey, this is a ripper of a post. I have been having the exact same conversation with a fellow blogger tonight. Snap!

When I first started blogging, I thought it was the done thing to ‘follow back’ when someone followed me. It seemed polite.

However, I’ve had to rethink that since more people have started following me. It just got out of control. Add to that the ‘Alice syndrome’ of clickety-click-let’s-fall-down-another-rabbit hole and suddenly I was following 527 blogs and they were all on my blogroll!

Just tonight, I have spent 3 hours culling the blogs I follow in Google Reader from 308 to 202 (more to go tomorrow). I use the Blogger widget which shows the 25 most recent posts from blogs on my blogroll so it’s constantly being updated as people post.

And you, my sweet, are there, in all your glory ☺.

J x
http://www.denysewhelan.com.au Denyse

I thought being on a blogroll was a badge of honor for a blogger.
I also knew that I needed to work out how to do a blog roll for the blogs I loved reading.
I did that about 4 months ago. Then I decided that the list I’d made ‘sat’ there rather than attract those readers to my blog. Meh.
My initital view is wrong. Being on anyone’s blog roll is a matter for the owner of the blog.
There is no rule. No hard / fast about “you should because I do”
My blogroll isn’t on the latest version of my website because I have changed the subject of my blogging from daily chats about all sorts of life things to mostly my area of experience – education & schooling.
The way I enjoy catching up with blogs I know and love … Is the reader. I love getting into bed with the iPad & wondering “what’s Zoey been up to today?”
A while back I had to leave the competition that can raise it’s ugly ( sometimes) head via this blogging world & give back to bloggers some comments, engage in some newly-found blogs, read others & ditch any idea that readership will be anything like those of my favorites. But that’s ok too, because I am OK! Great post Zoey! D xx
http://www.becauserachelsaidso.com rachel

I love blogrolls! it makes it so much easier to keep up with my fav. blogs as i rarely check my feed… oh and you are on my blogroll!
http://www.nicolehastings.com Nicole

That photo is definitely creepy, when I first saw those poses I thought cute, but I am over them now…..they won’t look great in 10 years time. Natural photography is much nicer.
Bec @ Bad Mummy

I don’t have a blog roll at the moment, I’m working on it though.

Out of curiosity, what plugin are you using for your blog roll?
http://rasjacobson.com/ Renee Schuls-Jacobson

I have a separate page for my blogroll. Once someone does a guest post for me, I add them to my blogroll. Why? Because it means I’ve been following them and I like their writing. Also, they have helped me to develop my following. So yeah, there are some people who ignore me because they are big bloggers. But I do like to go to my page. It makes it easy for me to catch up on people from time to time, now that I don’t have time to check everyone as often as I would like.

Nice to meet you.

http://goodgoogs.com Zoey @ Good Googs

I’m still working on my blogroll for a separate page – until then it just stays as a widget on the sidebar. But I’m working on a more visual blogroll which I think would be cool.