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Do Gadgets Really Enhance a Blog?
Posted by drjalee52 • 7/19/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: http://drjalee53.blogspot.com/
Have we gone too far with gadgets? Do they look like bumper stickers? There are some that are entertaining.
User Comments
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As a blogger that never met a widget he didn't like it has always been hard for me to keep them to a reasonable number. First off everything you add slows your blog's load time down, the longer it takes to load, the more likely they are to head somewhere else.
Besides, the whole point of a blog is to express your views on the universe, not someone cranking out doodads for your sidebar. But if you like them, I say go get as many as you can fit on your page.-
You are so smart and so right thank you for your insight. You are very wise. Thank You.
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- the whole point of a blog is to express your views on the universe, not someone cranking out doodads for your sidebar
I agree with Descartes. Keeping the amount of widgets and other sidebar clutter to a minimum may seem like common sense to veteran bloggers but to new bloggers the lure of adding widgets may be too overwhelming to pass up.
A common mistake beginner bloggers make is the overuse widgets as sidebar decorations, methods of bragging, and as space fillers, because they fail to consider the following:
(1) The impact of the amount of script they have running on their blogs on their readers experience;
(2) The duplication of collection of reader information (computer ip, location, browser type and version) that some widget use results in;
(3) How all those widgets clutter the 12 inch screen of laptops;
(4) How they spoil blog design and create unnecessary distraction away from blog content.
Widgets: Less is More
onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/widgets-less-is-more/
Blogging: Strategies for reducing page loading onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/blogging-strategies-for-reducing-page-... -
I agree with timethief, besides which too many widgets can make it look like a science project. If it ain't helping your readers then bin it. Keep it simple. Content is the king. -
Your readers don't care about which blog catalog member has visited your page, or from which country your viewers come from. Honestly I shy away from blogs that have visible trackers/widgets because I feel like I'm being watched. The cleaner your site looks, the better.
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@jacqueroxx
You made me lol
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It sure is creepy! Sometimes when I find new blogs I take the time to read it through (well as much as I can) and when I look at the feedjit and it's tracking my every click it makes me stop and close the browser. Too weird!
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- We share that in common. I avoid visiting blogs that are laden with tracking scripts. They are creepy. Worse still is when someone tells me that the reason they have them is to add some color and interest to their blogs ... yeah sure. I've even heard some bloggers say that's why they have advertising [she rolls her eyes]. Blogging: How to lose me as a reader
onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2009/05/31/blogging-how-to-lose-me-as-a-reader/ -
LOL! Advertising adds color and interest? Nope. It makes me think that you're only blogging for money, which is a turn off. I mean, I understand if the blog is successful but if your blog has a small amount of readers there's really no point. Also, having ads in between the posts and also on the sidebar is really unattractive...
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It sounds like you could have written a very similar post to the one I wrote. How do you feel about autoplay music? I despise it.
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Hehehe! I have autoplay music! I like it...sometimes. A lot of the time I discover new music that I end up loving. Other times I wind up shutting it off because the music is terrible. As long as the player is in a place where I can easily and quickly pause it/shut it off, I'm ok with it. It really bothers me when I can't find the player or when it's at the bottom of the page
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Well timethief and jacqueroxx have already put it precisely.
I have one particular thing to suggest. If you can lay your hands on a widget that deals with your niche, regularly updates itself then u have an advantage. TO instantiate one consider the twitter update gadgets. If you have a twitter account dedicated to the same cause as the blog. Then the updates will not only help help refresh page content but get the visitor interested too. He would know you are serious about this. -
Yes I think so...-
may we dare ask y u think so?
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Gadgets are fun. People love them. However, we could have gone too far. The question is what do we need in the future and why?
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Too much of everything is always bad including widgets.
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