How Do You Follow Blogs?

 

Just as there are a multitude of platforms to blog from (wordpress, blogspot, tumblr, substack, etc) there are also a multitude of ways to follow those blogs. The ways I am aware of are as such:

• Wordpress.com Reader
• RSS Reader, such as Feedly
• A Manual List of links saved somewhere easy to access for you

I use the Wordpress reader, which technically IS a form of an rss reader. It has its set of problems, which is why I am looking at other potentials. The biggest problem I have is that wordpress will randomly unsubscribe me from people's blogs. I follow around 45 blogs and it can be hard to keep track if someone has simply dropped off the blogging radar or if WP has unsubscribed me. I've tried counting and come up with different numbers on different days. And then I come up with different numbers whether I'm using the Jetpack app on my phone or online on my web browser.

The reason I keep using the WP Reader even with those issues is because of the notification system that WP has. While it sometimes falls down on the job of letting me know of pingbacks (when another wordpress site links to a specific post of mine, I get notified), in terms of letting me know about likes and comments and replies to comments, it does an excellent job.

From what I understand, RSS Feeders like Feedly don't do that. They simply list the sites you are following and the new posts by them. All other interactions are null. I also don't know if an rss feeder can unsubscribe you randomly like WP does.

Finally, keeping a list of the sites you follow however it is most convenient to you. Back in my early Blogspot days I had a separate blog dedicated to just the sites I followed. I checked them every day and went back to every site I had left a comment on in case the blog owner had replied. I was only following about 20 people and that dwindled drastically when Facebook opened up to the public. So it was do-able. I also wasn't working 45hrs a week. Now? I do NOT have the oomph to repeat that.

So what I want to know is how you keep up with the blogs you follow. Also, are keeping track of "Likes" and "Comments" important to you or not? I really want to know how you all do this aspect of blogging. Let me know in the comments. Cheers!