Some of you have expressed concern that Google Friend Connect is going away. From the announcement post in November 2011:
Google Friend Connect—Friend Connect allows webmasters to add social features to their sites by embedding a few snippets of code. We're retiring the service for all non-Blogger sites on March 1, 2012. We encourage affected sites to create a Google+ page and place a Google+ badge on their site so they can bring their community of followers to Google+ and use new features like Circles and Hangouts to keep in touch.
So, it looks like if you've got a Blogger blog, you're safe for now. However if your blog is hosted on WordPress (or elsewhere), you'll need to make some adjustments.
I know it's a bummer for a lot of you, but my personal feeling is that by making the change, you'll actually come out ahead in the long run, given the potential of Google+.
So don't look at is a problem but as an opportunity! 
Things you can do
Like their post says, get involved on Google+ and create a page! I anticipate there's nothing but growth ahead for Google+ so get in while you can. Here are some great resources to get you started:
- 10 Tips and Tricks for Better Google+ Brand Pages (mashable.com)
- 7 Silly Google+ Business Page Mistakes to Fix NOW (hubspot.com)
- Google+ Pages: 4 Tips To Create A Community Page (searchenginejournal.com)
The other thing you can do is alert your readers to the upcoming change and encourage them to follow you on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube and anywhere else you hang out online. This would be a natural time to encourage them to subscribe via email too!
What about you? Are you a GFC fan or will this change go unnoticed by you?
This reminded me of the time that I had to removed the MyBlogLog widget from my sidebar because it's going away…
I don't use GFC. It has always given me an icky feeling like "hey look at me and ALL my friends!"
Do you know, if a person has signed in to my blog using GFC and they have a WP blog, will they still be a part of GFC or will they be dropped? Does that make sense?
Hmmm…great question. I have no idea. Anyone else know?
I think for the time being they'll still show up on Blogger GFC, even if they're WP blogs. But eventually, everything moves to G+.
To me, the sooner bloggers get on Google+ and build their circles, the better off they'll be. I don't think bloggers understand yet the potential power of SPYW (search plus your world) – how your posts will go to the top of searches in your network of G+. This is the real exciting part to me.
I do agree that they are moving everyone (slowly) towards Google+ and you are right, I do not understand the SPYW although I hear a lot about it.
Have you received Google's new privacy rules? I personally do not intend to use any form of Google as long as their new rules are in effect. Do they not bother anyone else??
Serious question, not trying to be hateful!
This is just me, but I wouldn't use a box showing any kind of friend count unless you have a significant following.
When I see a blog that has a box showing only a handful of likers or friends, it looks kind of sad to me. I know that's superficial, but why clutter up your site with things that make you look unpopular-lol!
Of course, if you're a big deal, maybe you want to flaunt it!
I never did Google friend connect, but I'm going to look into Google plus-just as soon as I figure out Pinterest and Twitter! Have you done a post on how not to be overwhelmed by social networks, Amy? If you have, I need to read it again! Thanks, as always, for keeping us up to date. Btw, have you heard whether blog fb pages will be converted to Timeline?
My advice is to first look at your schedule and determine how much time you have to spend and then plan accordingly. You also have to be OK knowing you'll miss out on most of what goes on in social media. It's just the nature of the beast.
You might check out my post about scheduling your blogging time.
Amy, you're the best! Are you going to Haven? I just want to give you a big ole hug for how much help you are! Thank you so much! I had a Google + page already but couldn't figure out how to get the button for it! Thank you!
No, not going to Haven, but I'll take the virtual hug!
I'm glad that Google Friends is going away. I haven't been friending anyone using GF since I use Google Reader. I noticed that Google Reader has a category with Blogger Friends, but I can't organize them the way I would like. I stopped using GF and started Subscribing to my favorite blogs through GR instead. My blog doesn't have as many friends on GF as it does on GR. I wonder if others have had the same issues I've had.
I've never used GFC either so I'm a bit outta the loop myself.
Thank you for this post Amy! Just last weekend I wasted a hour hour trying to set this up… thinking while I just uploaded a fb like box to my site a month ago or so… I figured not everyone who wants to be "a part of the community" of Leaving a Legacy is necessarily on facebook. So now I am going to take your advice… chk out those links and try to set up a google + page… thank you! Plus did you know you can make it so that all your twitter feed and fb posts are directly uploaded to google + so you don't even have to physically spend time there!
Thanks again… if you come up with any more tips on google + or installation of it on wordpress self hosted servers… would love the tips!
Glad it was helpful!
I'm always battling the desire to automate my posts. The change of engagement from others increases significantly when you manually post, so I'm trying to work it into my schedule. That can be tricky! There's only so much time in the day!
Amy,
I appreciate your helpful tips! You're one of the few I keep in my bookmarks bar!
Thank you Ashley. I'm glad they are helpful!
So sad that GFC is going away. I know eventually those of us with Blogger blogs will be affected too:( However, there is a new follower tool that might even be better than GFC ever was;) Check it out!
http://canadianangelxo.blogspot.com/2012/02/linky-blog-follower-tool-better-than.html
I'm not sure if you've actually answered this somewhere and I'm not seeing it (and if you have, I'm sorry… this was just as close as I thought you got to it), but I'm a gal with a day job and personal life that I want to keep separate from my crafty blog life and followers. I have my crafty blog and LOVE GFC and I'm sad it's going away and now I'm struggling with Google+ now, but the big thing I'm not sure about is whether it's best to have a separate Google+ account for just my blog (set it up with the email address I have for my blog, which I usually just forward to my main "everything" account) OR if I should have a page set up from my regular personal page. In facebook, I can have a page that's separate from my personal identity, but I can't figure out how to do that with Google+ (or in particular, how to get a page with my personal account that displays my blog name)… right now, I have both, which is bad and I know I want to get rid of one, but I thought I'd be able to figure it out better by creating both, but so far, no clue… do you have thoughts, advice, help? Thanks so much for your thoughts and help with Google+!! : )
I hope they don't remove GFC for Blogger blogs too
I think it's definitely a possibility so I would check out Google+.