It’s been long I have written something about Google friend connect. I have written about the importance of such social media widgets in terms of building community. I know the advantages of Facebook fan page, but Google friend connect always seems alien to me, because I could not see any direct advantages of it. I have asked in several forum but never got any answer on the usefulness or advantage of Google friend connect apart from building a community around your blog.
Recently Google friend connect team added some extra features in Google friend connect.
Today I logged into Google friend connect website and was browsing Shoutmeloud Google friend connect members and stats. I quickly realize the power of Google friend connect and I realize what I have been missing all these time. Google friend connect can be use as a powerful tool to send newsletter to your members, Show interest based Google adsense ads and collect data and target users based on the interest.
This is something which I wish I could have realize earlier as I have almost 358 members at the time of writing and I could have showing them the targeted Google adsense ads. Obviously this will increase my CTR and my monthly earning.
Getting back to advantage of Google friend connect. If you have Google friend connect in your website and you never wondered what you can do , simply login to your Google friend connect account and see your site stats. On the front page you will see various options along with Newsletter options.
Make sure you click on Newsletter and select the option which says “Ask visitors to subscribe immediately after their first sign-in”
Now click on Send a newsletter link and send and Email newsletter to your readers. I really wish if there is some way I can configure it with my RSS feeds, so that my Google friend connect subscriber will get daily email updates. Still on the other thought , you can use it to send a weekly or monthly newsletter.
For affiliate marketer , you can send them some nice deals going on. There are various ways you can make most out of these new subscriber of your blog. Though never think of spamming in anyways, because readers who join your Google friend connect or facebook fan page are your blog real fan. So try to play safe.
Finally I’m happy I can see some great use of Google friend connect here. What Other advantages you can think of Google friend connect widget on your blog?
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Article by Harsh Agrawal
Harsh has written 1206 articles.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
good info thanks for sharing harsh
is it okay, don’t you think you should ask ur follower first?
i’m afraid they don’t like it and unfollow..
Yes, it’s ok, because people who got that newsletter already subscribed for newsletters. If they don’t like it they can unsubscribe through the letter but the still will follow you
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Svetlana
Friend Connect has really cool features added. I should add one in my blog.
Hem.. i will check this tools. Like you, i already do not visit google friend account for very long time.
I have noticed it and this will be helpful to interact with members..
Google Friend Connect is certainly a powerful tool. It seems to be still relatively underused, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if its use/value/scope increases significantly as the Google Wave begins to roll in
I have not tried friend connect over my blog, but this newsletter feature attracts me to use it over my blog.
I have already commented on Harsh’s previous post(http://www.shoutmeloud.com/google-friend-connect-added-more-features.html) about the importance of new features added in Google friend connect . This is a very effective tool for bloggers and website owners. There are 28 useful social gadgets available under the tab of ‘all gadgets’ including ‘Top 10 Members gadget’.
I use Google for many things but I haven’t used friend connect. Just another thing I need time to play with!
Google friend connect is a powerful tool . Thanks, for sharing.
Is the google friend connect really useful rather than using the facebook fan page .? Im new to blogging and i havnt started using friend connect
Man, this is great !!!
I always thought theat my follwers get a new email message every time I post on my blog. But NO !! It’s a message on their blogger dashboard.
But the newsletter goes directly to their email inbox !!!! This is excellent !!
Thanks for your point of view concerning Google Friend Connect!
Hi!
Thanks so much for this info Harsh!
I’d been wondering what I could do with all of the people who had signed into my blog’s friend connect widget. I do want to just be sure however that when I DO send an email alert from the friend connect page that it will only go to those who have opted into the alerts?
Thanks again for providing such great value!
Vicki
Hey Harsh ,
Thanks for the tip but can you help to solve my problem. I have 107 member connect with my blog and I want am trying to send Newsletter to them but in that it shows there is only 28 member .
So there is any solution for that to send Newsletter to all of members.
Thanks