I'm thinking about taking my blog private. I enjoy blogging because it helps me sit down and reflect on life. It has built a little community that I love and that I learn a lot from. Its an easy way to keep up with far flung friends and family.
So none of those reasons require me to have my blog public. Really the only reason I've left it public for so long is because I enjoy blog surfing sometimes and I felt it was my duty to have mine out there. Anyway, I'm not convinced that is a good enough reason to keep it public. I just feel like there is no reason why there should be this much information about me and my family on the internet.
So unless you can convince me to keep my blog public, I'll probably go private within the month.
18 comments:
Hi Kelley! How are you? I love keeping up with your sweet family through your blog and have become quite a blog fan myself. I actually have a new blog in additon to my family blog: www.journeysofagratefulmom.blogspot.com
How do you make your blog private? Is it a difficult process to make your already existing blog private? I have thought some of the same things about so much info being out there. I hope you have a great day!
Kristin
Hey Kristin! I will check out your new blog. Its not hard to make a blogger blog private. You to Settings then Permissions. Then it asks Who can view this blog? You choose Only people I choose and then you put their email in so the people will get an invitation. Its done by email so people don't have to keep up with a password or anything. Plus you can always change it back to anyone can view it if you want to.
Ok I did think of one bad thing- if its private it won't publish an RSS feed. That is a little inconvenient.
I think about the same thing. The only reason I haven't is because people from so many areas of my life check out my blog and I don't want to lose them. I was at a wedding in Spartanburg this summer for a childhood friend and everyone from my old youth minister to my old friends' parents read it. At Brian's 10-year reunion, I can't tell you how many times I heard, "I love your blog!" People from Wellford First (where Brian grew up) read it and tell Brian's mom too. So, for now, I have decided to stay public. I know I am pretty open about what area we live in, but I am careful not to put pictures with the houses in our neighborhood in the background on it. Needless to say, I completely understand where you are coming from, but my selfish side of enjoying all the "hits" is why I haven't. LOL I have decided when Hannah starts school, I will go private so I can be open about her school stuff. Also, neither Brian or I go by our "legal" names. I am not saying it would be impossible to find us, but you wouldn't find us under "Brian and Annie." Gosh, sorry I am rambling. Keep us updated on what you decide. :)
Every now and then I blog hop and will find blogs of friends from way back when and be able to catch up with them. If you go private, no one can "find" you via blog hopping.
Also, the RSS feed is an issue, like you said. Or bloglines like I use. It can't check it for me and honestly, I don't think to check them that often if it's not in my box telling me you updated.
But I will support whatever decision you make! It's YOUR blog and you can do whatever you want!
When David and I were starting the transition to Greenville, I had a private blog set-up so that everyone who knew about the move could be updated on our progress. Since we had not announced the news to our friends in Atlanta yet, I didn't want them to find out through our blog. The major drawback that I found with the private blog is that few people actually read it. Since they couldn't add it to their Google Reader or other RSS feed, they didn't remember to regularly visit the blog to check for updates. I certainly understand the privacy concerns and will absolutely support your decision. I just wanted to tell you about my personal experience with the private blog feature.
Hey, the biggest problem with going private is that most programs/website, etc that people use to collect all of their blogs in one place are not able to collect private ones. For those who travel a lot, have a lot of blogs to read, etc, then this will be a discouragement to keep up with you and your family, as it will require going to the website to put in the password each time. This is what has kept me from making ours private.
I've been thinking about that, too. for now, it's fun and cute to write about nathan's antics. but at some point I think he will view it as an invasion of his privacy, so it will need to stop. but I guess that has more to do with my content than whether it's public or private... I imagine he won't be any happier with me telling diaper stories to my friends than the general public!
I won't mind if you take yours private, since I don't use an rss reader. would a lot of your readers mind? your blog in india was private, and they kept up with you then, right?
I understand your reasons for going private, but will those of us who have found you through blog hopping get to still read your blog? I am glad that you have gone public for this amount time because I was able to find your blog and I enjoy staying up with your family even though we don't know each other well. Since both our girls are the same age, it is fun to hear about them and all of your adventures and you have helped us with our fussy times too!! So thank you for going public for the time you have!!
I do agree though with Southern Girl Known As Mommy-- having ours be public has allowed a lot of people to stay in touch with us even though we aren't able to share everything that is going on in our lives.
hey :) Personally, I keep mine public so anyone from our home chuch and stuff can see it... AND people can read it on a blog reader. If it's private I don't think you can read it on a blog reader - and I never remember to check the blogs of friends that have private or password blogs... :)
The RSS feed is definitely a problem - I know I am not nearly as faithful at keeping up with my friends' blogs that don't have an RSS feed - bloglines just makes it so easy for me to follow the new posts that people do. Without bloglines, I don't check even my good friends very often I am afraid. Of course, I will keep up with you guys and understand whatever you choose to do with this, I just won't prob be able to check in quite as often.
hey kelley! i found your blog through the liz and jeremy's... i'm the friend of jenn jordan that has the same house as you in s'burg. :) congrats on sienna! she's adorable. love the name. we actually spent part of our honeymoon there and really enjoyed it too! anyway, just wanted to say hi and that i enjoyed seeing your girls on here for a few brief moments. hope all is going well. -frances lightcap
I'm still thinking on this. I think I have another blog post brewing in my head. I'll try to hack it out in the next few days. Thanks for your comments- you have helped me think through some things.
I want to be able to still read your blog if and when you go private :) Lauren Buczkowski
Kelley,
You have to do what you think is best for your family. While the RSS feed is an issue, I'd just put you under my favorites and check it occassionally. :)
I love reading your blog, so please keep us on your "list" if you go private.
Hope you are having a great weekend!
I met you at debriefing. and, it seems from facebook we have a lot of mutual friends--jeni, molly for starters. I'd be sad for folks like you that I "blogstalk" to go private cause I probably wouldn't own up enough to ask for permission/access. That's my two cents.
Gray and I are taking a vision trip to india in a few weeks to further explore god's calling on our life to serve there.
Hey Brandy- you were pregnant at debriefing right? I think I blogsurfed onto your blog one time- maybe through Cayce's? Anyhow... I understand.
Where in India are you going? That is exciting!
i love keeping up with what is going on and how you all are doing, so keep me posted.
Rachel
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