Details For Followers Blog Hop...

Hey everyone! Hope you're all refreshed and rested from the weekend.

As promised, this post today is about the Followers Blog Hop I'm hosting. Pardon my lack of creativity, I haven't named it yet. But for some reason, the song, "Ballroom Blitz" keeps playing in my head and I've changed the words to "Follow Blitz", but that sounds kinda stupid. So the name of this hop may just remain Follow-Fest or maybe Blog-Stock.

Okay, on to the details!

Below, on the Linky list, you'll need to add your information. You can grab the code and add the Linky list to your blog post on the 10th to make it a bit easier for people to hop around to all those who've signed up. That's the easy part.

Now, for the blog post itself on Monday, June 10th! Here are the guidelines for those of you looking for followers (Now referred to as LFFs) and since some of you are new to blogging, I'm giving you instructions. Those of you who know this can just skip over some of this:

LFFs:

~ If you're just looking for followers for your blog, then just make sure you post that day. However, two VERY IMPORTANT things need to be done on your BLOG. ONE is to make sure you have a VISIBLE "Follow" button. When you first log into blogger, you have a little list off to the left. Look for the one titled "Layouts". Once there, click on "Add a Gadget" and find the one for the "Follow Button". Mine is titled "Cool People", because, well, you're all cool in my book! You can move that around once you have it set up, so place it near the top so people don't have to scroll down. You'll also find a "Google+ Followers" button. If you are on Google+, by all means, add that. Same if you use a blog reader such as "Blog Lovin'". (Note: If you use Blog Lovin' you'll have to log in to your account to get the code for the button. Then in Blogger, add it as an HTML gadget and paste the code in there.) Whatever you choose, make it visible. Even if you just want people to subscribe by e-mail.

The SECOND thing you need to do is turn OFF the comment captcha. Seriously. I know you don't want spammers and such. That's awesome, neither do I! However, if you go back to that list on the left, click on "Settings" and then on "Posts and Comments". You'll now see where you have the captcha set up for comments. I want you to click on "Registered User". Now only people who have a registered account will be allowed to leave a comment. They can use Google+, OpenID, things like that. If they are ANONYMOUS they CANNOT leave a comment and therefore, you, my friend, are not plagued with SPAM!!  Woot! And if it makes you feel a little more secure, click on "Always" under comment moderation.  But when doing a blog hop, the last thing you want to do is fight with a captcha. That's the best way to LOSE followers. If you're truly interested in what people have to say about your posts, be nice to them!

Onward!

~ If you are looking for followers for your blog AND other social media: make sure you provide links! I'll be looking for people to follow me on Twitter, so I'm going to include my Twitter handle in a link like this: Follow me on Twitter. I also want followers for my FaceBook Author Page and Book Page, so I'll leave links for those, as well as a couple other places.

For Followers:

Okay, for those of you who are participating, you'll all be hopping around the blogosphere to reciprocate those who have graciously dropped by your blog to follow you. We want to make this easy peasy, right? Absolutely. So, if you're participating in this hop and you click the Linky List to go check people out, PLEASE leave a COMMENT stating that you are now following them and they can follow you back. But here's the kicker. You need to leave a link in the comments. (Well, you don't NEED to if your name is on the list, but it'd be nice.)

How do you do such a thing?

Easiest way is this (I'm going to build you a template): Copy and past the first part with the red and blue lettering into a new document or on your notepad. Remove red lettering and parenthesis. Change the word dot to a . and change the blue lettering to your information. Then follow the instructions below that.

Mel at bracket(<) a href equals(=) quote(") http colon(:) back slash(/) back slash(/) caledonialass dot blogspot dot com close quotes(") close bracket(>) Writings Musings and Other Such Nonsense bracket(<) back slash(/) a close bracket(>)

There should be NO SPACES between the first bracket and the "a" (no space
between href and the = sign (href=) and no space between the equals and the quotes (="). No space between the quotes and the http ("http) or the http, colon and two back slashes (just like the beginning of a web address) and the beginning of your web address for your blog (://caledonialass). No space in the web address, either, of course. No space between the dot com, close quote and close bracket (dot com">) or between the very last bracket (<), back slash (/), 'a' and close bracket (>).
Hope that helped.

So again, make sure you make it easy for people to follow your blog. Any other social media, it's just a button click. And during this hop, you want to use your social graces and follow those who have followed you. Give them a chance! Not everyone clicks, in real life or on the internet, and maybe you're not really interested in everyone on the Linky list. That's quite all right. But use your Netiquette. People taking the time to follow you like to be followed in return. I'll be posting more this week and will make sure to keep the Linky List at the bottom of each post. Thanks everyone for your patience and participation!