My apologies, but today I’m taking a “time out” from substantive matters to address an irritating housekeeping issue.
Over the past several weeks, I have been getting messages from people who generally access this blog on Facebook, saying that they no longer see it in their feeds, and asking what happened.
I investigated, and discovered that I am not the only blogger, or manager of a Facebook page, who has been having this problem; Facebook has changed its algorithm, and the various efforts made by bloggers and others to “fix” the issue and regain the previous level of visibility have had very spotty results.
My webmaster (aka my son) has been working on the problem, and will probably continue tinkering with solutions for awhile, so I’m asking for your patience if glitches arise due to changes/experiments he’s trying. But this is important: he tells me that the only way to ensure receipt of my daily posts is by subscribing to the site. The process is very simple, and there is a “subscribe” button on the front page. Subscribers get a daily email with a link to that day’s post. People who rely on their Facebook feed remain at the mercy of Facebook’s algorithms, which (as we’ve seen) change periodically.
Of course, those of you reading this message aren’t the ones having the problem–which leaves me with a dilemma: how do I reach the people who are no longer getting these posts?
Since the latest Facebook change (which appears calculated to “encourage” paid advertising, a tactic I am loathe to reward), my readership has fallen significantly. Google Analytics confirms that I was getting nearly half of my readership through Facebook. So here’s my request to those of you who agree with my often-snarky and sometimes convoluted musings –or at least find them worth discussing/considering: if you have a Facebook or other social media account, please share these posts there. Or forward them on to friends.
And if you are a Facebook reader who is still seeing this blog in your feed, or in posts by your friends, please consider subscribing to ensure that you will continue to get it.
Okay–enough shameless promotion. Tomorrow, this site returns to its regularly scheduled content….
Is the “change in Facebook’s algorithm” another term for limiting freedom of speech?
I mentioned recently a problem with “sharing” Facebook posts I disagreed with, but felt people should be aware of, and my anti comments did not go with the post; appearing to friends that I supported the issue when in fact I did NOT.
Are we losing this form of freedom of speech and source of researching facts? Are we moving closer to Germany’s one source of information for all? Simply put, it this loss of Sheila’s blog, even temporarily, on Facebook a portent of things to come…or things that are already in place to limit our access to truth?
Huh. I have always got you everyday in my email and most days post your blog to my facebook. Will work on following your facebook today. Thanks for all that you do!
I don’t have anything to do with Facebook and, as far as I know, have received all your postings by email from you, an arrangement I’m very happy with. I assume I can keep doing that…
Love your blog.
I just posted your blog to FB. I read it everyday but don’t always comment! Thank you for your daily blog and keep up the good work!
I get your blog on email. Thank you.
Please keep me in the loop by email. I find FB unreliable at best.
Your blog is my touchstone. I can watch only so much television news, and am generally rewarded with a giant migraine when I do. I’m sorry I have to give you the day off!”
I will share on Facebook
I have been subscribed for quite some time. I share on Facebook and Twitter.
I’ve missed you! When your finally returned to Facebook yesterday, I thought all was well. I am now subscribed via e-mail so I no longer have to rely on the changing algorithms of FB! I often share your blog and will continue to do so.
Keep up the wonderful writing!
I try to always punch the ‘click here to subscribe to notifications for new posts’… that way it comes in the mail for sure! Since I started reading your Blog, Ms. Kennedy, I found that I expect to see some of your thoughts in my email and on my FB feed… but more in the email than on FB I will check my settings on FB… Thank you for the note — have been wondering! ~8)
Enjoy and appreciate getting your e-mail each day. Don’t get your blog on Facebook at all, although I was originally “introduced” by a FB friend who shared on it on FB via reposting your blog. Still have the friend on FB, but don’t get your blog that way. Love your blog; keep it up. And, thank you for sharing your thoughts and comments.
Suggestion for your webmaster – setup a Twitter account that does nothing but contain a link to each day’s article.
Another option for subscribing to this site is the built-in RSS feed that is part of WordPress – I have used that as long as I have read your site, and allows me to get updates from many local bloggers all in one place. I’m a big fan of the Feedbin service, which I switched to when Google Reader closed. There are others that are free if you don’t want to pay a few dollars a month for the service.
It’s no guaranteed fix but if you click on Sheila’s name above to go to her main FB page, then click on the little star (it probably also says “following”). Next, click “see first”. This will make sure that IF FB’s algorithm places her post in your feed, it will show up first. Sometimes her posts (and those of others you are following) are just so deep in your FB feed that you never get to them. I hate the methods FB uses but Mark Zuckerberg is 30 and worh $50 billion and I’m neither. ?
Sheila; any way your personal webmaster guru can check for subliminal messages…on computer, TV, cell phones? Is that still possible?
I’m happy to hear from you!
I get your articles by email. Hope it continues this way.
I have a love/hate relationship with facebook. I’m on a couple of groups that share gardening tips or health related issues for my thyroid disease and have turned off all notifications from facebook yet, that is what my facebook feed gives me anymore. Ugh. I don’t even see my friends’ posts until I go to facebook settings and change them from Top Stories to Most Recent. That is the part of facebook I hate. I also don’t post anything political on my facebook because of my promise to my Mother. So that means, I can’t and won’t share your posts on facebook and won’t comment on them either, which means I won’t see them on FB either. This keeps my Mother happy because she doesn’t see my views (which is nearly identical to hers). Why? Because two of my siblings in Indiana are way far right in their political leanings and we’ve already had one family problem as a results of those leanings. I read your blog every day and I don’t need an email reminder or facebook post to remind me…I just come here daily because you’ve become part of my routine. Take care and know you are appreciated. Thanks Professor.
I wasn’t aware of any problem with Facebook. I’m an e-mail subscriber and that’s how I get Sheila’s posts. I look forward to them and will do my best to propagate them on Facebook.
I might also suggest that followers turn the audience to “everyone” when you post Sheila’s blog on FB. Otherwise, a limited group of people will see the post.
Sheila, I access your blog manually each day because I’m not a subscriber nor do I depend on my FB feed for reading your blog.
However, this seems like a good time to mention that the ‘Activism Engine’ website established by your son a few months ago is not operating in a friendly manner. Each time I’ve attempted to access the website, I receive a Google warning telling me that the website https://beta.activismengine.org/ is not secure, warning me that hackers could access my private information if I continue with my attempts to reach the website. Perhaps others have mentioned this, perhaps not.
Sheila is performing a public service, but Nielsens are what makes the world go round. Let’s all do what we can to see that her coverage is expanded. Zuckerberg does not appear to be a candidate for food stamps thanks to advertising, I note in passing.
Thanks to all of you!
BSH, I will alert my son!
FYI, I have now changed the link in the sidebar to the correct address. We dropped the “beta” a few months ago, but the sidebar link on this site was not updated. (And if you click through that warning on the beta address you will be directed properly, there is no security issue).
The correct link is now https://activismengine.org/
Thanks for notifying us!
@Sheila and @ssuess, I should have mentioned this earlier. Better late than never, I suppose. lol
@ssuess, by the way, the new link works perfectly. Thanks!
In the “Following” drop down menu on your Facebook page, anyone can change the priority of posts from “Default” to “See first” to override the algorithm. I know this doesn’t help to re-establish contact right now, but as people contact you, tell them about this workaround.
@AgingLGrl, I am like you when you wrote, ” I read your blog every day and I don’t need an email reminder or facebook post to remind me…I just come here daily because you’ve become part of my routine.”
Sheila’s blog is a part of my daily routine when I sit down in my home office before my desktop computer. I check the local Indianapolis news websites and then check Sheila’s blog. After that, I check my Facebook page. I don’t need reminders to check any websites, I simply go through my daily routine.
Sheila and Steven: All good with no interruptions via the e-mail process. Thanks for this valuable daily blog.
It’s obvious this is not the result of an anomaly within the Facebook algorithm. This is the work of that dastardly Putin!
PJ is correct. If a visitor goes to your page, and after liking it, chooses ‘See First’ from the ‘Following’ drop down, they always see your posts and your posts will appear first in their feed upon opening. Although you may wish not to pay, you might consider throwing $20 at the Facebook beast and boost the post for this blog so that your followers are aware of steps that they can take to access your blog daily.
thanks for everything sheila–yours is the one e-mail that I read everyday Patsy