Technology. It's here, there and everywhere. It's in your car, it's in your home, it's every place that you roam. (I'm channeling my Dr Seuss).
With advancements in mobile technology, blogging is now "On the Go". We can be in a long line at the grocery store or waiting in the doctor's office and still read our favorite blogs. I know in our family, iphone and ipads are always in use.
I still love this phone though...lol
For today's blogging tip, we're going to look at the choice you have for how you want your blog to look when someone is reading it with a mobile device.
NEED YOUR OPINION AT THE END!!
A blogging friend, Benta, from the blog SLIKstitches emailed me last week and asked if I knew if there was a setting on the ipad that allowed her to read blogs in the web version instead of the mobile version. She likes to read blogs in the full version.
There is a setting. However, it is in the hands of the blog owner, not the owner of the ipad, iphone, tablet or smartphone.
Just so you know what we are talking about, here is a screen shot of my iphone with my blog on the screen.
My own blog is set to the Web Version.
On any mobile device, my blog will look just like you were reading it on a regular desktop computer. It shows all the side bar, labels, social media buttons etc.
You can move around the screen and enlarge the screen over each section.
Here is a screen shot of my iphone with my friend Tina's blog Seaside Stitches. I didn't ask her permission to screen shot this, but she is my bestest quilting/blogging friend, so I know she won't mind. I hope...ok, I'll buy her lunch for not asking. LOL
Her blog is set to the Mobile setting. Just a portion of the posts are visible, but you can click the green arrows on the right to read the full post and comment.
You can click the drop down arrow on the upper right and that will show the tabs that would normally be at the top of someone's blog.
See her tabs at the bottom of this picture...Tutorials, Completed Projects and Works in Progress.
VIEW WEB VERSION. Just click that and you'll see the full, desktop version of her blog on your mobile device.
How do you want YOUR blog to look on a mobile device? Web Version or Mobile Version
Here are the steps to change that...
Go to your dashboard and click TEMPLATE
You will see the MOBILE option.
Click the gear (circled in red) under that.
You will pick...
YES. Show mobile template on mobile devices.
OR...
NO. Show desktop template on mobile devices.
Then click SAVE.
So, in short, if you have web version, you just have web version.
If you have mobile version, the reader has the choice between the mobile and web, but they have to click to change. You're just selecting what they see first.
NOW I NEED YOUR OPINION!!!
When you are reading blogs on a mobile device (iphone, smart phone, tablet or iPad), which version do you like? Regular web version or the mobile version?
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on this,
~Karen~
Great post. Definitely a topic I'm interested in. But I could be confused as it sounds like this is feature the blogger (in google/blogger) sets to favor mobile vs typical internet version. If we set as mobile version what are the pros/cons to the reader that views a blog via typical internet version. And, for the reverse? Sure would be nice if bloggers could provide both options and the reader could decide which format they prefer. Or, did I misunderstand?
ReplyDeleteEither way, thanks for researching and sharing insights.
SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
Hi...if you select the mobile version for your blog, it only affects what it looks like on a mobile device not what your blog looks like on a desktop computer. Tina has hers set to mobile, but when I read her blog on my desk top computer, it's her full web version blog. I hope that helps.
DeleteI doesn't change the regular, computer version of your blog..just how it's viewed on a phone or tablet.
Thanks for commenting,
Karen
That should be "It doesn't change...not I doesn't change...LOL
DeleteI shouldn't type after midnight!!
You are so helpful. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteIs there anyway you can post how to unfollow a blog. I have some that I thought would in my interest and they are proving not to be and ONLY because of time constraints I need to downsize.
To unfollow a blog, go to that blog and click on the followers icon - where it says "join this site". You will need to sign in and then your own profile photo will appear at the top of the followers list with an "options" link. Click on that and choose "site settings". A window will open where you can choose to unfollow the blog.
DeleteI hope that helps. :o)
I was wondering how to "unfollow" a blog too, thank you for the tip.
Deleteali
www.40tasks.blogspot.com
I appreciate the info also. Now I can clean up my blog list!
DeleteDonna
www.cardsbydruth.blogspot.com
I'm glad I was able to help! :o)
DeleteInteresting thought. Now I want to go read blogs from my tablet and see what's what -- form an opinion -- because I don't typically use my tablet for that. So, I can't help you yet. But my thought is that the only reason you wouldn't wish to offer a web version is some particular page formatting that you always want your readers to see. Mobile versions could interfere with strong branding plans.
ReplyDeleteGail from 2createincolor.com
Your blogging tips are so helpful. I need to do an overhaul of my blog, so need to review all of your tips first!
ReplyDeleteI like to see the mobile versions first, where the text and pictures are bigger. Then it is so easy to cange if I want to see the margins and stuff too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this (and for the name check :-). I have changed mine to web view only, but am aware that people now don't have the option to choose mobile view. You would think iPad etc would allow the reader to choose, rather than the writer. Mobile view must mean less income for those who carry ads, as they don't show, and it annoys me that I can't 'pinch out ' ie zoom in on mobile view. Apparently somewhere you can see how much of your traffic is using a mobile version; I bet that's increasing!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for the post (from your fingers to bloggers / apples ears :-) and I hope it's ok to link to this post x
Of course you can link to this post...anyone can. Thanks for sharing it with your readers.
DeleteI use the mobile version on my blog. It's not very pretty, but if you are using a iPhone, like me, the web version gets really small.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really great post Karen.
ReplyDeleteI prefer my Blog to show as web version and have switched my setting to reflect that. I like the layout much better and I believe it gives a more accurate "feel" of my Blog.
Thank you for sharing !
Rose
I found reading the mobile version of blogs *really* annoying on my iPad so I investigated it and found that there was no way for me to make Safari choose to read the web version by default. Sure, I could scroll down and change to web version every time I came to a blogger blog but who wants to do that every time? Not me!!
ReplyDeleteIn investigating further, I found a lot of iPad users praising the Atomic browser where you *could* make it read the web version of blogs all the time. Not only that - and, in my opinion, better than that - you could choose to block ads on the Atomic browser. Fabulous!!
I downloaded the Atomic browser on to my iPad and it was the best 69p I've ever spent in the App store! Do it. I don't think you'll regret it! :o)
Thank you for this. I actually found it really annoying when reading blogs from my iPad as it would not show it the way I wanted. Now it looks just as it does on the computer screen.
ReplyDeleteI never changed that in my blog before as I though that disabling the mobile view option would mean that mobile users would just not see my blog at all !!
Thanks for this tip !
Eva
You can choose, but it's at the bottom of the mobile view screen....would be better at the top as there is no fast way to scroll to the bottom. I like web view so I can zoom in on photos.
ReplyDeleteI read on my iPad and do not like the mobile version. This should be a user feature, not a designer feature.
ReplyDeleteI use my ipad for 90% of blogging and i prefer the web version and have my own blog set that way. It's a shame blogger doesn't let the reader choose a default. I'll investigate Atomic, it sounds like what i need!
ReplyDeleteI hate the mobile version and always prefer the web version on my tablet. I also want to say Thank You for your blogging tips! I really enjoy reading and learning how to improve our blogs :-)
ReplyDeleteOh the things you learn here on Sew Many Ways. Thanks Karen. I just set my blog to view in the web version, thanks to your tutorial. I do not have any device other than a computer, but I have used my daughter's iPad while babysitting my grandson and my blog had looked the same on her iPad, but maybe she has something set on hers? The one thing that annoys me when reading blogs on the computer is when they have several posts on one page, but you have to click to read the rest of each post. So if that's how it is on a mobile device, then I wouldn't like it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this great tip. I know that it was frustrating for me when reading posts from a blog hop, that any time I wanted to follow someone I had to switch to web version. I'm going change my own blog now!
ReplyDeleteI also read blogs on my iPad, lately it's been switched to the mobile version. Thanks for explaining this, I thought it was something I had done myself and, I couldn't figure out how to fix it. I hate the mobile version, it's missing so much. I finally figured out, to go to the bottom and change it to the web version. It really should be something the reader should be able to control, across the board for all of the the blogs they read. It is a pain to have to change every blog every time you read it. Thanks for the wonderful, public service announcement. ;-> Toni Anne
ReplyDeleteHaha! Who knew? You don't need to buy lunch, but we really should go out soon! How does next week look for you?
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you for this topic! I use my iPad for viewing blogs and I strongly prefer the web viewing! You lose a fair amount of the blog design when viewing the mobile version. The scrolling, swiping and expanding (pinch and open) features do not work on the mobile version....and I love looking close up at amazing quilting projects. And scrolling to the bottom of the page to switch to the web version is a pain (particularly when scrolling through lots of sites, say, on a linky party)!
ReplyDeleteAs it seems that Google Blogger is forcing all mobile devices (including tablets) to mobile views, it is up to the blog owner to change their setting, as Karen describes. PLEASE, PLEASE make the change to web version! You've put a lot of thought both into your blog design and what you post, let's see it!!
PS. I went through my extensive list of blog bookmarks on my iPad and changed the URL to end with m=0 instead of m=1. For most sites, this ensures the web version is viewed when I access the blog from my bookmarks. However, for the sites I am following through blogger, the format will default back to how the blog owner has set it up.
ReplyDeleteWOW..I didnt even know I had a choice! I def pick the good ole web version. I am new to the iPad world and I don't blog from it because I dont like the moble version.
ReplyDeleteI use my iPad about 90% of the time and I prefer to read the web version of blogs
ReplyDeleteI prefer the web version. Thank you for all the wonderful blogging tips! Any chance of offering the option of Name/URL in your comments section? I don't mind using Google, but I always comment with name/url out of habit.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'll save it for "some day". I don't own a smart phone or an IPad so I only write and read blogger (and Facebok and Pinterest) on my good old PC with the really large screen or on my netbook that has a smaller screen but still works just as well. What can I say, I'm cheap .... as long as those two devices are working ... I'll stick with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen!! i just 'disabled' mine. Sounds like that is the preferred choice. :) ~karen
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the web version!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, and thank you. I like reading blogs on my ipad, phone AND computer. I just reset my version to "web version"....permanently. I didn't know how to change this so thank you.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, great info! I definitely like the web version better.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the mobile version. Text comes up larger and easier to read . I don't mind having to navigate a bit to get to other features.
ReplyDeleteI really dislike the mobile version both on my iPad and iPhone and wish all blogs used the web version.
ReplyDeleteMy preference is the regular version not the mobile version. My reason is sometime I like to see what blogs they have on their side bar and thus find some new interesting places to visit. Also sometimes I remember reading a previous post but can't remember the date or they don't have archives that you can check through.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first got my I-Pad I could view the regular version of everyone's blog and the suddenly I no longer had the choice, everyone's boog was the mobile version.
Now after seeing your great information I'll change my own log settings for viewing my blog.
I like the mobile version for my iPad. If I want to see sidebars, I just click on web Verizon at he bottom.
ReplyDeleteIt took me days to figure this out on my own. This tip is one week late. lol
ReplyDeleteBut it seems folks would rather have the web version so I guess I need to change that. As always your tech tips are so helpful.
Amazing great wonderful helpful tips. you are just awesome. Thank You.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this! My husband recently gave me his old iPad and I was ready to trashcan it after seeing what my blog looked like on it! Now I know how to change it and I much prefer the whole version!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Definitely the web version for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post.
Great topic! My sister and I were chatting about this the other day because she is always using her mobile device when previewing my blog and wasn't aware I had changed my background.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip! I'm going to change mine right now!
www.munchelicious.blogspot.com
Definitely web version!
ReplyDeleteI like the web version best, in fact if there's only a mobile version, I tend not to read it on my device and wait until I'm on a laptop somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the web version. I read the blogs on my iPad and I don't like the mobile version.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this tip Karen! I checked, and mine was set to mobile. I don't have a mobile device so I wouldn't know. Based on the comments here, I decided to change it to web. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Deborah
I would always prefer the web version. That settled, now can I ask a question of you? Is there a way to set the default font in the body of a post? My choice is always Georgia but I can't figure out how to make it the default. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI definitely like the full web version and disabled the mobile version on my http://igottacreate.blogspot.com a long time ago :)
ReplyDelete<3 Christina at I Gotta Create!
Wildly Original linky party is open
I just got a smart phone a couple of weeks ago, and haven't really done any blogging on it yet. BUT.....I just checked a couple of them and they are in the mobile version....AND IT IS GREAT! I can read them immediately, instead of having to 'biggie' them, and all the sidebar crap isn't in the way! When I'm on my computer, sometimes all that junk takes so much time to load, and I have turbo internet speed! I rarely need to get to the sidebar stuff anyway, I'm usually just wanting to see what they've just created, stitched, eaten, etc! So I think it's much better for the mobile version to pop up! Thanks......I am so new to most of this technology, and this really helps! :o)
ReplyDeleteI prefer the mobile version on my iPhone because the phone is small, and it's more challenging to read the web version (especially since I need reading glasses but refuse to get them until I can't stand it anymore!). But I prefer the web version on my iPad--because the iPad is bigger so there's no problem trying to read the full version most of the time on that device. As a blogger though, I do set mine to display the web version by default. It's so easy for the viewer to switch to the web version, so I'd just rather it be on mobile version by default, for folks like me who prefer that on their phone. :)
ReplyDeleteWeb version for me, Karen!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I can't thank you enough for your help with the page tabs.
I'm learning so much from your blogging tips!
Val from Alberta, Canada
in mobile version, there are some features that wont be displayed eg is the navbar, and som added widget..but dis doesn't affect the blog in anyway..and you can however choose to view d web version..i think its best to leave a custom message for your readers to click the “view web version“. http://www.sdknaija.com
ReplyDeleteVery informative and well written post! Quite interesting and nice topic chosen for the post.
ReplyDeleteLenovo - 13.3" ThinkPad Notebook - 4 GB Memory - 320 GB Hard Drive - Black
Lenovo - IdeaPad Ultrabook 14" Laptop - 6GB Memory - 750GB Hard Drive - Graphite Gray
I prefer the web version. I read the blogs on my iPad and I don't like the mobile version.
ReplyDeleteAndroid
I am so glad to find your blog. I have just spent the last hour trying to work out how to change my settings so my blog looks the same on both desktop and on mobile devices - hurrah! You solved the mystery for me, and it was so easy to do! I much prefer looking at blogs on my phone if they are set to web version. Even if the font is smaller on this setting, it is much quicker to pinch the screen and enlarge the text than it is to scroll to the bottom of the page and click through to the web version. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have gained a new follower now :).
ReplyDelete