There's a new feature on my website. It's the Grow Me app.
So, what is Grow? It's a tool that lets you, the reader, bookmark all your favorite websites online and will prevent random ads from disturbing you when third party cookies go away. Many food, craft, lifestyle, and travel blogs are using Grow to let readers curate their favorite blogs. Google and Edge browsers are eliminating third party cookies in 2024 (Safari eliminated third party cookies three years ago!).
HOW TO USE GROW TO BOOKMARK YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Signing up for Grow will ensure that when the third party cookies are gone, any ads you are served on websites using Grow are directly related to your interests, not just 'buckshot ad marketing' that isn't relevant to your lifestyle. Third party cookies give us that sense that 'Alexa's listening to me', 'Facebook is watching me', or 'How does my browser know what I am looking for' response. It's almost like they're following us, and it's a little creepy!
When third party cookies end, the ads you'll see on the internet will be like the beginning of the internet all over again - literally all over the place and topics. To control the type of ads (because there will ALWAYS be ads, it's how the Internet stays FREE like air), Grow lets you authorize the type of ads you will be served and see.
By bookmarking a website in your Grow account, you will ONLY get ads on that website that are relevant to the topic of the website! Is that NOT awesome? Next to having no ads at all of course?
ā
Just go to https://app.grow.me/ to create your free Grow Me account. Then start clicking all the 'hearts' on the blogs you visit! Below is a step by step guide:
HOW TO USE GROW TO BOOKMARK YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Step 1. Create an account at https://app.grow.me/ . Fill in your name, email, create a password, and submit. If you already have an account, login by clicking the blue "already have an account? Login" link.
If you don't remember the password, you can also reset it by clicking the blue "forgot password?" link or use the Magic Link option.
ā
You should see a blank bookmark page if you are new to the Grow app.
ā
ā
Step 2. Personalize (Optional)
The "account" tab allows you to upload your photo, add your name, address, etc. These are optional though.
Step 3. Click the "Bookmarks" tab.
If this is your first time to your Grow account, there will be nothing in the bookmarks. You will see the heart icon in the middle with floating hearts above it. That is the same signal you will get whenever you bookmark a blog site in Grow. I'll show you what I mean by that.
Step 4. Bookmark your first blog page.
Look for the heart icon usually in the lower right hand corner of the blog page. It will be the color of the blog theme, or the default blue. Smells Like Delish has a pink circle with a white heart outline. The three dot icon below the heart is so you can share the blog page to social networks. Click on the heart icon.
A pop up is visible after clicking on the heart Icon with a note that says "Don't lose your place, save your bookmark forever". Click on "continue".
ā
ā
Next, watch the floating hearts rise! This indicates that you bookmarked the blog page to your bookmarks successfully.
ā
ā
Step 5. Go see your curated Grow bookmarks! I bookmarked several of my own blog pages to show you how this looks when you start bookmarking and filling your Grow account with YOUR favorite websites, blogs, blog pages, and any bookmarks from websites that are using the Grow app.
You are going to see the Grow heart icon more and more on blogs because it is FREE, and allows us to set the parameters of the ads that we will see on blogs and websites in the near future. If I have to see ads, I want them relevent to the content on the website, that is for sure!
ā
ā
ā
I hope this visual guide to using Grow helps you, and if you still have questions, please do not hesitate to email and ask me!
ā
Thanks for visiting, and let's get cooking!
Thanks for visiting, and let's get cooking!
You can follow me on my social media channels also!