If you read blogs, you might want to use a feed reader. Perhaps the Google Reader that I mentioned the other day.
Why?
If you read a bunch of blogs, and you don’t use a reader, you likely go running around clicking on them to find out if there is new content. If there is, great! If not, you move on.
A feed reader does the checking for you. For all of the blogs (and any other content with an RSS feed) you choose. All in one place, nice and neat.
So each day, just like you go to one place to check your email, you can go to one place to check your feeds. It automatically updates when a new posting happens, so you don’t have to hunt around all day to see if there is new content on one of the blogs you read.
The Awesomeness of Google Reader (specifically)
If you are a Gmail user, Google Reader is even better. It hooks into your Google account and lets you do things like share items with your contacts, email an article to anyone (and it puts the article or post in the body of the email, not just a link back), and star things. Starring is like saving. So you can have a list of your favorite articles/postings. It is VERY handy.
How?
If you have a Gmail account, look up and to the left. There should be a link for “Reader.” Click it. This will take you to the Google Reader page, the place where all of your feeds will eventually live.
The next time you are reading your favorite blogs, keep your eyes peeled for these things:
Sometimes they are in the right column on a blog or, if you use FireFox, the little orange one might be in your address bar (where the URL of the site you are on is displayed.)
Click it. It will take you to a page with some options. Choose “Add to Google Reader.”
And you’re on your way. You can add anything to your reader that has a feed. (Keep your eyes peeled for the little orange icon.)
Discover!
Once you’ve been using the reader for a while, it will start to come up with some suggestions for you.
I LOVE a good suggestion. Get to know me, Google, and point me in the right direction… I’ll be forever faithful.
