Four reasons you should be using Google Reader
The following came out of a comment Erin made tonight. Here are my top four reasons why I think bloggers should use Google Reader:
- Automatic blogrolls - if you set up tags (folders) in Google Reader, then you can share those tags. One of the side benefits of that is you can get the JavaScript code to make a dynamic blogroll for that tag to place in your blog. See here for details. For an example see the various "Blogs I like" categories in the sidebar of my blog (link provided for those using a feed reader). I do nothing to maintain them - as I add (or subtract) blogs from a given tag in Reader, they are updated on my blog. Cool.
- Automatic items of interest - if you share posts you like in Google Reader, then you can get the JavaScript code to show them in your blog sidebar.
- Friends see shared items - Erin commented that she likes to see what I have shared in her Google Reader. Which is cool, and a variation of #2. You can also add notes to an item when you share it, although I haven't totally picked up on that habit yet.
- Saves time - see my prior post on that. Use the gained time to blog more.
I learned about all of the above (except #4) through the Google Operating System blog. You should subscribe. At least once a week there will be something posted there that will make you exclaim, "Kewl! You can do that?"
4 comments:
Yeah, I knew all this stuff (thanks to GOS), but I haven't implemented it.
Well, I had shared items, even had them on my blog, but I was NOT happy when they unilaterally decided to share them with everyone in my GMail contacts who also uses GReader; so I stopped. But maybe I will again, since people CAN make me shut up if they want.
I added the thingy to my page. But after reading Erin's comment will it automatically email it out to people with Gmail? I don't have gmail - just a hotmail account.
As it is though it is really cool!!
Erin,
I just decided it didn't matter, since the shared items were on my blog, too, it didn't really matter if anyone in my GMail contacts could see them in Reader, too.
Barb,
No, it doesn't email anything. How it works is if you share something in Reader (which then makes it show up on your blog since you used the "thingy" :o), if anyone else you have in your GMail contacts is also using Reader, they'll see the shared items in Reader under "Friends shared items". That's all. I kind of think it's neat, actually.
thanks Jim.
I know you computer geeks love it when we rename stuff. I'm just so frick'n proud that I actually got it to work that you can tease all you want! ;)
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