Almostgotit.com

A feed reader (or aggregator) is a way for you to build a customized web “newspaper” for yourself.  You can then track updates from your favorite blogs and news sources, all on one page. 

Here’s how to create a Google Feed reader for yourself. I use Google because it is free and easy to use, and no Google is not paying for the endorsement!

1. Click here to open Google Reader.  (You now have two windows open, so you can still read this.)
2. Sign in if you already have a Google account (or use gmail)… otherwise, click “create an account now” and follow instructions to create your account.
3. Choose your headlines (= “subscriptions”).  There are three ways to add new blogs or news (e.g., CNN) to your reader.
   –  (easiest): click “browse” to see Google’s suggestions to get you started.  Click the ones you want to add. —-OR —-
   –  click “browse” and type in the title of the blog or news site you want to add (e.g. “How to (almost) get the job,”) then select  the one you want to add it. —- OR —-
   –  click “add subscription” if you already know the feed URL, which you can find on many blogs by clicking on this icon: 

   

4. A list of your subscriptions appears at left, and any with new content will be highlighted (everything will be highlighted when you start!).  Click highlighted headlines to see new content.  New content will be “marked as read” as you read it.  If you don’t want to read it, click “mark as read” to de-activate the “newness” of the uninteresting content.
5. To save (or “clip”) interesting articles, click the star icon by that article.  Starred articles will be filed under “Starred items,”  top left, for you to read later.
6. Click “manage subscriptions” now or later to get rid of any that you don’t want.

Plea to readers:

Have a comment, correction, or tip on this subject? What feed reader(s) do you use?  What are your favorite subscriptions?  Do you use your feeder professionally, and if so, how?