How To: Google Reader

by "Get it Done Girl" on January 25, 2010 · 0 comments

in google reader,How To:,Virtual Assistance

Many of you have heard of the “Google Reader”, but how many of you know what it is and are actually using it to save time in your busy day?

Google Reader

Google Reader

What is it?

According to Google, the Reader constantly checks your favorite sites and blogs for new content, whether they’re updated daily or monthly.  It shows you all of your favorite sites in one place utilizing RSS feeds.  The only way I can stay current on the 30 blogs I read is by using my Google Reader. Google Reader works on any mobile phone browser and can be accessed from any computer with Internet access.

How to get started?

You need to have an account with Google, so if you don’t, go here to create one.  Go to www.google.com/reader to begin using the Reader. You may need to log in using the username/password you just created. There are many uses for the Google Reader; for now we’ll concern ourselves with only the subscriptions.  In the upper left-hand corner, you’ll see a button with a little blue plus sign that says “Add a Subscription”.  This is where you’ll add the URL for the RSS feeds of the sites you visit.  To add the RSS feed for this blog to your Google Reader:

  • Open a new tab in your browser and go to www.contemporary-business-solutions.com
  • In the upper right-hand corner of the page, you’ll see a little orange square after the word “Subscribe”.  Click on either the word “Subscribe” or the orange feed button and a new page will open
  • Click “Subscribe with Google”
  • Click “Add to Google Reader”

In this instance, the RSS feed subscription was AUTOMATICALLY added to your Google Reader. This is not always the case. Sometimes, after you click on the orange RSS feed button, a new page will open and you’re going to have to manually add the URL of the RSS feed to your Google Reader.

  • Copy the URL and go to your Google Reader page
  • Click on the “Add a Subscription” button in the upper left-hand corner and paste the URL into the dialog box and click add

The subscription has now been added to your Google Reader.  If you don’t like how the feeds are organized in your subscriptions, click on “Manage Subscriptions” in the bottom left-hand corner (it is very small and difficult to see).

What do I have in my Google Reader?

  • Blogs
  • Local, National, International and special interest news
  • Freelance project feeds that are updated as soon as the projects are added to the freelance website
  • Various Google Searches on topics of interest

Setting up subscriptions in your Google Reader will take some time in the beginning, but it will save you tremendous amounts of time going forward.  AND, you will have information at your fingertips as it happens versus having to go out and look for it.

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