Subscribe to blogs liberally
If I come across a blog and I think there’s any chance I might want to come back, I subscribe to their feed. I check out all the blogs of people I interact with on Twitter, people who comment on my blog, and links and blogrolls from blogs I already read and if they look like they might be interesting I subscribe. Subscribing is the new bookmarking. I use Google Reader and if you do too, the following tips will help you keep things organized and manageable while subscribing to many RSS feeds (I’m currently subscribed to about 450).
Use folders
With hundreds of RSS subscriptions, you’re not always going to have the time or inclination to keep your unread count at zero. One feed can be placed in multiple folders so create folders for all the different things you might want check for in one reader sitting. I’ve got folders for things like:
- family
- friends
- humor (LOLcats, xkcd, Clients from Hell)
- events (for example all the bloggers I read who will be at BlogHer)
- specific topics (some of mine include tech news, food, World of Warcraft, local store deals)
- blogs I’ve commented on in the past (and thus will likely comment on again)
- if you’re hesitant about subscribing to a ton of blogs when you haven’t done so in the past, try folders for your existing favorites and new blogs that you’re just testing out
Experiment with different sorting options
Sort by magic puts the articles you are most likely interested in, based on your past interactions with posts in Google Reader, at the top of your reader. This has been much more useful to me than viewing the oldest or newest posts first and saves me from feeling like I’m missing something good. Each of your folders can be sorted in it’s own way so if newest or oldest makes the most sense for one of your folders then sort it that way.
Comment on posts when you have something to say
Bloggers love comments! Use the keyboard shortcut “v” while viewing the post you want to comment on to open the post on the blog’s website and leave your comment. If you’re a blogger yourself, leaving meaningful comments is a great way to bring loyal new readers to your blog.
Clean out inactive feeds
On the Trends page in Google Reader, you’ll find a bunch of statistics about the feeds you subscribe to and your interactions with them.- Click the >> to check the website. If the blog has been updated since the feed has been updated then it’s likely the feed moved. Resubscribe to the feed while you’re at the site and then delete the old inactive feed from your reader.
- If the blog is inactive but you want to know when it becomes active again then stay subscribed (for example, my brother and sister’s blogs are the top two on my inactive list). If you don’t expect the feed to become active again and you want to remove it from your reader, hit the little trashcan to the left.
Shared in Works for Me Wednesday.
Related posts:
The Google Reader “Next” Bookmarklet
Reflecting: The Google Reader “Next” Bookmarklet
Organize Your Google Reader with Multiple Tags
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{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
I think folders will save me, sort by magic is great but when I subscribe to so many blogs covering so many different subjects it still get difficult to see anything really. Thanks for these tips.
Awesome tips. I already do folders kind of. Got major blogging sites, coupons/giveaway sites, faves, military related and other. I love the sort by magic idea. and the v tip to open it up..
Thanks for this. I’ve been using my Google reader for months, but haven’t really played around with all of the settings and stuff. Your post encouraged me to take a better look at it.
Thanks for the excellent Google reader tips! I subscribe to the HighCallingBlogs network via Google reader and like the search feature, too.
My colleagues at HCB have me using Diigo to track comments. I’ve grown to like it very much–it allows me to highlight and easily come back to blogs with content I want to use and share material with groups of people. I can track my own comments that way, too, and remember where I’ve been.
Have you already discovered and written about Diigo? Forgive me if I’m bringing up something you’ve thoroughly covered.
Thanks for the heads up on Things Fall Apart with your comment at my blog. I had already looked it up to get an overview, and it doesn’t sound exactly uplifting. It sounds like things *really* fall apart!
I haven’t heard of Diigo but I’ll definitely be looking into it.
Hey Ann, great to see someone else from HCB here! I’d love to know more about Diigo as well!
I do the same thing. I add ones that I want to check regularly to my blog roll. Others I follow and still others I follow via RSS.
Great blog..stopping by from the blog hop links
Thanks for the tips. I’ve only started using Google Reader for a few months and as I increase my subscriptions, so has manageability been reduced.
My goodness I am book marking this. I just barley made myself an RSS feed button but I don’t know how to use it, I don’t even really know how to use my googlereader so this post has been a life saver! Thank you so much! I’m hopping on through and am so happy I happened to hop in on yours! Thanks again!
I am so using the folders tip you gave! Oh wow ~ do you know how freed up you’ve made my life! I also subscribe to millions of blogs (ok, maybe actually only 200+) so having a way to organize my reader will be a lifesaver! thanks so much!
I love this post! I actually didn’t know about organizing your google reader account in to files. That makes it much more manageable. I am going to go do that as soon as I’m finished leaving this comment.
Any chance you’d be open to guest posting on my blog about this topic (even using this post?). I’d love for my readers (the ones who are skiddish about subscribing to things on the Internet) to know more about it.
Thanks from me too! Lots that’s new to me.
Great info! I need to set up some folders on my reader… I should add that to my list of goals for Bloggiesta this weekend!
I love this! I created folders several weeks because I found it annoying that feeds weren’t alphabetized in Google Reader. Thanks for all of your great posts, tons of great info!
Great tips! I read through my Outlook and could probably set up some folders in there.
That would be so much easier! 
Thanks for this post! I had no idea you could use folders to separate your blogs. Found you through Lady Bloggers Tea Social.
I’ve been using “Blogs I’m Following” through the Blogger Dashboard, but it’s starting to get out of control so I’m making the move to start using Google Reader. Those are great tips! I will definitely make use of them!
google reader integrates really seamlessly with the blogs you’re already following via blogger since blogger is also part of google. in settings > reader settings there is a check box to have it show the blogs you’re already following.
Oh my gosh, how do you keep up with posts from 450 sites, even with all of these great tips? I just cleaned out my feed reader so that was down to 160 (of course, Bloggiesta has added several new ones!) and I always feel like I’m chasing my tail trying to keep up. Reading this did give me a great idea for a folder I want to set up to make sure my fav sites are the ones I make sure to get to first.
I never noticed the “magic” setting. Am off to try it for one of my folders.
This is really helpful! I’ve just gotten started using Reader and could use some help with this.
Great tips!
Thanks for linking up!
~Liz
HI Carrie:
Thanks for the Google Reader tips. I need to work on getting my Google reader under control it is rather unruly these days!
Found this via LBS forum..fab post. Help, tho..I can’t find the ‘trends’ setting. I really need that. I keep unsubscribing both in Reader and Blogger dashboard, but it won’t delete the feeds I no longer want. Thanks!
in google reader, trends is about 1/4 of the way down from the top in the left hand column
This is a great article! I wrote something very similar to it recently; that is so funny!
Here from SITS. I’m definitely buzzing this!
I actually started using Feedly because i didn’t know there was another way of using Google Reader – when will i learn? there is always an easier way of using google products! I like Feedbly’s layout though even it can be overwhelming on anything over 120 blogs…
Thanks for a great post.
I use feedly and have about 42 folders but since I put my business research on there as well, I’m overwhelmed. Last look at my feedly on Saturday, I had 142,000 (yes that’s thousands) unread posts.
I still use coffee cup on my toolbar for firefox. What it does is in the morning, I click and it opens every business web page that I need to review. As soon as I scan it, I close down the window. I program it for different sites for different days.
142000 omg. i’m kind of thankful that once you get over 1000 google reader just says 1000+. it’s kind of peaceful knowing i’ll always have something available to read when i’m bored but having no idea how far behind i actually am.
Yes, when I missed for one week and found it to be several thousands, I started skipping the reader. Between work, blog and life, I can’t always keep up with the non work reading.
GREAT post! I love Google Reader and have been using it for years, so I can attest to how awesome these tips are and how they’ll change your RSS reader experience. :] I’ve been meaning to write a Google Reader how-to post, I think I’ll just link to yours instead.
The only thing I’d add is that sometimes its SO liberating to just click that “read all” button when you’re feeling too overwhelmed by too many unread posts. There is no way you can read EVERYthing out there and sometimes for me the mental anguish of “OMG how am I ever going to catch up on all those posts?!” is not worth it. Try it sometime! :]
Thx!! I thought I new everything about google-reader but I had misssed the trend page and the magic sorter. So thank you for teaching this old dog a few tricks. I’ll send this page to my sister who I still haven’t convinced she needs to start following me in a reader.
Great post. I don’t know how I managed before Google Reader. It’s been a lifesaver, and I manage to keep up with all my favorite feeds.
I love my folders. I didn’t know about the option to see when the feeds had last been updated, but I’m about to go check it out right now!
this is a fantastic post, great help for organizing all the feeds! I am a newer blogger and I have felt a little guilty as I have subscribed to a lot of blogs, but feel a little overwhelmed in reader, this will help a great deal! Thanks!
My latest post – http://bernicewood.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/bucket-list-saving-for-someday-and-superwoman-not/
I love the Trends feature! Thanks for pointing it out! And thanks for your help about not including blogs I follow in my subscriptions. I’m using Google Reader and I’m liking it! I’ve even added your blog to my subscriptions