google reader

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.

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