|
|
|
Handy Dandy Guide To Automatically Reading Blogs
keep coming across people information about your topic from
who are not familiar with all over the Internet on one web
RSS and how it can simplify page. A little investment of your
your life if you'd like to keep time will pay off.
current with a range of blogs.
You'll need about 30 minutes to
When you open a morning newspaper follow the steps below. Ready?
you read stories from around the Let's go!
world assembled by editors from
hundreds of sources (wire Introduction - What is a Blog?
services, reporters). The paper
prints the same news for every Basically, a blog (WeB LOG) is an
reader - you choose which stories online diary. There are millions
to read. Instead of relying on a and millions out there! The trick
editor to choose the news, how is finding the ones that have
would you like to have a information you need and flagging
‘morning newspaper' delivered them when they post updates.
each and every day with stories Advantage: you get the ‘inside
on topics *you* choose? With a scoop' before most people in your
free "Blog Reader" or news industry. The good news about
aggregator you can create a blogs is that are probably dozens
personal page on your web browser you will find interesting, the
loaded with the freshest news bad news is that means there are
about the things you love. dozens of bookmarks you must
keep, and since bloggers don't
The way you set up your post on a regular schedule you
‘personal newspaper' involves a never know when you need to check
few steps and can seem a little back to read updates. That's why
tricky. Follow my step-by-guide you need a "blog reader".
below and you'll be reading Technically it's known as an "RSS
Reader". outlets like the NY Times,
Washington Post, and Boston
So Why Read Blogs? Globe. This beats visiting the
websites individually to see if
There are as many reasons to read they might have some updated
blogs as there are people. Each content to read.
person's reasons are different.
Here are a few reasons I read 3. You get a much better picture
blogs: of the individuals involved; what
they're working on, what their
1. I get a direct line into the concerns are, sometimes even what
thinking of important people in their favorite restaurant is.
the field. In technology this Most bloggers like to read
could be Jonathan Schwartz (Sun) Comments you can leave. This is a
or Irving Wladawsky-Berger (IBM). great way to build relationships.
In the media it might be Dan It's not a replacement for
Gillmor (San Jose Mercury News). personal interaction, of course,
Or perhaps it's people with their but one that has its place and
finger on the culture like Craig has a lot more scale to it.
Newmark (craigslist). It's
unfiltered and in their own 4. Announcements are often made
words. first in blogs.
2. Reading from a news aggregator What is an RSS Reader?
is a much quicker way of reading
news. For example, when I log in RSS stands for ‘Really Simple
in the morning and hop over to Syndication'. Just like your
Bloglines, in one interface I can morning paper relies on
see what many people are syndicated news from AP, Reuters
commenting on, along with news etc, so your blog reader will
rely on the fact that most blogs [2] In the first browser window,
'syndicate' their news - they can link to my blog:
‘feed' it to your blog reader http://www.exec-comms.com/blog -
for you to review. I'll use this as an example blog
to add to your feeder - hey! it's
A news reader or aggregator a great blog!
checks a list of feeds on your
behalf and displays any updated [3] In the second browser window,
articles that it finds. It is go to http://www.bloglines.com
common to find web feeds on and choose Subscribe - it's free.
nearly all blogs as well as many
websites such CNN.com. RSS The next bit is tricky, but stay
programs are available for with me:
various operating systems.
[4] In browser where you have
How do I find an RSS Reader? Bloglines, Under ‘My Feeds'
choose ‘Add' find where it says
Simple - Google ‘RSS Reader'. ‘Blog or feed URL'
The most popular are Newsgator,
Google Reader, Rocket. I use [5] Go back to my blog in the
Bloglines. The rest of this guide other window, look down the right
is customized for Bloglines, but column until you see where it
the same principals will work for says ‘Subscribe me' and
all of them. underneath you'll see a line that
says ‘RSS XHTML CSS 508′.
Step-by-step Guide: Now, RIGHT CLICK on RSS and
choose ‘Copy Shortcut' and then
[1] You'll need to open two go to the bloglines window and
browser windows. Paste this into the space where
it says ‘Blog feed or URL'. If
you've done it right, this should or ‘RSS'. You just bookmark
go into the window: Bloglines.com. It's your one stop
shop on the internet for dozens
http://www.exec-comms.com/blog/?f of sources of information on your
eed=rss2 topic. How cool is that!
[6] Hit ‘Subscribe' and then How to find Blogs that interest
again ‘Subscribe' on the bottom you:
of the next screen (which allows
various options such as folders [9] Start by searching in
for multiple blogs - don't worry Bloglines where it says ‘Search
about it for now.) all Blogs' at the top of the
page. Once the blog shows in
[7] Result - You now have a Bloglines click on the title to
‘feed' to my blog and whenever go to the actual blog and find
I post an update it'll show up in the RSS button. Then repeat steps
Bloglines and you'll see it. OK? [4] - [7] above to add it to
Bloglines. If you have different
[8] Now you can look at some topic areas then I suggest you
other blogs you might like to add use the option [Create Folders]
in Bloglines. This is how you to organize the blogs under
keep your eyes on multiple different headings. You don't
sources of blog info without need to just read blogs on your
having to go fetch it from each speaking topic, there's blogs on
website in turn. You just have to every topic out there.
find the RSS or XML (same thing)
button on each blog. Usually [10] Other places to find blogs:
you'll find this button on the
left or right column. It might - Google -> More -> Blog Search
have a graphic that says ‘XML' - http://www.technorati.com ->
Search as well! Look to the right side
and do the right-click thing
[11] The single best place to where it says ‘RSS' and add it
find quality blogs is to check as a feed to Bloglines. Hint: If
out the sidebar on any blog that you are searching for all the
interests you for blogs that news on the topic "National
author recommends. It's usually Speakers Association" be sure to
listed as a ‘Blogroll'. Look put it in quotes before you
down the right side of my blog Google, or you'll get separate
and you'll see a half-dozen on news on each word, not the
speechwriting and PR. Cilick and phrase. This also works if you
check out any that interest. search on Blogs using Google.
[12] Final tip. You can search That's all folks! Happy blog
Google News on your Topic. Guess reading.
what? You can grab this as a feed
About the Author:
Ian Griffin is a speechwriter and communications consultant. He blogs at http://www.exec-comms.com/blog
Read more articles by: Ian Griffin
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
|
|
