That's How I Roll!

I apologize if every single person reading this already knows about this, but I just in case some of you don't, I thought I'd share.

Do you stalk follow several blogs?

Do you have tons of blogs on your blog roll?

Do you go to your blog and check your blog roll to see who has updated their blogs?

If that's how you've been reading your favorite blogs, I think it's time for a change! When you read blogs using your own blog roll, you have to click on the link, that new window opens up, you read the blog, then must close that window to go back to your blog and click the next link.

It isn't difficult, but I learned a little while ago that is also isn't the most efficient way to read blogs.

If you aren't using it already, I highly recommend using Google Reader! It takes a little time to set it up, but I really think it is worth it.

Google Reader allows you to read blogs without visiting their site directly.

(Side note: If you "follow" your favorite blogs through Blogger, this is even easier. When you first log-in Blogger, the screen shows the blogs you follow and there is a link that says "read in Google Reader". Click that and if you log-in using your Google account, you can already read them there.)

Go to reader.google.com and get started today!

Sign in with your regular Google account (or create one). When you log-in, there will be a button in the upper left-hand corner that says, "Add a subscription". You have to click there and add the web addresses (one at a time) of your favorite blogs. I did this by clicking on the blogs on my blog roll and copying and pasting the addresses. Maybe there is a faster way to do it, but I don't know of one yet.

By adding your blogs to Google Reader, you can read all your blogs in one place. You log-in and it shows you the people who have updated their blogs. The blogs appear right in the same window currently open. As you read the blog, it becomes a "read" item instead of an "unread" one.

There are a few downfalls to it that I have found.

• The blogs aren't as pretty because the backgrounds don't show up.
• Some blogs will only show you a preview of their post on Google Reader and you still have to click on the blog name at the top of the window and go to that blog, but that doesn't happen very often.
• Some blog pictures/videos won't appear in Google Reader.
• You will have to go to the blog to leave a comment.

The other nice thing is that you can easily update your blog roll on your blog by importing your Google Reader contacts. Sometimes I will come across new blogs I would like to add to my list. I find that I just add those blogs as a new subscription on Google Reader, then occasionally go to my blog to update my blog roll the way I used to, and choose the "Import from Google Reader" option. This will add any new blogs I have subscribed to using Google Reader. That way my blog roll still stays updated for anyone who looks at it.

Okay, so maybe that is as clear as mud! I hope you try it if you aren't using it already.