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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Efficient Blog Reading

Everyone has their own favorite methods for readings blogs and each depends on how many blogs you read and how much free time you have. For example, before I started blogging I read about three blogs per day, so I would just type their urls right in. My parents like getting blog posts in their email box, as do my friends with jobs which prevent them from accessing blogs at work, smart people! Some people I know like to organize their blogs in a reader, that's what happens when you want an RSS feed of a blog, that allows you to organize blogs by day of the week, category, favorites, whatever you'd like. THe downside to this is that you still have to click on the blog to leave a comment. At least, that's the biggest downside for me, I love getting your comments, and I'm less worried about getting your pageviews to "count" which only happens when you visit an actual website.

My favorite is to subscribe in Google Reader, then use the "Next" button in my toolbar to be brought to the next unread blog post on my list. So I can surf from It All Started With Paint to Crafty, Scrappy, Happy to Young House Love to Tatertots and Jello...

So that way my views "count" for my friends' blogs and I can leave them fun, funny, attempting-to-be-witty comments to my hearts content.

Here is the button on my toolbar in the top left.


To get it, go to Google Reader, and click on the little gear on the right. Then scroll down to Reader Settings.



Drag and drop the Next Bookmark onto your toolbar and you are done!



I do find it harder to find time in the summer to read all my favorite blogs, but this way I also get nice surprises and sometimes wind up on a blog I might have forgotten about if I was just looking at a list.

What's your favorite way to keep up with your favorite blogs? 


Jessica

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Sunday: I Heart NaptimeNifty Thrifty ThingsIt's Overflowing Monday: Delectable HomeC.R.A.F.T.  DIY ShowoffBetween Naps on the PorchThrifty Decor ChickDebbie Doo'sHome Stories A to ZEvolution of Style Tuesday: Coastal CharmNest for LessTip JunkieMy Uncommon Slice of SuburbiaA Bowl Full of LemonsGet Your Craft OnKurtz Corner,  Centsational Girl Primitive and Proper  Wednesday: Savvy Southern StyleOrganize and Decorate,  Mommy SolutionsPower of PaintNewlyweds Recipe LinkySouthern Lovely , Home Happy HomeCrafty Sasse WednesdayGingersnap CraftsA Crafty Soiree  Thursday: The Shabby Creek CottageMade in a DayHouse of Hepworthsthe 36th Avenue,  Crafty, Scrappy, Happy52 Mantels Friday: Making LemonadeBlissful and DomesticOne Artsy MamaSerenity NowTatertots and JelloThe Shabby NestThirty Handmade DaysAddicted 2 DecoratingFunky Junk InteriorsFinancial FridayFurniture FridayAt the Picket FenceThe Rooster and the HenClassy Clutter




21 comments:

  1. My go to blogs are in Google Reader, that way I don't miss anything! I do take a few minutes each morning to run down the list of others I follow and take time to read those that interest me, and comment when I can.

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  2. love that mine pops up in your screen shot!! LOL. I use google reader too. I haven't used the next button. will have to try that.

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  3. It is SO HARD to keep up with all the great blogs out there. I think I could spend 10 hours a day just reading blogs. I follow quite a few through email, but I always click over to the actual blog to get the full effect. Great post idea today!

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  4. Great tip!!! I can navigate much faster now!

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  5. So right now mine come to email. And I like having them there but maybe I would like this reader thing you speak of?

    ~Bliss~

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  6. I just use the Blogger reader. Back when I worked I used the RSS feeds because I could tell if site had been updated before clicking on it.

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  7. Thank-you for this! I had no idea if you clicked Next it sent you to the next one on your list. I always just go down through the news feed and have to click on the title of the post and it goes to their blog then return to the news feed after I am done reading. I am sure there are so many that I miss or forget about!

    Your way is the way that I will be using from now on (:

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  8. Love most things about using Next - but what I don't love is not being able to "mark as unread" like we can in google reader directly. There's always a blog or two that I want to go back to - I usually pop the web address in a quick email to myself.

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  9. Great tip! I have to get to know reader a bit better. We aren't quite on a first name basis yet...but hopefully are now :)

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  10. I use Google Reader, so I'm definitely going to have to try this! Thanks for the tip! :)

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  11. I use the Blogger dashboard, but this seems more efficient. Thanks for the tip bloggy friend. :)

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  12. Oh thank you so much for grouping me with some amazing blogs! I'm honored and humbled ...

    And I should probably find a better way to use that pesky Google reader. Right now I've got some of my must-reads hooked up on my sidebar ...

    :)

    Linda

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  13. I have used Google Reader exclusively for the last couple of years and love it, sugar. It's much easier and much "neater" to have my favorites this way than to CLUTTER up my sidebar with a scroll button that goes off into infinity! Hmmmm, it does anyway, actually, with the posts I put on every few days. Oh well, nice to meet you and ya beat me to th' punch with WOW today! Also, you must be very smart as you're on a Mac. I love Macs and hubs and I have 4 of them. Just love 'em.
    xoxo,
    Connie
    Used to live in Bay Area but moved to Idaho now.... ;-)

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  14. Cool! I have a bad habit of going to the same blogs over and over then suddenly I think - Hey I haven't read this and such in a while - what happened! This is a neat tip.

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  15. I have to admit, I was SURE that I already knew whatever you were about to say. But NOPE. Learned something new! SUCH a great tip, thanks!

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  16. I really struggle to keep up with all my favorites. This sounds like a great way to manage things. I think I will give it a try. Thanks so much for the tip!

    Lynn

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  17. I NEED a system ... that's all there is to it. Thanks for this tip. :)

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  18. Thanks for sharing about the next button--love it!

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  19. Not only are you already fabulous, have fantastic taste, but you are bringing us ideas to save time too!

    Hugs, Tanya :)

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  20. This is what I've been looking for! Thank you!!!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I love hearing what you have to say! Sometimes I'm busy chasing after the three kids who can walk, or feeding the baby, but I promise, at some point I'll get back to you and head over to your blog (if you have one) to leave you a comment too:)