Getting Started with Google Reader

By Carly

I use several online tools to make my life easier (including Remember the Milk and Aardvark), but my absolute favorite is Google Reader. After the jump, I explain a little about Google Reader and how you can get started.

Google Reader home page

Google Reader is a way for you to get together everything you read online in one, convenient location. It’s particularly useful if you frequent a lot of blogs. To sign up for a website in Reader, sign up for their RSS feed. In some cases, you’ll have to go in to Google Reader and add the URL of the website by clicking “Add Subscription” at the top left hand corner of the page.

Your subscriptions (the websites you are subscribed to in Google Reader) will show up on the left hand side of the screen.

A list of subscriptions

You can click on your individual subscriptions, and the feed for each will then appear in the browser.

Viewing a blog in Google Reader

As you can see from the example above, the blog I’m reading is Healthy Tipping Point (listed at the top of the screen). The latest post on that particular blog is on the top (Apple Butter and Cinnamon). On the right hand side of the screen, you can see what time the blog was posted. (And if you continue scrolling down, you’ll see subsequent posts.)

Pretty cool, huh? You’ll also notice that the blog post you are reading is highlighted with a blue border. When you scroll down to another post, the first post will be marked as read.

If you’d like to save the post for future reading, you can “star” and/or “like” a post.

When you click on “add star,” that saves the blog post for future reading. When you click “like,” that simply shows everyone else viewing the post in Google Reader that you liked that particular post. “Share” and “share with note” are options for you to share to your followers on Google Buzz. There are also a few other options for you.

You’re probably wondering how to sign up! If you have a Gmail account, it’s super easy – just click on “Reader” on the top of your Gmail screen. You can sign up for a Google account with any valid email address, as well. (Simply go to reader.google.com and follow the steps provided.)

Do you use Google Reader, or something else to keep track of your blog and website reading? What are your favorite blogs to frequent? I love blogs that focus on healthy lifestyles, as well as blogs about literature.