How many Web sites do you visit on a reoccurring basis each day? If you are like me, the answer is probably a lot. For example, I typically visit 10 – 15 different marketing sites / blogs each day (and that just tips the iceberg), and do so very efficiently, but that isn’t to say there wasn’t some room for improvement.
Enter Google Reader.
I’ve known about Google Reader (or any RSS service) for some time, and even set it up with some feeds a while back. Originally, I simply wasn’t fond of the format and it didn’t tie in well with how my “Web life” was configured; my how things have changed. Let me explain why.
I now use Gmail as the hub of my email activity (can send and receive ryanshell.com emails from Gmail) and I also use iGoogle to tie in things such as Twitter, my local newspaper, blogs and national news… all on one page. I also have Google Reader on my iGoogle page which enables me to quickly view updates from the various sites I’m interested in.
I’m an extremely busy guy and Google Reader simply makes sense for me. It feeds me new content when it’s available and doesn’t require me to waste time bouncing from site to site. It also allows me to keep track of articles of interest and discard others. No more emailing myself links to articles that inevitably get lost in mounds of email. Ever found yourself doing that?
Why didn’t I like Google Reader my first time around?
When I set up an account some time ago I found that not going to the physical Web site bothered me. I’m not sure why, it just did. I now chock that up to “change,” and have realized that I needed to accept a new way of surfing the Internet.
Bottom line: Work smarter, not harder.
PS – My RSS feed can be found here.
