As I type that title I realize the irony that those of you that follow my blog will see it and that most that don’t won’t.
I remember the day that I discovered teacher blogs. I remember being in a haze, hopping from one to the next, making bookmark after book mark. Periodically I would get sucked into a day of blog hopping but going from bookmark to bookmark was the ideal way. I’d go in circles afraid to miss something fantastic.
Enter Google Reader.
You know how when something becomes part of your daily routine, you assume everyone else knows about it?
Well, recently I’ve had conversations with friends from work where they expressed having a hard time keeping up with blogs they like. I realized they didn’t use Google Reader and quickly showed them how.
It occurred to me that I should share the same info with you.
There are many ways to follow blogs:
Follow Via Facebook
Unfortunately, you don’t always see things you like on Facebooks stream. You can’t follow my blog on Facebook. I used to have it automatically loaded to my Facebook page, and then one day Facebook decided I was spam. I’ve tried convincing them that people that like “Surfing to Success” on Facebook want to see a link to this site, but I think I’m talking to myself.
Follow via Email
This works for some. I’m not always in the mood to read a blog post when I check my email. Emails can also end up in your spam folder.
Follow via Networked Blogs
They send me an email letting me know when someone posts.
My favorite is Google Reader.
Chances are that you already have a google account. I’m amazed how connected google is to everything. My google account is connected to blogger, to email (that I don’t use), to YouTube and more.
If you read blogs, you know from all the giveaways that people loved to be followed. When I started reading blogs I didn’t want to click that because I didn’t know what “Google Friend Connect” was and I didn’t want one more thing to manage.
Here is the thing. Just click it and choose Google. It might ask you to join blogger. You’ll be thinking, “I don’t want to start a blog!” You don’t need to. Just use the same google password you always do.
Now, go to “Google Reader“. You can just type it into the search bar. I’ve made it an icon on my iPad so I can read blogs at night before bed like I’m reading a book on my iPad. Use the same password you use for all things google.
Now, any time a blog that you follow posts something, it will be there waiting for you.
All Items
I like to click on All Items and then it changes the view a bit. This allows me to scroll past things that I’m not that interested in. (It happens.) It automatically marks them as read. Then, if I see something I’m really excited about or want to download, I can click on it and go to the actual blog.
Starred Items
If there is something I want to be able to find later (and I don’t feel like pinning it), I can click the star. Then if I click on Starred Items, I can see my favorite posts that I wanted to be able to find.
I know this post was probably like preaching to the choir for many of you, but maybe one of you wasn’t using Google Reader yet and your life just got simpler. 🙂
Speaking of Followers and Giveaways….
Check out the wonderful giveaway from my friend Jessica at Covered in Glitter and Glue. You can win an item of your choice from my store and many many other wonderful prizes. Jessica and I worked together for several years. She is an amazing teacher with very creative ideas. She’s definitely a blog you should follow. She’s just getting started blogging but I’ve been inspired by her for years.
Thank you for the information. I read my blogs from Blogger Buzz of my page. I don't understand how to star items so zI can find them and read them again. Maria
firstgradecarousel@gmail.com
Great post! I was so overwhelmed when I discovered the teaching blog world. Something else, for the wordpress blogs and others that don't have the Google follow button, you can copy the link into the "Subscribe" box, and you will follow those too.
Sarah
Using My Teacher Voice
Thank you for that post! I recently googled (of course) how to read blog posts and found out about Google Reader. I was getting overwhelmed trying to keep up!! This is very valuable information!! I may link to your post in the near future if you don't mind?
Amanda
Collaboration Cuties
Google Reader is being discontinued as of July 1, 2013. Ugh! Guess I have to find another way.