How Google Reader Changed My Life

 I manage social media accounts for multiple organizations and have found that using Google Reader has changed my life and if you're not using it or one of its equivalents, you are probably losing valuable time.

As part of being part of the community of the organizations I serve it is imperative that I stay up to date on industry news from national/regional sources as well as be aware of what is happening within the local landscape of similar organizations.  I use Google Reader to do this.  I track keywords, subscribe to feed from trusted sources and follow relevant blogs.  Google Reader delivers all this information in an organized format right to one place.  No more random searches, no more navigating to each and every pertinent website.  I save valuable time because they all come to me per my specifications. 

If you don't use it, it is quite simple to set up.  First you need a Gmail account.  You can set one up at https://mail.google.com/.

Then go to www.google.com/reader to get started.  It will prompt you to select keywords to help you get started.  Then, as you visit your favorite websites and blogs, subscribe to them via Google Reader.  How and where the subscription opt-ins are will vary by site, but look for it, it's there.

Following your favorites on Facebook and Twitter is also a way to learn good information but it doesn't happen on in your own time.  Stay current, save time and be a leader within your industry with a little assistance from Google Reader.